Berry Patch Farms

Yesterday morning, the little guy and I went to Berry Patch Farms with our MOM-A (Moms of Milton-Alpharetta) group. It was tons of fun!

We took a hayride out to the pumpkin patch where Ryan got to pick out his own little pumpkin. {Actually, he really had no interest in the little pumpkins and preferred to throw them as if they were balls, and run around the big open field like a wild man! He did like the big pumpkins though, and the scarecrows.}

After our hayride back, we enjoyed some apple cider {which Ryan devoured}, playing on the playground, visiting the baby farm animals, and playing on an old farm tractor.

Now we are looking forward to our family trip to another pumpkin patch with Daddy next week :)

Scarecrows and Corn Mazes

What better way to kick-off the season than with scarecrows and corn mazes!?

Last Saturday, we ventured over to the 5th Annual Scarecrow Harvest in Downtown Alpharetta {after having a fun breakfast at Dunkin Donuts}.

For a little background, the City of Alpharetta invites teachers and students from local elementary schools to celebrate the spirit of the fall season by creating scarecrows. The scarecrows are then on display on Main Street in Historic Downtown Alpharetta beginning in October. It is so much fun to drive down the street {one we travel on multiple times a day}, and see all the creations! Awards are given out at the Scarecrow Harvest for the Most Creative, Best Constructed, Best Personality, “ Go Green” Crow, and SchCOOLEST (school with the most participating classrooms) Scarecrows. The Scarecrow Harvest also features hayrides, face painting, storytelling, bounce houses, children’s fall crafts, and live folk music. What a great community event!

Ryan enjoyed admiring all the scarecrows! His favorite scarecrow was the one of Buzz and Woody. He LOVES Toy Story {and if you cannot tell, he is holding his Buzz and Woody toys in both hands}.

He also enjoyed the hayride, playing with chalk, and seeing all the dogs! This will definitely be a yearly October tradition for our family, as long as we live near Alpharetta :)

Now onto the corn maze ... yesterday {Daddy was off for Columbus Day ... Yay!}, we went to Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze in Dawsonville with our next door neighbors.

It was great fun, and will also be added to our yearly tradition list! In addition to the 12 acre field of corn that has approximately 4 miles of trails, there was a little soy bean corn maze for the kiddos as well as goats to feed {which Ryan loved}, a Corn Cannon, and some pumpkins!

On a side note -- Ryan adores Ellie, the little girl next door, as she does him. They have so much fun together! At one point, they ventured off through the corn maze holding hands {and looking like a cute old married couple}. Is this not the sweetest thing ever?!?!

Until our next Fall adventure {which will be to a Pumpkin Patch on Tuesday with our playgroup so you don't have to wait long!} ...

Fall

My favorite season of the year has finally arrived. Yay! I love the Fall, and here's why (in no particular order):

1. Football {which I never cared about before I married David; however, I now love hanging out at home on Saturday's watching every college football game on TV, and going to the Georgia Dome on Sunday afternoons to cheer on the Falcons when they are in town. David's love of the sport is contagious, not to mention that I love spending the time with him!}


2. Bonfires, and s'mores {which are a must anytime you have a bonfire, at least in my opinion}

3. Pumpkin everything {pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, trips to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins}

4. Apples -- more specifically, caramel apples and apple cider

5. Great weather {it is cool, but comfortable}

6. A new season of Parenthood on NBC {we love this show!}

7. Leaves {orange, red, yellow, and brown -- the perfect autumn color palate}

8. Chili = deliciousness on a Fall day

9. The perfect excuse for snuggling with my boys {thanks to the cooler weather I already mentioned!}

10. The Holiday Season {Halloween, Thanksgiving, David's Birthday, and all the fun and excitement leading up to Christmas Day, since Christmas Day itself falls in the Winter as does Ryan's Birthday}

Happy Fall!!!

On another note, Ryan and I had our fifth class (out of 10) this morning at The Music Class. We have so much fun together each Wednesday morning at this class, and are looking forward to the remaining 5 weeks. Another something we will enjoy this Fall. Here are a few pictures from class.

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

Ryan is!

David and Ryan are off to their first Falcons game of the season with Pop and Aunt Laura. {I have a Willow House Party this afternoon or I would be there as well!} GO FALCONS!!!

And, the Atlanta Falcons Quarterback is Matt RYAN ... Is this not SO adorable!?

Finally Fixed

After multiple conversations over the last three weeks with Georgia Baby and Baby Dream {the crib manufacturer}, we FINALLY received a replacement part yesterday so that we could attempt to fix the problem we were having attaching the toddler rail to Ryan's new bed. However, no one was sure, not even the manufacturer, that this part {which they sent because it was the only one that they currently had in stock -- not very reassuring} would do the trick as we didn't have a clue whether the problem was occurring because the holes were miss-drilled on (a) the crib or (b) the toddler rail.

Well, after much finger-crossing, I am happy to report that the part worked and the bed is FIXED {thank goodness since the husband missed a quarter of the Georgia game to fool with it before the munchkins nap}! Yay for it being fixed though, and not having to worry about him falling out in the middle of the night anymore!!! Even Ryan is very excited about it!!

Our next project -- vacuuming as the carpet was covered with white junk that came out of the box when we took the replacement part out. Ryan gladly pitched in as he is neat and orderly just like his Daddy! And, LOVES to vacuum! When anyone mentions the word vacuum, he runs to the hall closet and waits for you to open the door so he can get his "little vacuum" {which is actually one of the attachments} out. Hopefully he still enjoys this chore a few years from now!

And, now that our work is complete, Ryan is snoozing in his "finally fixed" bed, David is back to watching football, and I am, well, enjoying a few minutes to myself as I update the world wide web on our morning happenings :) Happy Saturday!

Now onto getting the stroller, that AirTran broke on our way back from Tampa, fixed. Wish us luck!

Oh what fun it is ...

to visit Tampa {and, we are looking forward to singing this phrase to a Christmas tune known as "Jingle Bells" in a few short months, just in case you were wondering}.

After almost having a panic attack once I booked my plane ticket to fly to Tampa with Ryan all.by.myself, the little man once again proved to me that I had no need to worry and I am so glad that I took advantage of his free flying privileges one last time. We had a nice flight down and back, and enjoyed reading books, looking out the airplane window, napping, and eating lots and lots of Cheetos, to pass the time.

While in Tampa, Ryan and I had so much fun ...

~ swimming and playing on the playground at Uncle Alan's apartment complex {we didn't take the camera on these excursions though},

~ going to the Sesame Street Safari of Fun at Busch Gardens {for FREE, thanks to Daddy, our hero},

~ spending time at the beach in Siesta Key,

~ getting ice cream at Campbell's Dairyland and Big Olaf Creamery,

~ walking on Bayshore Boulevard, and


~ spending time with Uncle Alan.

I'm a Big Kid Now

This is how Ryan is feeling these days as we converted his crib into a toddler bed last Friday night {so sorry for the delay in posting this news -- we have been busy, what can I say}.

We {and by we, I mean David} had quite the ordeal getting the new bed together though. It should have been really easy, but the holes drilled in the toddler rail were about a half inch off from the holes on the sides of the crib so you couldn't screw the railing onto the crib. After about 30 minutes of trying to somehow make it work, my handy husband gave up. Thus, Ryan has not only been sleeping in a toddler bed now, but a toddler bed without a rail!! And, he has done GREAT!!!

Helping Daddy :)

Happily laying in his new bed before it is even put together!

Smile!

{Editor's Note: We {and this time by we, I mean I} called Georgia Baby first thing on Saturday morning and we are getting a new rail that will line up but for the time being, we line the floor with pillows in case he falls out in his sleep. So far so good though. Hopefully, I don't jinx it! The bed is thankfully not very high off the ground -- or we would have been figuring something else out!}

Now for a little more elaboration on the new setup and Ryan's adjustment to it, we have a gate up at his door so he cannot get out and wander around the house in the middle of the night {this is my biggest fear about him no longer being in the crib}, and we move all of his toys out of his room when it is time for him to sleep. All he can get to are his books. He cried at the gate the first night and I ended up laying with him until he fell asleep. His nap on Saturday afternoon was a similar story. Since then though, he has been fine. He will occasionally get up and wonder around his room for a few minutes or look at his books, but he almost always gets back in his bed shortly there after. Only once has he laid down on the floor instead. And, only once has he pulled ALL of his diapers out of the drawer.

View from the hallway

Our sweet angel sleeping soundly!

All-in-all, I have to admit that this has been an easier transition than I was expecting :) I hope that I can say the same thing about potty training him and getting rid of his pacifier. Only time will tell.

And on another note, we hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend, and an all around great September!!!