guess who...

had the happiest halloween ever!

fantastic weather.

fab. friends.

FAMILY.

a good witch.

a cowboy.

a lil' peanut.

more to come!!!

Having fun...

...learning from older cousin, Alissa.*LOVE this shot. so whimsical, so fleeting.*

...watching Griffy.

*sweet spence*

...watching the little ones adore kinsey!

...under a table tent!

...singing happy4th birthday to sophia!!!!!!!

...swimming!!!

...watching the girls love each other!

...being in this room, with all these people, with all these young kids and feeling so happy that these kids will grow up together and share SO MANY more memories together!

I could post a hundred more pictures of these kids running around together! I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to watch them all interact together.

I watch them, and then try to fast forward to certain times in their lives that will hopefully take place. I mostly do this with Peyton and Sophia...i think about when they will start high school school, talk endlessly on the phone with each other, share secrets from their moms, shop for prom dresses together, prepare for graduation,...okay I'll stop now before i have them both married off to identical twins from...ew. I'm done.

birthday snapshots...

just a few pics from peyton's little playgroup party. more to come later i am sure:)

happy birthday peyton mae!!!

thank you, kelle for taking all of these great pictures.

you are so talented.

http://www.kellehamptonphotography.com/

pumpkins, apples & cowboy boots

once a year treat- fresh donuts and hot mulled cider for me and cold for everyone else! yummo!

need some help with the lighting, but soooo cute!

beckhams boots!!!

my big boy bringing me a pumpkin. he was so proud.

you could see it on his face, but i missed the shot.

LOVE this pic. peyton looks is so happy she is giddy.

on a wagon ride! yes, a wagon ride. haunted too! so fun for the kids.

well, becks was a bit nervous.

yes, beckham picked that apple off a tree. no, we didn't pay for it bc i thought they were free.

i mean, come on, it's an apple. when jeff pointed out to me that i had let the kids pick 50 bucks in apples (not really), i told him that God made the apples and he wanted our kids to have and enjoy them. with a stern look from jeff and my mom and dad...i dropped the apples:(

love this one!

today makes me think of this over and over again...

4 years ago today at 3:22 pm...i met the most beautiful and exquisite little baby, Peyton Mae!!!

love at first sight.

took my breath away.

most magical and surreal moment in my entire life and i will never forget how it felt to hold HER in my arms for the first time or what it felt like to hear, "...it's a, it's a BABY GIRL!!!! ten fingers, ten toes, she is perfect!"

tears, tears,tears...so many happy tears.

i have felt so nostalgic the last week, trying to prepare for the moment she would be 4. not 2 or 3, but 4!!! must say i am a little sad, as i realize now that my baby is no longer a baby. she is a little girl with her own little personality, likes, dislikes, and charms all her own. i no longer see that little baby in her face, but a young girl growing up so fast and full of life.

the day of her birth, the day most special between any mother and child, i am reminded to savor every single little and big moment of her young life. knowing that we have so much more to celebrate still and feeling so lucky that i am her mommy. yes, i am still clinging to that little baby ,however, excited to see what else she has in store for us to enjoy. so much more to come!

ps. last night peyton woke up a few times, started crying, wanted me, wouldn't go back to sleep. annoyed, i asked her what was wrong...she said, "i don't want to be 4, i don't want to get big." she repeated this a couple more times to me and to her daddy with full on tears. where was this coming from? can she sense my sadness? did i say something? finally, i rubbed her forehead until i could see her eyes start to grow heavy like i used to do when she was first born. all the while thinking to myself...i don't want you to get big either. emotional start to an emotional day, but a good one.

we love you peyton. happy birthday sweetheart!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

fall fun

loving being here in michigan.

kids are having a ball!

i love watching them enjoy the season so much. they simply never want to be inside.

why would they? the weather is perfect, the leaves are crunchy, the air sweet with just a pinch of cold to redden their noses.

feeling lucky.

next batch...apple orchard, pumpkin patch, spiced cider, and warm donuts!!!!! OH MY!!!!

(an hour later...)

okay, adding pics i didn't i wasn't going to bc i didn't like what peyton was wearing...she HAD to wear bright purple with an unmatching Dora, yes Dora jacket. you all know how i feel about character clothes. however, i looked back at these and they show how MUCH FUN they were having, so i have to include. besides which, peyton LOVED what she was wearing even if i thought it looked like she went through a bag of unmatching clothes to dress herself...:)

here it is...

look at that face.

circa 1970's print add for velour sweat suits in the hottest hues for fall. lol.

i didn't take this pic and i am still trying to figure out where in the yard it was taken. it looks like the kids are running through a brightly colored forest. weird.