Fun at the Farms!

We had a blast the last week getting to go to 2 farms and having fun with family and friends. We went to Cox Farms on Friday with Aunt Helen and Amy and had many fun adventures on slides, tractor rides, feeding greedy goats, and in a corn maze!

We also went to Great Country Farms with our friends, the Wallace's, Pellamen's and the Bracken's and had more adventures, with animals and a big pillow! We also went on a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch and was able to pick out a pumpkin each. We had a great time and look forward to going back again. Hope you enjoy the pics as we enjoyed the time with friends and family making lasting fall memories!

Square Dance 2010

So between the fun of the two farms our church, Emmaus, held a square dance and bbq. We used the fair grounds and I think a fun night was had by all. We had friends from Northern Virginia come and they stayed the night and watched Narnia with us. Stephen won best dressed for boys, and Peter and I got best dressed couple... Kinda fitting since Stephen was born in Texas! Line dancing, chicken dancing, learning to square dance, and doing the Hokey-Pokey were on the night's activity list. I sure look forward to next year's dance!

Check out my boy's moves!

Sunday School

Hope this does your heart as well as it does mine each week.. We are doing a new take on Sunday School at our church to be more like Bible School. We start out each class all together and sing songs; then we have a group lesson, and finally we get in small groups and talk about what we learned this week and go over our memory verse. This is a short video of the kids doing one of the songs... Scottie wants to be just like his BIG Brother!!

Pumpkin Carving

We decided to carve pumpkins with some friends this year. Scottie of course wanted a Buzz pumpkin and Stephen wanted to do his own. I was so proud of him; before he wouldn't even touch the seeds or guts and this year he scooped them out almost all by himself! We had over Jenny, Gavin and Sully to carve, share a dinner, and some play time. The boys had a blast gutting the pumpkin then creating their own faces. The mom's helped some but for the most part they did it themselves. Thanks for the fun and the memories Holmes family! Enjoy our pumpkins!!

Fall is for Soccer!

Stephen started playing soccer this year. We started him in a homeschool rec department program that is focused on building skills and the players rather than focusing on games. We thought that this would be a good introduction to the game for Stephen and Scottie. Every Friday from 1:30-3:30 we are out on the field, forgoing naps. It is a fun time and a great way to meet some more kids. Stephen has a couple of close buddies in his age group, Teddy and Brianna. They are like the 3 Musketeers on the field. Stephen is having a great time playing and loves that Mom is super involved. We play games, practice dribbling, shooting, and passing. Stephen and I look forward to either the spring or next fall so he can have the chance to play on a team against another team! Enjoy some soccer mom photos!

Sleep~overs begin (kinda)

Stephen and Scottie reached a new milestone last night. The boys had their first sleep over~ with each other! They were so cute cuddling in bed, tickling each other, and licking each other. They started off the night together, reading stories and singing songs. At 10:00 I heard some pounding on the stairs and here comes little Scottie wide awake. A few seconds later, Stephen came popping out of his room. I was on Skype with Steph at the time and so the boys were able to say a quick hi to their Auntie in Korea and then I took them back to "Bubba's room". They were in there for a few more minutes and much more laughter until I went back in and had Scottie go to his own bed. He was disappointed about this but I said we could try it again another night. So this morning we have tired kids, a tired mom, but lots of fun memories from our first attempt at a sleep-over!

October!

So October is here and with it is the cold weather! As I am out running in the mornings with my friends and it is in the 40's, it is cold! Then it is still cloudy and chilly throughout the day. Fall is finally upon us I believe! So now is the time for pumpkins (Scottie's newest favorite thing), cookies, and dressing up! Stephen and Scottie got a "Boo" last night, which is a package on the front door of some goodies that goes around the neighborhood. You aren't supposed to know who you get the package from and then you are to "boo" two of your neighbors. It is a really fun October tradition in our neighborhood. So we got ours yesterday. Scottie won't stop carrying around his pumpkin basket that he received. Stephen got a bat the first year we were here and he still carries his treasures around in it. I wasn't so sure how I felt about it, since it is in celebration of Halloween, which I am not sure how I feel about either. But the boys loved it. They were so excited and even more excited to "treat" some of our neighbors.We gave them some coloring books and candy, or a cake mix and frosting with a fall mug. Then we weren't playing into the "Halloween" stuff, but it was still fun. I am not sure with all the spiritual relm and stuff what to do about this "holiday." I have a conviction not to participate but then I just see my kids dressing up and having a great timewith their friends and getting some candy. What do you think? I would love to hear what you have to say!!

Here are some updated pics of us. Hope you like the ones of the boys together! They are such good brothers. And look at our horse! He has grown so big! (forgive the pic of me... I am in confies and not looking my best!)

Brotherly Love

These tender moments are times I am so greatful to be a Mom. I love catching these times and seeing the love my boys share together. And to brag for a minute, Scottie is such a cutie. No matter what he is doing, if he is getting a new toy, some candy, or even broccoli, he always insists on making sure Stephen gets some too. It is a great reminder that we are to look out for one another and love others even more than yourself. Enjoy some tender moments...