Camping

We went camping November 2-4. We went with some friends and their baby. It was so beautiful there because all the leaves were off the trees and on the ground. It made for some great fall pictures. We walked down to the water, threw the football around, played soccer, and hung out around the campfire. We all had a great time. Friday night when Chris checked in the ranger warned him that bears lived in the campsite so no one should plan to walk off by themselves at night. The ranger also bragged that he had one bear eating candy bars out of his hand. Great! So the guys thought it would be great fun to tell my boys this bit of information. That whole weekend Tyler didn't sleep much because every sound he heard he thought was a bear. So, Saturday night we are sitting around the campfire when all of sudden we hear something walking on the leaves. So Chad tells Tyler do you hear those foot steps? Those are definitely 4 legs walking on leaves. So I look over Chad's truck and all I see is a black back of something walking on 4 legs. I'm like what is that? By now Tyler is getting a little scared trying to see what we're talking about. What is it? It's a stray cow. The cow is walking on the pavement like it knows what it's doing and continues to follow the path all the way around the camp. Now driving into the campsite we didn't see any fields with cows in them so we don't know where this cow came from. It was very funny!

Potty Trained!

Riley Jo is 100% Potty trained. She takes naps and goes to bed in underwear. I can't believe it. She will be 2 in two weeks. The only problem is that she will only use her toilet. She refuses to sit on a big toilet even if it has an adapter on the seat. So if we are going to be gone from home for a while I put a pull up on her, but she refuses to pee in it so she waits until we get home. Which is good, I just don't know how her bladder feels about it. Last Sunday I put a diaper on her for church, to my surprise it was still dry when we got home and she could use her potty. She is my youngest and easiest child to potty train. So much easier than those lazy boys. :) But I love my boys!

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Halloween

So we had a busy Halloween night. We started out celebration at 3:30 at the Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm. We thought it would make for some cute pictures with all the pumpkins. Then we went to the Prestons for a Pre-Trick-or-Treating Party. We ate dinner and the kids were able to break open the pinata. I enjoyed watching Riley take swings at the pinata. She did really well for being just under 2. Then we went Trick-or-Treating around the Prestons neighborhood. We went down to the firehouse and Kyle climbed up in the firetruck. He loves being in the firetruck. (A fourth of July tradition too.)
Tyler decided he wanted a scary costume this year so he wore a black robe with a mask. Kyle was Obiwan and Riley Jo was Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

YES!!!!

So over the weekend Riley Jo kept asking to sit on the potty. She would sit down for a couple of seconds feel like she was going to fall and say all done, all done. So Monday morning Riley Jo and I went to the store to buy her a potty and some underwear (she's always trying to put Michayla's on) in hopes of her wanting to continue to want to use the potty. Monday she did a great job, she had only one accident the entire day! I thought since she was ready to use the potty she was ready for a toddler bed. So she now sleeps in a toddler bed. But after rolling out of the bed Monday night. We went back to the store to buy a bed rail. Oops. Tuesday, was a bit more trying. The potty became one big game for her. She would sit down for a couple minutes start playing, I'd try to put her diaper back on and she'd sit back down. Then she wanted a treat for just sitting on the potty. After her third accident where I tried to sit her down on the potty and she wouldn't go and 5 minutes later she peed on my floor, I said forget it she's not ready! So then Wednesday we didn't use the potty at all. I had given up. But Riley Jo woke up a completely different girl today. She stayed dry ALL DAY!!! Huge accomplishment. By 10 this morning she had already peed and pooped on the toilet and after she went poop I said "let's go get your treat and then it's nap time." She actually said OK. She ran to the kitchen for her treat and then ran to her bedroom, stopped by her bed and said "Riley's bed." It was amazing because she has been fighting her naps lately and her she was running for her nap. She said good-night and rolled over and went to sleep. I don't know where my Riley Jo is but this one was welcomed fast!! :)

They Grow up so Fast!!

I was changing Riley this morning and she told me she had to go poo-poo. I asked her if she wanted to go on the potty and she said yes. She took her diaper off and I took her to sit on the potty. We've done this before where she will sit for a couple minutes, tell me she's done, and nothing happens. Well this time she sat there and pushed and pushed, I thought this is it, she's actually going to poop on the toilet. Well she didn't poop but she did pee. She was so excited. She received a piece of candy for her accomplishment, so hopefully that will encourage her to go again! She is my sugaraholic and will do just about anything for a piece of candy!

Best Birthday Ever!!

Friday night my friends thru me and April J. a Surprise 30th birthday party. I haven't really celebrated my birthday with friends since I was 11 I think. My birthday is during the summer and everyone was always on vacation. So when I turned "30" I wasn't really wanting to celebrate that either. I wanted to do something fun with my friends. This will now be the "MOST MEMORABLE" birthday. I went to the park with our group like most Friday's. Before we left Hayley came up to me and asked what I was doing tonight? I told her nothing and she asked if I wanted to go out because she needed a girls night. I immediately said "yes, I need one too." She said how bout I pick you up at 6:15. I said that should be fine I'd make sure Chris would be home and if not I'd call and let her know. Then Hayley called me a little later and said 'How bout we go to dinner. I said great where? She said April told her about a restaurant in Clayton. So Hayley picked me up and we drove the long way to Clayton and she says she told April Preston she would drop a movie off do you mind? I told her no. As we pull up I see April Jacobs car and I mentioned it to Hayley. Hayley said Jeremy was there to help move a couch. I was feeling kind of bad that Hayley and I were going out to dinner and no one else was. I was just going to wait in the car at April Prestons house because I didn't want to hurt her feelings that we were going out. But when we pulled up I saw April and the kids with Jeremy. I thought maybe they came along because April J. hadn't seen April P.'s new house yet. So Hayley asked if I wanted to come up with her and I said "I will now." If I hadn't seen April and the kids I probably would have insisted on waiting in the car. We ring the bell, they open the door and yell "SURPRISE!" I said "Surprise?" Then I see the Happy Birthday banner and it made sense. So we ate dinner and after we ate they all took turns giving April and I a toast. They all brought us 30 items of something. We got candy, scrapbook paper, eyelets, and more. We even played some games. Brittany brought a Darth Vader stand up cardboard and they decorated it to look like Tim McGraw. Cowboy hat on top and everything. We played pin the lips on Tim McGraw. That was loads of fun. Then we hit a pinata. That was lots of fun too. While April J. was taking her turn the sprinklers came on. Luckily she has fast reflexes and was able to get off the grass without getting wet. My favorite was probably the 8x10 photo of us on the front cover of TIME magazine. Then everyone signed the matting for a great keepsake. That was a great idea. Thank you everyone for a GREAT birthday. You are the best and it will never be forgotten!