growing up...

Braxton turned 4 on Saturday! He is growing up so fast and Jeff and I still feel like it was yesterday that he joined our family.
I have had "birthday" on the brain for the last several weeks. Planning parties and scheduling events but amidst it all I have often stopped to wonder who has grown up more in the last 4 years...Braxton or myself?
This boy teaches me so much every single day and I am such a better person today than I was 4 years ago. He is so kind and thoughtful and he is the first one to say, "mom, I love you," for no reason other than he really does.
Thanks to all our wonderful family and friends who joined us in helping Braxton have such a great birthday! He is well loved!
Sunday was the last Horrah! We had family over for pie and ice-cream and had a great time. Bryce was able to come down from Canada and Chelsey came too. We were really glad they shared the day with us.
Braxton has been asking and asking for a "real" fire engine and was thrilled when Bama and Umpa gave him one as a gift. This toy basically consumed him for the rest of the night.
Braxton got all of his favorite things....exavators, front loaders, emergency vehicles, lots of gum and gum balls, ball clothes, movies, working clothes...and on and on...
cuties:)
For Braxton's party at Preschool we made these cute little jack-o-lantern rice krispie treats. We had fun making them and Addy had fun eating the scraps!
Braxton is such a big help and loves projects like this one.
Adelle and I got to go to Preschool with Brax on his birthday celebration day. We had such a great time watching him work at school and play with his friends.
Ms. Mimi gave Braxton this special crown and a construction machinery book. He was so happy.
On his actual Birthday Jeff made us all a yummy breakfast...Braxton's favorite waffles and bacon! For lunch we went on a beautiful walk/picnic to the park. I told Braxton we could bring whatever he wanted for lunch. He chose peanut butter and jelly sandwiches:) That night for dinner we got pizza and crazy bread as Braxton requested.
Braxton and his friends at his party after a tour of the local fire station.
Gramy and Papa Ashmore and Auntie Erin and Auntie Gabe and Uncle John and Uncle Ryan sent Braxton a special birthday package for Arizona. It arrived right on his birthday! He scored once again. All the presents were individually wrapped and he loved opening every single one! Lots of fun books, ball clothes, movies and once again....bubble gum, his new obsession!
Braxton loves getting packages. He also got a special birthday letter from Uncle Brent in Spain!
Here are the kiddos in the fire engine at the fire station. They had such a great time there and the firemen were so accommodating!
Chief Braxton driving the engine.
This is what he put on for the rest of the weekend. The back pack is playing the role of air tank since we don't have one of those.
Jeff and I created this fire engine birthday cake. Braxton loved it. It was so worth the effort!
That basically sums up a very fun and eventful week. We are resting for a few days before Halloween.

Pumpkin Party

Tonight was our pumpkin party. I found a little "Monster Mash" on Pandora and we got wicked! Braxton got to pick a pumpkin out of Bama and Umpa's pumpkin patch. It is a cinderella pumpkin...so pretty and bright orange.
Braxton was really into it this year. He scooped out all the goo and then drew the face on the pumpkin for Jeff to carve. He did a great job. Our little boy is growing up!
Adelle wanted nothing much to do with the goo. She tried to eat the seeds straight out of the pumpkin but didn't much like those either. She sat and curiously watched Braxton get messy.
Happy Halloween

Fall, Firsts, Feet & Friends...

FALL
We are finally feeling better but with that I have no desire to leave my house and enter the world of sickness. I feel like everyone has been sick and I'm not in the mood to do that again any time soon. We have been making the most of hanging out at home and doing some fun "fall" stuff.
Friday we made "pumpkin" pizzas. We love making homemade pizza as a family and to be festive we decided that we should make individual pumpkin pizzas. Braxton got his pumpkin cookie cutter and had fun making the dough and shaping it.
Adelle got to participate for the first time in topping her very own pizza. This was very fun for her and fun for us all to help/watch/laugh. The hard part was getting her pumpkin to stay on the stone long enough to top, as you can see there is a bite out of it already. This girl loves bread and was happy just eating her pizza pumpkin plain.
FIRSTS
Adelle is also at the table now! She is such a big girl. Now we just need a bigger table!
This picture perfectly depicts my life. I was taking the picture (primarily of Adelle) and I started to say to Braxton, "Sissy is watching you so please be a good example," when I noticed sissy was NOT watching him. She was watching her dad who was doing the same thing! Must be fun to be the dad!

FEET
So Jeff is the best. I love him so much. I was invited to get pedicures with friends this weekend. It is something I could really use and that I could possibly be really excited about. Except....I have this yucky issue with my one toenail and it's sick and wrong and embarrasing and won't go away because I am permanently pregnant/breastfeeding and haven't been able to really treat it. I'm not complaining about any of those factors...just the gross toe that prohibits me from wanting to get a pedicure. So, Jeff being aware of this situation decides Friday night that he is going to give me a pedicure. He is so kind and made me feel so much better. After the kids went to bed he soaked my feet, scrubbed them, massaged them and exfoliated them. He is the greatest and always makes me feel so special.

FRIENDS
Bummer that I didn't have my camera but my friend Shelby came to town this weekend so Saturday I got to spend some time with the girls. It was Erin and Tessa's birthday so we all went and got pedicures and I (having already had my very own, romantic, pedicure) got a manicure. It was so fun to spend the day with the girls! After we were primped we went to lunch and had more fun visiting. I am so rejuvenated and so blessed. I'll sacrifice the gross toe any day to have the most fabulous husband,kids, family, and friends that I have!

HAPPY FALL!

Baby Girl Olsen is here!

Lesha and Peter welcomed baby Kate into the world Thursday morning. She is so chunky and cute. Kate weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and her and Lesha are doing good. Hoping to go home tomorrow! We have all had colds so I haven't managed to get any pictures....but I did sneak a peak! Congratulations guys! We love you!
Oh and Carson is being a really sweet big brother. Hanging out at Bama and Umpa's and letting mommy and baby get lots of rest.