Our Aweful Beautiful Life

The kids and I took advantage of a forced Friday off (Pam was closed) to enjoy a day with Grandpa. Lucky for us, it'd been raining for a few days, so harvest was at a halt. These days don't come often in the month of October. We made the quick trip up to Fair Oaks Dairy to see the cows! Colton loved it...Em was fascinated, but too busy to really "get it". Grandpa, I think, was in heaven. Growing up on a dairy farm, I'd say it's safe to assume he was just in awe at the mass quantities of cows... Em on the playground. Kiddos on the "Cow"esel.. Ready for our bus tour! Grandpa's girl! Kids had the best seat in the house! The real "cow"esel... Group shot! :) So blessed to have such a great dad, and wonderful grandpa! :) He wanted this picture, but didn't want to get too close... Can you even see us in there? Thanks Grandpa...for a fun day. We love you!

Trick or treat was a real treat this year. Em was tons of fun (rather than just a lug of a bug, like last year) and Colton was his typical silly self. The kids had a ball. I'll let the pictures do the talking! :) Colton & Em Halloween 2010 Our first stop was at Aunt Dee & Uncle Dan's! MISS Halloween Pumpkin! Mr. Scarecrow A pumpkin cookie for our little pumpkin! The kids were upstaged twice this Halloween. This was the first time... Emmalyn & Cousin Kate Mansfield The Babies (Emmalyn, Kate & Lane) at A Witchy Good Time! More of the kiddos! The chaos. Great party with great friends! Upstaged number 2. Buddy the elf, what's your favorite color? The kids were not quite sure what to think ... Great Grandma Hancock! Em got bored, so she read the newspaper... Happy Halloween 2011!

I can't help it. I'm in love with these new pictures, and I wanted to share! :) So glad to have been introduced to Ashley, and so thrilled with what she was able to capture! Thanks Ashley! Check us out at http://ashleyreadphotography.blogspot.com/2011/11/stockment-family.html More on our families goings on to come soon...

So, a few weeks ago, Colton's buddy Jackson came into school and handed Colton his very first "friend" birthday invite. It was an adorable black magnet invite to handily be hung on the refrigerator so that busy Mom's won't forget the party.  Unless your Colton's Mom. The party was a Halloween themed costume party, and after a few back and forth's, Colton finally decided he wanted to be a scarecrow for Halloween. Which is perfect, since Sis is going to be a Pumpkin. Pictures of them together will likely follow -- we've not decked sis out in her full costume yet. So, we worked to make the perfect Halloween Scarecrow, and all day Sunday, we talked about Jackson's party, and what fun it would be. Colton even took a great nap, so that he could be well rested to go play! We finished up his costume, and loaded up the van just in time to leave the house for Jackson's party at 4:30 on Sunday afternoon. When we go there, no one was outside playing (...

Remember the first day of preschool, when Colton just wasn't quite sure what was going on? I think these three amigos (and daycare buddies), have come a long way! :)

I love this time of year. I love it. (Did I mention I love this time of year?) Changing colors of the leaves. Brisk, sweatshirt weather, beautiful sunsets, campfires, and most of all, Harvest on the Hall Farm! :) Colton has been readily asking me, since that day last spring that we rode in the tractor with Grandpa Hall while he was planting, "Can we ride in the combine yet"............almost weekly. Finally, the time has come (and rather quickly it's felt like) to take weekends in the fields with Dad & Uncle Trent. I had a half day last Friday, so our fun Fall Weekend kicked off with a lunch date with Mom, then she was off to a doc appointment while I went home to catch up on some sleep! :) Works been nuts lately, so that little soiree was long overdue. She called just as I was waking up and we were off to pick up the kiddos to go to Kent's Pumpkin Patch for our annual Pumpkin visit! Mom loves to take the kids with her so she gets some great fall screen saver ...