A Preview of Our Pumpkin Patch Visit...

I've been uploading and editing pictures all afternoon and therefore I am posting this mini collage as a sneak peak of the pictures and story to come.  For those of you with access to FB, I have more pictures up there if you can't wait!! Enjoy!! :)

"Mouse a scare you!!!"

So we decided to take Sophia and Autumn for their FIRST trip to the stimulating world of Chucky Cheese. Every kid HAS to go there at least once in their life right? I mean we all did it as kids. The rides, the tokens, the games, the tickets, the prizes, the pizza and THE MOUSE!! Well, we were excited but we performed the parental "no no" number one!! We went on a Saturday afternoon...haha What were we thinking?? Craziness ensued. That place was packed out!! Brian was a nervous wreck that we were going to lose the girls, older kids were pushing my poor Autumn down the slide and then there was our Sophia and her flair for the dramatic. I have never seen a child throw such a fit over an animated character!! She thought it was the devil (I mean literally). She saw him...her eyes became HUGE and glazed over...her mouth dropped open...her lip quivered...her knees buckled...and she screamed "MOMMMMYY!! MOUSE A SCARE YOU!! IT SCARE YOU!! IT GET ME!! IT SCARE YOU!!" Needless to say we left immediately in order to avoid any permanent damage to her childhood memories. Soooo these pictures are taken from two separate trips to Chucky Cheese. We had so many tokens left over from our first disaster that I took the girls up again (with a friend and her cutie kids) during the week when NO ONE else was there. As soon as we pulled up Sophia said "Uh oh Mama!! NOOO!! Mouse a scare you!!" So we had a long talk about how the mouse was nice and she didn't have to go see him if she didn't want to. I explained how she could stay in the play area and watch him dance and that Jesus and myself would protect her from anything scary. She finally agreed and actually had a fun time. I think her favorite part was the skeet ball!! That's my girl!! Anyways, enjoy these pictures I managed to snap and keep my sensitive little toddler's soul in your prayers...haha

This first one is my favorite...the little boy just popped out and Autumn thought it was hilarious...so glad I captured it!!

Cereal...

Sophia has recently discovered that her new favorite food is cereal.  She does not, however, like ANY kind of cereal.  It HAS to be Honey Bunches of Oats for the most part.  Every now and then she ventures to eat Kix or Cheerios.  As you can see she thoroughly enjoys this food.  It was too cute to not quickly share!!

It's Official...

No more bottles for Autumn!!!  The day has come...she has moved on...and so away they are packed...it is sad but true.  I am torn between being nostalgic and just simply grateful that my life is slowly getting easier as the days pass.  Don't get me wrong, we are still at a TOUGH intermediate stage in the little munchkins lives, BUT God is gracious.  Each day He shows me more of himself in my precious babies.  So this post is a so long and farewell to the "bubba" and hello to the "cuppy" (as Sophia endearingly calls it).  Autumn is just getting so big!!  Can you believe it?? 

Happy 4th!!

We had the privilege of being visited by Brian's family from Maryland for the 4th of July weekend.  We were also blessed, by my husbands diligent searching, to find a boat to rent on Lake Norman!  It was a BEAUTIFUL day  on the 3rd and we had an amazing time enjoying each other and the Lord's creation.  On the 4th, we had a great cookout here at our house and then were again blessed to find the most amazing fireworks ever!  A few neighborhoods over (the "mansion community" as we call them) dropped thousands on some killer fireworks.  They closed down their culdesac and shot them off right there in the street.  We were maybe 50 feet away from the "launch zone" and those bad boys were RIGHT up over our heads.  These were no home made fireworks either.  They were what you would see at a professional display.  The neighbors behind them and around the corner also had a great show going on.  It was like "fireworks wars" between these two streets.  We were surrounded 360 degrees by beautiful fireworks (and nasty smoke but beggars cant be choosers!!)  The girls loved them but were sooo exhausted that they both fell asleep!  How they could sleep through the bangs and cheers who knows but they did.  Here are some photos of the boat trip on Lake Norman that Justin Mein (Brian's super talented cousin) took.  His website is www.jmeinphotography.com if you ever need a professional in MD!  God Bless America (Lord knows we need it)!

Our New Favorite Things to Do...

As of last week, my girls have found their own new favorite activities.  I am sooo pleased to report that Sophia's new favorite past time is GOING TO THE POTTY!!!  She is almost completely potty trained and I couldn't be more proud of her.  She hasn't quite gotten the concept of TELLING me when she has to go, but if I watch her every few hours she does the "wiggle and grab" as we have named it.  She marches with me to the potty emerges with a beaming smile after she completes the pee pee task...haha  She has only had 2 accidents in the past 4 days (one of which was my fault) and she is very emphatic that "Diapa for Buppa Mama, Phia big dirl unda-wea!!"

There is a mall near by that has a lovely little choo-choo train.  The train is kiddie sized and gives rides around the mall.  It really is super cute (but a major rip off I might add!! $3 per person and adults have to pay!!).  My mom wanted to treat the girls one day so we got aboard the choo-choo.  Sophia was thrilled right up until it was time to actually board the train.  She cried and yelled "NOOO CHOO CHOO MAMA!!".  I'm not quite sure what made her change her mind but she surely didn't want to ride!  Autumn on the other hand could not get enough!!  She took a ride with my mom and was in her glory.  She now gets overly excited when anyone mentions "the choo choo".  I hope she doesn't throw a fit every time we enter that mall now!! Here are a few pictures of her sticking her head out the windows.  I'd have included some of the proud potty power Sophia but these days she hides her face when I try to snap any pictures (hopefully just a phase).

The Girls Rooms Continued...

We went with more of a simple butterfly theme in Sophia's room.  She loooves her "fuffa-fies" and "fliiii-as" (butterflies and flowers for translastion)!! haha