Yesterland Farm -- 2013

After 4 years of living in Texas, I finally found us a corn maze to go to! They aren't as popular here, it seems, and plus, we live in a very big metroplex place, so you have to drive over an hour to get to one. We went to Yesterland Farm and enjoyed it. It wasn't my favorite--there were a lot of carnival rides that cost additional money which isn't what a corn maze/hay ride/pumpkin patch place is about in my opinion, but it was a fun outing. I got a Living Social deal and we invited Nonnie & Gramps along for the day and it was a good time; minus the fact that I was sick and had no voice. It didn't compare to and I still miss the maze (and friends) in Georgia, though. Nonetheless, hoping to make it a yearly thing now that I've found that they do exist around here. But I think I might try a different one next year.

Seems we have a lot of pictures of Austin with pumpkins, so I figured it was Graham's turn.
There were photo ops everywhere, but we didn't drive all the way out there for a photo op! So this is the first one and last one we stopped at.

There happened to be an old car show (which is the only REAL kind in my opinion) going that day so that was an awesome bonus!

We ended up not finding all the punches, but that's ok, it was still fun trying! 

Now that we've been there once, we'll know better what to expect. Carrying Graham in our arms was a bad idea, but I got lots of great shots of him this way (which doesn't normally happen)!

The maze was pretty big, which I loved. 

Love this sweet man!

Love those sweet men!! 

This was a duck race game where you pumped water to make the ducks float back and forth.

Nonnie and Gramps bought tickets so that Austin could ride a train ride and Graham got to sit and watch. :-) 

Nonnie making Graham giggle... 

And Gramps making him make funny faces.

Riding the train and waving.

Graham wouldn't cooperate for this picture so I had to crop him out. I love this one of Austin, though!

That husband of mine... always joking around. Love him! 

Had to get one of Austin and these pumpkins. He's seriously obsessed with them!

After we were done at the farm, we headed to nearby Dairy Palace and ate lunch. It was quite a wait, but super yummy food. Try the corn bites if you go!

The Fair -- 2013

October was so busy for us that we didn't make it to The Fair until the very last day it was open. Someone remind me to never do that again. Sunday afternoon on the last day was a terrible idea. But we made the best of the crowds and ate all our favorites. Fried s'more was the fried choice for this year and it. was. delicious. (I forgot to take a picture of it.) You should totally try it next year! The boys both played the Duck Game and Austin rode the Merry-go-round. It was hotter than it should have been for the end of October, too, so we weren't dressed the most appropriate. Oh well, you live and you learn, right?

Austin enjoying his favorite--corn!

I failed to get a picture of us with Big Tex because it was too stinkin crowded, but I loved this one of the ferris wheel!

They each got to pick two ducks...

And each won the same prize--another ball for the backyard!

Graham seems more pleased with his prize than Austin does, but Austin loves it, I promise.

You can't exactly tell from this picture, but the breeze was blowing his hair around ever so sweetly.

I love the shots of him waving, but I really love the shot of them laughing together!

Two weeks later and we still have most of that left!

It was hot and he's finishing off a rootbeer. lol!

Austin's Birthday -- 2013

Austin Thomas Spofford turned 3! Can you believe it!? We didn't do a party for him this year (and probably won't again until he's in kindergarten), but we still had lots of fun! We opened presents first thing in the morning, then had a special breakfast followed by church, The Fair, and then cake when we got home. (And Nonnie & Gramps came later that week for cupcakes and presents from them.)

When I asked Austin what food he wanted for his special day (we each choose our own birthday meal food a la Parsons tradition), he said "candy." When I asked what kind of candy he wanted, he said "orange candy." So he got orange candy! And the rest of the funny story is that when I asked what else he wanted to eat on his birthday, he said "nothing, just orange candy!" I crack up as I write that! (and it's one example of why I love blogging. I want to record stuff like that!) We ended up having pizza in honor of his birthday because I know he loves it, even though he didn't request it.

We do four gifts at birthdays... well, four packages to open, really. "Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, Something to read." It works well with our goals of giving practical gifts and always encouraging a love of reading.

When he got up and came into the family room, this was waiting for him. Orange candy included!

I love his face here as he tears into the first box..

And his smile here as he opens presents and eats his orange candy out of a new snack holder.

These Thomas stories are super short which make them super awesome in my mind!

I love when paper goes flying!

Heather Waloski recommended this movie to me once and Austin was super excited to get it!

He saw these Cars sunglasses once and so I told him to ask for them for his birthday. And he got them! ;-)
That's M&M paint around his face..

Orange "icky mouse" pancakes on an orange plate with an orange cup. Guess his favorite color.

After we got home from The Fair, I threw some writing on his cake and the Cars candle I bought (and I happened to have the two blue ones in the pantry. Score!).

We couldn't get the candles to stay lit outside so we came in to sing and enjoy our cake.

These two were really enjoying it, too!

He's licking the plate, folks. Licking the plate.

I have to remind Seth not to clean up after him. If it were up to Seth, he'd clean up all the paper WHILE Austin's tearing into his presents. I like to sit with the mess for awhile. It makes me feel more festive--like we've partied. And it feels more worth all the stress if I get to soak in the mess for awhile... Or something. Is that totally crazy!? It was like this all day. :-)

Graham's FIRST Birthday Party -- 2013

Graham David Spofford is 1 year old! We had a small party with family and friends at our house to celebrate. Seth cooked fajitas and I made cupcakes for dessert. Seth also made homemade graham crackers for the take home Thank You gift for everyone who came. It was a little colder outside than we would have liked, but everything turned out well and I think everyone had a good time.

I sent Seth out to get pictures of the balloons, and he did a GREAT job!

The baby photo book and scrapbook were out for people to enjoy. We asked that people not bring gifts but instead donate batteries for his room at school at Christ 4 Kids preschool where he's in a one day/week MDO program. And then there are the graham cracker take home packages.

I love how they they turned out--red velvet with cream cheese icing and different colored sprinkles.

It was a fun, full backyard!

I had this shirt made for him. I didn't get a great shot of it, but I love it!

Happy Birthday Graham!

He wasn't very interested the cake at first, but I stuck some puffs in the back of it and he quickly learned the icing was yummy. Then he was just scraping the icing off the cake until I punched a hole into the cake and he learned the cake was yumy. Then he really started going to town on it!

He accidentally knocked the cake onto the ground. He didn't consume the entire thing. lol

We ended up just tossing the bib because it wasn't worth trying to get the chocolate stain out.

Gran, Nonnie & Gramps, Spencer/Cheryl, Marcia, and the Waloski family came to help celebrate.

Once everyone was gone and things were cleaned up a little (including the birthday boy), we did his presents. We do four things to open: Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, Something to read. We love practical gifts as well as ones that help encourage a love of book ownership and/or reading.

Seth gave him a bath and into jammies and then this was waiting for him in the front room.

I plopped him down in the center of his presents and he immediately pulled this one onto his lap. And then just sat there with it. lol

I've been waiting to give this to him for like a year or more! It's a hooded towel to coordinate with Austin's.

He wasn't much interested in any of his gifts, but loved pulling things out of bags. I love how deep he's reaching here...

Like I mentioned, we asked that people not bring Graham gifts to his party. We are very blessed and simply don't need more gifts around here. Instead, we asked that people bring batteries to donate to his classroom at school. We got SO many and were absolutely thrilled with everyone's generosity. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate Graham's first year of life with us and those that donated batteries. His teachers at school were THRILLED with them!

Graham's teachers with the batteries.