The pumpkin patch "as a family"

All it took was Hallie's puppy dog eyes asking Ryan, "Can we go to the pumpkin patch today together as a family? Please?" ... and we were off. Lynn told us about this great pumpkin patch in Alpha, IL. It was nice with lots of things to do! Hallie took a pony ride, we enjoyed a hay rack ride with the Clydesdale horses, a petting zoo, some fun things to climb on, and of course the search of the perfect pumpkin. (They also have a corn maze, but we didn't get to that this time.) What would a trip to the patch be with out delicious carmel apples and cider at the end?? The last picture says it all... face covered in leftover carmel and dirt, hair completely wind blown, and barely enough room to fit in the back seat with all the corn stalks and hay bales! What a fun day, as a family!

If there's a parade.... we're there!!

Even if it means we have to go to U of I!! :) Just kidding! We had a great time with Jessie and her friend Melonie at Iowa's homecoming! First, we went out to eat at HuHot!! (aka- The Noodle Store) Then we stopped off at Coldstone (aka- the ice cream store) on our way to Scheel's to pick up some "game gear"! (you know we didn't have any hawkeyes at our house!) And of course Jessie was awesome enough to watch the girls while I made my trip to Reminisce (aka- the sticker store) All of the akas are what Hallie calls things!! She has a name for every place we go I have come to realize. :) And sadly, I know exactly where she is talking about! Anyway, so we finally made it to the parade. IT WAS PACKED!! I never knew there were so many Hawkeye Fans! (hehe, Jess) It was really a great parade! The New Superman was the guest of honor, even though Hallie thought Clifford was!! Enjoy the pictures. (Jess have your shoulders recovered???)

World's Cutest Video :)

Of course I think so!!! Little Reese is just too dang cute now-a-days!!

Got a new do!

Here are some pictures of my new haircut! :) The hairstylist didn't make it as "funky" as I will. (I am going to straight iron it out a bit more) Thanks Christi for the motivation!! Now I actually have a hairstyle!! Hope you guys like it (it will take a long time to grow back!!) {wink, wink} (kind of bad pictures, I don't have any make up on)

Visiting Friends...

On Saturday we headed to Des Moines for Josie's Bachelorette Party. It was so much fun seeing high school friends I don't get to see often!! We all had a great time & look forward to Oct. 6!! (in the pictures with me... Josie-the bride-to-be, Ryan-the guy!, Christi-short blonde hair (also my sis in law)

Ryan and the girls came with me and stayed with Ross and their kids. They always have a fun time together. On Sunday we went to church, went to eat at Over the Border, and played at the house. Here is a little slideshow of the kids...

Also on Sunday Reese and I got a chance to sneak over to Keri and Jimmy's and meet their new little baby Riley Marie. She is two weeks old and adorable! She is so tiny! I forget how tiny they start! :) Congrats guys!!

Fall fun, parades, LOTS of scrapbooking & more!!!

I don't even know where to start this time. It has been 10 days, yes, 10 days (thanks Christi for the reminder!!-hehe) I can't even tell you how much I have cut, glued and STAMPED this past 10 days! I have been working on a "Top Secret" project (can't tell all you Scrapaganza girls yet!) Some of you family and friends know what I am up to, so don't comment on it, it is a secret around the QCA!! But just to give ya an idea... I have done 9 layouts, 4 cards, and a project/minibook! But it is done and turned in and I can BREATHE!!!!!!!! But, of course that wouldn't be enough to keep me busy, I had to pack as much as I can into my life! Hallie and Reese were in the Vanderveer Park Fall festival Doll and Buggy Parade. This is a parade that they have been doing every fall since the late 20's. Hallie was a farmer, her dolls were a carrot, potato, and corn. Reese was Little Bo Peep and her baby a sheep. They tied for Second Place!! Congrats girls!! (next year is Hallie's year!!-- last time she got third, this time second, so what could be next??) They even got to meet a super sweet lady who had won the doll buggy parade in the late 20's!! I hope my girls remember their parades with as much happiness as she did!Grandpa and Grandma Ladwig came to visit this weekend to watch them. Hallie also participated in the fishing derby and had a great time with that! She caught three, but one jumped off the shore back in before getting measured. I think she would have just as much fun with a bucket of worms and a few fish to touch!! But none the less, a great time fishing with Papa. We also visited the petting zoo at the festival. Of course Hallie was in heaven! (and looked too cute in her farmer outfit playing with the animals!) Today, Sunday, Hallie made a great tea party for all of us! She made hot cocoa (she calls hot coke-ee) and fresh baked choc. chip cookies! She set the table and seated each and every one of us. She said, "This is the best tea party ever!" And I think we all agree ;) Pippi Longstocking has also joined our household!! Hallie is hooked!!! She has been watching the movies day in and day out. Acting like she is Pippi or playing with her Pippi doll all week! Okay, so now for all the pictures!!! (you can click on the pictures to view them larger, I inserted them in small because we have so many!)

We want to wish Papa Ron a Happy Birthday!!! Thanks for coming to visit us!! Hope you had as much fun with us as we did with you ;)

Here is Pippi:

(with Monkey, Mr. Neilson & horse, Alphonzo)

(this is one of four movies we got!... this is Hallie's favorite, and I have to admit it is a pretty cute movie!)

Okay, the rest I am putting in a slideshow...

First show, a hodge podge... here are all the things we have been up to (minus the secret scrapbook projects!!)

Second, here is the Fall Festival...

Tag... Not it!!!

Okay, so I have been tagged on TWO different blogs doing TWO different things. So here they both are. If anyone reading wants to participate, feel free!

Here's from Jodi's Blog:
Favorite Food: Ummmm, right now I would have to say hot wings from The Filling Station... but all time is ROAST!!-- with potatoes and carrots!

Favorite Month: December, I love the whole feeling of Christmas!

Favorite Movie: Sweet November... I need to watch it again! It has been a while, that one is always good for a good cry!!

Favorite Sport: Football-- to watch.

Favorite Season: I would say right now, end of summer early fall.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Cold Stone, cake batter

Favorite Time of Day: around 10ish, I am usually most productive

Last Cigarette: I hate smoking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Drink: Diet Pepsi with Lime

Last Car Ride: Today, we went to get Reese's pictures at the mall in Davenport

Last Movie Seen in a Theater: Flushed Away, the free Bookworm movie-- Hallie did a book report to get to go.

Last Phone Call: Kim-- about 10:45pm

Last CD Played: a burnt one... in the car

Have You Ever Been on TV: just like little news clippings.

Thing You're Wearing: jeans and a grey shirt with a pink shirt under it.

Thing You've Done Today: ran the girls around, made supper, got them in bed, did scrapaganza's blog and now my own.

Thing You Can Hear Right Now: the a/c running.... everyone is sleeping-- like I should be!!!

Thing You Can't Live Without: My family

Thing You Do When You're Bored: scrapbook, surf the internet

Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi - diet with lime

Hot or Cold: I would rather be cold with hot cocoa and grandma's cozy quilt!


Okay, here is the one from Sara's blog:

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago
1. Going to High School
2. Cheerleading
3. staying out past curfew
4. having fun-- still am :)
5. waitressing

5 Favorite snacks
1. Frosting
2. Popsicles
3. AE Party Dip and Ruffles
4. Hot cocoa with marshmellows
5. kettle corn

5 Songs I know all the words
1. The Itsy Bitsy Spider :) and every other kid song
2. Salt and Peppa- What a Man --hehe
3. Okay, I will stop there... I should be on the Singing Bee!! I love to sing-- not good, but do it enough that I know (or think I know) most of the words!

5 Things I would do with $1,000,000
1. Pay off debt
2. Buy new house (with lots of BIG closets!)
3. Save for the kids
4. Buy a lot of scrapbook stuff (and go to CKU and Creative Escape and all the expensive weekends that only the rich girls go to!!!)
5. Take a vacation with all of our family!

5 Bad Habits
1. Procastinating!!! (shoulda waited until #5 for that)
2. putting laundry away (or lack of)
3. shopping
4. snacking
5. charging things-- like my phone and camera and things. They are ALWAYS going dead!! (Ryan would agree!!)

5 Things I like to do
1. Hang out with my family
2. travel
3. scrapbook and be creative
4. shop
5. go to parades and festivals and all that fun outside stuff :)

5 Things I would never wear
1. Granny panties
2. bikini-- those days are gone!
3. cartoon characters!!
4. skinny pencil jeans
5. Dr Scholl's wooden shoes (the HURT!!-- just saw the cutest idea on Martha stewart and I was tempted, but still remember the pair I had and how bad they hurt!)

A day of firsts...

Wow, what a day! My little girl is off to preschool! She was such a big girl, and so excited to go. She hung up her bag and off to the class she went. Afterwards she couldn't stop talking about all of the fun things they did.

She also got to start dance tonight. She will be taking tap, ballet & tumbling. She went right in, and was smiling ear to ear when she came out! This picture says it all! Her day was perfect ;)

Mama's Muffin

With all these "Hallie posts" about new friends and activities I just had to post a couple of pictures from last week that make me smile!! :)

Labor Day Fun

It was so nice seeing some of our out of town family this weekend! Becky and Levi came to visit on Saturday. (with Becky's neice Taylor) The kids played all afternoon and had a fun day! Hallie was catching grasshoppers for everyone. We picked up Grandma Carmel and hit the circus (as you know) Saturday night. Sunday we headed to Des Moines, {not before Hallie found a frog in the flowers and decided we needed to keep that too!} stopping for dinner with Jess and to pick her up. Monday I scouted out a parade (of course)!! It was at the capital. Then we went to Agatha's bridal shower. I was busy catching up with everyone, Hallie played really hard- on the park, water fights, and making friends, and Reese kept everyone entertained just being cute, as always! Monday night we headed back home, to get ready for the big day on Tuesday!!!

The Greatest Show on Earth!

On Saturday we went to the circus! We had a blast! We got there early for the preshow... which was very neat for Hallie. First, she got to see the animals up close outside. Second, after you are inside you get to dance with the clowns, see more animals even closer, try on costumes and "mingle" with the circus crowd ;) (I only have a few pictures... the rest are on my mom's camera) Our next surprise came when we reached our seats... we were seated as circus celebrities!! Not knowing what this meant we took our seats and waited for the show... like our noses??? Just after the show started a guy came over and passed us these passes and said they would be out to get us soon. We got to go ride on a train around the ring waving at the crowd and playing the drums. Then the train parked and there we were in the middle of the circus, talk about front row seats!! It was a fabulous show and we are excited to go again next year!!!