Happy Halloween!!

It's Halloween! Finnley's first holiday of the season and we are all just so happy.  We are going to have a Witching good time and hope y'all do too!

There is something so special about the holidays when you have little ones.  Now that we have two is double the fun and double the trouble ;) At least now I have another babe to blame all the pumpkins on, haha.  

Speaking of pumpkins, we finally made it out to another pumpkin stand to pick out pumpkins for carving.  Here in the PNW we have a lot of rain (especially this past week) so carving pumpkins weeks before the big day is a frightful sight since the pumpkins generally rot and fall apart before Halloween.  So the last couple of years we have waited until the Sunday before Halloween to carve our pumpkins and yesterday was the day.  Ellie picked out two pumpkins and graciously allowed us to carve a third pumpkin for Finnley.  We had a great time doing this activity with my Dad.

Ellie requested a Mickey Mouse, a Minnie Mouse and a Scary Pumpkin...the Minnie Mouse didn't quite turn out right so we made a Scary Pumpkin on the backside.  And then for Finnley I carved your traditional Jack-o-lantern face with TWO teeth because girlfriend is sporting two teeth.  I love how they turned out and you don't need the "perfect" pumpkin to make your creations come to life.

I love that we now get to take these fireplace pumpkin shots with Finnley too, but they sure do take a lot more time and effort ;)

Finnley sure was a peach and I'm reminded how much easier babes are to photograph when they are stationary.  I love this little girl something fierce.

Ellie just gets funnier and more hilarious as the days go on.

My two happy happy pumpkin girls.  

Ellie wanted to join Finnley in her pumpkin shoot this year...Finnley was less than pleased with her sister crashing.

"get your hand off my pumpkin"

"this is my pumpkin"

"why do you have to crash my party?"

♥ Ashley

Pumpkins 2013a 2013b

Pumpkins 2014

Pumpkins 2015

The Wednesday Weekly - Week 28

Another week already?!! Gosh that went by fast and in just a few days the babe is going to celebrate her first Halloween!! I am so excited that we are approaching the holiday season and that we are getting to experience them all over again for the first time as a family of four...now only if I can get my act together and schedule our family pictures ;)

Week 28

Eats: we've really been stretching this girl and her eating! She has tried lots of solid foods including french fries and tortilla chips.  She seems to be really confused whenever I give her something new to try and her face generally says she doesn't like it but then she just keeps eating it.  That's my girl. She has really been enjoying her puffs (and Ellie is super pumped we have them back in the house). She's been grabbing at them but hasn't figured out how to get them in her mouth yet.  I've also been making her 8 ounce bottles of formula and she has been downing them.  I guess that's what happens when your such a big 6 month old - new territory over here.

Sleeps: we had a couple of off days but girlfriend seems to be getting back on track.  We moved a fan into her room for some white noise and I think that did the trick.  Now we just need to get another one for our room, haha!  Finnley loves to sleep on her tummy/side and seriously she is just the cutest.  I would say that she wakes up happy about 90% of the time and I just love it.  She is consistently taking about 3 naps a day and thankfully her "longer" one tends to coincide with Ellie's...can I get all the praise hands and that this continues forever and ever?!

Goes: we went on Ellie's very first Field Trip on Friday to a pumpkin patch and Finnley had a great time hanging out in the Ergo.  She slept for a good part of it and is quite the little trooper.  We also went to IKEA and another Pumpkin Patch with the cousins. Finnley also had a doctor's appointment during Ellie's preschool so we got to go to that together.  Additionally we made a trip to the mall, for the girls sister photos,  and we stopped at the playland area.  This was Finnley's first time out on the equipment and she had fun watching all the kids and doing some rolling around.

Does: sits, rolls over, a squeals.  This girl is just the sweetest and I love everything that she does.  I love that she can sit on her own and am really trying to encourage her to build up her arm and leg muscles so she can start crawling!! I know we have some time before that is actually going to happen but I am so ready for it.  She also is doing really good at indie time and plays with all her toys - its the best.

Loves: the dogs are a huge hit she is always looking for them.  Our little baby walker is a favorite because it has some toys on it and is the best little high chair.  I love that it folds up and it's actually pretty easy to take along with us (we did all the time with Ellie).  The Ergo is also a life saver, I have to get out our cart/high chair cover but have been using the Ergo in the mean time and it works pretty good acting as some extra padding for our babe when we're at restaurants.

Of Note: like I mentioned above Finnley had her 6 month appointment this week.  I loved getting to go solo with her (it's the little things) and to spend time with her - I did have an excruciating migraine but she was so agreeable she made the visit the best!  She got her immunizations and a flu shot.  She did surprisingly well.  Also she has 2 teeth!! weighs over 16 pounds and is 28.5 inches tall!! (that is taller than Ellie was at 12 months! haha).  We also had some nice weather this week and I was able to take her 6 month photo. I love the addition of the pumpkins this month. I just can't get over how much I love her.

Mama: when I imagined my life as a mom, I always knew I wanted girls.  I am so thankful that not only do I have one daughter but I have TWO!! When we started the adoption process I originally thought we were going to want to focus on a boy, but then Thomas said he would be happy with either so we let our agency know we weren't gender specific and secretly I was hoping that we would get another girl.  Finnley is beyond what I hoped and prayed for and she is the perfect babe for us.  She has her cranky moments for sure but when I think about the day overall I have a hard time remembering anything but the good!!

Sister: Ellie continues to be obsessed with Ellie. When we ask her if she wants another baby (brother or sister) without missing a beat she says "NO!! I just want Finnley", its seriously the cutest thing ever.  She loves her sister something fierce and considering that Finnley only laughs for Ellie I think that she loves her too!  I can't get enough of these two and my continued hope is that I am able to nurture them to be the best of friends.

Ellie's top (similar) Ellie's skirt (similar) Ellie's leggings Finnley's onesie (similar)

♥ Ashley

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Ellie at 28 Weeks

Our Weekend - a Field Trip, Supper Club, and a Harvest Festival

This weekend was a good weekend to be Ellie.  It's making memories like these that I love being a Mama - and that Ellie is getting just a bit older to really enjoy these activities!  I love Fall and all the fun things that get incorporated into October, I mean can it really get any better than Pumpkins? (well yes, Christmas Trees but we're not there yet).

On Friday:

Ellie had her very first field trip!! We went to the Pumpkin Patch, listened to a speaker about growing pumpkins, went on a tractor ride, and got to pick out a pumpkin! After that Ellie and I wandered around to check out the Halloween stuff in the shop, to see the farm animals in the barn, and got to milk a cow! (it was a pretend cow but fun nonetheless)

We made our way home via the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items for that night's supper club and then home for the girls to take their naps!

After naps, Thomas took the girls out to dinner with Nanny and Papa and I got everything ready for my girls night! 

 It was so fun and we got right into the food that I didn't even take pictures.  We had Pot Roast, roasted Butternut Squash, and Mashed Potatoes.  It was so good.  I used the same recipe I have been using for years, except this time I made it in the crock pot and now I will forever do it that way!

Thomas and the girls arrived home and Ellie was our entertainment for the night.  She is such a crack up and I love her to death...Finnley melted everyone's hearts with her smile.

On Saturday:

Thomas let me sleep in while he spend time with the girls in the morning, Ellie took a bath and then he was off to help his parents move some of their stuff to their new house!  The girls and I hung out around the house for a little bit and then got ready to go.

We had quite the busy day! I was hoping that we would be able to make it to World Market but by the time we got down to that area it was 10 minutes before IKEA was due to open so we scratched Cost Plus and went to IKEA!! I've never been to there right at opening and peeps are just cray cray yo.  Anyways we had a successful trip with a stop at the cafeteria for "lunch" (at 10:30am), I grabbed a few pillow cases and Ellie was bound and determined to get a kitchen scrubber and who am I to deny a child who wants to clean? After we checked out Ellie got herself an ice cream cone and was one happy girl.

We left IKEA to head to the pumpkin patch to meet up with Ellie's cousins...except I went to the wrong one and we ended up being 30 minutes late!! When we finally got there the parking lot was complete madness...as was the whole place...and Ellie was beside herself excited to see her cousins!! There was hugging, screaming, and jumping all around.  They splashed in muddy puddles, picked out some pumpkins, went through a strawbale maze, and checked out some farm animals - Ellie's favorite were the pigs, and now I have to figure out how I'm going to explain to her that we just can't get a pig ;) (although I did have a pot bellied pig when I was growing up!).  They also had a corn pit and that was hands down the best activity spot for the girls.  They had so much fun.  We stayed a little too late and the snacks I packed actually didn't make it into the bag so we were on our way in the fast lane to meltdown city, on the way out of the parking lot Ellie lost it because she said "I forgot to say bye and give kisses!!"

We arrived home and had some lunch then I got the girls down for their naps.  While they were down for naps I put out my IKEA findings and then headed out to farm to finish up my big farm chore...scooping all the poop.  Then it was time for Ellie's nap to be over and Finnley woke up too. Ellie did her chores (feeding the dogs and the new one of helping with the laundry), Finnley ate some Puffs and we played and played and watched some shows waiting for Dada to arrive home. 

Striped and Grey Wreath Pillow Cover (IKEA) Goat Pillow (Target)

Coral Paisley Pillows from HomeGoods (similar) Grey Knit pillow from IKEA (similar) Grey Pillow (IKEA)

Ellie's Jams (on sale now!)

Before Dada made it home Ellie wanted to dress up in her Belle dress and then I got to be her "prince" and we danced around the house to some lovely music from her piano! When Dada got home he was her Prince and I became her Beast! We had some dinner and family time and then off to bed.

On Sunday:

We woke up for a semi-lazy morning and it was so nice to get to have coffee with Thomas!! Finnley woke up pretty early and fell asleep in her lounger for a quick nap while we tried to keep Ellie quiet ;) Once Finnley woke up we decided to head out to the mall a little earlier than planned (I scheduled the girls for Halloween pictures) and made a stop at Sears to see if we could fix my garage door opener...first world probs.  Our first stop though was to Panera and Ellie wanted a Pumpkin sugar cookie, of which she ate one bite.

After Panera and Sears we still had time to kill so we played for a while at the playland at the mall.  It's one of Ellie's favorite spots and I love it too because it's free and indoors!!! Although sometimes the other kiddos in there can be crazy and their parents aren't watching/monitoring so it can be a bit stressful at times.  I also went totally out of my comfort zone and let Finnley sit and lay on the ground...I guess that's what happens with the second child ;) Both girls loved it, so we did too!

When it was time for pictures we headed on over and then Finnley had a meltdown because she was super tired.  We were able to manage a couple good photos and then one where she is a complete mess and it might by my favorite! haha  Girlfriend didn't even make it to the car before she fell asleep so we went on home for Ellie's lunch and naps.  While the girls were napping I headed back out to finish up my farm chores...and I did it!!! I am all caught up on cleaning the pasture...now if only I can stay on top of it - winter and rain is the worst.

When Ellie woke up from her nap I got her dressed into her costume and we headed to our church for their Carnival/Harvest Party put on by the morning MOPs group.  Ellie was a Minnie Mouse Witch and I am in love with her costume!! She had fun playing the games, jumping in the bounce house, doing the obstacle course, and getting her hand painted.

jumping in the bounce house is tiring...

We got home from the carnival and the weather was still holding out so girlfriend wanted to ride on her bike.  All I could think of when she was riding in her witch costume was of the tornado scene in The Wizard of Oz with the Neighbor/Wicked Witch riding her bike!!! and if you know me the Wicked Witch is my most favorite villain of all time.  While Ellie was out riding bikes with Thomas, I was inside with Finnley getting dinner ready.  We had left overs from Supper Club so I threw it all in a pot with some beef broth and made Pot Roast Soup, it was delish.  We finished out the night with The Walking Dead...OH MY GOD!!!!

How was your weekend?

♥ Ashley