family | The Big White Farmhouse

October 3, 2011

{family} A Fall Adventure List

Hello friends! Can you believe it’s October? I am so excited because October and November may quite possibly be my two favorite months of the year! Cooler weather, lots of birthdays and an anniversary (our 6th!), and then the holidays…lots to look forward to! 🙂

Since this time of year tends to be so full, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life and totally miss all that this season is about. So in an attempt (I’m really, really trying!) to be more deliberate with our days, I created a “Fall Adventure List” to complete with the boys!

I’ve included a bunch of things and I’m sure we’ll only be able to complete part of the list. But I’m hoping it will become a nice resource for our family to come back to year after year. I definitely see myself adding to it as the kids get older too!

So without further ado, here is our list! I hope it will inspire you to make a Fall list of your own!

2011 Fall Adventure List

Play flag football in the backyard

Make hand turkeys

Fly a kite

Donate food to the food pantry

Go through a corn maze

Plant a few mums for our front porch

Carve pumpkins

Discover and make a new dip

Buy new hats, boots and gloves

Leave a love note for my husband just because

Brew apple cider

Make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Go through the boys’ clothing & toys, and donate unused stuff to charity

Make chili

Go to storytime at the library

Go for a ride in the car to look at the leaves

Make chicken and dumplings in the slow cooker

Complete a puzzle as a family

Write a letter to a relative who lives far away

Rake leaves as a family and jump in a big pile!

Bake an apple crisp

Visit a pumpkin patch

Write a birthday letter to each of my children

Play at the park

Buy a new scarf for me!

September 12, 2011

{family} A Field Trip to the Apple Orchard

A perfect day for picking apples and being with family. We’ve gone to this orchard every year on Grandparent’s Day/Opening NFL Weekend since M was a baby. And I must say, it was surreal this time to watch my two oldest. Giggling together with some conversation only brothers can understand. Walking like “big boys”, needing no helping hands. Playing “tag, you’re it” and races across the big, open field.

I love being their mamma.

And baby J’s too of course! He wore the obligatory Cowboys jersey in honor of his Daddy’s favorite team. Our third sweet baby boy to do so! He’s been teething, so he wasn’t very interested in all the apple excitement and preferred to snuggle up to either his Meme or Poppa instead.

We all had so much fun. Now to find a yummy recipe for apple pie….

August 26, 2011

{home} A Peek into the Nursery

It’s seems so cliche to say that time flies. And to be honest, I never really believed it until recently. When it was just me and M, the days seemed to be so long. Sweet little old ladies would encourage me to cherish this time because it goes by so fast. And I would smile and nod politely, not truly believing them.

But now, almost five years and two more babies later, I am here to tell you it’s true! My oldest is almost five…five! We are starting school and learning to read. He is a big help and is crazy funny. I look at him all the time and think, “Where did the time go?”

D is looking older everyday. He is talking in full, understandable sentences. He loves to color and draw. He wants to be a Super Hero when he grows up. As I listen to his silly belly laughs, I think, “Where did the time go?”

And now my sweet baby J is growing like a weed, crawling and pulling himself up to stand. Cruising around furniture and playing right along with the big boys. Eating solid foods and “talking” to his DaDa. I sit back and think, “Where did the time go?”
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All of that mamma mumbo jumbo to say…I thought you might like to take a peek into our nursery! I have recently added in a twin bed and am still looking for just the right bedding. I also need to order that artwork that’s been sitting in my etsy cart for months now. But that’s really what I love about my home…it’s always a work in progress.

Hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend!

July 5, 2011

{family} A Walk & a Scavenger Hunt

Thrilled to have their picture taken…and doesn’t everyone take their spatula with them on walks?

The weather has cooled off some (HA! How ridiculous when the mid/high 80’s are considered “cooling off”!) So we’ve been walking around the neighborhood! It’s fun for the whole family: Daddy pushes our new-to-us double stroller with the big boys and I have J in the Sleepy Wrap.

On one of these adventures, M was getting quite ansy, so I suggested that he participate in my latest idea: a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt – Photograph Style! He is always dying to use the camera, so he was excited! He sat in the stroller and Mark and I took turns giving him something to find on our walk. When he saw it, he took a picture. He had fun and actually took some great shots! I think we’ll be doing this game again soon!

June 29, 2011

{family} Mexican Fiesta Night!

Every so often, I get tired of the same old, same old and declare to my fam, “Today we are going to __________!” The boys are typically excited with my crazy antics and Mark just goes with the flow, bless his heart. So, after a pretty uneventful couple of weeks, I knew we needed something to change things up a little.

And after reading about the pinata that was made on Young House Love a little while ago, I knew we just had to make one of our own! Thus, the theme for Mexican Fiesta Night was born!

It was pretty cheap for a full day of fun…the only things we bought were balloons (for $1.50) and a couple bags of candy. Everything else we already had at home. But spending a day doing an exciting, new craft with the boys…priceless. Definitely a family memory we will remember (and do again soon!).

June 20, 2011

{family} Father’s Day Recap

We had family over to our house Sunday to celebrate Father’s Day. It was really special to be able to honor both my dad and Mark. The kitchen was just the hubb of activity and in all my preparations, I didn’t take a single picture! Next year I will definitely enlist of the help of someone to take pictures of my table and spread! 🙂

Since I love the details of a good party, here is what we served for Dad and Mark’s special day:

The Menu

Kabobs with Peppers

“Man Steaks”

Bacon & Ranch Potato Salad

Crunchy Coleslaw

Fruit Salad

Chips

Soda
Pink Lemonade

Peach Tea

Blueberry Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Cookies

June 16, 2011

{family} Our Mini-Vacation to the Beach!

Last week started poorly. We had just made the decision not to travel to Maine for vacation this year. Financially, it just didn’t make sense, not to mention the 14 hour car ride with three little boys! So, although I knew it was the right choice, I was pretty sad. It’s hard being a grown up.

Add to that an air conditioning unit that stopped working AGAIN! And during a heat wave with temps in the high 90’s all week! We were all a cranky, unhappy mess. So Mark totally won the husband of the year award when he declared on Thursday: “Pack your bags! We’re headed for an over-nighter at the Beach!”

We drove down Thursday afternoon and checked into the hotel by dinnertime. He had just enough points saved up from staying in a hotel during a business trip, making our stay free! We got dinner, bought a new $5 movie at Target, and settled in for the night. The boys love staying in a hotel, so it was quite the treat.

Bright and early the next morning, we were up and ready to embrace the day. Perks of having early risers: we got to the beach around 8:30 and were the only ones there! It was utterly amazing. I think we all just stood in awe at how beautiful it was. M, as usual, was in his element, going back and forth between sand castles and “fighting” the waves. D was more hesitant and a little freaked out by all the sand but he quickly warmed up and was soon way out in the water with Daddy! J was his little happy self (as usual) and even took a nap on our beach blanket.

Needless to say, it was such a wonderful day and exactly what we needed to get away from the monotony. We left around lunchtime, just as the beach started to fill up. I left feeling so much love for my little family. And so much love and appreciation for my wonderful husband! I am blessed.

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