Happy Birthday Bristol

Bristol turned four last week on the 1oth. We just had a little family celebration. I just didn't feel up to the whole big party thing. I asked her and she said she was fine with just the family. We did take cupcakes to her preschool class. Which is why I made her a watermelon cake. I only had enough cake batter left after the cupcakes to make one round cake. So I sat there thinking what I could make with just one round cake. I decided if I cut it in half it would make the perfect watermelon shape. I asked her if she liked the idea of having a watermelon. She liked it so it was done. I know super random for a child's birthday cake in November, but hey cake is cake.

She got this Cinderella dress for her birthday and was super excited. We had a little issues with Kali not understanding that the presents were Bristol's.

Look at the joy on her face.

Long time overdue

So I know Halloween was a while ago, but I haven't gotten around to posting our pictures yet. Bristol had a great time running around trick or treating. There are so many kids in our neighborhood it was the crazy with kids everywhere. Bristol wanted to be the pink fairy from Tinkerbell AKA Rosetta. So I decided Kali would be Tinkerbell. I used a lot of Bristol's Tinkerbell costume from when she was one. Poor Kali she always gets the hand-me-downs. I figure I can keep doing this until she cares about what she is for Halloween. Well I enjoyed making Bristol's costume. I didn't have a pattern or a real plan as I started I just kind of played it by ear as I was making it. She loved it and that is all that matters, plus I only spent about $5.

Carving pumpkins the day before. Bristol chose to have a cat face on our pumpkin. We had two pumpkins, but one rotted before we got a chance to carve it.

So yes both of our kids eyes are closed in this picture, but this was like the fourth picture we tried getting. It was good enough.

I love Kali's facial expression here for some reason.

Bristol got tons of candy, which now we don't know what to do with it all. She couldn't even carry her bag halfway through because it was too full. However, she had a blast so that is all that really matters.

A visit from the fam

So a couple of weeks ago two of my sisters came out and visited for a week. We did a lot of hanging out, but we had a lot of fun just seeing each other. Bristol and Kali loved seeing their cousin Asher.Hey there Asher. It was always crazy getting everyone in and out of the car. Look how happy he is.

Lora was Kali's own personal entertainment in the car. She loved having Aunt Lora here.
We were trying to kill a little time before our hayride started so we drove around and decided to take a picture of Bristol with her street.
We took them to the pumpkin patch with the hayride because we thought it was so fun. There were even bigger puddles that we went through this time. It was crazy but way fun.
Making sugar cookies one night. Lora, me, and Michelle.
So this is the same park that we went to as a family on Labor day. I am planning on taking our kids there each season and getting pictures of them. I love seeing the changes of the seasons.
This is after we had to cross a creek. We ditched on of the strollers on the side of the path because it didn't go over the rocks and branches as well. It was still pretty funny to carry these kids across a creek and strollers.
How cute is little Asher boy.

Happy Birthday Kali!

So these are a little old, but better late than never. Kali turned two on the 15th and we had a little party at home for her. I had big plans of the cake I was going to make her and everything, but things got a little busy and crazy for us. She still had a great time opening presents and eating cake. She became pretty possesive over her presents because Bristol kept trying to take them away.

I think she got confused about the smoke from the candles.

Pumpkin Patch

Bristol's preschool went to the pumpkin patch on Wednesday. Nate worked all night the night before so he had the following day off, which allowed him to be able to come too. We had a great time. We went on a hay ride to the pumpkins through some serious mud and puddles. It was also freezing cold and I guess I haven't been living in cold weather long enough or recently to remember to bring hats and mittens and to better dress my children. My poor kids. To keep Kali warm I wrapped her in my jacket and held her. Hopefully I will get better with dressing myself and well as my kids for the weather.This is Kali's "cheese" smile. I love it.

Can you tell Bristol is a little excited.

In keeping with the Halloween spirit here are also some pictures of some paper mache bats we made a week or so ago. Both girls loved getting all messy. Bristol painted them black and she helped with the wings and eyes.

Yay for new furniture!

So the other day we got a check in the mail for $820 from the IRS. After the government sent me multiple letters right before we moved I finally filled the form out and to our surprise we qualified for the Earned Income Credit. I think it is hilarious that even though we didn't pay a dime in taxes we still qualify for money and that the government tried tracking us down to tell us this (they sent letters to our house and my parents). Well thank you IRS because you provided us with the extra money to get some furniture that we were waiting to purchase until we saved up the money.

So now our dining room isn't empty any more. We have now moved the table that was in the kitchen (and was too big for the kitchen) into the dining room.

This is our new kitchen table. We are going to get chairs too, but they were all sold out of them. But I love my new table, even if it just from Ikea.

Ahhh and my favorite of all is the bookshelf in the playroom. So now my kids no longer have their toys in moving boxes, we actually have storage. It is pretty empty still, I figure I need to fill the top shelves with some decorative stuff since the kids can't reach that high anyways. I am sure I will still rearrange things as we go, but it is a great improvement from where it was.

Now the next thing I have on my list is new couches. Ours are pretty sad and suffered a little damage in the move. Hopefully in the next few months we can save up for those too.

The Many Faces of Bristol

However, in Bristol's defense I was asking her to make sad and happy faces for a "responsibility chart" I was making. However, with in that photo shoot she produced some hilarious pictures.