How Fun is 32? Ask Nate!

The cool thing about Nate turning 32 is that he seriously gets funnier with every year that goes by. On his special day this year he put on his best goofball face for the camera. I'm still not sure what look he was going for with this giant wig and red scarf but it was funny anyway.

I'm always talking about what a great teacher he is to the girls, but this year takes the cake. He totally schooled Charly on the proper usage of silly string when she tried to get him with it.

Oh, and Charly's glasses finally arrived...rather, I finally was able to pick them up. She totally rocks them! Here she is modeling the new specs and one of Nate's new ties.

(Charly is a little moody a lot of the times but she really is a cool little kid when she wants to be. LOL)

Halloween Bound

We have been so busy the last week or so and so my blogging has gone on the back burner. As soon as we got back from our wonderful time in San Antonio we had to rush Charly to her dress rehearsal for the second production she is in with the Kidz Krew. This time she plays a zombie dancing to the awesome sounds of MJ's "Thriller", after which she plays a jolly little pumpkin who's only wish is to not be carved this year. 

Bet you thought that was Nate in the scream mask  below aye? Guess again! Nate is kind of obsessed with making our porch the scary place to be. This big dummy is the latest addition to our front entry.  After we got home from our outings tonight I gotta say, it was kind of creepy walking up to the door with this stuffed person looking at you. I am paranoid and my brain starts spinning and I swear all I could think of was that is was going to move. You bet your butt I didn't turn my back on him! LOL. Charly and I are a lot alike in that area.....being scared sucks. 

Tonight was also our wards "Trunk of Treat". I went to Charly's play last night so Nate escorted her tonight while I took the little two in full costume to get some goodies. Winnie was a delicious cupcake, not surprising aye? Piper of course was a cute little bee. Oh, and for actual Halloween Charly is planning on being Dorothy, this is her zombie costume for the play. I have never had so much fun with dressing up, and my costume was super easy and last minute.  I dug down into my Mexican roots for this Day of The Dead get up. I love it so much, I seriously am going to do it every year with different clothing and makeup combinations. Charly gave me a major thumbs up too! Anything with her approval has to be good right? 

I can't wait until Monday! Nate is going to let me paint his face!! Can Halloween be every day please?

Winnie sure enjoyed carving pumpkins earlier today, she did a lot of exploring and stuck quite a bit of pumpkin guts in her mouth.  Happy first Halloween Winnie!

Daddy Birthday Preview

Yesterday my darling husband turned 32 years old. Exactly ten years ago in Germany I was with him when he turned 22. Back then I didn't yet know who he was. I wonder if he knew back then that he would have three daughters to show off to in ten years. Three daughters who would laugh at him and pose awkwardly in the street just for him, to exhibit all the fun he is. I wonder if he knew that the gal who came along to the party just to get a bite to eat would be lucky enough to be his wife. 

Fun to see what ten years time can do for a man! He gets funnier and funnier as the days go by. 

Happy Birthday Nate!

My Baby Purse

Don't you just think Winnie is the perfect accessory?  Oh I could just bottle up her cuddles and keep them forever!

Sometimes Charly takes the most flattering pictures of us, don't you think? Yeah, me neither. LOL (PS Nate took the one above, Charly took the one below)

Speaking of Charly....um, how do I put this gently? Well, I'm pretty sure she is hormonal at her ripe ole age of seven. Yep, I'm seriously starting to make note of days like this so at least I can see it coming. Woohoo, we have some crazy teenage years coming our way! Aye aye aye.

11 Months Ago Today...{Flashback Friday Edition}

As I was looking for pictures from exactly one year ago I mistakenly grabbed the November folder instead of October. So, eleven months ago today I was busy acting like a really pregnant "diva" as Nate taunted me from behind the camera. Even when I am completely rude and terrible, Nate still makes a point to make me laugh and snap me out of it.  

While I can't believe almost a year has passed since I was this pregnant, I still feel like it was forever ago! How can time hold two different feelings? Weird.

Eh, eat your heart out Mariah Carey! I'm taking the diva crown for this photo shoot!

Cruising We Will Go

Winnie had her very first blueberry and blackberry experience a couple of days ago and was feeling pretty good about showing off her new look. She cruised all the way from the front porch, met up with Buttercup the cat (Had a staring contest, and won), then made her way to the front sidewalk where she did some work on Charly's bike.

Oh, and in case you are wondering....Winnie is indeed even more delicious with blueberry juice all over her sweet little face!

Ice Cream Mania

An ice cream truck cruised through our neighborhood yesterday, a sight I thought I would never see. Quickly I hurried through the house to get some change, the camera, and Winnie on my hip. When I came out, Charly and Piper were waiting patiently alongside the little van playing the whimsical music. 

Charly has been talking about this truck coming on Wednesdays but we never seem to hear it or be home when it comes through so we were pretty excited. This was the first experience our girls have had with home delivered ice cream.

As a kid, I remember always looking forward to the ice cream truck, or the peddling cart with the delicious Mexican ice cream bars on them. My brother and I almost always got to get one. My favorite was vanilla with raisins at the top. Gosh, I wish I could remember what they were called.

In other Campbell news, Charly lost her seventh tooth last night. I have become quite the tooth pulling master mom, so far I have pulled three VERY loose teeth from Charly. They have been so loose, she doesn't even realize I pull them until I show it to her. 

Nate is always teasing her about different ways he would pull the teeth. I suppose when you tell a little girl with Charly like personality that you are going to tie a string to a door knob and yank it shut she is likely to never let you near her mouth. Who would have thought I would be the one actually excited to get her teeth out? I have a feeling once Piper gets around to having loose teeth, she will let Nate do the fun pulling, Charly is much too cautious for those things, LOL.

Speaking of Piper, she has just blossomed right before our eyes the past couple of days. I know I have said this before but I'll say it again, being able to be home with them all the time I really get to see the changes more magnified I think. Overnight Piper has gained an interest and understanding of letters and a curiosity of spelling things. Today her word of choice was 'spider'. It's written on my porch a few times, some paper, and the chalkboard in our kitchen. What a fun milestone for her! Her E's still have four arms instead of three but they are unique and so is she. Sometimes I think she does things on purpose just to be different. (Remind you of someone else you know?)

What does one do on a Saturday afternoon when the hubby is off working and the kiddos are driving this momma slight crazy at home? 

A photo walk of course! 

On Winnie's ten month birthday, the trio and I set out for an early walk to meet up with friends for some donuts...sorry, no donuts for Winnie.  I quickly remembered that our local photography club was going to meet for a little photo walk downtown, so as soon as we ate the delicious sweets we headed back home to pick up our cameras. Yes, all three of them!

Charly is really interested in how the camera works. Until now I have been adjusting it for her and letting her choose the composition. We both decided that she is ready to take on manual herself. Really, it's not too difficult for her to understand. She already knows what the light meter is and how to use it. Major success! 

If I can't make money off this whole photography business, it's best I teach her now so she can right? LOL. 

 Piper was eager to pose for Charly!

After photographing the local shops, we scoped out the library for some hidden letters and then enjoyed some soda in a glass bottle for a treat.  

"Flour" Child

Remember that one time I was making pancakes in the morning as I almost always do and I spilled the whole canister of freshly ground wheat on the floor?

It was a good thing I did too, because Winnie enjoyed a whole five seconds of playing in that mess before she was off to the next thing. 

Look at her cute little butt! 

Accidents are inevitable when one is the master of multi-tasking. Bah ha ha ha

Life Lesson # 327

Sometimes when I look at my life, where I came from and where I am now, it's hard for me to believe this is all mine. I often see my trials and don't know what I did to deserve them. It's a beautiful place to be in when you look at moments in your life that you thought defined who you were only to see that they were blessings to help you grow. 

I know, this means probably absolutely nothing to the people reading this, but for me I can look back and be grateful for today, grateful for two weeks ago, and yes grateful for all of the trials that have led to this point.  

This week I am so grateful for the lessons I have learned as I have forgiven and let go of very old burdens. Burdens I have been carrying around for far too long. It really is true what they say about forgiveness. It definitely helps you more than the person(s) you are forgiving. 

For now, I'm enjoying even more beauty....which seems to be surrounding me more and more these days.

Let's Hang Out

Totally forgot to put this picture in the previous post. Piper was literally hanging out as she waited for her turn.

Rodeo Queens!

It's that time of year again! Not only are we excited about cooler temperatures the first weekend in October brings but it's also time for Davy Crockett Days in our little town. 

Remember last year when Charly took home 2nd place in her age group at the bike rodeo? This year Piper got to enter  and show this little town how to rock and roll on a three wheeler.

The girls were both pretty excited to participate. Piper showed up with her little balance bike Nate and I made her but she could barely reach the floor on that thing, so when I saw another little one rocking the tricycle I rushed back home to switch Piper's ride out. It's a good thing I did, because even though she can't reach the pedals on her tricycle, she still peddled Fred Flinstone style fast enough to earn her second place.

Charly pretty much had it in the bag, and she knew it too.  Charly  gave it her all and even knocked down a guy as she flew around a cone with lots of intensity. They were both fine, I think the guy thought maybe she was going to fall so he went to stop her and they both fell. She didn't cry, which surprised me, and got back on her bike to do the course again. Good girl!

Both the girls got pretty great prizes. Charly was pretty surprised when they called her name for first prize, but I think she was trying to act like she didn't know she was going to win. I have a feeling she saw it coming.

Piper was so cute and proud when she accepted her trophy. Don't have pictures of that because right before awards I broke my lens in half.  Had to wait until we got home to get their trophy pictures. Also, in true Piper style, she broke the wing off of the eagle on her trophy in the first five minutes when she dropped it. She is so funny! If you look closely at the pictures you may be able to see the broken wing, totally suits Piper don't you think?

It was really cool to get to watch Piper enter this year, and exciting that my mom got to come up for a second year in a row to be a part of it. 

Nate will have to hear about it tomorrow when he gets home from guard duty, I can't wait to tell him all about it!

I just hope next year Piper will be able to reach the pedals of a 'real' bike. LOL