The Pumpkin Barn

Fall always brings such fun traditions with it. Going to get our pumpkins is always one of them. I opted for an easy route this year and headed to the pumpkin barn that is about 1/4 mile from our house. We also didn't carve pumpkins, but they "sharpied" them, and seemed content enough.

Max loved running behind all of these things but didn't want to stop for a minute to get his picture taken. Zoey willingly obliged...


Taking her measurement...


And his (he stopped for this, as it is a time to compare)


You are right here, Max! check him out with his collar up and his hands in his pockets!


The whole height thing with them is funny. We have to gently remind Zoey that she will most likely not be taller than her brother forever. She is slowly coming to accept this fact!

this barn is very cool. Over a hundred years old.


And the colors are always so lovely...


I love the little white pumpkins





Zoey likes the gourds with "warts"



A little fall bokeh for you (or for me, more likely)


and then they wanted to get in the tractor along with the dried corn stalks!










And although I forgot to actually get a picture of the two of them with their pumpkins, or drawing on them, I did get these birds on a wire....



Not quite the same... I know. I will do better next year.

The Mighty Mighty Z

(that's what one of her coaches calls her...)

She also goes by another name this year...


Her team decided to pick their own fun names this year, and the coach goes along with it. It's cute. I had to ask what the "Rock" was for though... She said it's because her favorite music is Rock n Roll, or more specifically Classic Rock (thanks Guitar Hero, that we don't even own). It has metamorphosed into meaning the "Rock Wall of Defense" though!

I didn't want to be an annoying parent bragging about their kid, but, I figured since probably three people will read this, I could go ahead and preserve the memory as I remember!



I helped the coach out a little this season with remembering the order of substitutes and stuff, so I stayed in one spot, timekeeping, taking pictures, and keeping on eye an this guy...


That's why all the pictures look the same and are from the same spot! I'm not so great at multi-tasking, apparently.



I loved watching Zoey play this year. I remember when it was so frustrating in first grade when she was brand new and it seemed way behind the rest, that she had it in her to be very good if she just stuck with it. She has and she does great and really enjoys it. I am glad for her. She still plays on the rec league, she didn't want to play select, although people tell us she is good enough. For now, I am glad she just has fun and plays hard.



And plays hard,she does. She never gives up, sometimes to the point that I am amazed by it. She is so so fast too. Her coach one time turned to me, and kind of shook his head and said, "Man, I'm glad she's fast (she saves lots of goals, and she doesn't play goalie) and you can't teach what she has... It's like height in basketball or something, she just has it."



She has a decent coach and sweet, good group of girls to play with this year, too which makes it even more fun.

I know Ross hated missing the games this year, too. It made me sad knowing how much he was missing both of their activities. It's definitely one of the hardest parts of this deployment ordeal.



A little soccer and sunflare... what's a photog, soccer mom not to love?


they stepped it up a notch this year in her league, playing 2- 35 minute halves. So it is quite a workout for the girls...


A little half time shot

Car Wash

I bought a Groupon Coupon for a local car wash at the end of the summer. It entitled me to three car washes by February. Ross normally washes our vehicles, so I don't worry about it, but, well, you know.. he's not here. So, I tested out my car and it worked well enough. So, I went home and talked to Ross about the process (it starts off with a guy spraying down the front and then you basically drive through it). Normally Ross is not the biggest fan of these, so I had to okay it for his truck first! Actually, whether he minds or not, he totally said to just do it and do what ever is easy for me, so off I went. But this time I made sure the kids were with me.

They loved it of course! And asked if we could do it again every time we drove by. And we drive by it every single day (twice). It's on the way to school! I had one more coupon left, and they actually said I should bring my camera because it was that exciting. (either they don't get out much, or they are trying to con me by suggesting that I take pictures of something besides them) Either way...





And I forgot to put this picture of Max at the soccer field the other day on my post about him...



I didn't get great soccer shots this year (Zoey's are coming) because I always had another kid to keep an eye on and didn't leave my seat. Oh well, spring time:)

This Guy...

Wanted this Lego game so bad that he saved up his own money to get. He proudly purchased it from Target and spent the whole day playing. He later skyped with Ross for 30 minutes just explaining the whole game (he usually just talks for a couple minutes).



He's literally three feet from the door that we enter the house into. And I had to force him in this far before he started playing.


And the whole collar up thing... he does it all the time. He's so vintage 80's cool and doesn't even know it.

Zoey's Birthday!

Zoey turned 9 at the end of September. She was a little bummed about her Dad being gone, so she opted to not have a big party. I said she could have a bigger present instead and she liked that deal!

I was determined to make her day special though, despite the circumstances. Ross planned on calling her first thing in the morning and she had a couple of mini-gifts to open at breakfast!

She picked out her outfit and wanted her hair curled... We get up pretty early so she is tired and it is dark!


And apparently I'm too tired to focus the camera properly.


I love birthdays and really want my kids to celebrate how special they are, so I love to decorate the house and just tell them all day long!

i did this so Zoey would walk into the house after school and see it!


The flowers are from Ross. I picked them up, but I didn't expect Zoey's reaction to them. When she saw who they were from, she got teary eyed and touched her hand to her heart and said, "OH, they are from Daddy! How did he do that?"
Such a precious moment.




Just some snapshots of present opening time!





She got an American Girl Doll, Molly as her gift.


And then we went outside for our annual balloon shots! And it was really windy...











And for dinner, she chose Texas Roadhouse!
The lighting in that place is horrible for pictures, but I just love this set of them of her...

Max has been with us the whole time, by the way:)


Here she knows something is coming...


Time to sit in the saddle, girl:)


Happy Birthday, Zoey YEEEEHAW!!!


And then I asked the waitress to take a picture of us....

I'll take what I can get I guess...


And going to bed... with her American doll in matching pj's...


Happy Birthday, Sweet Zoey! I know the situation wasn't ideal, but I hope you had a great day and know how amazing you are.
We love you so much.