Friday, October 26, 2012

Fall Festival

Our friends invited us to go to their neighborhood's fall festival with them last week.  The girls got to dress up for it and Mikayla was stoked to be a princess and Maylee was the pea.  

Funny side note: We told Mikayla Maylee was going to be a pea and Mikayla died telling us that was "So silly!  May May not pee pee!"  After that the elders came over for dinner and asked Mikayla what she was going to be for Halloween?  She responded, totally stone-faced "POOP!"

Our princess and the pea!
Maylee wasn't so convinced about her costume.
Luckily, she slept the whole time!  It was funny because in their stroller Maylee slept under Mikayla (in the black part hanging down by Dustin's legs) with Mikayla sitting in her "throne" on the seat above Maylee so it totally looked like the princess and the pea story!
Maylee's position of choice for the night.
The princess roping a calf.  There were a bunch of little games for the kids to play.  Mikayla preferred staring at everyone over actually playing the games.
She got in the firetruck and about started bawling.  Dustin told her to smile for a picture and this is the face we got.
One happy princess!  I don't think it would've mattered what we did that night.  She was just excited she got to wear make-up!

Bag Lady

Mikayla loves stuff.  Lots of stuff.  Lots as in large quantities. Stuff that can be carried around in bags.  Stuff that needs to go with us everywhere we go in said bags.  Stuff.

I asked her to clean up her stuff the other day and her first question was "Who's somebody coming to our house?"  My answer?  "No one, but all your stuff is making Mom crazy."

Her clean up method?  Bags.  She gathered all her bags and distributed her stuff among them.  Clean, right?
I'm just sad I missed the photo op of her carrying around all the bags at once (the picture doesn't even show half that many again that were hiding underneath) and about ready to topple over.

Yes, we love stuff.

Sunday Night Fun

We love it when grandparents come over to join in the craziness!
Rockstar piano players!
Fishing in the backyard!


Growing up so fast!

Mikayla gave me a rare genuine smile on camera and I just love it.  She is getting so big.  It seems like she's grown up several years in the last week alone.  She is my best little pal.


Christmas in October

On the Kartchner side we have a reunion every year called "Christmas in October".  We get together and eat tons of good food (among lots of other great activities, but let's be real-I love food) and enjoy each other's company for a day.  It's fantastic.  It's seriously one of my absolute favorite days of the year.

This year Christmas in October was on Beson's Butterfield Days so we got to enjoy a parade in the morning.  Benson's finest quality of a parade I might add.
After the parade we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house where we got to watch them make ice cream in a 6 gallon ice cream maker!  It used to be hand-churn, but has since been promoted to electric.  Pretty cool!
I'm afraid I didn't get a great picture of the ice cream maker, but I had to giggle at how the crowd got bigger and bigger as the ice cream got closer to being done...
because taste testing is a tradition!
Then to the pond for the rest of the festivities!
Homemade rootbeer makes its appearance every year.
Sugar cookies!
Hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, chips!  Check out the view of the pond in the background.  Beautiful!
We always have a service project and this year we tied fleece blankets and put together some care packages for kids.
Bless Maylee's heart-she took a several hour nap in her stroller in the middle of all the activities.
Digging for coins in the sand pile-courtesy of Grandpa!
The cousins all do a gift exchange.  Mikayla was elated about her present.  She got pads of paper, sticky notes, stickers, tape, and some pattern blocks.  Our house has been very nicely decorated in all of it.  She's having the time of her life!
I guess I didn't get any pictures of the white elephant gift exchange, but I traded my cousin after the exchange for the beautiful outfit I wore for my Halloween costume!  It was quite the score!
S 'mores afternoon snack-see I told you we like to EAT!
The pinata.
Maylee calling it a night on Grandma while everyone was doing sparklers.
Mom cuddling her girls after a fabulous day of fun!





Go ahead and make my day!

Miss Maylee Belle's smile makes me SO happy!
These next ones might all look the same to anyone but her Mom, but I love them all and this smile is the best reward I could ever ask for!
I cannot even believe how much I love this girl!  And yes, I kiss those cheeks all day long and I'm pretty sure she loves it as much as I do! ;)