So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu!

For those of you who didn't know (which is probably a good portion), Adam was very attached to his pacifier. That was more of my fault than anything. Once I realized in late October that I was using it as a crutch for silencing the whining, I was able to let go. Adam has asked for it no more than half a dozen times since we took it away.

Yes, we went cold turkey.

You may think it sounds funny, but I had a harder time taking it away from him than he did having it taken. He cries when we put him to bed sometimes instead of just rolling over to cuddle into his pillow with the plug, but there are a good amount of times that he just goes right to sleep, no fight, but it depends on how tired he is. Goodbye dear plug, until the next one.

I got into the canning craze that seems to happen around this area beginning in August and going into November. Normally young moms who are doing the canning by themselves only get their legs and feet wet. Nope, not me, I dove in head first. This is just to document one of our adventures with canning. We canned pears, peaches, and plum jelly that day. These pictures are from the plum jelly. We had an overflow situation. Oops!

Not to worry, despite the fact that we probably spilled around 2 quarts, we still had 20 pints from the batches. They didn't set though, so it's now plum syrup which goes great on breakfast foods, ice cream, and a few other things.

Thankfully, I didn't have to clean this up by myself, Travis was helping and taking pictures. He was home on this particular day, and boy howdy, if I hadn't been laughing, there probably would have been a few choice words.

Yup I know, I'm nuts. But I loved it! I had a blast! You know what else we/I canned? Nectarines, tomato juice (wonderful for scratch tomato soup and scratch sloppy Joes), sweet pickles (My great grandma's recipe, delicious!), salsa, huckleberry and nectarine jam, apple jelly, applesauce, apple pie filling, and did I mention at least 10 gallons of freshly pressed apple juice? Thankfully all of the apple products were free! And there were a ton of apples! The only thing I had to purchase were the jars and tree fruits. I'm proud to say that everything else came from my garden. That doesn't even include all of the vegetables that I froze; peas, corn, green beans, and carrots.

 Talk about a money saver! I guess it wasn't exactly a money saver this year because I had to purchase I don't know how many jars, but next year will be better. I want to grow a bigger garden so that I can add more to my food storage and enjoy even more of my labors. The garden was my thing this year because we were in school, Adam helped almost every time I weeded it and watered. Travis helped with the planting and watering when I was gone for two weeks. Next year will be different because I'm definitely going to need the help if it's going to be bigger! Love you hon!

Unofficial first day of Vacation

Yes! We went on another warm vacation. Instead of a cruise this year, we went to Orlando, Florida with my family (Tasha, since she is the only one who ever post's. Hint, hint) So our actual vacation started on November 2nd when we headed down to Utah to spend the night with a cousin before we headed for the airport on the 3rd. The kids you see Adam playing with our actually his second cousins, and they had a blast playing on the trampoline together. It was so nice out that we were all in t-shirts and jeans before we went to the airport. Here's Adam by himself. I had hoped that playing before we went on the airplane would help wear him out, it worked, but not until our second flight.

Now being joined by his two cousins. Adam is between the two in age.

 We really did try to get a picture of them sitting down together, but for a 3 yr old, a 2 yr old, and a 19 month old, it's almost impossible.

Here's my cousin pushing her kids along and Adam soon followed suit.

 Adam wanted to push his cousin too! It was a pretty cute train.

There are some videos that I want to post, but because Blogger no longer offers the option on the their new layout, I haven't been able to figure out where I can put up videos.

There was a time...

When it was warm enough to run around in bathing suits and and no shoes, but those days have quietly slipped away. That's okay, it won't be long before we're running around in the snow and having a ball (fingers crossed).

These are some of the neighborhood boys that like coming to play with Adam. Although there a several years difference, they enjoy each other nonetheless.

Depending on the day, Adam can be a bit protective of his chalk, so we have to be a little careful of that.

I love capturing the chalk covered face...

feet...

hands...

and last but not least, legs. We love playing with chalk!

Pumpkin Carving

I've learned to keep a point and shoot camera on the kitchen counter because my camera is always downstairs, so I miss things if I don't have immediate access to the camera. So bear with the pictures, especially since they are shot with my left hand instead of my right. It definitely was a challenge.

Happy Halloween! We carved pumpkins for the first time with Adam on Tuesday night as a kind of late Family Home Evening. Mainly because our well was being worked on, so no water. But that's a story for another day.

We could only get Adam to put his arm into the pumpkin twice, he sure thought it was, and I quote, "Icky!" The look on his face and reaction to pumpkin guts on his hand made it all worth while.

Travis pulled some guts out and showed it to Adam and he kept smiling while repeating "Icky, icky."

Okay maybe he stuck his hand in more than twice, but the only reason why was because he had a spatula in his hand and this is the farthest it actually went inside.

Daddy and Adam with our pumpkins. Not just the pumpkins that we carved, but we actually grew these in our very own garden. So exciting to me, and you'll see more garden conquests soon. There were more pumpkins about the same size as the little one, but when the cold weather hit we had to bring them in the garage and they had brown spots which turned into mold spots. I have a few ideas on how to better grow the pumpkins next year.

We decided we wanted to swap hats.

Birthday Boys

Adam and Travis' birthdays are about a week and a half apart, so I figured I would throw the two of them together for a post.

Adam didn't burn himself this year, because he learned about fire during camping and canning this year. It's hot, so he doesn't touch.

If you can't tell who this cake is, that's okay, Adam could. I didn't have a whole lot of time to work on it, but I'll do something better next time.

Maybe the stripes will help. Yep, it's Nemo!

Adam started opening his presents and was actually getting into it.

Yes, Adam received a tricycle for his birthday and refers to it as his bike. He also received some knee/elbow pads and a helmet he calls his "hat".

We thought a gallon of bubbles might keep him happy for at least a year with bubbles.

Here's my little man trying to ride his new bike. He's actually not too bad at it now. If you give him a boost, he'll actually be able to pedal around for a bit.

This is Daddy's birthday.

Travis received a set of golf clubs for his birthday as well as a range basket of foam balls to practice with in the backyard.

Adam loved having the balls dumped on his head and he made the cutest faces during the dumping. He still plays with the balls more than Travis, but its gotten to cold to go practice anyway. Any of you wanting to go golfing with Travis? There's a stipulation, I have to come too, this is one sport he doesn't play without his wife. :)

It's all about Adam anyway

We decided to visit Daddy at work one day and go out to lunch. Travis is working in some areas where it requires him to wear a construction helmet. Adam actually stole Daddy's helmet from him while we were eating. He had a hard time keeping it on sometimes because he loves moving, but what 2-yr-old doesn't?

The cashier was handing out free little cupfuls of mini M&Ms so Adam obviously enjoyed them.

Sorry about the quality, camera phones aren't exactly the best for capturing movement. But isn't that an adorable face?

This was from the fair in August. I can't help but laugh, Adam was so tired that night as we were setting things up for the fair. Poor tyke, he survived though.

Farewell Fair Weather

The end of summer came on Wednesday. It was no higher than 45 degrees in the area. We had to turn on the furnace that night. It was rainy and windy. Yesterday and today have been cold and windy, but thankfully not rainy. Fall has arrived, so I thought I might bid farewell to the summer with some warm pictures. We went to a local lake and went swimming sometime in August, and discovered that our little Adam is a water puppy!

"I'm so cool, I have glasses like my Daddy!" Oh, these pictures were taken with a film SLR. Our point and shoot was dead I didn't want to take my camera, so I grabbed my film SLR and a roll and we had a blast and I miss working with film, but like knowing that my pictures turn out the way I want them too immediately.

Travis took his wetsuit so that he could snorkel and he took Adam out towards the middle of the lake. Adam loved it, but had a hard time with Mommy not being near as close.

"Time to get out, I'm freeeeeezing!" You can't tell in this picture, but Adam's lips were a purplish color, so we went and played on some toys to warm him back up.

When we finally ran back in, Daddy was done snorkeling so we just played. I know you can't really see it in this picture, but Adam was sporting the biggest grin while attempting to splash the camera and myself.

He loved being swung around and skimming the water.

I don't get in front of the camera very often, and I'm trying to do that so that Adam has evidence that his Mom was on the adventures/trips/vacations with him.

Grant County Fair

Aww, the fair, I love it! This was an event I looked forward to every summer. Not only because of the rodeos we attended, but because of the atmosphere. I showed dairy heifers and my younger siblings still do. I showed from the time was about 6 until I was 18. It seemed longer, and I was sad to have it end. But maybe that will change in the future.... instead of being the exhibitor maybe I'll get to be the exhibitor's mom? Hehehehehe

Here's Adam leading an 1100-1200 lbs pregnant heifer. With just a tad bit of help from Aunt Shelby. Adam would pull with all of his might and Snowball (the heifer) would just sit there and look at him, almost as if she was laughing.



Shelby Won in her division of Fit and Show. As the Grand Champion she competes against the other Grand Champions who show different species the event is called Round Robin. Each winner starts with their own animals and rotates from sheep, to pig, goat, horse, beef, and dairy. Shelby's not showing here, just waiting for rotation, if she were to do this in the ring while showing, boy howdy, she wouldn't even be considered for Round Robin winner.

Parker and Adam intently watching as Shelby shows a pig. You may be wondering what's with the white clothes. As dairy showing folks at the Grant and Adams' County Fairs we are required to wear white show clothes. Why? We don't know. But a judge did tell me once that it makes our heifers stand out more than anything. I personally think it to be mainly tradition.

Adam was attempting to pet Shelby's heifer, and she was attempting to lick him. Cattle don't bite people in defense, they usually charge or kick. But because of how friendly they may be they might lick. And when you get licked it hurts. Imagine having the coarsest sandpaper being wet and rubbing down your arm. Yeah, ouch.

No he didn't get licked, just was grossed out by the wet and slobbery nose.

My brothers loved having Adam there because he helped with their barn duty. I remember when my brothers loved helping, but that changed when they actually had to do it. ;)

Kelton showing his heifer Miami.

Preston showing his heifer, I can't remember her name though.

Papa talking to Adam about the heifers and my brothers.

This is the class where Shelby earned Grand Champion. The three ribbons and one belt buckle you receive are beautiful, but I forgot to get pictures of them. I think that Shelby has at least a dozen buckles. I have about ten or twelve, but I only have three with me now, the rest are back in Washington