Pumpkins in every form...okay - two of them.

So the life in the Whitehouse has been pumpkining it up lately!  And fattening up unfortunately too - except for in Ross's case - that's actually fortunate for him - he needs a nice chubby coat of baby chub for the winter.  So - like anyone with a can of pumpkin in hand - I looked up an amazing recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies - seriously - I googled "best pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe ever."  And this is what I found.  I tried it - and unfortunately I think it's put on maybe 3 or 4 lbs back on this body that doesn't need any more weight...the same goes for Steve...we need to stop this madness.  But of course I had to make more for my primary class...and there were extras left over...do we have any willpower?  Do we?  No - no we don't, and we need a serious intervention...after Halloween...and after Thanksgiving...and after Christmas...and after the always failing New Year's resolutions...okay - we really need it now.  I am happy to say these cookies are now all gone so that temptation is gone - but who's to say what the next one will be?  We need some willpower, and we need it fast.  

Do you see what we're up against???  And I did this to ourselves!

 Okay - now for the fun - non-weight-gaining pumpkin activity.  We carved pumpkins!  Ross's first!  He was quite pleased with his daddy's work and they all turned out to be a cute little family.  I love pumpkin carving...and then as we're happily carving along, I was appalled to find out Steve has never seen It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown... who in their right mind hasn't seen that show?  It's a must!  It was like I didn't even know him!  Okay - maybe not to that extent, but it's a classic movie...and Steve likes movies.  He will have to be integrated shortly.  You can view our pumpkin carving process as follows...

Deciding what to turn the pumpkin into..

He's got his idea!

Ross taking a playtime break while he makes his daddy do the hard labor...

Supervising the construction...

Stopping work for a picture.  Things are going great!

The finished product.  Great carving dad!  It's a Tarzan yelling pumpkin version of Ross!

Why are you so surprised? 

Ross shows his approval by sucking on the stem.  What a great pumpkin carving night.

The family pumpkins...

Enjoying their rightful home.

The latest in our incredibly interesting lives consists of waking up, sending Steve off to school, battling Ross in the war of solid feeding. (He has recently learned if he sticks his tongue out and blows a raspberry that way, food gets everywhere - my face, my shirt, my hands and arms, his face, his shirt, his hands, up his nose, up my nose (okay maybe not now, but one of these days!) on the refrigerator, and anywhere else you might imagine.) I think I may need a bib more than he does!  The there's playing with and entertaining Ross, calling Steve to see if he's still alive and not lying dead under a pile of study notes somewhere, attempting to keep up our little apartment while Ross naps, more battling of foods and playing, a spell in the Johnny Jump up, a walk, making dinner, and then Steve coming home for some fun family time before bed.  Steve and I have gotten into a Mario Cart deal recently which causes some competitive disagreements on who is the better Mario Cart player.  Although I win when the threat of no dinner and a couch is laid on the table. ;)  Okay - I jest.  Haha - I just wanted to use the word jest for a moment.  
We did actually get out the other evening on a gorgeous fall day to play some frisbee golf with some great neighbors of ours.  That was refreshing.  Ross and I try to go on walks when the weather works.  It's so pretty here in Oregon with the fall colors that are staying around for so long!  I love it!  
I got Ross's pumpkin costume together and finished sewing on the jack-o-lantern face yesterday so we're good to go there.  I love pumpkin babies.  They are so stinkin' cute!

Ross finally rolled over from his back to his belly tonight.  He just wasn't interested in the slightest before until he saw a toy up above him.  Have a looksy for yourself. I love his naked chubby little body!

 He's such a goof and loves a good cuddle when he can eat your face and try and rip your nose off with his steel-like grip.  He enjoys taking his binky out and chewing on it and putting it back in after a spell (yes I did use that word twice now...it's a good word!), has become interested in what his hands can do once again, and loves sucking on his toes now. 

Another attempted feeding...green beans...60% success.  We both feel like it was a win-win outcome.

Gotta love those toes!

  He's getting bigger by the minute.  I tried to put some 9 month pants on him the other day and his belly just wouldn't have it unless we were okay with it hanging out like Santa Claus or cutting off one of his lungs from the smooshing belly.  

9 Month old pants + Ross's belly = Pooch baby :)

Ross also has a weird thing for my water bottle.  Any toy he's playing with our chewing on gets thrown over the shoulder as soon as my water bottle is in sight.  He enjoys chewing and slobbering all over it and attempting to suck on it.  It's the type where you have to also bite down on it to be able to suck the water out.  He loves it!

Ross laughs lots when his daddy swings and tosses him around, and becomes a stone cold fox when other people are around.  I say stone cold fox, because he goes into a stone face mode staring at people not sure what to make of them, and a fox because he is the handsomest boy in the world.  Anyway - we love him to death and enjoy him more and more.

Things that get me through the day in no particular order...

• Smiles, laughs, hugs, & wet kisses (aka trying to chew on my face) from Ross
• Naps
• Walks
• Oreos in milk
• Chats with friends from the outside world
• Scriptures
• A clean house feeling
• Knowing Steve is coming home...

Some More Laughing

Ross Attempting the Army Crawl...

So we're starting to get somewhere...

And some pictures for fun...

A sneeze :)

Our golden trees and a river of leaves!

I love the contrast of the yellow and blue sky.  It was SUCH a nice day.

These blue eyes melt me every time.

It was such a nice day.  We went for two walks.  One clear over in the city center to mail a package and another to investigate the shops around here.  We had quite a fun time rolling over all the crunchy leaves and being in the sun!

Ross's First Pumpkin Pickin'!

We went back to Duyck's Peachy-Pig farm -  to get our Halloween pumpkins!  Steve came with us and had a grand ol' time.  It really is so gorgeous there.  We trudged around the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkins.  They were a bit more pricey than we were used to so we opted for the smaller ones.  They also have animals all around you can go look at.  We looked at some baby chicks and baby ducks in the barn.  They had rats too...I, of course, wouldn't go near where they were - creepy.  There were tons of cobwebs all around and a litter of kittens a bunch of cats were guarding on the upper level of the barn.  It was a total farm experience!  We ran into a family from our ward - the Mullins.  Oliver, the husband, served in my mission with me!  Haha - he was my zone leader for a transfer before he went home.  It was fun to reminisce a bit.  In the end, we got our perfect pumpkins, some fresh air, and some good company.  A great little adventure.

I love this picture of Steve and Ross...

Sporting the BYU sweatshirt - representing for the BYU/Oregon game!!

Cute boys with the pumpkins

Inspecting the pumpkin...

This is the one!!!

This is the find...

A good pumpkin hunting excursion accomplished.

 

Fall is Here...

 I am really loving this Oregon fall we're having.  The trees where we live are gorgeous.  We even had the sun come out for a bit in time for us to go on a fall walk watching the leaves fall while we enjoyed fall itself. ;) 

Ready for a walk!

The trees are all turning yellow.  The one in the back has been a gorgeous red.  Ignore the sign behind us. ;)

What we see right outside our door.

I should have taken a picture when this tree was full of red leaves - it was gorgeous!  This is what's left.

The park we do laps around all the time. It's just across the street from our house.

Our fun park!  Lately we've been seeing hundreds of birds flying over migrating.  They sure are noisy!

I love this time of year.  It gets me all excited for all the holidays coming up.  People get happier when the holidays are around.  I wish we'd throw in more holidays for all year round.  We need at least 12 of them to get through January.  I swear that month lasts FOREVER!  

We've been listening to the BYU Oregon State game since we don't have TV and it's not on the internet, and Steve has been studying his little heart out.  He's convinced he's going to get ulcers from stress and Ibuprofen. (He's been taking it for his neck.)  Ross and I try really hard to make home happy and cozy for him when he gets back from school.  Sometimes Ross bails on me though and wreaks havoc on all of us. :)  He's usually had a long day by then so you can't blame him for not having a happy face all hours of the day.  

Steve's told me he's already been getting presents ready for my birthday.  I've decided he's the best present giver that ever lived.  He is really thoughtful and then thinks of them well in advance.  His only downfall is he has a super hard time waiting for your actual birthday or Christmas to come. :)  I have to be the one to restrain him.  I'm super excited though!  
We got a little present from Gramy Jo in the mail and had a little fun.  Thanks grams!    

   

The book that inspired the PJs...and the mouse puppet previously sent that is actually also in the book!  Ross is really tired....

Pirate PJs!  They just fit!  He's getting so big!

A cute belly poking out. :)  Haha

Argh!

A grumpy Pirate!  He wasn't so happy having his vision impaired or a bunch of fabric on his head...

Enjoying his jumper - such a cute face!