Halloween Fun has Begun!

Bridget's birthday came and went so fast since her party and her actual birthday fell on the same day this year. It was a true one day celebration, but one that won't be forgotten! Fortunately, we have Halloween just around the corner to look forward to...(just another reason why I love this time of year. As soon one fun event is over, another is about to begin! Always something to look forward to!)

Last Friday while the bigger kids were in school we hit the pumpkin patch with just our littlest ones in tow. Even though this is Ross's second holiday season, it takes on a new meaning for him this year. He's walking and running and enjoying every single bit of the fun festivities!

It seems like the year Bridget was born was the year of little girls and the year Ross was born was all about the boys! Check out these handsome boys...

Ross looks like a giant here, I know. But in all fairness, he is a year or so older than both of his buddies, Elliot and Grady. They're going to love having Ross as their cool, one year older friend:)

When in Florida...wear sunglasses to the pumpkin patch!

Thanks for snapping this one, Court!

Sweet Kinsley was the only girl this day and Ross is the lucky guy who went in for the kiss!

*Please notice her closed eyes and puckered up lips*

Later that day was the annual Fall Festival at Todd's office. It's so fun and festive and family friendly of them to put on such a fun event! The kids trick or treated throughout the office and it took no time at all for Ross to figure out how it all worked! I hold out my bucket, I get candy, I like. Although, we need to teach him to skip the Tootsie Rolls and Smarties and go straight for the good stuff! And Bridget is an old pro at this trick or treating thing. "Go for the chocolate" is her motto.

Some sections of the office really go out with decorating and dressing up. The entire Sesame Street gang showed up this year!

Today it was back to the pumpkin patch for a preschool play date! We love our preschool and are so happy we ended up here!

Looking forward to more Halloween fun this week with my little pumpkin and spider!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...Bridget turns 4!

Many, many months ago while playing what had to have been our 500th game of Candy Land, I came up with the idea of having a Candy Land themed birthday party for Bridget's 4th birthday. She LOVES playing the game and I couldn't think of a more sweet and fun theme for a party!

BK (Before Kids) I thought I'd keep birthday parties small and simple and only occasionally do them up big and fancy. Well...what can I say except that I'm a big fat liar?? Not that this party or any of our parties are over the top and lavish, but I do very much enjoy putting time and effort and lots of love into a birthday party that puts a great big smile on everyone's faces. It's fun for me and the kids, so why not??

I took these pretty pictures last month for her invitation after finally finding the perfect lollipop and outfit!

I googled 'Candy Land Birthday Party' and found more ideas that I could ever imagine. I picked my favorites and made them our own and came up with a sweet party for our sweetest girl!

The Candy Table!

Her face lit up when she saw her cupcake cones for the 1st time!

A few fun and colorful details...

The Dum Dum wreath! So cute and festive and easy to make, I only wish I had had a clue as to just how many Dum Dums it would take to make this! Three trips to the Dollar Store and 11 bags of Dum Dums later, it was done!

The birthday girl loved greeting her friends at the door!

Not sure how Limbo fits into a Candy Land themed party, but Bridget wanted to do it!

As we learned last year at her birthday party, she does NOT like to be sung Happy Birthday too, so we all said, "Happy Birthday, Bridget" as she blew out her four candles!

At the end of the day nothing made her look like a great big 4 year old girl than seeing her ride her new bike. Grandma and Grandpa made her little birthday dreams come true with this new bike and helmet. (She definitely loves the helmet just as much as the bike!) She took off pedaling right away and is begging to go out and ride her bike ALL DAY LONG!

Happy Birthday, Sweet B! Your day was spent with the most special and sweet family and friends! You are one lucky girl! It's going to be a great year!

ps-Thanks to Caroline to being my official photographer during the party:)

Comfortable

The weather has made a slight change, but a little goes a long way. A few degrees cooler and no humidity means Fall has come to Florida. We are still waiting for that first real cold front, but for now I'm perfectly happy with what we have-crisp mornings, sunny days, and breezy evenings. It's absolutely, perfectly comfortable! We've been walking, playing in the driveway, hitting the parks, but still enjoying the pool too!

We went to park twice this week and I'm realizing what big kids I have! Bridget is daring on the playground contraptions and loves to climb, scale and shimmy on everything! Last spring Ross was still not a walker so the park was such a tease to him, but now he is enjoying it like a big kid! He runs from one area to another trying it all out and watching every move his big sister makes.

Just helping himself in and out of the fire truck, no help needed!

Do kids ever outgrow swings??

His smile every single time he made it to the bottom of the slide!

Her favorite playground play thing, the toadstools!

Just a couple of sunbathers:)

Welcome October...we love you!