Fall Festivities!

Well now that it has snowed a couple times, I think its important that I blog about our fall haha!! Fall is my favorite time of year for so many reasons.  The smells, colorful leaves, cool nights, and perfect weather.  We didn't get out as much as I would have hoped for due to our crazy schedules, but the girls got to play in our leaves a few times and we have been on a couple walks. 

It is a tradition every year to go to Black Island Farms and this year was no different :)  Usually we go in the evening and everything is shutting down and its freezing outside, so this year we went earlier and it was MUCH more enjoyable!  The girls and I had so much fun going down the slides! We also saw the farm animals and a little boy gave the girls corn to feed them and they thought that was the funniest thing.  They played in the "corn" box, went through the corn maze and of course the hay ride to get our pumpkins!

Showing me her muscles :)

Brave girl! I was nervous to go down this slide lol

Painting pumpkins at Grandma and Grandpa's

Our tree dumps leaves twice.  Once right before it snows, then after a huge snow storm.  So we usually have to rake up soggy wet leaves in the snow, but this year we finally got to play in some leaves!!

I love these two!!!



haha this is totally random, but the girls decided to ride on the laundry soap one morning.  I thought it was hilarious! ..the things they come up with..

 

I wish fall lasted longer than winter.. I am not a fan of the snow! 

sacrifices

This post is just for my own sake and for something to look back on.. but let me just start by saying nursing school IS TOUGH!! oh my heck.. I spend 30+ hours a week on homework and that's not including lectures or lab times.  I am trying to find a balance between being a mother, wife and student but I am soon finding that I cant be perfect at everything and that stresses me out!  So what do I cut back on? THAT is the question.. Kinsey told me tonight while I was giving the girls a bath, "mom, you always do homework and I hate it! can we snuggle and watch a mobie affer this?" That broke my heart because it is so true.  It sure is a good thing my girls have each other to keep busy and entertained.  I broke out into tears looking at my clinical schedule for October because I wont be able to get Kinsey ready for her big carnival on Halloween at her preschool because I will be doing clinicals.. and I wont be able to get her ready and do her hair like a "princess" in the mornings before school. :( I want to be a good mommy so bad and feel like my dreams are going to tear me away a little bit.  I know I am setting a good example for my kids and finally reaching my goal, but dam its rough and tough stuff.  I have had TWO break downs already because I couldn't get everything done in one day and feel so overwhelmed. So pretty much after this week I will be away from the home 35 hours and that doesn't include homework.  My girls and I have some serious adjusting to do and I hope it will be worth it.  They are young enough to where they wont remember too much of this crazy life right now.. hopefully!! I always refer to a quote I got from a parenting book that says its the QUALITY of time not the QUANTITY of time that matter to children so I am working on remembering that daily.  On top of balancing my time during the day I am EXHAUSTED!  I go to the gym at 530am or else I wont be able to go any other time, and then I go to bed at 11pm because I am up doing homework after my girls go to bed at 8.  I need to figure out a solution to this as well LOL I am lucky Brandon can set his own schedule at work but we are having to use other day care providers as well and I hope we have found a good fit for our girlies.  They mean the world to me and it breaks my heart that I cant be the one to provide for them 24/7 like I have for the past 2.5 years. DECEMBER 2014 cannot come soon enough!!!

Rant over... haha  her are some pics of my cute girls :)

Harper wanted to lay in her babies bed and read books ;)

Fresh out of the bath watching a "MOBIE!"

I love these 2 more than words can describe!!!

Kinsey Beans Update!

Kinsey is 3 going on 13.. haha!! She even tells people she is "12" when they ask how old she is, lil stinker.  I am in for it in the teenage years with her ;)  She is growing up to be such a smart and beautiful little girl and number 1 helper.  It amazes me every day when I set out her clothes and she will come to me fully dressed, room cleaned, and bed made.  How did she get so smart, and HOW the heck did she grow up so fast?!  She has started preschool and LOVES it!  She goes to Bravo Arts Academy in Syracuse and I am very impressed.  She has taken her dance classes there and overall it is a great place for kids to learn, explore and grow.  Kinsey's teacher's name is Ms. Brown, but Kinsey calls her Mr. Brown haha we read a book by Dr. Seuss called "Mr Brown can MOO, Can you?" and I think she is just in the habit.  Her teacher is ok with it though ;)  She goes Tuesdays and Thursdays from 855-1115.  Every day she comes home she has an art project, learns a new color, letter, and number and even sign language.  Then at preschool graduation she will preform a song on the piano.  I know they do a lot of singing as well because she is always sing new songs, I LOVE IT :)

*Kinsey and I have full on conversations, and it is the best!  She often asks if we can "talk" when I am tucking her in at night and she will just babble on and on about her day or random things.  It amazes me the things that go through her mind :)

*She is always dancing, singing, or performing of some sort.  Never a dull moment and she always has me cracking up!

*Kinsey likes to tell people she has "Rapunzel" hair.

*If I let her, she would wear a dress every day with necklaces and a purse that weighs more than her. (I think she is a girly girl)

*She learned to ride her trike the beginning of the summer and is now riding her big girl bike with training wheels.  She often reminds me to put her helmet on..

*While on the phone with my dad this morning, he told her he was driving his big truck and she asked him, "are you wearing your seat belt?!" LOL I about died and laughed so hard. Safety is important ;)

*Anytime I need a hug or a snuggle buddy, Kinsey is my girl!  She is so lovey and always willing to give me unlimited kisses and hugs.  She gets excited when I tell her we will snuggle and asks "and watch a mobie with popcorn!?"

*She is such a good big sister!  Even though she knows exactly how to push Harper's buttons, she helps her so much and is always looking after her. 

*Bedtime for her is between 730 and 8pm and she will wake up around 730 or 8am.  Some days she takes a nap and other days she doesn't.  We call it "quiet time" and she has to stay in her room for at least an hour watching a movie, or playing puzzles, or reading.  As long as she is quiet ;)  More times than not she falls asleep and I have to wake her up at 3pm.

*Kinsey LOVES her grandmas!  She can be having a rough day, or upset about something and if I say she can go to grandma's she is a totally different girl. 

Kinsey keeps me going and striving to be a better person on a daily basis! I love my little "string beanie!!"

Miss Harps Update!

Well our Miss Harper is growing up right before our eyes and turning into quite the little girl! I cannot believe she will be 2 in December!!!!! It is crazy for me to think I was pregnant with her when Kinsey was her age.  I wont be having another for a while... so don't expect an announcement any time soon lol  Anyways, she is healthy and full of life.  Harper is a VERY hard child.  I feel like a horrible mom saying it, but it is so true.  I have had to leave grocery carts full of food because she was throwing a tantrum and I couldn't calm her down, and she has "time-outs" in her room at least 2x a day.  We are working on it and she has been getting better, but this girl has a great set of lungs and if it isn't her way, its HELL haha ;)  Kinsey has started preschool so that leaves a couple hours a day with just Harper and I give her my undivided attention.  She loves to sit in my lap and read books and I even get to snuggle her wrapped in a blanket and rock with her. (yes I am still holding on to whatever I can haha)

*Harper has a mild.. ok, EXTREME obsession with baby dolls.  She always has one in her arms and is always asking me to wrap it in a blanket or put the clothes back on.  When I say she always has one in her arms, I am not exaggerating!  She is even holding one in our family pictures lol

*She has been sleeping in a toddler bed for a few months now and she loves it!  We had a rough go at first because she wanted to get out and play, even in the pitch black.  But I was bound and determined because she had fallen out of her crib twice.

*This girl can eat and put anyone to shame.  She has always been my good eater and will try just about anything I put in front of her.  If she doesn't like something, she conveniently spits it out on the floor, table, or wherever her little heart desires lol

*Harper adores her big sister!  She is always copying her and trying to be just like her. 

*Her vocabulary is growing, but she still prefers to whine or point.  My favorite thing she says right now is "I ove ooooo" and "tank tou" ;)  Oh and she has the word "NO" down perfect!  She also says "cheese" and "peese" and "eo eo eo"(Leo) "mama" "granpapa" "and "yaddy"(daddy) And if she sees something gross she will make fun noises like "yuck, ewwwe, and kiki"

*Harper is 100% a mama's girl.  Holy smokes!  She wont let anyone else hold her if we are in a public area or around people we don't know well.  I love it at time, but it is also difficult.

*Bedtime is between 730 and 8pm and she will start knocking on her door around 730am for me to open it haha!  Then she naps from 1-3 sometimes 330.  She loves her sleep and is such a good sleeper!

*This summer we went to the dessert with my parents to ride dirt bikes and quads and every time I would take her for a ride, she would fall asleep on me!

*Harper will dance to any beat she hears and it is usually her sticking her butt out and shaking it and doing great facials ;)

I love this little girl so dang much and feel so lucky to be HER mom!!!

Thanksgiving Point

Brandon and I took the girls to Thanksgiving Point for the first time this year and they LOVED it!  I never realized how much fun stuff they have for kids there.. I just wish it was a little closer.  We took them to see the farm animals and ride the ponies, and of course the "wagon" ride which is really a big trailer on the back of a tracker.  Then we attended the Farmer's Market and had a delicious lunch.

My Princess!



This little guy kept sticking his nose out to say hi :)

We liked his hair! haha

Me and my girlies!!

Pineview with the FAMILY!

This was another "cousin" get together with Addy!! Kinsey and Harper LOVE her so much and we love getting to spend time with her :)

Addy!!

the girls and my mom

Brandon was really relaxed :)

Building sand castles with grandma and grandpa

Future "bay watch" babe lol

Cute bums ;)