Pumpkins and Pirates

We finally got to go to the pumpkin patch last weekend. I have to admit I was getting a little panicked that we weren't going to make our annual trip and was getting a little pouty :( Have no fear, we squished and squashed through the mud and picked out our pumpkins. I was a little disappointed in the selection this year, but oh well, at least we made it there. Jarred had fun picking up all of the pumpkins and then dropping them back on the ground when he saw another one he liked better. We didn't do the corn maze this year because of all of the mud from the rain we have been getting lately. There's always next year.

Jarred decided he wanted to be a pirate this year like Captain Moody in one of the Backyardigans episodes. I figured this would be the last year that I would get to pick his costume and I wanted him to be a cute little dinosaur. Little did I know he had already decided what he was going to be. I have to admit he made a pretty cute pirate :) I took off work Friday so I could go to his school's Halloween parade. I think he was very surprised to see me there. I did get him on video when he realized that I was standing there watching. It was too cute.

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Last night we hung out with the neighbors and the boys all carved pumpkins outside. Well, Dan and Chris carved the pumpkins and Jarred and Christopher made 'pumpkin soup' out of the pumpkin guts :) I'm so glad we have such great neighbors that we get along with and the kids are friends!

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Tonight (Halloween) James and Sloane, Kathy, Matt and Ethan came up for baked potato soup and some trick-or-treating. Just as we left the house it started to rain. J and E didn't seem to mind one bit though. They both did a good job of saying "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you" at every house. Though I think Jarred's favorite thing to say as soon as he got his candy was "Let's go to the next house." He was in heaven getting so much candy. Even though it was a very soggy Halloween night, we all still had fun.

Now we sit here and wait for Game 3 of the World Series to start. Let's Go Yankees! Or as Jarred says, "Let's go Ankees!" and "Phillies stinks!" :) Oh and we can't forget, "We Are....Penn State!" (Pardon the very messy shirt)

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What a Wedding Weekend!

In mid-September we went to LBI to celebrate the marriage of one of Dan's best friends from high school. Dan and Grant grew up one 2 streets away from each other and have been friends pretty much their entire lives. I think this is one of our last friends to get married for quite a while.

Grant and Kim got married on LBI in front of lots of family and friends. The whole wedding was absolutely gorgeous. The ceremony was right on the beach. It was so beautiful with the waves crashing in the background. Dan was a groomsman and Jarred was a ring bearer for the very first time. We all had our doubts about him actually walking down the aisle himself especially when we saw how long the aisle was. I mean I'm talking probably 50 yds that he had to walk by himself with a lot of people that he didn't know staring at him. When it was his turn to walk down the aisle, he was a bit nervous but held onto his little pillow tight and started to walk. Then he slowed down and started to turn around and I definitely thought he was going to come running back to me. Did he? Nope, he just turned around, pointed at me and said "I walk by myself, mommy." And that was it, he turned back around and made it the rest of the way down the aisle. Of course during the ceremony he sat and played in the sand, but oh well. What's a boy to do when put on a beach?

He was pretty wired for the reception and had so much fun dancing. Once we ate dinner, he stayed out on the dance floor until probably 10pm. He and the flower girls were the life of the party! He passed out so quickly once we got back to the room. He definitely had a good time though because as soon as he woke up the next morning he says "Mommy, we go back to the party now?"

Here are some of my favorite pics from the wedding weekend along with a slideshow of many more. Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom of the page before starting the slideshow. Enjoy :) Congrats Grant and Kim!

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Hersheypark Happy, Hersheypark Glad!

We went to Hersheypark with my family a couple of months ago and had a blast. Jarred and Ian (Uncle Ian that is) had a lot of fun on all of the kiddie rides. I was surprised that both boys did a decent job waiting in lines for rides too without too much whining...pretty impressive. Jarred was even tall enough to go on his first real roller coaster...the Trailblazer. He went on it twice and loved it. Well, he loved it with the exception of Dan and I holding his head still so it didn't hit the sides of the car or lap bar. Other than that, he loved it :) Unfortunately, it started to rain pretty heavily after lunch so we didn't get a chance to go in the water park area. I was pretty bummed about that since it actually looked pretty cool. Jarred, however, had just as much fun playing in the rain! We ended up leaving the park around dinner time and then my Dad, Tito, Dan and I went back to the park after dinner to ride some roller coasters. We had so much fun! Thanks Mom for watching the munchkins! Here are some of my favorite pics and then a slideshow with a lot of the other pics from the day.

Jarred and Ian on the train (oh and Dan, he just couldn't miss a train ride :) )

Jarred and Mommy on the Trailblazer

Rocket ships! Up, up and away!
Mmmmmmm, ice cream!

Tito and Jarred

Remember to pause the music at the bottom of the page before starting the slideshow.

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More Beach...

We went to a local beach a few times this summer. It was nice to get away for a day at a time since we didn't get to go on an official beach vacation this year like we usually do. Jarred had a blast every time we went to the beach. He absolutely loved both the sand and the waves. He still has no fear of the water or waves so he would chase each wave out into the ocean and then run from them as they came in. He also liked to try and jump over the waves and he would even lay down on his belly in the water and let the waves crash on him. I think he is going to be a little fish just like his mommy and daddy when we were little.

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To Honor Great Grandad

A few weeks ago, we attended a ceremony that honored Dan's Grandad who passed away a couple of years ago. Grandad was always so kind and loving with me. He was a very intelligent man. One of those men who just knew everything about everything. He was a bee keeper in his day and made some pretty great honey. I love listening to stories from when Dan and his siblings were younger and they would go help Grandad get the honey from the bee hives. I guess it was this part of him that made him a scientist so I guess you could say he and I had a special bond. He would always send me articles about science and about whatever company I was working for at the time. When we would visit with him he would sit and tell me some of the best stories. I will always cherish the memories that I have with him. Dan and I were glad that Jarred got to meet his great Grandad and we know Grandad was so happy to get to meet his first great grandchild.

So, back to a few weeks ago. Grandad was a firefighter and was on the rescue squad. The fire department that he was a chief at held a ceremony to honor Grandad and all of his service. It was great getting to see the firetrucks and getting to hear the memories people had of Grandad. At the beginning of the ceremony, a firetruck pulled out of the firehouse and the firefighters stood in front of it. Well, at the end of the ceremony, all of the firefighters stood in salute and the firehouse bell rang. As it rang, the fire truck backed into the firehouse symbolizing the end of Grandad's service. It was a very touching moment.

We love you very much Grandad and miss you and Grammy every day!

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Breast Cancer Walk

This past weekend Dan, Jarred and I walked in the Philly 5mi breast cancer walk. I have wanted to take part in things such as this for a while now. Well I decided it was finally time I got up off my rear end and did it. We raised a bit of money and walked as a part of a team from my work. The weather on Sunday was absolutely gorgeous and great for a walk. It felt really good to be able to get out there and be a part of something that raises money and awareness for breast cancer health.

My little Rocky at the top of the stairs. Can you see him?

Daddy and Jarred on the Art Museum steps

(Next year I'll have to get my boys to wear pink :) )

Mommy and Jarred

Daddy and Jarred

Jarred getting close to the finish line!