Cake Bake

This weekend the boys and I made a Halloween cake together. Other than putting it in the oven, Hugh & Grant pretty much did it all. When it came to frosting and putting on the sprinkles I told them to do it however they wanted to. I figure, when you're doing stuff with your kids it's about having fun, not trying to make it all perfect. Well I was pleasantly surprised at what a neat job they did! Of course we all had to have a piece as soon as the last sprinkle went on. In the last picture below, Eli is telling us to pray before we eat our cake.

Pumpkin Patch

I love going to a pumpkin patch on a sunny fall day. Today the Walker family spent the afternoon at a new patch in Union Springs, about 40 minutes from our house. In the past we've been to the patch in Clanton and had a great time. This is the first year they've had the patch in Union Springs and it was a very fun time. They had an inflatable slide and moonwalk, a petting zoo, a giant corn maze, and of course pumpkins. I imagine next year it will be even bigger and better. As you can see from the pictures below the big boys enjoyed it as much as the little boy, and Margaret was the cutest pumpkin there!

Here's the whole crew on the wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch:
Eli loves his Daddy's shoulders:

I think this shot of Hugh turned out great:
Grant scouting the pumpkins:
Eli learning about pumpkins...and tall grass:
They had a corn kernel sandbox! Hugh & Grant buried Eli in the corn:
Eli & me:
Eli checking out the pigs, deciding which one he think will win the big race:

The guys watching the pig race:I asked Eli what a sheep says, in this picture he is saying "baaaaaaa", which, since he stuck his tongue out sounded a little more like "blahhhh".

My Cute Kid - Warning: Shamless Bragging Below

I wish I could freeze Eli in time. I LOVE a one year old! He is so cute and funny and is learning and doing so much every day. Not so much the newborn baby Margaret...everyone talks about how quickly the time passes when your children are young. Well, NOT when they're newborns! But, I can see how that would be true with a toddler. I love watching him learn and explore new things. And, I wanted to share a few things he did this week:
The other night Jason and I were sitting on the couch watching Eli play with his toys when I realized Eli had pooped. Exhausted and not wanting to get up and change him, I said jokingly, "Eli, why don't you go change your diaper?" At that request he scooted out of the room and Jason watched him as he went through the kitchen, into the den headed for his bedroom. He stopped in the den, turned around and had a thoughtful look on his face. Then he went back into the kitchen, got one of his diapers out of his diaper bag and brought it back to me. Jason and I just looked at each other stunned!
Then yesterday we were in my bedroom while I was getting ready to go to the store. Josey was in the backyard and barked that she wanted back inside. I said, "Eli, why don't you go let Josey in" (I've never said this to him before). He zoomed out of the bedroom, down the hall all the way to the front of the house to the door in the den where Josey was standing. The door was ajar so he opened it, but of course he couldn't get the storm door open. So, he stood there tapping on the glass storm door staring at Josey until I came and opened it. So cute.
And last night as we were reading his Noah's Ark book he got all the animal noises right for the very first time...a lion says "roar", a frog says "ribbit", a dog says "woof", and a duck says "quack".
I am amazed at how much a one year old understands. And, how much he talks. He's even beginning to put several words together to form thoughts. He wants everything in the house turned on and always points to a light, or fan, or radio and says "turn on" sometimes he even says "I turn on" or "turn on please", which sounds more like "turn on peas":) He's also said "Bye Bye Mommy". Of course he speaks a lot of jibberish that only he can understand, but it's cute too!

Saturday Night Fever

The picture above is from last night, on our first date night after Margaret was born, she's 5 weeks old. The picture below is from our first date night after Eli was born, he was also about 5 weeks old!

My wonderful husband took me on a date last night! It was our first date since Margaret Jane was born, and I sure did need it. We started the evening by going to see the movie Fireproof. I cannot recommend it enough. Unfortunately it's been out for about a month and probably won't be in theaters much longer, but see it if you can. If you're not familiar with the movie, it was done by the same church in Georgia who did Facing the Giants. Fireproof is about doing marriage God's way. It is an intense movie, I found myself fighting off tears throughout the entire show. So many good points are made about marriage and relationships. Jason and I both were challenged to continue to work at our marriage and the way we communicate and interact with each other.
After the movie we headed to Bonefish Grill. Bonefish does a dish called Bang Bang Shrimp that I cannot get enough of. So the shrimp, coupled with our crabcake appetizer made the perfect meal for me. Jason got the Mahi Mahi with sauteed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. Delicious. As always, we enjoyed a long, leisurely dinner talking with each other.
Reality hit when we left my parents' house with Margaret Jane crying for food and Eli calling for DADDY very loudly!
We wouldn't change a thing.
One more thing about the movie. The group Casting Crowns has a song that is in the movie entitled Slow Fade. Jason and I had never heard this song, but just the small portion of it that was played during a scene stuck out in our minds. The song talks about the manner in which sin enters our lives and the way satan destroys people and families. The fall is not quick and obvious. Instead it is a slow fade from who were are to where satan wants to take us. We are all susceptible, every one of us. Let's not ever believe that we are above failure, for that is when we are most vulnerable to satan's attack. Here are a portion of the lyrics to Slow Fade:

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made,
A price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Well Baby

Margaret Jane had her one month check up today - she's actually 5 weeks tomorrow. Doc says she is doing perfectly. She weighs 10 pounds and is 21 inches long. Although she is still a good sleeper, she hasn't been doing the sleep all night thing on a regular basis. She's up once during the night, which is still good for a 5 week old - but I'll be glad when she ditches her middle of the night feeding!

Our Big Family!

Just the Kids
Just the boys...Eli decided picture time was over
Then he took his pants off!

Game Day

Jason, Hugh, & Grant are headed out to Auburn to watch the Tigers play the Razorbacks. Hopefully this game will be better than the one last week!

Family Pics

Jason & Margaret

Jason reading Eli a bedtime story
Mother & Margaret
Sleeping Margaret
Eli Hammering

Silent Night Part II

Okay, now I know it wasn't a fluke. Last night Margaret slept from 10PM to 5:30AM. How about that? A three week old who sleeps through the night. If she keeps this up I will owe her big time...is it too soon to buy her a car?

Silent Night

Most of you know that our son Eli is a great sleeper. At 5 weeks old, he slept through the night for the first time (from 10PM to 6AM). And it wasn't long until he began sleeping from 7PM to 8AM which he does to this day, never waking up through the night.
When I was pregnant with Margaret, Eli's pediatrician assured me she would be as good of a sleeper as Eli as long as I did the same things with her sleep training as I did with Eli. I was doubtful, but quite hopeful. I know so many folks who have multiple children who are all different types of sleepers. But, the doc says (aside from some unusual circumstance) how your baby sleeps depends on the parents' approach to getting the child to sleep, in other words it's nurture vs. nature.
Well, at just 3 weeks old Margaret slept through the night last night! She slept from 11:30PM to 5:30AM. Not the 8 hours I need, but I was thrilled nonetheless and after she ate at 5:30 she went right back to sleep where she remains to this hour. I'm cautiously optimistic, but it seems she is on track to be a good sleeper like her big brother.
I might survive this thing after all!

The Great Outdoors

This past weekend we spent a lot of time outside enjoying the beautiful weather. We even had our good friends Michael and Kim Horn over to watch the Auburn game. Fall is definitely in the air and I am glad. We love to have all the windows and doors open and let the cool, fresh air into the house. We are also enjoying our great new porch that Jason remodeled for us this spring. I need to share some before and after pictures to show how much work he did...you can see a bit of the porch in some of the pictures below.