Ode to sweet November

 I tell you what, I just wanna squeeze this kid all the time!

Vale got a balance bike for his birthday and he loves it... still getting used to it so it's slow going but he's gonna love it!

Connor's getting better at riding his bike... they are gonna be zippin' everywhere this spring!

Oh my goodness I laughed so hard at this picture!!! What in the world is up with their faces! 

So the boys got their Christmas present early from their Papa in Ohio and WOW was it a hit!!!

It was perfect timing cause they've still been able to play with it outside!

They love to play together and pretend so this was the perfect avenue for that!

They are so cute together!

 Then we got come visitors early for the holidays!!  The boys love them some Emery!!! (oh and uncle Trevor and Aunt Kati... :))

I love it that Emery and Schafer are so close in age!  And that Jimmy's so good and sweet with them! :)

Vale got a late birthday present from TKLove and it was a pair of much needed new sneakers!!! They have spiderman on them and he calls them his 'cool shoes' :)

My boys are soooooo blessed to have so many wonderful family around them that love them so much!!!

Vale's 3rd Birthday

 My sweet precious boy is always the first child awake, no matter what time he went to bed.

So at 6:40 I had a little 3 year old climb up into my bed and say 'Mommy wake up! I'm three!!' :)

We started off the day with painting some superman posters while mommy made breakfast!

Vale got to pour his own syrup on his french toast cause he's a big boy now!

This is right after he said, "This is yummy mommy! Thank you!"  He's so sweet!

I tell you what, it was yummy especially after eating stripped down health food for the past two weeks!

This little kid is such a stud... :)

 So Vale wanted to go for a horse ride for his birthday like his brother did!  Fortunately we have a wonderful lady in our church who owns a horse on a little farm and said the boys were welcome to come and ride.  

It was perfect!

She was a sweet Tennessee Walker named Piper.

Vale got to brush her before we put the saddle on.

He was very serious about being a good cowboy. :)

He was LOVING it and the best part is that as she was walking him around he was singing!  It was adorable!

We are trying to teach Connor that life doesn't revolve around the oldest child so he didn't get to ride, only Vale did but he got to sit on the horse with Vale for one lap around the paddock. :)

He was so happy there... I like it that my kids aren't completely city-fide from living in LA!

He and Piper having a little chat... 

They even coordinated outfits... :)

We brought some carrots to feed to her when we were done.  HAHAHA Vale was a little concerned about the huge lips headed towards his hand! hahaha

There was also a bunny named Strawberry.

... and a goat named Summer, who Connor rode :) not a very smooth ride... 

 She had 5 chickens as well and we found out this summer that Vale's out little chicken chaser so he had fun with them too!  One of them even laid him a egg!  He got to take it home as a birthday present!

This little one thought he was the new sheriff in town... He'll learn :)

There was also a tire swing shaped like a horse that Vale had a blast on... :) It really was a fantastic morning and so much fun!

Then Vale wanted to go to Chick-fil-a for lunch. Oh. My.  It was veterans day so all the kids were off school... It. Was. Packed.  Had it not been his birthday I would have said forget it kid! 

He was happy though! :)

 Then we came home and there was a big surprise!  His Nona and Bis Nona came down for the day and left the next morning!  He was very excited!

Then he got a nap while we all got things ready for his birthday 'party'/dinner.

He asked for green cake with white icing and chocolate ice cream... ok!

Then we went upstairs and he saw the PRESENTS!!! :)

I think he was a little excited!! 

I suppose I would be too if I saw a table like that and was told they are all for me!

He had a blast with the punching bag and gloves!

He was so thrilled and very grateful which also made it fun for us as parents!

Shay was just happy he found something to chew on... 

He got this giant soft spider-man blanket which he loved!

Lots of other fun toys which he loved!

And even some money that was directly deposited into his bank :)

He also got a balance bike but those pictures will have to come later when there is daylight outside! :)

He had a fantastic birthday and is such a sweet, loving and wonderful boy! We are so blessed!

Celebrating my Marine!

Celebrating my Marine today on the USMC's 239th birthday!

I love this man so much and am so proud of the service that he did for this country.

My boys love and respect their daddy so much and I also love that!

Shay thought the whole thing was a joke and a game... come on... grow up kid! :)  j/k

He's so cute. :)

Vale continually tells me he wants to go to war... oh boy... :-/ not sure my heart could handle that.

I'll end this post with a prayer from General Douglas MacArthur

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak; and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be pround and unbending in honest defeat and humble and gentle in victory.Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee -- and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men, one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain!"

 

Halloween!

 We had fun in our neighborhood with our cousins dressing up!

They loved the whole going up to the door and our neighbors give you candy thing... :)

They were so adorable!

My little monkey was adorable and snuggley!

HA he looks so scared and vulnerable!

Obi-wan Kanobi was ready for battle!

When the tricker treaters came to our door we had this sign by the front door... we had a couple of people know what it was and some looked it up on their phones :)

One kid said, "When the Germans and Martin Luther King nailed a paper to the door of a church" another kid said, "When the Christians left the catholic church" :) hahahaha

They were so tired but had so much fun!!  I don't know if I've ever let them eat that much candy... Vale was just tasting everything!  Schafer looks petrified again... :)