13.1 Miles Baby!

My 1st 1/2 Marathon! Everyone who ran the 1/2 Marathon after the race

Well I did it! My 1st 1/2 Marathon. Lacie Robinson from my ward organized a "Keepin it Holy" 1/2 Marathon and 10k race Saturday Nov 6th. Because most of the races here are on Sunday so hence a no go for us Morman gals.

I was thinking I was going to do the whole race with the girls because Andy was on a Stake Youth Conference over nighter so I bundled them up and told Tayla that we were going to the "Big Race" Well we had to start about 5min later then the others because I was still trying to get the girls in the stroller and Tayla kept says "We not going to be the Winners Mom". That day was one of those days for my kids they didn't want be in the stroller and was letting us and everyone else know. We were stopping about every .5 mile getting her something or other. I was beginning to think it was going to take us all day to run this. Thanks to Jodi my running partner for bearing with all our stops. Well around four or five miles Tayla had had it with the stroller, and Amerie had finally fell a sleep. I called a friend that organized the race and was at the watering stops to see if she could handle my kids for a little bit. (Thank You Thank You Thank You Lacie).So after we loaded up my kids in her van we were off again.With out the kids(and their stops) we moved a lot faster. I felt better than what I thought I would having only my longest run totaling six mile before this. And only running twice the last 5 weeks before the race. We were traveling and sick during that time. The last couple of miles my legs were starting to cramp a little but I made it! I think my time was right around 3 hr and 10 min I would really like to run another 1/2 with out all the stops and my girls to see what my real time would be. That will have to wait until the spring though I think. but I am thinking about the Turkey Trot Race they have on Thanksgiving. So if anyone is in the area and is up for running a 10k with me I would love the company.

My girls all bundled up during the race

Halloween, Zoo Boo, Mason Farms, Preschool

ZOO BOO

We headed over to ZOO BOO at the Erie Zoo this year. ZOO BOO is when the zoo opens its gates at night and everyone is dressed up and the kids get to trick or treat to different booths It was a lot of fun to see the animals in the evening.

Tayla got called up on the ZOO Tube to dance she loved it and we had a hard time to get her off the stage.

Da Bones
I love this picture we were waiting for the Tiger to come and all the kids said cheese then looked at the Tiger but my camera delayed so this what we got.
We loved having the Ewing send the night with us at the Zoo Too.

ARRR

Cute little stinkers!

The Fam after the zoo

Mason Farms


Mason Farms had a fun little place they called Pumpkin Alley. The girls loved petting and feeding the goats and Lamas

Tayla lead us through the corn maze


Dad even gave her some money so she could pick one ride she chose the big blow up slide and for the ticket she got to go down three time she loved it. (sorry not the best pics it was getting dark and I couldn't get her to hold still long enough)

They also had lots and lots of pumpkins that where painted like different charters and had scarecrow bodies (Winne the pooh, Sherk, Snow White and things like that).

While we were at the store Tayla was playing with some ceramic pine cone figurines and broke one of them yet again so we ended our night with Tayla in hand apologizing for breaking the ceramic pine cone and paying for the pieces. Andy told her not to play with or it would break but that doesn't stop Tayla. I am starting to think that I should start keeping all the remnants of Things that Tayla has broken at stores and I could make a mosaic or something with it. Any ideas out there.

PRESCHOOL HALLOWEEN PARTY

Tayla and Mrs Laine, her Teacher
Her Class

I had the chance to come help with Tayla's Halloween Party at her preschool it was a good opportunity to see what she does in class. Emily Hurst and I were the room moms that day and we read Halloween stories to them and did pumpkin bowling. They also got to eat spiders and mummys. Cookies of course.

HALLOWEEN

I took the girl around Halloween Day this year. We hit Toys R Us and got to be in a costume parade with Jeffery the Giraffe. Tayla thought it was awesome!

The girls also found other ways to entertain themselves. Amerie loved being push around on this Car and Tayla didn't mind doing the pushing either. She is such a good big sister. After Amerie got out of the car Tayla jumped in and said "Now Amerie you push me."

We also hit Micheal's and did a picture frame craft and our local Wegman to do trick r treating around the store.

This pic is actually form the Wednesday before Halloween when we to our Ward Trunk R Treat I was a baseball player, Amerie was her skunk but she couldn't fit into her car seat with her outfit on, and Tayla was Nemo it amazing it still fit from last year.

Halloween Night

Stinky Q

Andy took the girls Trick r Treating around to a few Neighbors while I stayed home and handed out Candy. It was nice I curled up on the couch and read my book in between Trick R Treaters.

This is what Amerie thought the candy was for. Taking out one piece at a time and scattering it around the floor.

So Tayla and Amerie keep switching their costumes I don't have a pic of Amerie's other costumes but you can see Tayla's two costumes. We 1st had the Girls dressed as the pink poodle and a yellow chick but then Tyala decide that Amerie had to be the Stunk costume we had in the costume box and she wanted to wear Nemo again. She also try every costume in that box on a couple times in the two weeks that we had it out. So when ever we had to wear costumes she would pick which one she wanted to wear and which one Amerie would wear.

Port Farms

We went to Port Farms the week we got back from Idaho. It is this fun little Farm that has fun activities for the kids and grown up who are kids at heart. The girls longing in the pumpkins

They had a corn pit that was filled with corn The girls loved it. When we got home I was finding corn everywhere including their unders

Tayla, Breckon and Spencer(Breckon's Cousin)

The girls where getting around in style

They had these fun little bikes that you could race around a dirt track

Lacie and Sadie

But I think Tayla, Amerie and myself all enjoyed the slides a lot! But who wouldn't look how cool they are!

They also had a tractor ride, corn maze and Amerie's favorite the goats but my camera decided to die so I don't have pictures of those. Amerie would get so excited around the goat she would grunt and yell at them when every they got close to her which had an opposite effect on the goats then what she was trying to get.

Idaho!

The girls and I got the chance to go home to see my parents in Idaho and Andy's parents in Utah. We had so much fun see everyone and spending some time with Fam. I haven't yet had a chance to get my pics off my card but this is a pic my sister sent me of all the Carter's side grandkids.

Yes those are my Children; One is making a funny face and the other is crying but that this normal when the camera comes out they are just reminding us of their true colors. It is challenging to get some good pic of the two of them, but my sister did a good job. Thanks Danielle.

Fall

With us being gone to western state most of Oct we felt like we missed most of the leaves so Tayla decided we need to get some good leaf jumping piles together and have some fun!

We love these nice fall days!

Halloween

Check out our Halloween Video including our very own

Two Headed Monster!

monstermashup.com/af56f9

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Preschool

Well Tayla started her 1st day of preschool last week at Lakewood Methodist Preschool. She was so excited to go. We got up that morning and she told me she wanted her hair done in braids with bows. She also asked if she could get a special lunch box like daddy's. She thinks it is so cool to be going to school just like her dad. When she realized that I wasn't staying with her she did have a little bit of a hard time but as soon as she got to play with the animal toys they had there then she was all right.

Tayla so excited to go to school

Her braids and bows she asked for.


It was such a nice day that day we decided that we need to do some playing outside when preschool got out. So here are the girls enjoying the Fall weather.








Tayla is trying to keep Amerie from running away.


Amerie Loves to try her hand at running down a slight hill in our front yard so here is some footage of her doing her favorite sprint

Amerie is growing up so fast she can really cruise now.

Fire Flys

Tayla has loves the Fire Flies that we have here. She has become a professional fire fly catcher. She is really good at it when the fire flies come out give her about 2 seconds and she will have one then another and another.

Tayla and the Fire Fly

Shaking it so it will glow

There it goes ( look closely over her shoulder you will see it)

Watching it fly away (Don't you love the bug antenna. We snagged those at a ladybug themed birthday party we attended earlier that day)

Some footage of the Fly Fly Catcher in action for you viewing pleasure.

Father's Day

Ok I need to play check up have a lot of post that I just have not got up so the next couple of post will be from this summer not in any order.

Father's Day

Tayla helping her Dad open up his presents. She is such a big helper especially when it comes to opening up presents

I tried my hand at making ribs for Andy. It was my 1st time and they turned out pretty good thanks to some good instructions from a friend (Thanks Lacie)

Andy is such a good Dad he even ended the day putting on a puppet show Tayla and I. Poor Amerie slept through all the Fun

I love Andy so much he is such a great Dad, Husband, and Friend I'm so luck to have him in my life!

Baby Brother

We were driving in the car yesterday and Tayla asks

Tayla: Mom will you take me to the baby store?
Me: The baby store??
Tayla: Ya the baby store so I can get a brother.

Make sense right when we buy everything else at the store why not a brother. And no this is not an announcement.

5 Teeth!

Amerie has got her 1st tooth this last week and Tayla has bee so excited about it. Amerie has also tried her hand at walking. She has been able to take 4 steps in a row before she falls. So this is that conversation Tayla and I had today...

Amerie was standing and takes a step and this must have been Tayla's 1st time noticing that Amerie has been trying to walk...

Tayla: MOM MOM! She walking! She Walking! Just like me!
Me: Yeah she is huh
Tayla: It is because she has one tooth!
Me:Oh
Tayla: Yeah when she gets 2 teeth she won't be able to talk, when she gets 3 teeths she won't be able to talk, when she gets 4 she won't be able to talk, when she gets 5 teeth she will be able to talk HUH!!!
(As she could she is using her fingers and when she gets to five she gets big eyes and shakes her head like it is a fact)

So I don't know why 5 is the magic number but when that 5th tooth comes in watch out according to Tayla, Amerie is going to be talking in full sentences.

Fairies

Today Tayla comes running into the room and says

Tayla: Mom there are so many Fairies
Me: oh there are
Tayla: yes there is the Tooth Fairy, The Dress Fairy, The Shoe Fairy.(She counts them with very exaggerated hand jesters as she points to her Fingers
Me:Oh
Tayla: Yah the Tooth Fairy brings you teeth, the Dress Fairy brings you dresses, and the Shoe Fairy brings you shoes.
Me: Is that right
Tayla : Yah I like the Dress Fairy and I like the Shoe Fairy but I don't like the Tooth Fairy!

I love the little things Tayla says and comes up with. She is a true girl! She also have this phobia of getting older. She is scared of death of getting "cracks" on her face (wrinkles) and losing her teeth (hence why she doesn't like the tooth fairy) She is so worried about it that if we don't brush her teeth immediately after dinner she is in tears yelling "I'm going to loose my teeth" Poor kid she has so many worries for such a little girl. But we love the kid and can't imagine our lives with out our little LULU!

8 months

Well my little girl turned 8 months on Sun the 19th. Here is a little update on what she is doing. Right now Amerie is professional crawler she is so fast she is into thing before I can blink. She is at the stage of pulling her self up on what ever she can. Including your legs, her sister etc. When Tayla and I are on the couch reading she will crawl over to us and do this squawking thing until I pick her up so she can be on the couch too. The newest thing she has started to do is standing up from sitting position by herself without help. She is getting really good at it I'm just waiting for her to take a step. She also has started to clap for her self. I'll start clapping when she stands up so now she will start clapping when she stands up.(which usually makes her fall). Any who there is a long post with lots and lots of pics coming soon that shows off our little Bubba's life so far. Just want to give the folks back home a precursor to what is to come.

Birthday Shout Out

Today is Andy's 28th Birthday and the girls wanted to give him a shout out.

Here are a couple more of pics for you Dad!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD WE LOVE YOU!

Love,

Tayla and Amerie

I just want Andy to know how much we love him! Thanks bud for all you do for us and all your hard work. I am so luck to get to have you for eternity. Happy Birthday!

Independence Day

Independence Day this year was great we started off with the Ward Breakfast at 8 am then we went to home depot for the children's workshop. We came home Andy got some studying in then, we headed to the Beach. Our Friends planed a BBQ on the beach (thanks Suzi and Levi) It was a lot of fun. Tayla loved playing in the sand and water and we had a good time visiting with friends. And of course eating.

Tayla loves playing in the sand which I thought would never happen she was so anti-sand when she was younger

Our little girl is part fish I think she loves being in the water

Warming up after her little dip.

Amerie waving hi to all you back home

Well after the beach we came home and Andy study a little longer while the girls and I got to play around the house waiting for Fireworks! Andy had this idea that we could see the Fireworks on the Bay from the Home Depot parking lot because it is on a hill and you can see the Waterfront from there. That way we wouldn't have to fight the crowds.We were able to see the fireworks but they were so far a way they were kinda anti-climatic. Tayla lost interest real quick she thought is was more fun to roll down and run up the big hill.

Waiting for the fireworks

Tayla having a little snack as we are still waiting for the show to begin.

Ok I just had to throw in these cute little pics we took on the 4th. So I have the hardest time getting both the girl to look at me and smile at the same time.

And I have an even harder time catching Amerie's smile at all. Which is so ironic because she is such a smiley baby, one of these time I capture a good smile.

I just want to say how grateful I am to live in a free country and thank you to all the Men and Women that have fought and some that have given their lives for our freedom.