What's New With The Carter Family

Halloween didn't exactly go as planned this  year.  I "wanted" to take Finley out, to trick or treat.  I "wanted" to make a special spooky meal for our family, in honor of the day.  I "wanted" Brandon to take Jem out to do the house to house treating.  I didn't want Finley to be sick, for it to rain buckets today, or for Brandon to be home recovering from surgery.  Nevertheless (as my dad would say), the kids got dressed up, we ate some grilled cheese sandwiches and mac'n'cheese for dinner, Jem had a blast as a ninja even if he DID have to put up with me taking him trick or treating, and we got rid of a whole lot of candy to the steady stream of kids that came out tonight :)  A good day all in all, but I am DEFINITELY looking forward to next year! HAPPY HALLOWEEN, 2012!

THIS is teething.  Sloppy, drippy, constant DROOL.  Cute little teeth poking out from the gums.  Fin now has four teeth, top and bottom middle two.  She has two more trying to come out on the top, hence the renewal of drool from her mouth.  It's not a fun time for her to be sure, but she is getting her teeth a lot faster than her older brother ever did!

Every year we head to a local pumpkin patch.  We are so lucky to live in a part of the country that is so beautiful, and has so many great farms!  The past few years we've travelled all of a mile or so LOL, to a great farm closeby...Carleton Farms.  We started off with some photos of us all...     ...then  headed to the patch to pick our pumpkins!  There were so many great pumpkins to choose from.  We all had a really tough time choosing....   ...all of us except Brandon of course :)  Within 3 minutes Brandon found "the one" and proceeded to add it to our wheelbarrow.      Next was Finley.  Mommy spotted HER pumpkin and Fin gave it the pat of approval.     Mommy had a much tougher time choosing.  There were so many there, and she wanted to get JUST the right one.  Which to choose, which to choose..... A hint:  mommy ended up going with th...

Finley LOVES to play!  She loves toys, she loves books, she loves to look at them, chew on them, drool on them.  She doesn't have a very long attention span with any one thing....but she definitely has her favorites.  She loves the Leslie Patricelli books the most, and Big Little is by far her book of choice.  She loves little things - anything that fits in her hand and consequently in her mouth, like the Little People figures and animals, or a sorting block.  This is definitely a fun age, and I love watching her play!   

Love my boy!  I can't believe how fast he's growing up...and how much older he's been looking lately.  He reminds me of my dad in this picture :) 

It was time.  She's been standing up and trying to walk for a few weeks now, and if that wasn't enough, it's starting to get colder outside.  No more putting it off.  It was time for shoes.  Expensive, outgrow sizes at alarming rates , baby shoes.  Of course they're cute as can be :)  And I did have to get a second mortgage on my house to pay for them.  More on that later.  Here she is with her spiffy new shoes.  I hope she enjoys them (all of what, a month or two).

She loves it.  We probably shouldn't encourage it......but it's so darn cute!  Watching her grab it in her hand, manipulate it and shove it back in.  Feel around for another one and stick that one in instead.  So stinkin' adorable!  She loves her "binks"  :)   Actually, she loves all 4 of them ;)