Pumpkins, Playdates, More Pumpkins & Some Trick or Treating!

This October we excitedly made our way to the Pumpkin Patch to show our "Toddler" (Wow!! She's not just a little baby anymore! Where has the time gone?!) all the fun & exciting activities the fall season brings...

So, we got Madi dressed in her official "Pumpkin Patch" outfit & headed on out... This year we were invited to join Liz's cousin, Ben & his family at the pumpkin patch in Dayton, Or (Heiser Farms)
We got there just as they were opening which meant parking was fabulous and there was hardly anyone else there! Madi (& her Daddy) are not big fans of crowded places so this worked out perfectly! Of course the first place we found ourselves checking out was the animal barn! Madi loooooooves animals!!

She and Bridget checking out the sheep

Madi had to stretch up on her tippy toes to be able to see the "Baby Chicks"
She also saw bunnies, piggies, goats, and her favorite of the day..."BABY COWS!"
Madi was in animal heaven! We must have spent an hour just walking from one end of the barn to the other checking out all the animals over and over again while Madi giggled!

Next, we stopped by the riding tractor area... There were lots of little ride on trucks and tractors the kids could choose from. Since there weren't very many people there still the kids were able to take their pick! Of course to Madi this meant she had to try them ALL out at least once! She wasn't able to peddle herself around but luckily for her, Mom & Dad were close by to give her a push!

The next stop on our list was the CHOO-CHOO TRAIN! Madi was SO excited to get close to the choo-choo... She was non-stop talking about it on the walk over and could hardly manage to control herself while waiting for Daddy to buy the train tickets.... then once it was time to get on the train..... she was Little Miss Quiet! She had such a serious face on the whole time around the track. But, once she was off the train once again she was oohing and ahhing about how exciting the Choo-Choo was. Silly Girl!


And next...was Brendan's favorite part...

PUNKIN' CHUNKIN'!
We sat and watched them fling pumpkins across the fields and into junkyard car targets for a while...It was fabulous.

Then it was time for us to take the hayride out to the pumpkin patch to pick out our very own pumpkin....

Madi & Liam were very concerned with all the dirt built up on some of the pumpkins... so they spent some time trying to clean it off...

Madi finally found the perfect pumpkin to take home!

Which she and Daddy turned into a .......

PRINCESS PUMPKIN!


A few days later the girls and I had the chance to join our playgroup at the Carousel for some Halloween dress-up fun!

Madi went as, Minnie Mouse (one of her favs!)

Isabella went as an OSU Cheerleader.
They were both SO cute!!

We took a ride on the Carousel.

Then went outside while it was not raining & spent a few minutes on the playground.

Although Madi was a little disappointed that the slide was all wet... :0(


And Finally, we ended the month with some good 'ol Trick or Treating!

Little Miss Minnie Mouse all set with her Mickey pumpkin bucket!

While we were out & about Madi caught a glimpse of a kitty! She got so excited!

Madi & Daddy trick or treating.

We made a stop by Grandpa's house on our way home.

Then ended the night (and the month) with a quick visit from some of Madi's favorite people!
(Izaac, Paige & Justin)

Off to the Fair we go!

The end of summer got here before we knew it... and with it... brought the Oregon State Fair!
This year we were able to all go as a family...
Grandma & Auntie Ashley even came along too!
We were very excited to show Madisen all that the fair had to offer.. she has been recently obsessed with animals and has learned what sounds they make.. So of course the first stop on our "things to do at the fair" list was to check out the animal barns...
She checked out the Horses

And the Cows...

And the goats...

and then took a little walk to see Madi's very favorite "fair" animal of them all.....


The Miniature Horses!!
I think she would have stayed there all day if we had let her.... but alas... the curly fries were calling our (ok, MY!) name.... so off we went to have a bite to eat...

Yum! Curly Fries!

After a quick lunch we made a stop by the petting zoo ... at first Madi wasn't too sure about being THAT close to the animals... but within a minute or two she was talking to them & petting the animals like they were all her best friends! (Although she kept calling the goats, piggies and then the piggies, sheep...the horses though she got right everytime!)

Summer time fun!

It seems as though the summer just flew right by this year!

We had lots and lots of fun in the sun!
Check out some of the highlights.....

We hung out at Izaac's (Madi's cousin) baseball game:

We had lots and lots of playdates at the park with our friends:
Celebrated a few birthday parties: Had a fantastic visit with Brendan's cousin Elizabeth: Played around in the sprinkler: Played with the sidewalk chalk daily: And of course lots & lots of dress-up!:

We were sad to see summer end... although with little Mr Halen on the way we are all looking forward to January!

(Ps: Liz's belly is growing like crazy! Mama & baby are doing great! That boy kicks like crazy! We think he is going to be a kung-fu expert by the time he makes his entrance into the world!)

Camping

This August marked Madi's second ever camping trip!
We went last year and had to bare the 107 degree temps, yikes! I was worried that maybe that would be our luck again this time around... but luckily it was a perfect 70-75 degree week!
We tagged along (again) with my best friends' family...they are always gracious enough to adopt us as one of their own each year on their annual family camping trip. :0) Brendan had to work so it was just us girls that went this time around. I was a bit worried at first about being pregnant... camping... on my own with a toddler... but with Peggy & her family there I was far from alone!
When we first got there Madi wasn't too sure about all this DIRT around her.... she got some on her hands & would immediately come running to me saying "Messy! Messy!" And would freak out until I helped her wipe her hands off... yes... she's my prissy little girly-girl... who was rocking the pink tu-tu at the campground! haha :0)
Then about an hour later she could be found SITTING in the dirt & gravel pouring dirt all over herself....she continued doing this for the rest of the vacation... loving every minute of it! (yes, Mommy cringed a time or two... and held back the urge to follow her around all day with a wipe to clean her up every 5 mins!)
I was not so sure how Madi would do with napping while we were there... she's got a pretty good routine at home for this & generally doesn't do so great when that gets messed up... but I brought along the essentials...the port-a-crib... the Binky.. the Blankie... and the Ipod (for the lullabies) and after just a minute or so of complaining she would lay right down and fall asleep!! I was AMAZED! She slept her normal 3ish hours each time! I kept having to tip-toe to peak in the tent to make sure she was still breathing since I thought it was too crazy that she was napping so normally! And at night since it was SOOOOO freaking COLD I decided she needed to sleep on the air mattress with Mommy to keep her from getting chilly (and to help keep Mama warm! lol) Again I had concerns that she wouldn't fall asleep... and again she proved to me what a great little sleeper she can be! I was so proud of her!
Madi had SO much fun being outside & taking walks.. Playing with her pal, Avalee (and making some new friends too!)...playing in the dirt...looking at the leaves up in the trees (we had a great view of the tree tops from our tent, she would lay on the mattress, look up,point to the leaves & say "Frogs! Mama!"... ummm no Madi-Cakes... those are leaves, not frogs... not everything that is green is a frog kiddo!") ... and sitting by the fire chit-chatting into the night. It was such a blast! We can't wait to go again next year! (Hopefully Daddy will be able to join us next time around!)

Checking out the camp site with her pal Avalee

Making new a friend (reading a book w/Shae)

Playing with the sidewalk chalk w/Ally

Getting ready for her turn at hitting the Pinata!
(Check out that dirty bird!! This was the last day of camping...
so there was dirt EVERYWHERE! haha!)

She had never hit a Pinata before... we need to work on her form a bit before the next one... ;0)

It's a.....

Well folks... the news from the ultrasound is in!

Sometime around January 2nd our little family will be welcoming a little

BOY!!

We couldn't be happier!

I think I may need some help getting used to the idea of shopping for baby things that aren't covered in PINK! But I'm sure we will have fun finding all the cool boy things there is out there!