Playing Catch-Up

***Disclaimer*** Some major catch-up going on *** ;)

Life has just been truckin' by. I kept on meaning to post, but "life" has gotten in the way. So. I decided that enough was enough and I would get down to business and post.
Before the weather turned too cold Phillip wanted to take the boys camping. We realized it would be impossible to take the boys camping on Friday and get to their 9:00 am soccer games. So, we decided backyard camping would have to do. They loved it. Ella was especially in luuuv. The boys gathered pillows and sleeping bags and Ella just layed there, sucking on her much beloved binkie and looking into the sky. It was pretty darn cute. Ella did sleep inside with me, but the boys and Phillip slept in the tent...and they made it the whole night!!

Boys in the Hood...errr, tent

My three cuties

Since the boys have been in school Ella and I have a had a little bit more time to do things just the two of us. Every Wednesday my ward has playgroup. On one such Wednesday we all went to the free (!) zoo. Ohhh, does Ella love the animals. She loves saying what noise they make. She especially loves the bears, lions and tigers because they growl. I must say it is a bit comical to hear such a girly-girl making such a "growly" noise and getting such a kick out of it.

Ella in front of the lions
I did want to clear up one little thing, though. Just in case you were under any pretense that it is all roses and puppy dog tails with just me and Ella around, I wanted to set the record straight. *disclaimer* I love my daughter verrrry much and am grateful for her everyday. But, that said she is a little girly terror. She gets into my makeup, cleaners and "cleans" everything she shouldn't, loves my nail polishes (thankfully, she hasn't done irreparable damage with this one) and she simply can't get enough of lotion. I only mention this because I found this particular mess ironic beyond belief. She had gotten into some lotion that I have and she loves to squirt it everywhere and slather it on her body. It is quite the mess. As I was cleaning up the mess I noticed that the label on the lotion states it is for "Stress Relief". Ha!! I don't think they had this in mind when they were creating it. Hmmm, now that I think about it, maybe the scent filtrated through my senses and I found this ironic instead of maddening. Maybe they do have something there...When I moved to Amarillo I was afraid that my beloved annual tradition of going to a pumpkin patch and picking out pumpkins had been a thing of the past. I was thrilled to learn that Amarillo has a couple (!) pumpkin patches and I was ecstatic to learn that they were oh-so much more than that! The school that my boys attend takes the kindergartners and the next week the 2nd graders to the pumpkin patch. They not only get to pick out their very own pumpkin but there are rides, hay towers and so much more. Phillip was able to go with Greyson and his class last Friday and I'll be going with Cooper this Friday. Phillip did a stellar job of taking pictures; I won't bore you to death with all of them, though. ;)Greyson showing off his much loved pumpkin (or punkin as Greyson calls it). He was pretty upset that he couldn't carry off a ginormous one (and so was Phillip as he carried it around all afternoon for Grey). So, we promised him that we would go to another pumpkin patch and let him pick out a huge one for home...he held up on his end. The one he chose last weekend was huge!Grey wearing his "Kindergarten Rocks" t-shirt. He loves it as it is not only blue (his 2nd favorite color next to orange (Go Pokes!), it is "comfy" clothes and it says "kindergarten rocks"! What kid wouldn't love it??

I also hear that Grey is a corn shuckin' fool. He let me know that he was "the second winner". I'll make sure and call him into the kitchen to help when we're having corn for dinner. ;)

Greyson and his good friend, Brian

This past weekend we were so excited to have MiMi and Grandad come down from Stillwater. My mom asked us forever ago if they could come down for the boys' Primary Program and we were thrilled to have them. The boys did such a great job and it always makes my heart skip a beat to see them sing. For the occasion (and because I would've been sending Cooper in church shorts and sandals) we got Cooper a suit. He looked so handsome. I need to get a couple of pictures of him in it. We also thought that it was a good idea because his baptism is right around the corner. Crazy, huh!! For fun on Saturday we went to the other pumpkin patch that the boys don't go to for school. It was so much fun!! It was great having the boys have a grand time playing in the dirt hill that has a slide inside (!) of it. A dream of many a boy, I think. Play in the corn sandbox, run around in the bay bail tunnel, climb the hay bail tower and so much more while I chatted with my mom and dad. We snacked on carmel and kettle corn, traveled the large corn maze, rode on the tractor ride and picked my pumpkins to decorate my home. I think that I had as much fun as my boys did. It was also a treat to have my parents here while Phillip was set apart as a counselor in the bishopric. Needless to say, I have really felt my parents absence as I have been a single mother this week. I'm thinking it might slow down a bit as the new bishopric gets their feet under them. Thanks Mom and Dad!! I love you so much and am so grateful for the sacrifice it was to come and support us!!

Cooper showing us his maze punch card. We went to every single stop...all 12!! Cooper was quite determined to get to all of them as you get to enter a drawing for a handheld ipod thingie if you got them all punched.

Mom taking Ella for a cow ride. She loved it!!

Cooper and Greyson on the top of the haybail tower. It was really quite high. There was bluegrass folk music playing and Cooper had no qualms tap dancing and doing a jig on top. It was hilarious.

Well, that about wraps it up for now. Thanks for sticking with me this far, guys. Really, you're a trooper. :)