Halloween Fun

This is our little strawberry on Halloween. I just love this costume! I found it online way back when it was still 100 degrees outside and knew it would just be perfect for trick or treating this year. So, of course, I ordered it -although Halloween was over 2 months away. Some think I'm crazy, some may even think I'm a little compulsive when it comes to planning - but hey, I'm a girl that believes you can never be too prepared! (Christmas gifts will be ordered soon, and birthday party plans are already in the works, just in case your wondering!)





Anyways, we kicked off our Halloween by stopping by for some pics with Hailey's cousins Buzz Lightyear and Bee. Unfortunately, this is the best non-blurry pic we got. These three definitely keep me on my toes!




Then we headed off to Nana and Gramps to trick or treat! We figured a circle drive would be a little safer for a toddler to run around, plus mom and dad have the privilege of knowing all their neighbors. Hailey wasn't so sure about the whole trick or treating thing at first. She is going through that phase of being scared to death of strangers, so we weren't really expecting a whole lot, but once she realized she was getting candy, it was a whole new ballgame!




However, she didn't quite get the concept of being able to choose a piece or two of candy. When the neighbor held out her basket for Hailey to "choose what she liked", Hailey decided she would "like" to have to whole basket -haha!


My cousins stopped by with their kids too. We trick or treated together every year when we were younger, so it was a lot of fun to take our kiddos now. I must say though, I got worn out much faster than I did 20 years ago!




Hailey loved trying to keep up with the boys, and by the end of the night she had the trick or treat thing down pat. She came away with a pretty good haul too!

White Rock

We headed to White Rock this past weekend in search of some beautiful fall foliage...while it was pretty, the colors just aren't quite there yet. I was a little disappointed in the lack of brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows, but we had a great afternoon anyway.

We started off with a picnic at Shores Lake, which is at the bottom of the mountain. She had a great time throwing rocks in the lake! This was Hailey's first picnic and I think she was a tad bit confused over eating outside.

We then headed to the top of the mountain, but due to the straight down drop-offs and a rambunctious toddler we didn't stay long. Hailey did find a pile of leaves to crunch, kick, and throw (also a first for her)!





It was fun visiting the mountain with our little girl. White Rock is special to me because that's where we got engaged (exactly 6 years ago this past weekend). Here's a few pics of us on the mountain over the years.



May 10, 2004


October 30, 2004
Right after Kevin proposed



November 4, 2006


October 30, 2010

Little Monkey

Hailey, Kevin, and I took a trip to The Monkey House yesterday morning. This place was so much fun! They have 8 or 9 inflatable bounce arounds, slides, and obstacle courses for kids of all ages. There is a small charge for children, but parents are free and encouraged to play with their children - and play we did!




We started out in the toddler area, but Hailey adjusted quickly and was off to slide, bounce, roll, and climb. She was all over the place! She loved it all, especially the great big slides!






I would recommend taking your toddlers during the week while the older kids are in school. It wasn't at all crowded and we didn't have to worry about someone stomping on our Haileybug. We had a blast! What a great place to let the kids run and burn off some energy. After over two hours of bouncing, this little monkey was pooped and so was momma!

Wild Things Farm

Yesterday we went to Wild Things Farm. What a fun place! This working farm has ponds, a petting zoo, hayrides, horses, a corn maze, and a variety of seasonal fruits and veggies. Cousins Caden and Addison went along to enjoy an afternoon of fresh country air. We took a ton of pics, so I chose a handful (okay a couple handfuls) of the best ones and made a slide show. See below!

The petting area had chickens, sheep, peacocks, potbelly pigs, and goats. Have your ever seen a goat in a tree? We can now say, yes indeed we have. There was a conveyor with little cups to put corn in. You cranked the conveyor to the top and the goats would run up the ramp, onto the platform in the tree, and grab the treats. It was the strangest thing!

The hayride was great. Hailey got to pet a horse and feed the donkeys! I thought she may have been scared by such large animals, but she loved it. After the hayride, we checked out the pumpkin patch and played in the fort. The kids had a great time running around. What a great way to spend the afternoon and enjoy this awesome fall weather!

Could it really be Fall?

We decided to take advantage of the cooler weather by spending the afternoon at the playground.

Road Trip

Last weekend, we headed up to Branson to do some shopping. This was Hailey's first big road trip; she's never been past Fayetteville. I was really looking forward to our little family outing, but a little nervous too. I really thought we end up with a cranky little girl, a stressed momma, and a mad daddy by the end of the day, but it was quite the opposite.

We headed out armed with a cooler full of juice, a bag full of snacks, and of course Ming Ming from the Wonder Pets. Here we are cheesin it up for the camera. (This is not the best pic of me, but looking back I realize that I do not take or post many pics of us together. I want her to look back and know that Momma was there enjoying these fun times).



This little girl was asleep by the time we hit Van Buren, but only for a quick cat nap. Then she was wide awake and jabbering the whole way! We listened to part of the Razorback game and had fun teaching Hailey to call the Hogs.

We arrived in Branson at lunchtime, so we stopped at Wendy's for a quick lunch before hitting the outlet mall. This girl loves her french fries!





Hailey was a great shopping buddy! Of course she wanted out of the stroller most of the time, but she walked like a big girl. It was so cute to watch her look at stuff and pretend to read the price tags. She was so good all day, unfortunately she conked out right before we reached the Disney store. She would have had so much fun in there.


For dinner we headed down to Branson Landing. The weather that evening was awesome! It was about 75 degrees and the breeze coming off the water was great. We ate and walked around for a bit.

Coloring at Shorty Small's




She really liked the cheese dip



Then it was time for the water show. Hailey was so excited before the big show started. She was swaying to the music and clapping at the lights, but it was a different story as soon as the first big fireball went up. The girl was terrified! So we quickly made our exit and headed home. Hailey was asleep before we ever got out of Branson and slept the whole way home. We finally made it home around 1am. It was a long day, but great day! Hailey was such a sweetheart! No meltdowns, no cranky baby, and a very happy Momma and Daddy! I'm already looking forward to more family adventures in the near future.

Haileybug Hideout

Hailey's new favorite place to relax is in her closet! She loves to huddle in the corner with a book. The cutest part is that she wants Mommy and Daddy to sit with her. It's a tight squeeze, but it sure is fun.



This little monkey has also discovered that she can climb into her toy box!

What we've been up to

It's been awhile since our last post, but its been quite busy around here! A few week ago, Kevin and I took a vacation (without Hailey). This was our first time to be away from her for more than 24 hours so we were a little nervous about going off very far. We had planned to go to the beach, but then the oil spill hit and quickly changed our plans. It was probably all for the better anyways, cause as much as I love the beach I wasn't too wild about the thought of being halfway across the country from my baby girl!

We decided to go to St Louis and had a great time. Our hotel was in the downtown area and we had a great view of the Mississippi River and the arch from our window. We went to a Cardinals game (they ended up losing that night), Six Flags, Hurricane Harbor, the zoo, the arch, and the Budweiser Brewery. Unfortunately, it was extremely hot the days we were there. The weather man said St. Louis hadn't had a day over 100 degrees in 3 years, but of course the week we were there it was 100 - 102 every day! We did a lot of walking and a lot of sweating, but it was worth it. There were so many things we didn't even have time for, I look forward to going back in a few years with Hailey.








While we were gone, Hailey spent several nights at Nana and Gramps' house. She had a lot of fun. Here's a couple of the pics they sent us.

She looks like such a big girl in this one! I can't tell you how many pics my mom has taken over the years of me and my brother sitting in the same spot on the fireplace.



I just had to throw this one in! She had a great time making pig noses at Gramps and smudging up their shower doors.


It was nice getting away for a while, but we missed our girl. I can't wait until it gets a little cooler so we can take some family trips to the park and pumpkin patch.