“My Sweet” Third Birthday

This is the party we debated.  Debated sounds more diplomatic than any other term, right?
This was the party Ray planned.  This was the party I attended.
This was the most rockin’ third birthday party ever… And I will forever be grateful for all the hard work my husband put into it.
Not only did we have an opportunity to make memories with our children, but we also had the opportunity to share it with our friends.  I have to tell you – this part of the party felt the best.  As I’ve said before, sometimes I feel like we are the recipients of so much generosity.  It was so nice to be able to share it with others.  So here you go…. The Twins “Sweet 3rd Birthday Party”.

Welcome to the Wild Wild West. 

There were bandanas.  There were hats.  There were pumpkins.   There was “pin the spot on the cow.”

There was a hay ride.  You can’t actually see Andrew and Addison on the ride – but they are in the front right corner.

   
     
The corn maze… and featured in the center – the reason we made it through the corn maze.  He’s a clue genius!

See small children walk the corn maze.  See small children get tired.  See small children suddenly become heavy children….

The petting zoo was the hit of the day.  Everything was “touchable.”  There was a calf, a bunny, chickens, peeps, and a few pigs.  All the kids LOVED the little animals.  (some loved them a little too much…)


They also had an old fashioned water pump.  The kids pumped rubber ducky's down the pipe… or drank from the well.

You probably recognize Caleb from other pictures.  He’s Andrew’s BFF and Hero all rolled into one. 

People closest to our heart.  It is amazing how much our family loves people we didn’t know a few years ago.


Happy Birthday, sweet babies.  I’m glad we celebrated your birthday a few days early – because I’m not really ready to watch you enter the world of “three” yet.  Those tears will come later this week.  Saturday was a day for laughter and memories… with good friends and great ideas.  Thanks, Ray, for making the day one we can all remember.

A Time for Everything

A time for everything: Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away;
7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.


I love this passage, but if you are of my generation – truth be told – you probably picture Kevin Bacon with a bible in his hand speaking passionately about “a time to Dance” in the movie Footloose. 

For us, the time is not about dancing, but about preparing.  That is what I feel like we are doing right now.  We are in preparation mode….

Fall is my favorite season.  The leaves all start to change colors and the air becomes just a bit more crisp.

Many people see fall as merely a time to prepare for the holiday season.  I love fall… I love the scents, activities, and fun that Fall says.


Time to Prepare…. for pumpkin patches and scarecrows. 
 
I was looking for pictures from last year’s pumpkin picking adventure… and I couldn’t find any.  Then I remembered – it was because we got the mini-van stuck in the mud in a pick-your-own Pumpkin Patch and had to call my dad to come tow us out.  I wish I had pictures of that to share.

Fall means Friday night lights (the real ones… not the show.)  They mean lazy Saturday and Sunday afternoons as West Virginia Mountaineers and Penn State reign on the TV and the Stealers vs. the Ravens war continues.  I told you Ray and I were opposite in every single way. 

Time to prepare for Football Season.  Everyone has a jersey… (or several).  Allegiances are formed. And broken – based on who has more chocolate.

                      

Fall means getting ready for school. For all of us.  The twins are going this year - it is only a few hours a week… but it is structure.  It is time away from their beloved sitter.  It is time to interact with other kids.  In Preparation for big kid school.  A big step.  Back packs are filled with a few treasures.  Outfits are picked out for the first day.  And on this day we head in to meet their teachers.  (Monday is their first official day.)  The school is actually located at the high school where I teach.  The class is run by students and the Family Consumer Science teacher.  I’m so excited for them.  They are so excited.  They actually called me back to their room tonight after about 1 hour of “bedtime sleep.”  They told me they were done sleeping and ready to go meet their new friends at Playschool.

A time to prepare for that step into school.

Did I mention that their babysitter dresses them?  Seriously – how amazing is she? 

There are things Ray and I used to do.  Fall camping trips.  When the fire burns just hot enough and the air is just cool enough to make you appreciate a great sleeping bag.  As you can see below… we are reclaiming our life.  A time to prepare for camping.  For smores, roasted hot dogs, tent slumber parties, and all the excitement that goes with a camping trip.

Love this picture.  As for now – Alexander is not camping with us.  But the twins really want him to go – and I think Ray does to… so we shall see. At some point, Alexander will go camping with us.

A time to prepare for the celebration of Twin Birth.  33 weeks.  It scares me when I think of babies born at 33 weeks.  21 days in the NICU.  And perfectly healthy –almost 3 year olds.

These pictures were taken before they were placed in incubators.  Those are preemie diapers hanging off their little tushies.  Fun Fact – I have never given birth to a baby that weighs more than 5 lbs.  Addison Leigh – 4lbs 1 oz. (on Right) and Raymond Andrew V – 4lbs 11oz (on left)

One year later – we celebrated in grand style.  A Halloween birthday party and we were the Flintstones. Fun Fact – I made our outfits.  Go Me!

Birthday #2 was a lot more laid back. (I made the cake! – Go me!) But – only our parents were invited as we were still adjusting to our new life.  In case you haven’t heard… this year is a little bit more of a big deal. 

And finally, a time to prepare for Halloween.  When everyone plays dress up.  When we practice saying “trick or treat!”  When everyone stays up past their bedtime and my 3 munchkins will still allow me to coordinate their outfits.  A time for fun. 


And this year… preparing for more fun.  We will be cow “people.”  We have to try on our costumes because sometimes they have to get used to the outfits.  I’m not going to lie… I love fall. 

(Yes… play guns come as part of their outfits. No… I don’t think this is terrible. Yes… I played with them and turned out ok. No… we don’t allow them to point their pretend guns at anyone. Guess that covers our philosophy on playing pretend….)


To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to Prepare… for all the fun that Fall has to offer.

What are you most excited about this fall?  Or is fall just a waiting period between summer and winter?