My Mischievous Monkey

Oh, Kate, Kate, Kate! This girl sure keeps us on our toes. She has gone from this quiet, laid back little girl to a sneaky, mischievous little monkey. About three weeks ago Kate's personality really started to change. I think she was tired of being told what to do and how to do it by her siblings. She has started to "rule" her own little world. The past couple of nights Kate has stayed up late (and kept Addison up late) talking. She just talks and talks and talks. Jason and I often mute the TV just to listen to what Kate is talking about. We can't understand a lot of it, but she sure has the cutest voice. Tonight after hearing Kate talk and scream (a happy scream) for about 10 minutes, we walked into the girls room to check on her. This is what we saw:

The diaper stacker is now INSIDE the crib (Please ignore Kate's pajamas. Matching pajamas are not high on my priority list.):

The diapers are now on the floor:

Katelyn was so happy with herself and the mess she created!

Addison kept saying, "Katelyn just through all the diapers on the floor. It was so funny!"

Can you see Jason's foot on the floor? Yes, Jason picked up all the diapers and found a bucket to put them in while I took photos! Maybe Kate is trying to tell us she is ready to start potty training! Yeah right, three kids out of diapers, that would be a dream come true!

Until later,

Melissa

Pumpkin Patch 2009

We decided to go to the Pumpkin Patch on a Monday that Jason and I both had off this year. It was a dreary, wet, sunless day, but we decided it was worth the trip because it probably wouldn't be too crowded. The lack of a crowd was wonderful, but the wet mud mixed with three kids who don't care if they are muddy, made for a real mess.

Katelyn wanted to keep all of the pumpkins.

Isaiah wanted to play in the bounce houses and wanted nothing to do with the pumpkins.

Addison was acting completely goofy.

After attempting to take pictures with the pumpkins we decided to leave and head to the bounce houses.
I really did not think that Kate could climb up the bounce house slide, but again she amazed me. It helps that she is in the 90th percentile for height.

This is the only picture I got of the three of them all day.

The slide was so met that water was bubbling out of every crack in it. Just look at Isaiah's socks.

The kids played on the bounce house slide for quite a while and then we headed to one more part of the pumpkin patch before heading home. Not only does the pumpkin patch have pumpkins and bounce houses, but they also have wooden trains and tractors and many little wooden figures.

Addison just loved Ariel!

Kate loved the wooden tractor.

After much fun, it was time to go. Poor Kate wanted to stay and play.

We headed to the car carrying Kate (screaming) the whole way. Jason put the car in reverse and before we knew it we were stuck. I wish I would have taken some pictures of Jason's car stuck in the mud, but I was trying to be a supportive wife. I was actually very impressed with what Jason did to get the car out of the mud. I don't know what I'd do without him!

Until next fall,

Melissa

The Good Life

In the small town (I mean really small town) of Pecan Gap, Texas there are acres and acres of beautiful green grass, lots of cattle and a ranch that is loved by my kids. It is owned by my dad, and it is a beautiful 150 acre, 100 head of cattle, ranchers dream . I was absolutely thrilled when dad bought the ranch, not only because I had always dreamed of living out in the country, but also because it was a dream of my dads and he deserved it. He has always worked so hard so that my brother and I (and now my husband and kids) did not have to grow up like he did. I will never understand how he actually found the land. You have to take this back road and that back road, and go through tiny town after tiny town. But once you get there, it is an incredible sight. So today, Jason and I packed up the kids and headed out to the ranch. I am always excited to go to the ranch, but it is the kids who really love it.

Our first stop was the Pecan Gap Festival. They were hoping for 100 people (1/2 of the town) to show up and I think they had a pretty good turnout. They had a parade (which we missed), a petting zoo, a bounce house and some BBQ.

Isaiah absolutely loved the rabbits.

The kids loved the bounce house. They jumped and jumped and then jumped some more. Isaiah jumped so much that he was drenched in sweat (and it was 55 degrees outside).

After the festival we headed out to the ranch. It is hard to explain how spoiled my dad's cows are, but these pictures may help some. Dad's cows eat carrots, but only if they come straight from your hands. If you happen to drop a carrot (or try to throw them at the cattle like my kids) the cows won't eat them. It really is a sight to see!

My dad with a few of his "girls," which is what he calls his cows.

After a few minutes Isaiah finally stopped tossing the carrots to the cows and decided to try and feed them. Success! He was so proud of himself.

Addison loved feeding the cows.

Kate loved carrying the carrots to Papaw, but wasn't sure about feeding the cows.

A carrot that fell on the ground. I attempted to pick it up and feed it to the cows. They wanted nothing to do with it. SPOILED! I guess if I pooped all over the ground on which I ate, I might not eat them either. The 5 second rule doesn't apply to them.

Kate on the riding lawn mower. She climbed up there all by herself. She is our little cowgirl.

Isaiah on the gator. The kids love the gator but we weren't able to drive it today because of how wet the pasture was. The ranch has received about 13 inches of rain in the last few weeks.

My dad always has ice cream (or some kind of treat) for the kids. Today he had M&M ice cream for them. Kate loved it.Not only does my dad spoil the cows, but he also spoils my kids. Here is Kate on her new riding bull. It sings too!

My favorite picture. A man and his dream (with his grandchildren).


I attempted to crop and adjust the picture some. I'm not very good at it, but it turned out okay. I love how my dad is standing in this picture because this is how he always stood at my soccer games.

Until later,

Melissa

The Moment You Turn Your Back

It never fails. The moment you turn you back (or discipline another child) one of your children gets into something that they really shouldn't. It doesn't matter that you put the object out of reach or told the child 4 times not to touch it. So tonight, I was vacuuming, Jason was disciplining a child and before I knew it:

This carpet deodorizer (which I love):

Ended up on my rug (which I also love). Note the computer wire in which my child decided to start playing in the deodorizer with.

If you look real close you can see little footprints in all the powder.

Oh, and the guilty part has little feet that looked like this after the incident:

And so who is the guilty party:

Only sweet precious Kate could make a mess like that!

Jason and I always joke that if you don't hear Kate you better go find her. She is always into something. And again tonight, she proved us right!

Until later,

Melissa