Pumpkins & Trunk or Treating

 trunk or treating

Saturday night we went to our ward activity: Chili cook off & Trunk or treating.  I love our ward.  We have so many great activities.  Tony took the boys around while I passed out candy.  I loved seeing my activity day girls and old sunbeam class all dressed up.  I gave them extra candy :)

 Of course the boys were thrilled that people were giving them candy!  Joey caught on quick and knew that all he had to do was hold out his bucket.  I loved hearing Charlie's little voice say, "trick or treat.  Thank you."

The best part of Halloween is getting back and dumping out your bucket!  Being a kid is the best!  We let the boys pick out a couple treats before bed and they were thrilled about the suckers.  They still have a lot to learn ;)

 I love Charlie's face in these photos.  He is so excited about his candy!

Monday night we carved pumpkins for FHE.  I know it can't be just us, but FHE's have to be fast in our house.  Even if we're doing something fun, Joey will only sit for so long.  Tony was a genius and carved out the pumpkins the night before then put the insides back inside.  That way we still got to scoop everything out but it didn't take forever.

 Joey loved playing with the pumpkin!  He scooped out the seeds and like poking his spoon in and out of the holes. 

 Charlie's a little excited about the lit pumpkins!

 Halloween is so fun.

All About Joey

 Joey is 16 months!

Here is a little bit about our favorite 16 month old...

Joey loves beans: green beans, kidney beans...the kid likes beans.

Joey hates sacrament meeting or anywhere that confines him to a small area.
He loves to wander and does not want to hold anyone's hand while doing so.

Before every nap we read a story and I sing him a song.
Before he lays down for bedtime, he stands in his crib and rests his head on my stomach while I run my fingers through his hair and talk to him.

He is very affectionate.
Joey screams that high pitched noise that leaves your ears ringing afterwards. 
He sleeps with a puppy stuffed animal every night.
He loves to climb up on the kitchen table and into the bathroom sink.
He loves baths.

Joey loves to watch the fish swim in the big fish tank at the library.
Every night he runs to the door when daddy gets home.
He is fast, really fast.  If he is determined to get away I have to full out run in order to catch him.  

He loves to be goofy, run around & wrestle.
He is friendly and adjusts well to any environment.
He is a really great sleeper.  Down by 7:15 PM and up around 7:30 AM.  Just like his mother, he needs his beauty sleep :) 
He is very good at finding people in hide and go seek.
He loves animals.  Up close or far away he just loves to watch them. 

Joey brings us so much joy and keeps us on our toes!

All About Charlie

Charlie is 3! 

 Here is a little bit about our favorite 3 year old...

Charlie has a thing for just a shirt and underwear.  He never wants to wear pants.

He has a tender heart and wants to be good.

He has started coming into our room at night.  While it's a pain to walk him back, it's hilarious to see what he brings with him. The other night he came in with his stuffed frog, giraffe, teddy bear, Captain America action figure and a sword.  I have no idea how he managed to carry all of those at once!

He loves songs with hand actions.

He loves going to nursery & joy school.

His favorite movie is currently Toy Story 2.

He loves Jake and the Neverland Pirates & Curious George.

His favorite cereal is Lucky charms or Vanilla Almond Crunch.

He says the best prayers.

He loves jumping on the trampoline with his daddy & Joey.

He always wants to help me in the kitchen.

He has a very wild imagination.  He is always being some "good guy" or "bad guy" or "Captain           America" or "Jake" or "Spiderman"...the list goes on and on.

He thinks burping and farting is hilarious.

He loves to be hugged.  If he is sad or hurt he usually just wants a hug from mom to make it better.

Q&A with Charlie

What is your favorite color: blue
Favorite thing to do outside: play bad guys.  They catch me!
Who is your best friend: Danny
What is your favorite song: Jesus Song (Jesus wants me for a sunbeam)
What is your favorite treat: ice cream
What is your favorite breakfast: pancakes
What do you like to play with Joey: play toys
What do you like to do with Daddy: Hide & go seek
What do you want to be when you grow up: sacrament.  Pass sacrament. (I'm assuming that means be a deacon :)   
What is your favorite animal: cows

Our family wouldn't be complete without Charlie!

Charlie's Birthday

On Charlie's birthday he woke up and helped me make special birthday pancakes :)  Charlie loves pancakes and with sprinkles and a candle on top what could be better?!  After his breakfast we were in a mad dash to make it to joy school.  He brought blue jello jigglers with him as a birthday treat to share with his friends.

After school we all got a surprise when daddy came home to surprise Charlie!  They played with play doh until he had to go back to work.  After Joey's nap and our daily dose of Curious George, we headed to the library and park.  It was his day so we did his favorite things! 

Daddy met us at the park and after playing we headed over to Chickfila for birthday dinner.  He had been talking about his "chickfila dinner" for days.  We brought his presents from us and his grandparents along to open. 

Charlie opening his awesome dress up guy (as we call him) from Papa and Grandma Gibson.  He plays with this toy everyday!

Charlie showing off his muscles in his cape from Papa and Nana Messer. 

Do his grandparents know him or what?  Charlie is lucky to have such loving grandparents.  

We are so lucky to have Charlie in our family. 

Happy birthday Charlie Boy!

 

Charlie's Pirate Birthday Party

Addison, Charlie, Camila, Ellie, Addison, Bri & Clara

he does have friends that are boys...they were sick the morning of the party! 

Two days before Charlie's birthday, we celebrated his special day with a pirate party!  Charlie loves pirates thanks to Peter Pan and the show Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  Luckily pirates is an easy enough theme!  Charlie is the youngest of his friends so he has been to lots of birthday parties this year.  He was counting down the days until it was finally his turn to turn 3 years old!

 getting party decorations ready while watching Downton Abbey :)

The night before his party I made cakes to build his pirate ship cake.  Thank heavens I did this the night before because it ended up being a mess!  Note to self: don't try and take 9X13 cakes out of their pans while they're still hot.  One of the cakes we were able to salvage and Tony made a chocolate cake reading tips online on how to make a really dense cake.  We needed it dense so the ship would be sturdy.  Tony saved the day!  We cut and froze the cake pieces and I woke up and started turning this....

into this...

When the kids arrived they colored their "treasure bags" for the goodies they would be getting.  We hit a pirate ship pinata and went on a gold treasure hunt in the backyard. 

 searching for gold

 "yo ho ho!!!"

After the treasure hunt it was time for cake and presents!

Charlie got lots of super hero stuff and was completely in heaven.  

 really opening the presents after the party

Charlie is such a sweet kid.  I'm glad he was able to have a fun party!

Trampoline Fun

"daddy steamroller" video

The other night we were having so much fun on the trampoline.  I ran inside, grabbed my phone and randomly started taking pictures, not looking to see what was being taken.  We looked through the photos when we came inside...

I love these pictures.  They aren't focused, some are blurry, but they are all little glimpses of real life.  We aren't dressed up or posing but rather just playing like normal.  It makes them extra special to me.  Life is good.