Halloween treats

One of my favorite times of the year is Halloween. I can't explain, but I just love it. I have noticed Ryland really likes it as well. He was very excited to help me get out the decorations and put together the treats for his class.
Ryland checks out all the goodies that will go in the bags. We have silly straws, bubbles, stickers, erasers, suckers, and funky teeth for the bags.

Ryland carefully stuffs the adorable owl bags for his class. We practiced counting and talking about school. He told me all about his teachers and friends. He is excited to dress up for Halloween and looking forward to the parties and trick-or-treating.

Boots

Every guy needs a pair of boots. A few months ago, we picked out some new tennis shoes for Ryland. While we were there, he saw these brown boots he wanted so bad. I promised that we would come back to get them when it got cooler. I knew Ryland would need some other shoes for Reed's upcoming baptism, so we headed back for the boots.

Ryland only wants to wear the boots now, and he thinks they go with every outfit. They are really adorable with shorts, too.

Reed's 7 month pictures

Reed once again smiled and giggled for the camera. It is hard to believe how much he has grown and how many new things he is learning.

Weekend in Georgetown

My dad finally moved back to Texas, so we headed to Georgetown to visit for the weekend. I am so happy he is now only three hours away. Some of my crazy uncles and my cool aunt came over to visit and play with the boys.
It looks like John Chris wore out first, but Reed isn't far behind.

Need for speed

Reed has all the signs of being a little dare devil. Ryland pushes him down the main hallway of our house. Reed laughs hysterically as he flies by.
I was working on painting my office doors while the boys played drag racing. It didn't last long before they joined me in the office. After deciding my project was boring, they returned to the hallway.

And off they go.

Pee pee in the potty

So excited to have the first pee pee in the little potty. I love how curious he is, as he removes the seat cushion to look at his accomplishment.

Making plans

I gave Ryland a Halloween costume magazine for him to browse. It was funny to watch him point and talk about each costume. He was making some serious plans. He keeps on going back to a pirate, and Reed agreed. The boys will be pirates this year, and the wagon will be their pirate ship.

Free ride

Reed has figured out how to move around in his walker. Ryland noticed that Reed is getting pretty fast, so why not jump on the back. Yes, I caught Ryland taking a free ride on the back of Reed's walker.


Ryland thinks it is hilarious. Little does he know, he is just strengthening his growing little brother.

Reed doesn't seem to mind. He actually acts like he likes the passenger.

Oktoberfest

One of the reasons I love living in Southlake is all of the family activities and festivals the city organizes. We packed up the boys and headed to Town Square for the annual Oktoberfest. It was pretty outside, and we had noticed the bounce houses and rides as they were setting up.

John Chris taught Ryland how to roll down the hill by the parking lot, and Ryland thought it was a blast. I swear we could have just rolled for hours. We really didn't have to even continue to the festival.
They had a large kid's area with bounce houses and fair type rides. Ryland jumped, bounced, and slid. He wasn't scared. The bigger the better.

Reed was a trooper. He hung out in the stroller and enjoyed people watching.

Ryland saw the spinning ride and thought it would be awesome. I stood in line with him explaining that I would not be able to ride with him, and he would have to ride with another kid. He said he was fine with that, so he buckled in with a boy who was a little older than him. The older boy understood how to spin the pod, and he got after it. Ryland was smiling and laughing.

Then his head started to drop. I noticed the smile was gone, and he was quiet. I could tell things were about to get nasty if he didn't get on the ground. We pulled him out before the funnel cake could come up.

After a little break, Ryland was ready to ride something again. John Chris and I didn't know what to expect this go around, but the swings didn't get out of hand. He loved it!

Ear infection

I noticed Reed pulling on his ear and a little yucky snot. We headed to the pediatrician, and it was confirmed an ear infection. This is the fourth ear infection, so it is looking like Reed will be heading to an ENT doctor soon. For now, he is taking Omnicef to clear up the infection. Sounds very familiar!

Itsy plays too

I found Ryland playing with Itsy downstairs today. Itsy is the green monkey he has slept with since he was a baby. I noticed Ryland had opened the shutters and was playing with Reed's bouncer. I then saw Itsy seated in the bouncer. I asked him what he was doing, and he calmly told me Itsy wanted to play downstairs and look outside. OK. I asked what they were looking at, and he told me ants.

Date Night

Our church held a Date Night tonight, so John Chris and I were able to enjoy a relaxing uninterrupted sushi meal. It was awesome to dress up and get out of the house with my husband. We were able to catch up and actually have a conversation.
We knew the boys were taken care of and having fun also. They played with friends, had a pizza party, and watched a movie. Too bad the church doesn't do this once a month.

Fountain admiration

After leaving my MOPS meeting, we headed to the truck to go on about our day. When we walked past the fountain in front of the sanctuary, Ryland stopped. He stood there in complete silence and admired the beautiful fountain. It was a moment for me to stop as well. We stood for a bit taking in the amazing weather and the relaxing noise of the flowing water.

I couldn't help but think of the family who donated this masterpiece after the loss of their young daughter. Here my precious toddler stood looking at it, probably thinking about the logistics of getting in the water, but all I could think about is how very blessed I am. The pure joy and smile it put on my face was a reminder to me to slow down and enjoy every moment.

Yummy sucker

Nana sent a treat for Ryland, and boy did he love it. He was a bit puzzled at first and wanted to talk about all the shapes, but he soon decided to go for it.

I know I will pay for this sugar high in a few minutes, but I captured the pure joy before the craziness started.

Cowboys game

John Chris and I were excited to have a date night for the Cowboys' first home game of the season. We lined up a babysitter and headed to Arlington for an evening of fun. After a delicious Pappadeaux meal, we went to the stadium for a little pre-game fun.

Fortunately we had a parking pass, great seats, and an awesome couple to hang out with. We enjoyed a mini Los Lonely Boys concert while waiting in the beverage line. It was fun to people watch and see all the crazy fans!
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Pre-game festivities

We had great seats pretty close to the field, but I still found myself watching those massive screens hanging overhead.

Once again, I hate taking pictures. I am not photogenic, so I always hate photos of myself. I decided to go ahead and add this one to prove I am still alive when I look back at this years from now. :)

John Chris taking it all in - on the mega screen! The Cowboys pulled it off, but it was a game of field goals! Thank goodness for the kicker.

Aquarium round 2

Our play group headed to the aquarium in Grapevine again today. It was only a few weeks ago when we made our first trip. The kids loved it, so we made another trip. Ryland knew what to expect this time around, and he didn't seem as impressed. He refused to stop and really look at anything, and I eventually realized a picture just wasn't going to happen.
Ryland's mission was to look at the sharks and get to the end of the tour where there was a playground. I attempted to explain that he could play anytime, but he was having fun. He did touch the starfish and check out the crabs on this visit. They are set up in tanks at the end with an instructor that explains what they are and what they do. Pretty cool!

Very particular

Ryland is very specific. I definately see OCD traits emerging from my little angel. He loves to play with all his cars. Every single one, and he knows when he is missing one. I noticed that he enjoys lining up the cars from largest to smallest. He carefully places one behind another with such precision. Don't even think about moving or taking one out of line. He will notice and gets upset.

Happy Meal

The many happy things you get with a Happy Meal. Who knew a hat was included?

Reed the organizer

I pulled the tub of 12/18 month fall and winter clothes from the attic. It was like a trip down memory lane, because I started remembering Ryland in them not long ago. I am blown away that it has been two years already, and Reed will be modeling the clothes soon. It was quite a job to separate them by size and then by type. The boys helped me make more of a mess than necessary, but it was fun. Reed stayed right there interested in my project long after Ryland wondered back into his race car fun. Maybe Reed will be an organizer like his mommy.

Reed's 6 month photos

Once again Reed smiled and giggled for the camera at his monthly photo session.
He has been sitting unsupported for the past month, but I thought this photo showed how big is he getting.

I like the white background for something different, but I love this precious profile on the black. He is so sweet and a delight to watch grow and learn.