THANK Auntie - you saved the day!

Well, first off I have to say, I'm VERY cheap. I don't like to buy things unless they are on sale or a good deal. So when my pumpkins didn't grow from my garden, I thought oh well, I'll buy a couple from the store.....um, not for $5.95 for ONE pumpkin, NOT worth it for me.

Well my dear Sister in Law Heather came through with 2 perfect little pumpkins to carve!! You saved the day, THANK YOU!!

Cayden would NOT touch inside the pumpkin, he thought it was yucky, we got him to put his hand in there long enough for this picture, he just wanted to color on it.

Prestyn wasn't too sure about all the slime either.
Once we got to the markers I had a happy camper (by this time Prestyn was off playing somewhere - no doubt pulling every book off his bookshelf or something similar) :)

I had to finishs Prestyns for him (on the left) and Cayden's is on the right!!

Now today we baked the seeds, YUM YUM!! Looks like I know what I'll be snacking on this weekend. Oh who am I kidding, they'll be gone by tonight!! YUM!

Don't they have any girl babies?

As I'm looking at a magazine, Cayden spots a picture of a woman who is pregnant.

He asks me: "Mommy, are you going to have a big belly like that?"

me: "Yes, but mine will probably be alot bigger! (as I'm giggling)"

Cayden: "Oh, well I want it to be a girl baby"

Me: "It might be a boy, or it might be a girl, we don't know yet"

Cayden: "Don't they have any girl babies?"

Me: "Who?"

Cayden: "the doctors!"

Me: "Honey, GOD already chose who this baby is, He decided if it is a boy or a girl, we just have to wait & see what God gave us."

Cayden: "Oh, does God make girl babies?"

Me: "Yep, he does!"

Cayden: "Okay, I hope we get a girl baby!"

I'm still giggling....he just makes me laugh & laugh. We don't hardly even talk about the gender of this baby, and we certainly aren't just talking girl. It's so funny to hear his "wants" and his perception of who decided the gender...i guess when we go to the hosptial the Doctor will bring us a girl baby or a boy baby!! :) Awe, gotta love these kids!!

I love babywearing!!

I started wearing Prestyn when he was a few months old. A friend of mine borrowed me her Hot Sling, so sweet! I loved it when he was a new baby as he could lay across in it & snooze or just check things out. This is the same hot sling I wore him in when he was a baby and in this picture he is 14 months. (I'll have to dig up the oldies and do another post with comparisson pics) It's still comfortable and he can still see what going on & I'm pretty much hands free.

Now I just need to get my own Hot Sling. The cool thing is they have now come out with a "one sized" Hot Sling...check them out here: http://www.hotslings.com/

My sister convinced me to try a Mei Tai as that is what she uses with her LO's. So I actually traded my cards for this one. And I love it too! I would wear Prestyn in the front when he was smaller and he could snooze on my chest. But the back is alot easier with this one for larger babies, he has a better view (not just staring at mommy)!

Cloth diaper giveaway!

Hey everyone, I just came across this Thirsties Duo and Fab fitted giveaway and had to share it with you all! I LOVE living green and using our cloth diapers. We used TFF's when Prestyn was about 4 months old and I was sad when he outgrew them. I'd love to have more of then! The Thirsties Duo is a new cover that I've never tried, but I love OS (one-sized) dipes, so I'm hoping to get my hands on one of these.

Check out the blog here and enter to win:
http://theecofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2009/10/thirsties-duo-fab-fitted-review.html

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY!

FUN TIMES!

Oh man, are they loving their time with Grammie & Papa! :)

GRAMMIE & PAPA!

Whoohoo- we are LOVING having Grammie & Papa here for a visit. :) They came down late last night and we've just had a relaxing, fun day! I love it when they are here, and so do the boys.

October fun!

Finally a day with a little sunshine, so we headed out to the yard to play. What a wonderful day!!

My handsome little men!!!

a special gift from "Josh the Carrot"

Well if you remember back to my post about "Josh the Carrot" coming to have lunch with us one day, you'll get a kick out of this story.

"Josh the Carrot" happened to mysteriously drop off a present for Cayden. Rang the doorbell and was gone....hmmm...He brought Cayden this Veggie Tales book. My first question was 1) how is "Josh the Carrot" so sneaky
2) How in the world did he know that Cayden LOVES Veggies Tales??

Well Cayden was all grins when he had a gift from "Josh the Carrot" and then the phone rang and he thought it was "Josh the Carrot" calling him...um no...sorry buddy.

"Josh the Carrot" even included a personally written card for Cayden...wow, he's good!!

Auntie Heather, cousins Kole & Beau happened to stop by later in the evening with a bunch of games and books. Cayden couldn't wait to show them what he got from "Josh the Carrot"

:) Good times...and a good story for later. (in case you haven't figured it out yet check out Heather's blog: http://farmchick04.blogspot.com/ )

Wordless Wednesday!!

National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day!

Today is National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day! In remembrance of the many babies who have been lost due to stillbirth, miscarriage, SIDS, ectopic pregnancy or infant death my friend Lorisa & I put on a memory program and balloon release in honor of those loved ones. Here are Lorisa & I with all the balloons

The tables all set (this is for you Steph since you couldn't be here with us)
October was deamed National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awarenss Month in 1988 by President Ronald Regan. If you want more information on this month & October 15th specifically you can go to www.october15th.com to read more.

We'll be lighting a candle tonight at 7pm for an hour in remembrance of all the babies who went to heaven too soon. Please join us. I wanted to remember today in honor of my niece Amanda Joy, baby bean, Nadine Ranee, and all the other babies who have been miscarried & stillborn. Needless to say, it was a very emotional morning.

We watched the video "Held" by Natalie Grant and read a couple of poems (if you want them just let me know & I'd be happy to share)

Then Lorisa told us her story about Isabella who would be 4 in January and her miscarriage. Then she read a poem and we had some discussion time.

After that I read another poem and then we watched the video "99 Balloons". We filled out these cards and attached them to our balloons. I did a balloon for Amanda Joy, baby bean, Nadine Ranee, Ma Klatt's miscarriage, and a friends miscarriages.

We closed in prayer, then we went outside & read the balloon release poem, posed for a picture and then released our balloons.

Releasing balloons.

Lorisa reading the balloon peom. (thanks so much for sharing that with us Jen - you have been such a blessing, I really appreciate all your help)

Me about to release my balloons.

All the balloons!

We are hoping to make this a yearly event and hoping to do a walk next year with balloon release! Thanks to all the mama's who showed up, I hope it blessed you.

Wordless Wednesday

flash to the past

Oh my, how cute are they???

I love you mom & dad!!!

Football!!

We went to Minot today to watch cousin Chance play football. It was FREEZING out, but still so fun to watch! Prestyn all bundled and watching the game:

Cayden just ran & ran & ran in the open field! He loved it!
Uncle Ryan, Daddy, Cayden, Prestyn and Nana! :)

Chance's football team - he's #69 on the far right!

Of course Uncle Ryan had to spoil the boys with the biggest suckers he could find!

Wordless Wednesday!

"Josh the Carrot"

Cayden, Prestyn and I are sitting down to eat lunch together.

Cayden looks at me & says: "Josh the carrot is eating with us too, see he's right here!"

I look at the empty chair and say: "Oh, well that's nice of him to join us" (meanwhile I'm snickering inside..silly boy)

Me: "how old is "Josh the Carrot?""

Cayden "he's 4"

Me: "oh, what does he look like?"

Cayden: "kinda like my hair."

me: "hmmm, does he have any brothers or sisters?"

Cayden: "yes, 2 brothers and a sister, his brother work"

Me: "what are their names?"

Cayden: "his sister is "sally the carrot" and his brothers work!"

Me: "wow, that's cool. What does he like to do?"

Cayden: "he likes to play and eat with us"

Then the conversation about "Josh the Carrot" was over and we proceeded with lunch!! This boy cracks me up! Gotta love that imagination!

my little cookie helper

Well here's my helper! He loves to help in the kitchen, it doesn't matter what is being made, he has to be hands on! :)

I measure, he dumps!
before chocolate chips!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my bosch mixer! It was a wedding gift from my grandma and I use it all the time!! It's a lifesaver.

mmmm, cookie dough goodness

Ready to bake!

Scrump-diddly-umptious!

And they agree!!

Soccer!

We went to watch cousins Kole & Beau play soccer today! It was fun to watch them in action! Beau is in the blue beanie here:

Cayden found a spare soccer ball and had fun playing
Prestyn of course had to join in on the action.

And here's Kole, he did a great job defending!

It was alot of fun to watch them play, but BURRRR, it was COLD!!

We went to the dr.

Well I got Cayden into the dr today, after waiting in the waiting room for 45 minutes they took us back. He now weighs 41 lbs. His temp was normal etc.

The dr came in & looked him over, Cayden was awesome & listened well & answered the dr's questions. He said it isnt' chicken pox or measels, but wanted to test him for strep, otherwise he thought it was just a virus that had to work his course. I told him Cayden had just had a cold last week, and he said that could be the end of it getting out of his system.

The nurse came in & did the throat swab for Strep, poor Cayden gaged and had watery eyes. She came back with a coupon for a free ice cream cone from DQ, which had him cheesed & wanting to leave immediately to go get it.

ITS NOT STREP. The dr told me it will just need to run it's course and that we should do cool baths and keep him moisturized, if it gets any worse bring him back.

Waiting for the dr to look at his "scratches" as he calls them.

What Prestyn did during the visit.

Coloring on the paper while we wait.

"God was bothering me"

My early morning conversation with Cayden today!

Cayden: "Mom, God was bothering me when I was sleeping!"

Me: "How was he bothering you?"

Cayden: "He was talking to me and bothering me, and Prestyn too!"

Me: "What did he say?"

Cayden: "He said that He loves Prestyn and that He loves me too. He said He loves all of us!"

Me: "Well that seems pretty nice!"

Cayden: "Yeah, I have to go potty!"

RASH!?! EXCEMA?? or what?

Okay, so if you have ANY IDEA whatsever of what this might be, please let me know. I'm thinking excema (like he had when he was a baby) or some sort of heat rash. Everything I've googled doesn't seem to match up!

so....after breakfast yesterday morning (Saturday) I noticed Cayden had some spots on his neck (and no - we didn't eat anything abnormal- all things we've had before) Initially I freaked out thinking chicken pox etc. Then I calmed down & made a game out of it, made him touch the ceiling with this hand etc, so I could see where all it was at. It was mostly on his shoulders (kinda like his collar bone area)

So Justyn gave him a bath while I cleaned up breakfast etc.

After lunch, it had spread & gotten bigger - that's when I took pics.

DAY 1:

It really reminded me of when he was just under a year & I had come home from a girls weekend with my sisters and mom and Cayden was from the neck to his privates covered like this.....poor boy.

We lubed him up with his excema cream yesterday and put vicks on it last night since he's been batteling a cold all week, runny nose, sneezing etc....

We had him sleep on his mattress in our room last night too just so we could keep an eye on him. (to top this off Prestyn started up with a runny nose last night too)

DAY 2

and this is how much it's spread...poor boy, he's starting to say it itches today...gave a lukwarm bath today and patted dry, put oatmeal lotion on etc.

I'm planning to call & get him in first thing in the am tomorrow. It might be nothing, just excema, or something that needs to run its course, but I need to KNOW. My poor boy, I feel so bad for him & so helpless...when I rub the lotion on it just feels bumpy & sore. I wish I could make it all go away & make him better. Please pray it goes away quickly & that we know what it is. THANKS