Halloween 2011

I wasn't really feeling creative this year for Halloween and I had a hard time getting "in the spirit."  We didn't want to spend any money so we wanted to use what we had or could borrow.  I usually like to make the kids' costumes and have them coordinating but I just wasn't feeling it.  Finally a week before Halloween I decided I had to make some decisions.  The girls would tell me something different every day, so they really weren't much help.  My friend and neighbor Ginny offered her princess costumes to us so we took a look and we had a winner.  Madylin loved the Cinderella costume she offered so I got out a Princess Aurora costume I had bought at a garage sale and was saving for Christmas and Morgan decided she loved it.  We were set for the girls and we already had a Batman costume in the dress-up bin that was just Nathan's size. 

We tried to make everything very authentic for the girls to make it more fun and I think they looked just like there princess counterparts, if I do say so myself.

Beware: these princesses have some attitude.

I know I am biased but I though Nathan was the cutest Batman I ever saw.

Our Pathetic Oak Glen Trip

So there is this cute little town about 15 minutes away from us called Oak Glen known for their you-pick apple orchards.  I've heard so many great things about it ever since I moved to the IE for college 8 years ago because everyone in this area seems to go there at least once a year.  Somehow I had never gone.  Until last week, that is.  We met my cousin Justus and his wife and 2 kids up there on a Monday afternoon and planned to look around at the orchards and petting zoos and kids trails and little shops.  We met up at 4:30pm.  Apparently everything closes at 5pm.  We drove around the mountain and could not find anything open- not even for dinner!  The pumpkin patch appeared to be open so we drove up and started to walk around and it was like a ghost town.  No one was in sight- not even the owners. We just wandered around the land on our own which was a little eerie.  And apparently there aren't many you-pick orchards this year because the trees didn't fair so well this winter.  So anyways I may have to wait until next Fall to understand why everyone loves this place so much, but I did get a couple of cute pictures of my brood anyhow . . .   

So when IS the best time to go?

Pumpkin Patch 2011

We took our preschool field trip to the Live Oak Pumpkin Patch and enjoyed looking around there.  It was so HOT though the week before Halloween!  It didn't feel like we should be doing Fall activities.

 Madylin

 Morgan

"The boy"

 Here are some of the kids looking at a friendly pony

The giant haystack is always a favorite of the kids.

 And before leaving we carted the kids out to the field to roam around the pumpkin field and see how they grow.  Yay for Fall!

Preschool Pictures!

We started our new preschool co-op in September and, lucky us, one of the moms does photography on the side!  She took some great pictures of the kids on the first day of preschool.

Here's the whole class being silly.

 One of my favorite pictures ever of Madylin!

Thank you Darcy!  Love the pictures

L.A. County Fair

 Okay if I want to post about Halloween (which I do) then I told myself I have to catch up first!

In September we were able to go to the L.A. County Fair on a weekday for free thanks to my friend Katrina and the unofficial preschool field trips she frequently puts together.  My mom came too, and we packed lunches and had a fun day without spending a dime.

Of course the kids loved the animals, especially Nathan.  He liked the chickens and roosters and kept saying "cock-a-doodle-doo"

They spent a lot of time playing on this crocodile

I think this one of Nathan is my favorite picture from the day.  He seems like he is sacrificing himself or something.

They had this really great area for kids to dress up as princesses and knights and just play pretend.

The girls of course LOVED it.

There was a lot to see there and the kids really enjoyed seeing animals they've never seen before (they've never been to a zoo or The Wild Animal Park, poor deprived kids).  I love this picture of them trying to act like scary lions.

We didn't get a picture of the whole group but here we are without Russell.  I'm so glad we had the opportunity to do something like this without spending money.  We were so grateful.

Nathan Turns 2!

 My baby boy turned 2 on Saturday the 23rd of July.  We spent the most of the day at home and then headed to Russell's cousin's wedding in Redlands.  My mom was the florist for the wedding so after the ceremony, she took the kids home and Russell and I stayed at the reception sans kids, which was kind of nice.  Anyway, we didn't really celebrate Nathan's birthday that day because of the wedding.

On Sunday we had our families over for dinner and cake and ice cream and had a nice time.  We had an "UP"-themed party because Nathan is obsessed with that movie and asks to watch it the second he wakes up every morning.  I kid you not- as soon as you walk into his room every morning he says "watch doggie movie!"

The invites I made on the computer and just e-mailed to the family.  I thought they turned out cute.

We just decorated with bunches of helium balloons and pictures from the movie that I printed out.  I was trying to make it fun, but very low-key.

I didn't take pictures of the decor really, but Russell did take this one.

I stressed over the "UP" cake for a few days and decided to just do something yummy and not stress so much over the look like I usually do.  I made a strawberry cake with homemade strawberry filling and buttercream which I though tasted really good.  I changed my mind on how to do this cake a dozen times and eventually just decided that since it was only for a few people and a 2 year old, I would take the easy route and just do balloons and use a printable 3d house that I found online at the bottom of the cake.  Simple and cute.

He was spoiled with clothes, puzzles, books, and lots of sports equipment!  He opened this soccer ball from Grandpa and Grandma Kinser first and was ready to call it quits and start playing

I had to throw it in the other room to get him to open the rest of the gifts.  He also got a baseball glove and tee ball set and a soft ball and bat.  He is definitely ALL boy!

About Nathan at 2:

Favorite phrases:  "I do it" (Mr. Independent)

(often followed by) "I did it!"

"follow me, Mama"

"don't let the bed bugs bite"

"good nap!" (when he wakes up after nap)

"no spankin'" (after hitting his sisters)

"watch a movie"

"beep the horn" (whenever we are under a bridge or tunnel)

Favorite movies: "Up" and "Cars"

Songs: "Popcorn Popping" "Wheels on the Bus" "Twinkle  Twinkle"

He can:  Sing the ABCs

Count to 12

Serve a volleyball pretty well

Climb out of his crib

Get away with just about anything ;)

Watch Out . . .

for the new members of the Justice League!

Impressive muscles, no?

Kinser Family Update

And baby makes 6!

(coming Jan 2012)

July 4th, 2011!

I love the 4th of July!  It's become one of my favorite holidays.  This year we spent it with Russell's extended family.  We went to Aunt Vickie's for swimming and a potluck dinner.

Madylin relaxing in the pool

Morgan enjoying the sun

Nathan aka "The Fish"  He loooves to swim and isn't afraid at all!

After dinner we headed to Aunt Lynne and Uncle Max's house for homemade ice cream and fireworks.

Here is our patriotic brood. . .

(Great thing about girls- some cute leggings and last year's dresses can be used again!)

Madylin is staring at her pretty toes that cousin Crystina had just painted for her.  It took several shots to get one where she'd look up!

2 years ago this was me and 3 cousins on the 4th of July

Here are 3 of the 4 little patriotic boys from those bellies  . . . (Cody Bogh had not arrived with his parents yet unfortunately, and we didn't get another one once he had)

Braden Fisher, Luke Fisher, Nathan

We watched the fireworks from lawn chairs near the street so we could see the show at the University of Redlands.  During the show Nathan kept saying "cooool" and "spockly" (sparkly). He loved it.

My ALL-TIME favorite picture from the 4th is this from the ride home after fireworks:

He would not put this flag down.  He kept calling it his "own flag," as in when it dropped he'd say "uh-oh! Drop own flag! Drop own flag!"

Here is my favorite with some editing: