Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to send a late "Happy Thanksgiving" message to everyone!

We are very thankful for all of our Family & Friends and our beautiful house and jobs.

(I'm not going to even go there on here)

2010 has flown by even faster then last year.

Yesterday we ate at Nan & Pop's with Aunt Teresa (birthday lady!) and Uncle Tim & Olivia.

Then went immediately to Granmom's & GrandRuss's with Uncle James and MomMom.

After we watched the Polar Express and I even made my first Black Friday shopping experience.

I went to ToysRus with a friend at 10pm and after 2hrs in line shopped for a handful

of random things. Prob the first and last time doing that.

Today we had an encore Thanksgiving at GrandPa's & MomMoms, and put up all of our Christmas decorations outside (thanks to Kenn) and inside (thanks to B and me)

We started when brandon went down for his nap, when he awoke he said

"Oh my gosh, the house looks BEAUTIFUL Mommy!"

He is truly the thing we are most Thankful for.

Ps. We also ordered our Christmas Cards today :)

Soccer Fall 2010

So by now everyone is aware of the obsession with sports my son has.
We enrolled him in Soccer for his first team sport.
They started out the season with 1-2 kids crying after every play.
They would cry because they couldn't catch the ball,
or because someone stole the ball from them,
or just because they didn't feel like playing.
It was complete chaos for the first couple weeks.

By the end of September B had deff caught on.
He was confused about the fact that you had to steal the ball from another player,
and then in turn they would steal from you.
(that he did NOT like)
he would put his head down and pout when someone other then him scored
(It didn't matter if that was his teammate or not)

but slowly he got better on his feet, a little more aggressive with stealing the ball,
and less sulky about others scoring goals.
He really ended up being one of the best kids on his team.

slapping hands at the end of the game.

Last sat was the last game.
(it was so cold i was glad)
B and Daddy after the game

B's two coaches and a bunch of the kids with the trophies.
He LOVES his trophy.
He has put it in a place of honor in the living room
When they handed them out each coach said a little something about the kid.
Brandon's speech was...
"this trophy goes to a little boy who kicks lots of goals,
who is a super fast runner... and doesn't like it when someone else scores a goal"
It was pretty humorous.

He's going to be doing Gym class again for the winter
(he already has vastly improved from last year)
Then Aunt Gail is giving him bowling classes in Jan,
and then back to Soccer in the spring.
We can't wait to see how much he will improve by then!

ZooBoo

On Halloween Day B and I took a special trip to the Zoo.
B dressed up as Diego before we left

At the zoo

First we met up with his Aunt Courtney & Cousin Conner aka Elmo and 3 of their friends.

Brandon telling us that there are 3 zebra

I know this is blurry but he was really excited to see the elephants and it was cute with the binoculars when he found them.

The kids having a snack

Then at lunch we met up with Ms.Lisa & Mr.Kenny and Emma (aka Jessie)

Riding a banana

I swear i did NOT tell them to do this

Lisa and I have a slide-show already picked out for their wedding.

After lunch Connor had to go home for a nap so we hung out with Emma & Co.
The kids on the new Train

Brandon Posing.

Petting "casper" the goat. It was neat seeing all the pumpkins in the pen areas.
Goats apparently love pumpkins.

They had a special trick Or treat area with a costume contest.
The line was huge and we calculated would take a good 2hrs to go through so we bailed.
(BTW lisa REALLY hand-sewed Emma's whole costume)

The kids and a skunk

That night we got the dogs in their usual outfits.
(their eyes look frightening with the lighting)

Then it was off for some Trick Or Treating!

We went out for a little over an hour and brandon turned to me and said
"My buckets full, I would like to go home".
I think we wore him out walking around at the zoo all day.
But as soon as we got home and kids came to the door he was all about handing out candy.
We really had a great halloween (especially compared to last years not liking the costume)

School Halloween Parade

I went to see B at his preschool for their Halloween Parade.
Brandon dressed up as "diego" from his favorite show.
So while all the other kids had elaborate costumes I home-made ours.
The store bought version wasn't very impressive and diego wears jeans and a blue shirt.
I didn't see a point in buying a felt version.
So after I got to school I noticed he didn't bother putting on his blue shirt and instead had on his basketball shirt that he wore to school.
So he REALLY looked like he had parents that didn't bother trying.
But he's still so darn cute.

They listened to a story until it was time to start and then they marched outside

And came back in for B's favorite part.
Cupcakes

Pumpkin Carving

I purchased a pumpkin carving kit at the store at the beginning of Oct.
B was SO excited that he carried around the whole thing for about 2 weeks.
(we didn't take the tools out so he just carried the cardboard package)
He even took it to school once or twice!
He just couldn't WAIT to "scoop out the gooey stuff"
So Kenn cut open the top and below is the face

Surprise! He did NOT like it
(normally I am the one that guts the pumpkin but I was making dinner)
So to save time daddy did it.
Skip forward to B drawing his "silly face" on his pumpkin

Then Kenn carved it out. I really love it

Then Kenn carved a Diego Pumpkin
(brandon is narrating for you)

Finished product!

He amazes me every year~

Pumpkin & Apple Picking

So backed up again! Oct we had events EVERY weekend so here I am finally updating them all.
(and sick none the less) Hey its another day as a Mom.

So the Middle of Oct we went with another family to go Apple & Pumpkin Picking.
Brandon was VERY excited.
It was a little Orchard that was owned a private farming family, who also had mums and made fresh apple cider.

First we took a tractor ride out to the pumpkin fields

Brandon had a ladybug land on him
(Thats good luck)

We loaded up the pumpkins and headed back

Then we went to pick apples.
this was the first time for the 3 of us
We got Granny Smith (my favorite)

The car was completely full... pumpkins in the trunk
apples and 3 HUGE mums.
The third was in my lap up front.
(my car had to be professionally cleaned after we got home)

We ended our visit with lunch at Sonic.
Kenn and I were excited b/c it was our first "real" lunch there.
We also got the famous ice-cream.
It was pretty darn good for fast food.
My personal favorite is the cherry lime-aid.
Too bad they don't have any closer.

After we got home I baked my first apple pie from scratch,
everyone seemed to like it so tonight I made 2 more for Sarah's house for tomorrow.
Brandon was slightly upset he couldn't eat one so I told him we could make one this weekend,
so he asked if we could go apple picking again.
I felt bad explaining that it was a special seasonal activity.
We really enjoyed showing him the process of Apple tree to Pie though,
it really hits home how to support the local farmers