Shady Knoll Farm

Maddox at the Vandeveer fountain just after our photo shoot. I love this outfit on her. So cute...thanks Aunt Brooke!! We are growing out Maddox's bangs so we had to get sort of creative to style them for the shoot.  

So Eric and I decided to load up the kids and snag some pumpkins today with the weather being so brilliant and Halloween around the corner.  We went to a smaller, quaint, less commercialized pumpkin patch this year called Shady Knoll Farm in Illinois as recommended by my good friend Megan Wentland.  The farm was established in 1848 and was pretty cool, complete with goats, horses, cows and a brand new calf that was born just yesterday evening. Maddox and Kennon both had a ball and the Wentlands even happened to be there so Maddox got to feed the goats with Nash and Nolan. We managed to find a few good pumpkins 2 big and 2 little and get a few good pics. Maddox was very set on picking out a 'LITTLE' one for Kennon. After she found just the right one she proudly presented it to him. It was so cute. The farm had 2 separate fields. One with big pumpkins and the other with little pumpkins. It was pretty muddy with all the rain we've had but that didn't stop the kids. Good ol' Sienna needs a cleanin' now!!  It was really fun. I even saw an old high school friend from Orion.  The price was just right on the prize as well $15.00 for all 4 pumpkins.....total!!  We hurried home to catch afternoon naps and to let Eric finish up the LAST outdoor project of the year, the 2nd coat of seal on the deck. He mowed the yard earlier today, hopefully for the last time as well.  Yesterday morning we had our family pictures taken at Vandeveer park by Bella Baby Photography.  It was still overcast and a bit cool but the kids did really well.  I think we got some good pictures but we'll see this evening. The photographer is going to upload the pics to the site later today.  You are welcome to look. Go to www.bellababyphotography.com and go to VIEW PHOTOS.  Our password is kiesholiday2012.  I'm hoping there are a few good ones to pick from for our Christmas card.  I have a couple of darling videos to upload of KTK dancing. He is  dancing fool and has some cool moves just like his big sis!! I'll try to get them uploaded later but as we all know the dreaded videos do not get along with this website. We'll see. Anybody know what happened to the Hawkeyes last evening....boo hiss!!  I almost forgot we had a great visit from Uncle Scott, Eric's brother from St. Paul, Minnesota. He rode his Harley down Friday night ( in the rain and cold....brave sole) and stayed with us before heading down to Keokuk to visit Doris Saturday morning. Maddox warmed right up to him but Kennon kept his distance.  Thanks for stopping Uncle Scott!! Always nice to see you and catch up a bit and let the kids get to know their family members a bit more. Definitely going to be a better ride home for you this sunny afternoon. PS...couldn't get the videos uploaded so will tray again later.  BUT the pictures are up on the Belly Baby website so go ahead and check them out.  

On of my favorites....so darn cute.  I love this age!! 

Matching clothes compliments of Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jean. Perfect for the pumpkin patch

WHOA...heavy load....I love the spiny pumpkin....

Now we've got all 4....a little heavier load.

Kennon pointing to the chickens....

'Here Kennon do you think you could help me lift this one up??'

Not sure what they are looking at but I love Maddox's expression...

Can't leave without getting the 'head in the pumpkin' shot

Brotherly-Sisterly Love

Check out the koozie grandpa Jim

I love that you can see a little smile behind the pacifier!! 

So I managed to snap these pictures this morning right after the kids woke up!!  MLK sure does love KTK despite the fairly regular pushing and stealing of his books/toys...actually on both their parts. She sees that he is playing with something and as soon as he puts it down in disinterest she runs over to grab it ( even it is something that she hasn't played with in months). He sees her playing with the item and then decides he wants it back and of course she is NOT willing to give it back. So this is kind of a constant battle intermixed with pushing and pulling of hair!!  Sometimes Eric and play referee! :) But, I know they love each other as evidenced by the adorable pictures above and they will grow up to be best friends eventually.  KTK is fighting a cold right now but in general is still pretty happy. I finally figured out how to get him to eat protein....put it in a bowl and give him a spoon!!  He'll eat anything in a bowl with a spoon. This is how they eat at Kindercare now that he is in the toddler room so I should have known to follow suit. He ate meatloaf and chicken casserole over the weekend :) You can see by the pictures he is such a paci lover!!  He is addicted to the thing here, although I KNOW he only gets it at nap time at school. Something tells me that is going to be a tough one to break. But,  on a positive note he loves the potty. Maybe the potty training business won't be too hard. Time will tell.  Well off to get MLK from church school....she SOOOO loves it there. The scenery picture is from this morning...you can't tell very well ( my photography friend Jody would have been able to get this to look better with her camera magic :) but it is the sunrise.  The leaves are so pretty right now and the sunrise was beautiful right out our back window...I love the location of our house.  So serene. Pray in 20 years that it won't be a bunch of houses.....but I am hopeful!!  No plans thus far but all kinds of other development around us right now....... This weekend we are getting family pictures at Vanderveer park taken by Bella Baby Photography the company that takes the pictures of the infants in the hospital.  I'm pretty excited to see how the kids react to the big fountain.  It will be nice to be back in the ol' neighborhood. We'll have to check how good ol' 2113 Myrtle Street looks. I'm not missing raking all those leaves :)

Happy Birthday....again?

Kennon 15 1/2 months in Grammy and Papa Dick's rocking chair...he climbed up to get in!!..surprised right?? hah 

Family picture taken by my neighbor Kim at the balloon festival

I ordered a 'Maddox' hat for Maddox a couple of weekends ago!! 

Still just 2 teeth on the bottom but 4 good ones on the top and some more coming in on the top on the sides. BLUE EYES STILL!! 

Despite having a fever Maddox was still ready to dress up for Halloween 

kennon gathering the crayons...!! Maddox is getting her share too. 

Kennon PROUD he got as many as he did!! 

Making grape jello jigglers!! from Aunt Diane

Kennon managed to get himself up ONTO the kitchen table via the bench in a split second while I was busy in the laundry room.  'hmmmm I think this is how ya open it' 

'now I've seen them tilt it over this way and I think I'll get production'

'wait they were supposed to go in the bowl!!' 

So we celebrated Maddox's 3rd birthday one last time yesterday in Aurora with Grammy, Papa Dick, Great Grandma Berg AND Aunt Diane!!  We had a great day and Grammy even got to hang out with us despite being very tired.  It was SOOO nice to see Grammy and hear her read books to Maddox.  We are sending lots of love and hugs your way.  Hang in there Grammy! We know it is rough right now but it will get better.  Maddox was, once again, showered with gifts. Thank you for all the fabulous things.  She has a new wardrobe of clothes to wear to school and we made Halloween grape Jello Jigglers today compliments of Aunt Diane. Maddox LLLOOOOVVEEED them.  Kennon thought we were crazy for eating the weird rubbery purple stuff. Instead he just flung it across the kitchen from his high chair. If it isn't a cracker, cereal, or a fruit or veggie don't try to get it down Kennon's gullet.  He is my little vegetarian, CLIMBING boy and could care less about meat. Anyhow she also got markers from Aunt Diane that SMELL like different foods and a huge notepad to color to her little heart's content!!  How cool is that.  Kennon loves to color too as you can see from the pictures. He really just likes to gather up as many of the crayons/markers as possible ( IE keeping them from Maddox) and then occasionally he'll make a mark or two on the paper.  We are calling him our climbing boy as you can see from the pictures. He climbs up on stuff faster than I can say 'NO'!! Which by the way he has learned that word in the last like 24 hours and even shakes his head back and forth in just the right way. He is saying MOO BAA DOWN UP ( of course) HOTDOG ALL DONE MAMA DADA PLEASE MILK and he has a little mind of his own and squeals in disgust if he doesn't want to do something. Maddox has been a bit of a terror in the last few days waking up in a whiny/crying mode and staying that way until she goes back to bed. I"m convinced it is a little of the terrible 3's and a bit of being overtired. She is not sleeping well at night and is not napping well. Today she took a 2 hour nap and literally woke up as happy as a lark!!  She has been getting up in the AM at 5:30 whining/crying throwing a tantrum in the hallway and in the end waking up Kennon who normally sleeps till at least 8 if not later. We really relish the times when she is happy because when she isn't it takes everything to not brow beat her with a wet noodle!! ( and I'm saying that nicely) Kennon is LOVING his new class at Kindercare.  They are working through a HOME unit, hence the reason I threw on the picture of our house.  He has to bring in a picture of his house for their board. Eric, despite how busy our schedules have been, has really been working on the house outside the last several weeks doing little jobs that have been on our 'to do' list for several months...staining the deck, staining the swing set,  painting the front door and sidelights, sealing up windows and drafty joints etc.  The house looks great and is all ready for winter. You can't see them but we already have out milk jug ghosts our for Halloween. Maddox is going to be a witch and Kennon the monkey that Maddox wore last year...gotta recycle.  Maddox is literally LOVING Church School.  In fact I'm pretty convinced that she likes it better than Kindercare.  Probably due to the smaller class size and she is really liking one of her teachers Mrs. Doyle  ( who happens to be the one from Orion...good things are grown in Orion :)  She is really sweet and seems to just LOVE the kids.  Maddox literally ran down 50 feet into her arms today when we walked into the hallway.  She has never done that at Kindercare, at least to my knowledge.  I'm certain she gets excellent education and care at Kindercare, the class size is just so much bigger it is easier to get lost in the sea. There are only 12 kids in her class at Church School. Well I have a few more random pics from my iphone to upload and then off to bed.  Thanks to Grandma Jean for all the great 'go to freezer' food and to Grandpa Jim for stepping in last Thursday to come over and watch Maddox since she couldn't go to Kindercare with a fever. Eric and I both appreciate the convenient meals and NOT using our sacred vacation days. 

Aunt Diane trying to give Maddox a little push on the thick carpet

Grammy reading books to Maddox...one of their favorite things to do....both of them!! 

A dot-to-dot   1-10 from Grammy...how cool 

A big hug for Papa Dick as Great Grandma looks on- Great Grandma Berg will be 93 at the end of the month!! 

Another yummy cake....Maddox blew the candles out like a pro!! AND she and Aunt Diane decorated it with this cool icing tube!! 

 Good ol' 5363 ready for Fall!! The Oak tree is finally a growin' check out the shade it is starting to make!!