In Love

I LOVE where we live!

The Lucky One

I LOVE my boys!!!

I am the luckiest mommy out there to have such wonderful children...

and 3 awesome boys at that!

They're growing up WAY too fast.  I'm so grateful I get to be a stay-at-home mom and witness their journeys through childhood.

I'm grateful that they have such a good daddy who loves us and cares for us all.

I'm the luckiest girl on the planet!

Horseback Riding

I'm so behind in posting.  There's so much I want to share, but can't ever seem to get myself to do it.  Well a while ago (like months and months ago...say, Novemberish), we were invited to a friend of a friend's horse ranch.  What a beautiful ranch and a really awesome girl who owns it.  She raises and trains horses.  I think she said she had 25 or so.  She invites kids over all the time to go riding.  Such a selfless human...she walks the horses with the kids on them for hours and hours and she even lets some of them ride them by themselves.  I was seriously so impressed by her!  A really cool lady!

Anyway, this was a life-changing event for Marvel.  He's wanted to be a "real" cowboy since, well, he could walk.  He got a pair of "real" cowboy boots when he was 5 and has been determined to own a cattle ranch ever since.  The only problem is other than the outfit, he has absolutely no experience in being a cowboy.  This was his jump start!

He started out meeting the mini-horse (I learned that there is a difference between a mini-horse and a pony, although I couldn't tell you what that difference is).  

Then he tried her out.  Easy peasy!

He quickly moved onto the big horse.  He was guided at first...

...and in no time, he was taking the reins and riding all by himself!!!  Marvel was SO proud of himself (and I've got to say I was a proud mama on the side!).

Next it was Captain America's turn.

Forget the mini-horse, Cap. was on to the big dog straight away!

One ride was good enough for him, though.

He decided checking out the babies was more up his alley.

Monkey wasn't so sure about the horses.  Up close was NOT for him!

This is a MUCH safer distance!

It was such a fun day.  We can't wait to go back again!

World Ag Expo (aka "the Farm Show")

Every year since I was pregnant with Marvel (that'd be 9 years running now), it has become a tradition of ours to attend the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA.  Its huge.  Its fun.  Its educational.   We like it a lot.  Music Man helps out in my dad's booth and since his family lives not too far from the event, we make a week of fun out of it.  Rain or shine we're there (and it rains a good majority of the time, which surprisingly, but quite understandable, rain is really good for business!  Means the farmers aren't out working.)

What is there to do at the Farm Show, you say?  Lots and lots.  Its like 2nd best to Disneyland in my boys' eyes.  We usually try to get as many cousins to come with us as we can.  Both Music Man's sisters live in town, so this year  9 of the 10 kids between them joined us.  So sporting 13 kids, 3 moms, and 1 dad (we were asked several times if Music Man was the father of all 13 children...aka, are you sister-wives?  Uh, NO!)

First off there are LOTS of BIG HUGE tires to climb in...

...and lots and lots of tractors to "drive." Let's just say Monkey was in HEAVEN!!

We got to spend the day with Music Man aka Daddy.  He's always good to have around at things like this since he likes to climb up in the tractors just as much as the kids!  (And yes, Music Man has been sporting a groovy stache since about Thanksgiving and quite proud of it!)

Some tractors were small...some were REALLY big!  We tried them all.

Sorry girls, no, this is NOT Justin Bieber!  He's a  MUCH better catch!

Of course we HAVE to take the traditional cousin photo in front of a big tractor scoop!

These two are so cute together.  Monkey really should have been the one with the leash!

We got to meet a giant 2 legged cow.  Monkey was NOT happy to see him!

The farm show is 3-day event, but because of all the rain, we waited until the last day to go.  One of the highlights of the day was watching all of the tractors pulling out on their way home.  It was a first for us, but I think we just might have to go the last day from now on!

Amongst all of the playing and fun and games and good food and company, I love that my children get to see the tools used to grow the food we eat and the cotton we wear.  They really do learn so much each and every time we go.

Until next year...

Harvest Festival

Living in the Central Coast of California, I really couldn't name my favorite season.  It is beautiful here literally all year long!

I love winter here, because while its snowy and freezing everywhere else, its absolutely gorgeous here {I've done the snow thing and I hate living in it!}.  There are chilly days, there are warm beach days.  The warm beach days are awesome because there aren't any tourists, so we have the beaches all to ourselves!

Spring is a no brainer.  Everything is blooming and green and beautiful.

Summer brings lots and lots of sunshine {we rarely get the real HOT 100+° weather...it generally fluctuates between 75-85 degrees}, which means lots of the beach, park, hikes, adventuring, travel...

What I love about Fall are the colorful leaves, the bare trees, the rain, the sunshine {we have some of our hottest days of the year in the fall}, eating soup, picking apples, going to the pumpkin patch, and...

HARVEST FESTIVAL!

We've gone every year since we found out about it {about 4 years now} and we love it!

They have some festivities Friday night, but we some how never make it to that.

Saturday morning starts off with a parade.

We got there a little late, so we missed 1/2 of the parade...

...but we managed to get our favorite spot at the end of the parade route!

Guess who was sitting right next to us?

Why good ol' Abe Lincoln!

Marvel was VERY excited.

He said, "Look, its Abraham Lincoln, the penny president!"

My brother and his family, as well as my sister and her boyfriend were in town, so they {along with my parents and baby sis} joined us following the parade.

Its nice to have my parents live so close where we can see them often.

It had been a while since we'd seen my mom...Monkey REALLY missed her!

Following a little chit-chat, we were off to celebrate the harvest!

Of COURSE we had to check out the police hummer!

Then we were off to play games!

First off the Cow Pie toss.

Cap was struggling a bit on this one...

...but NOT Cousin R...she nailed every one!

The Boy Scouts' Nerf Crossbows are Marvel's favorite EVERY year!

And he's pretty good at the too!

Grand Pa {yes, that's how we say it lol} helped Cap out. I think he was enjoying shooting more than Cap!

Marvel was stoked {do people still use that word?} to get these purple Dracula teeth!

The kids each took a turn to see how strong they were.

Marvel & Cousin K did great!

Cousin R did the best of them all!

Cap kept missing the mark...didn't know his own strength I guess...so Music Man stepped in to help.

Cap finally found a game he could nail!

The kids spent some time in jail...

...then took the next coach out of town!

Next stop: the ferris wheel!

{gotta love the cousinly love!}

Marvel and Cousin K stepped up first in the green cage.

Then the Captain and Princess R...I think they had the most fun!

The Big Ditch Derby is always Music Man and Marvels' absolute favorite part of the Harvest Festival. 

Every year they vow that they will build a derby car together and enter the race the next year. 

And every year they don't build a car and they don't enter. 

But they sure do have fun watching!

In the middle of all of the festivities, they open up the Heritage Museum.

They have lots of train sets {which was by far Grand Pa's favorite!}...

...and guns.  Lots of guns.  And knives too.

Believe me when I say Marvel and Cousin K had just about died and gone to heaven when they spotted this display of old vintage weapons.  Just look at their faces as they watch the cowboy tell them all about the guns!

What a FUN day.  Harvest Festival, you never disappoint!

Phew, that was a LOOOOOONG post.

Getting Ready for Halloween

All of my boys have been so excited for Halloween this year.  They've already chosen what they're gonna be and I'm well on my way to making them (I actually have some done already!).  I'd have to say Captain America is especially excited.  Last week he wanted to try on all of Marvel's old costumes to see if they fit him.  It was so much fun watching him and Monkey dress up!

First off, Batman & Robin:

Batman's got some moves!

Notice how well this costume fits?

Cap is only 4 1/2 and Marvel wore it when he was 5 1/2...uh oh, someones catching up fast!

Peek-a-boo Robin!

Even Music Man got in on the action (per Cap's request).

I, hereby give you King Music Man,...

...Sir Knight America...

...and Dragon Monkey.

This cheetah costume was mine when I was a wee one. 

I've put it on every one of my kids around this age.

Love it!

Monkey was obsessed with chewing on the tail.

I don't think a REAL cheetah would do that...maybe a monkey though. :-)

I really wish I would have gotten a better picture of him in this.

Monkey as...wait for it...a monkey!

He was so stinkin' cute!

I was wondering where my Thanksgiving turkey had gone to!

Can't wait to share this years Halloween costumes!