Tis the season

Fall is my FAVORITE time of the year! Although I must admit I am a little disgusted with Mother Nature this fall. I feel like we have been jipped this year!! For example, this is what we woke up to on October 10th..yes October 1oth!

I was completely unprepared! Carter was dying to go outside but I had no hat, mittens or boots for him yet so we had to dig into the depths of the closet for his rain boots, one of Jeremy's hats and some mittens I had gotten at a garage sale that would likely fit a 10 year old! Luckily my 4 year old doesn't have a fashion sense yet! We had plans that morning to hit the Covered Bridge Festival in Winterset and then Howell's Pumpkin Patch but got a rude awakening instead. The weekend before the snow hit we did visit another one of our favorite spots, Center Grove Orchard. They had a new attraction this year, a GIGANTIC slide that you rode down on in a sled. I lost count how many times Carter hoofed it up that hill dragging that sled behind him.

We attempted the corn maze this year and were bound determined to find all 10 hidden things in the corn maze. After a little over an hour of looking and still missing one item we threw in the towel. Carter wanted to keep looking but I bribed him with something sweet from the gift shop so I could get him out of the maze.

Come on mom..I KNOW it is this way!

To top off the maze from HELL Claire fell asleep while I was carrying her. Nothing like lugging a 20 lb kid around lost in a corn maze! Oh yeah, did I mention it had rained for 3 days straight before that so we were covered in mud too! Poor Claire toughed it out even with double ear infection and 6 new teeth...the pictures say it all!

I can FINALLY reach the pedals this year!

Jumping pillow

Apple sling shot

Last Monday we finally got a nice fall day and the kids and I hit Howell's pumpkin patch with the Rhodes family. This is such a great place! We took a hayrack ride to the pumpkin patch, played in the corn pit, rode the wiggle cars, petted some animals, and climbed the huge hay bale stack.

Claire's pink wiggle car!

This pumpkin is heavy!

We are gearing up for Halloween. I have been busy working Carter's costume. He decided a long time ago he wanted to be a mummy. I did some research and many websites suggested staining ripped sheets in tea to give it a "old" look. Well, as I didn't have any tea, I soaked the rags in coffee. BIG mistake! After washing them and drying them with numerous dryer sheets they still REAK like coffee! Obviously there is a reason for using tea! I tried to wrap him up in the rags to try out the look and he plugged his nose the entire time! So, I may be starting over! I am hoping airing them out will do the trick. This "easy" costume has eaten up way too much of my time! Claire is wearing Carter's hand me down monkey costume. I'll post some pictures of my little ghouls next week! Happy Halloween everyone!

It's the Great Pumpkin Carter Freeman!

Farmer Carter's pumpkin patch is open for business! I took the kids home yesterday to pick the remaining pumpkins. Needless to say Grandma and Grandpa Berry have pumpkins and gourds coming out of their ears! The patch turned out very plentiful! Carter told grandma he wanted to do it again next year and grandma was pretty excited as I think she and grandpa had fun with them too!

Baby boo pumpkins starting to turn white in August
Getting bigger!
It's the GREAT PUMPKIN!
Would you like a gourd?
Wheelbarrow full of gourds! (that was only about half of them!)

We still plan to visit our favorite fall places like Howell's pumpkin patch and the Center Grove Orchard in the next couple of weeks but we won't be hauling home any pumpkins that's for sure! Happy fall!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARTEROO!

My little boy turned 4 yesterday! It is so hard to believe as it seems like yesterday I was holding him in my arms for the first time! We started the day off with his favorite breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes on the special red plate.
We laid pretty low the rest of the day, just hanging out and had family movie night that evening with our bean bags and popcorn. On Sunday we took him to America's Incredible Pizza Company for a super fun time. This place is new in town and is a really great place for kids of all ages. We ate some yummy pizza, rode the go-karts, played mini glow in the dark golf and mini bowling and fed the arcade with our coins. The "Incredibles" sang Happy Birthday to him in front of the entire place and he had this look on his face like "Are you kidding me mom?"









After that we headed home for some yummy cake and of course presents. Carter decided he wanted a John Deere cake this year so again our wonderfully talented neighbor Elizabeth pulled through for us.


Carter was again blessed with so many gifts and so many people who thought of him on his birthday. His "big" gift was a big boy bike.

A super cool Hot wheels set from his buddy Sam! Thanks Sam!

On Monday, I had our good friend and neighbor Erin watch Claire so I could throw a little birthday party for Carter at preschool with his class. I made (with a little help from my neighbors) "cake pops" for everyone and they seemed to be a hit.

Lastly, some fun facts about our 4 year old:

1. Carter Alan Freeman arrived 2 weeks early on 9-12-05 at 12:14pm weighing in at 8lbs 13 oz and was 21 inches long.
2. He is ALL boy. Some of his favorite things are Star Wars, John Deere, Hot Wheels, baseball, anything to do with guns and shooting, stuffed animals, Ironman, Wolverine and Transformers.
3. He loves movies, although isn't really into cartoons, more like action and sci-fi, see above!
4. He loves to have his back rubbed and cons most anyone into doing this for him!
5. Even at 4, he continues to be attached to his blanket and never leaves home without it.
6. He loves to run around in his underwear!
7. One of his favorite things to do is spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house and ride grandpa's lawn mower and tractor.
8. He is somewhat of a history buff like his dad. He can tell you all about Abraham Lincoln, Napolean, John Wilkes Booth, and Anne Frank.
9. He loves to rough house with is dad!
10. He has a kind heart and a great laugh!

Happy Birthday buddy! We can't wait to see what the next year brings for you! We love you!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Today Jeremy and I are celebrating 7 years of marital bliss! It is hard to believe we have been married 7 years already but I can honestly say I love Mr. Freeman more and more each day! Thanks for a great 7 years honey! I love you!

ONLY IN IOWA!

IOWA STATE FAIR!!!
Carter: " Mom, I can ride it by myself this time"

Mom: "Are you sure?"

Carter: " Mom, give me a break, I'm almost 4!"

Mom: " I don't know honey, let's ask this man up here"

Carter: " Mom, come on, what are you worried about?

HANG ON TIGHT!

POOR BESSIE, I BET SHE WAS MILKED A MILLION TIMES THAT DAY!

CARTER: " COME ON MOM, FARMERS DON'T WEAR APRONS!"

AUNT DARCIE DEMONSTRATING THE PROPER TECHNIQUE TO EATING SOMETHING ON A STICK..YUM YUM!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAIRE!!!

Happy Birthday Claire bear! I can't believe today is your first birthday! Where did the year go?

Here are some fun facts about our one year old!

1. Claire Elizabeth Freeman was born 7-27-08 ( on her due date) at 5:24 am, after about 45 minutes of labor, a 100 mile hour drive on the interstate to the hospital and with her mom crossing her legs the whole way screaming at Jeremy "Can't you drive any faster?" She arrived 14 minutes after we got to the hospital!

2. She weighed 7lbs 15 oz and was 20.5 inches long. She had blond/red hair and long fingers and toes.

3. She LOVES to snuggle!

4. She LOVES to suck her first 2 fingers on her R hand.

5. She HATES all green vegetables!

6. She has limited vocabulary of "ma ma" and "baaaaa"

7. She SCREAMS at the top of her lungs if she doesn't get her way.

8. She would rather play with cars, trucks and spiderman than girl toys.

9. She blows raspberries instead of kisses.

10. She out eats Carter at every meal!

We celebrated her birthday yesterday with family and friends with presents and cake. She dug right into the cake like I knew my little porkchop would. I had to put her in the sink afterwards to get all the cake off of her.

Thanks to everyone who made her day so special! We feel blessed to have so many people love her so much!