Burt's Farm and Hillcrest Orchards 2009

Yesterday the weather was BEAUTIFUL so we headed up to North Georgia to do some fun fall things. The drive was so pretty and we had such a great time.

Not sure why they posed like this.. but cute anyhow!
Hay ride! So fun... they laughed the whole time.

Burt's 2008... they grow so much in a year. After Burt's we went over to Hillcrest orchards, we saw a bunch of animals, picked apples, went on a wagon ride, played on a tractor and watched a very interesting clogging show. Fun day!

Brodey thought it was so great to pick his own apples.

Lyla and her daddy on the wagon ride

After all that fun we went to the Gann's for our annual chili and pumpkin carving... unfortunately I wasn't feeling so hot by then and didn't take any pictures! (No worries, I saw Kristin and Mama Gann take lots and I know they will share!) The boys, as always, had such a blast! And Lyla too... her and Maddy play well together... we just need to get Lyla walking so she can keep up with Maddy!

Brodey turns 5!

Brodey's birthday fell on a Tuesday this year so we planned a fun little party at the park for him and his friends... after school of course.

Here he is in the morning proudly wearing his 5!

Brock, Lyla and I brought cupcakes to school...
Brodey serving cupcakes to his friends, ladies first... :)

His party friends.. all his buddies from school, including a few that were in his class last year.

I love that his buddy Logan is in this picture... they have been friends since before they were born!

Table full of boys! Two little girls from his class came too... much to Brodey's dismay... he wanted Lyla and baby Maddy to be the only girls at his party. Silly boy.

Everyday when we pick Brodey up from school I hear about "Hudson, Harrison and Joey".. they were in a class together last year and instantly became best buds. I couldn't help but wonder when I was taking this picture if I would be taken a similar one when they were all 18! I hope so.

Anyhow... we had a great day celebrating Brodey! He loved his party and had so much fun playing with all his buds. Can't believe he's FIVE!!

Baby friends at the pumpkin patch!

Last year:

(AJ, Maddy, Lyla and Luke)

This year:

(Caleb, Lyla, Ava, Maddy, Luke and AJ)

Lyla in the way cute dress Kristin Owens made for her!

The girls, Lyla, Ava and Maddy

Marshmallow Toasting

Last night we burned some yard trash quick before the rain started again today. The kids love burning things so we got some marshmallows for them to toast. Here's a quick video of Brock explaining why he put his chair so far away from the fire.

Lyla had her first ever marshmallow... just as messy as expected.

She loved it... this is her begging for another one...

Lyla

She swings... (yes, I know, too big... but she still likes it!!)

She plays with her brothers....
And she eats! The boys gave her these apples and she chewed on them for a LONG time. So easily entertained. I took a short video of her. I love how she "talks".

She has her daddy wrapped around her finger. When he holds her she'll push her forehead into his lips over and over for him to kiss her. And then she wraps her arms around his neck with her head on his shoulder. I am telling you, she will get whatever she wants from him. Sweet little girl. I don't know what will happen if he ever has to discipline her!

North GA State Fair

Saturday morning we took the kids to the fair! The weather was so perfect and we all had a really good time. I wasn't feeling so good, so didn't take many pictures. Two chili/cheese/slaw dogs may have been a bit much for me. Ha! Like that is ever a good idea.

Saturday was "ride a ride, bring a friend free" day... perfect when you have two boys!

Here they are on the obstacle course (the two leading the way)

and on the roller coaster... second row from the back.
Oh, and Lyla was there too! :) She was her usual quiet observant self. We laughed about how she didn't make a single sound the whole time we were there. She did smile a lot though, so we're pretty sure she had a good time.

Brock

Brock = hilarious. Sometimes I feel bad for Brodey because Brock probably should be punished more often for pestering, but he's not because we find him just so funny. For example, Brodey can't stand useless noise, like tapping or clicking. Brock knows this so every day (every day) when we pick Brodey up from school as soon as Brodey gets in the car Brock will tap on Lyla's car seat to irritate Brodey. EVERY. DAY. I try to make him stop... what to do about that??? Anyhow.. Jeff and I are both the younger sibling.. and we both liked to pester, so sometimes we can't help but to laugh at him. Before we break up a fight between these two we are almost always certain it was Brock who started it. Thankfully Brodey tends to be a patient kid and can handle his little stinker brother... and they are still best buddies!

We sat outside for a little while the other night and I got some cute pictures of them playing. We call this Brock's pop-eye face. And yes, we are now in a "no shirt" phase. Fine with me... less laundry than the 6 shirts a day phase.

Jeff... working.The boys made up a game... I didn't really understand it... something about chasing a pretend dog and a hot dog stand. This is Brodey carrying hot dogs from the neighbors mailbox back to his moving truck. (????)

Then they played in Jeff's truck. I looked up from playing with Lyla and caught this shot of Brock. He has a cone on his head BECAUSE he is Brock.

More fun things about Brock: he calls Lyla "Yo-Yo" and me "Mum-O", always Mum-O. He hardly eats anything. Ever. If it weren't for peanut butter I don't know how he would survive. He got a flu shot last week and growled at the nurse. Guess that's better than crying! He has a very active imagination... we love to listen to him talk to himself or to his toys, very entertaining. If ever there is a lull in a conversation he will spout out: "I like the circus. And the beach. AND the fireworks." He's said that at several random times and it's always funny. He knows all his colors and letters but has absolutely no interest in coloring or learning to write. I can't even get him to hold a crayon the right way. He's a fun kid. We love him.