Pumpkins, Candy & Costumes Oh My!

Grace had a fun-filled weekend at the fall festival at Nana & Pappy's church this weekend. She dressed up as Wonder Woman (thanks Auntie Lindsay)! At the festival Grace enjoyed being able to pet baby goats, sheep, hold a baby chick, pet some bunnies and ride a pony. She also played some fun games, toured a fire truck and even went down the big slide with Uncle Andrew. The next day we went with Nana to pick out some pumpkins at the Pumpkin Patch. Grace wanted every pumpkin there, but finally decided on one. She is a little bit too attached to her pumpkin I might add. She wants to take it everywhere we go! On Sunday afternoon, Grace dressed up as Wonder Woman and Ben took her trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. What a fun weekend!



Trick-or-treat (Grace is actually smiling and saying "cheeeeeese")



Nana and Grace at the Pumpkin Patch

"I want this one"

Farm Girls

Grace and Uncle Andrew going down the slide

Hanging out with the cousins at the festival

Wonder Woman!

Sweet as candy

Grace's pumpkin craft made with marsmallows and raisins

Baby #2

We are so happy to announce that baby #2 should be here around the end of April 2011! Grace is really excited about having a baby and says she wants it to be a boy (she loves all her boy cousins). Of course, I just want a healthy happy baby. I got to hear the heartbeat for the first time last week. Hopefully I will start feeling better now that I'm going into the 2nd trimester. Whew...it's been rough to say the least!!! Here is a picture of our little peanut at 9 weeks.

Happy Birthday to us!

Grace and I celebrated our birthday on Labor Day! Grace turned two and we celebrated with a puppy dog theme since Grace adores doggies! It was a fun day with family and friends.

We went swimming at the neighborhood pool.

Grace and her new big girl cup - notice her name on it

The kiddie table

Grace's doggy cake

Make a wish!

Yummy cake and ice cream!

Time to open presents!

The boys think Grace could use some help

Grace and Daddy having tea with her new tea set

Happy 10 Year Anniversary!!!

Ben, Grace and I travelled to Colorado to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. Ben's mother Jane met us there to visit her Aunt JoAnn. We landed in Denver and visited with our friends, the Picolets. They fed us too good and we jumped on the trampoline with the kids to help burn some calories! Then we headed to Boulder where we stayed the rest of the week. After visiting with Aunt Joann, we took Grace on a hike in beautiful Chitaqua park. Grace would walk about 10 steps and then stop and look at the rocks. We didn't go very fast, but we weren't in any hurry! I actually ended up carrying her most of the way. Then Ben and I went tubing down the Vrain river in Lyons. It was a nice float with some exciting white-water rapids! The water was ice cold and refreshing! The next day we travelled to Estes Park to visit the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a cold, wet and rainy day at the top of the mountains, where it got to 48 degrees! As soon as we got down below 10,000 feet, it was sunshiny again! The weather was just about as perfect as it can get for summer. I would love to have a vacation home in CO for the summer. I don't think I could handle the winters, though. Jane and I took a tour of the Celestial Seasonings headquarters where they make all the yummy herbal teas. We got to sample all the teas and get a tour of the production line. I didn't provide a picture because they made us wear hairnets! On our way back to Denver we stopped at the zoo. Grace was able to name most of the animals that she has seen in her books. My favorite was the polar bear. He was playing with his ball and throwing it in the water and jumping in after it. I've never seen a polar bear that was so playful! It was a greatway to celebrate! It's been a great 10 years...I love you honey!

Ben playing with the Picolet kids!

Grandma Jane, Grace & Aunt JoAnn

Ben & Grace at Chataqua Park
Grace & Sharon hiking at Chataqua Park

Grace & Sharon at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder.

Ben jumping off the cliff into the icy cold water!

The new Michelin, um, man.

Sharon going down a rapid!

Ben & Grace at Estes Park

Sharon & Grace at Estes Park


Grace picking wild flower and pulling off the petals.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Grace & Sharon pose in front of the rainbow

Grandma & Grace at the zoo - watch out I see a giraffe eyeing you!

Crazy family of seals!

Family & Friends

This summer has been a lot of fun getting to see old friends and family. My long-time friend Stefanie came with her family to visit us this summer. I had so much fun catching up with her and getting to know her sweet little girls, Hannah (5) and Sarah (1). Grace had a great time having some girls to play with. We went to the beach and water park and enjoyed being able to hang out together! Then our family exchange student Christian and his new bride Silke came to visit the family on their honeymoon. It was so good to see him again and meet his wife. It was a big family get together when Matthew and Natalie came to visit Christian & Silke. My brother Matthew is safely home from Iraq and will be getting out of the military next month. I am so happy for him and that he is home with his wife again.

Here is a pictures of us with our girls.

Stefanie's husband Charlie reads to the girls.

Christian and Silke on their honeymoon in the USA!

Auntie Natalie & Grace

Uncle Matt & Grace - she was so bashful around him at first, I think she had a crush on him. I've never seen her act like that around someone.

Now she talks about him everyday and says "Uncle Matt is silly"! Here they are giggling with each other.

Mountain Lake Vacation

We just returned from a week-long vacation to the beautiful Lake Keowee/Jocassee area. We stayed in a house with a bunch of family! It was so much fun to swim in a cool mountain lake and enjoy the beautiful outdoors! Grace loved swimming in the lake, too! We enjoyed having cousin Roman along, too.

We hiked around the neighborhood one morning to see all the beautiful houses that were on the lake. As you can see, Roman and Grace aren't used to walking up/down slopes.

We took a 1.5 mile hike at Devil's Fork State Park. Grace decided she didn't like the hiking backpack, so I ended up carrying her a lot of the way. Whew, that was a workout!

Grace had to have a stick because Roman had one.

Our view from the dock. The water was so clear! I can't wait to go back!

Ben took Grace for a spin in the kayak. Ben went fishing several times from the kayak.

This was my favorite day. We all rented a pontoon and went to see the waterfalls on Lake Jocassee. This was my favorite waterfall. You could swim right under it.

Ben climbed to the top!

Joy ride on the pontoon

Future skipper. This was her favorite seat!

We climbed this rock quarry and jumped into the lake below.

Here's Ben jumping!

We played hard! Grace was worn out!