Lovin' Greenbluff

 Have I mentioned that I love Greenbluff and cannot wait to live out at Peone Prairie? It is so incredible out there. It's beautiful, such a great, loving community,and ever time I go there, I feel like I'm surrounded by some of the nicest strangers I've ever been around. Seriously- everyone is so friendly out there. I don't know what it is, but I love it and could definitely be around it all the time!

The kids and I were lucky enough to be out there twice in a week. Once with Lola's coop preschool for a field trip, and another time for out annual fall trip with the Flaherty family.

Hearing about apples on our field trip to Walter's Fruit Ranch.

 Lola, dressed for the rain in her ladybug rain gear, and listening with her friends.

 Picking an apple.

 Back on the tractor and enjoying apples with her friend, Elise.

 Finding the perfect pumpkin!

 Enjoying some creative time with Kinslee.

 We stopped at a petting zoo that was set up for the weekend between two farms. After seeing chickens, bunnies, sheep, goats, miniature ponies, llamas, and horses, Lola was sure that the bunnies were by far her favorite!

 Having a moment with my little man in the car. Sometimes, you just have to stop and pay attention to the sweet sounds of a baby. He really is such an amazing little guy.

 Such sweet friends.

 Tayslee and Mac.

We love our Flaherty friends! So happy and thankful to have them in our lives!

Our Hungry Boy

It was really easy to wait to feed Lola until she was 6 months old. There was no more waiting with Mac. Five months was long enough for this growing, hungry boy. The way he stares at people eating food, and wanting to nurse all day long, it was just time to give this boy good old rice cereal! He was so excited, trying to figure out if he should swallow the cereal, or just gnaw on the spoon!

 Lola couldn't wait to be a part of this. She had to take a turn feeding him even before Dan did!

 Gotta love this face.

Oh, check out those lips and sweet cheeks. LOVE my boy!

Birthday Week

Birthday Week. One of my favorite times of year.

 

Nana's birthday is October 9th, and she had me on my dad's birthday, the 11th. I have always loved the fact that I was born on my dad's birthday. He loved it too, but I'm sure there were years when he was eating Barbie birthday cake where he felt a bit overshadowed. Nevertheless, we have created a new tradition and ever since I was in college, we got out to lunch together. The past few years, Lola has tagged along and this year Mac got to come too :)

 

Because we feel the need to gather on my mom's birthday, then again on my/dad's birthday, then celebrate again on the weekend with grandparents, it really is a birthday week! This year, we were lucky enough to be joined for one of the celebrations by Uncle Andrew, whose birthday is the 13th! CRAZY!

 We actually began Birthday Week with a visit from Grandma Linda. We took her out to Greenbluff to check out Colca, an alpaca farm. We got to meet the latest addition on the farm, a two week old baby alpaca, who was pretty shy, but very fond of Mac!

 Mama & 2 week baby alpaca.

 We took Grandma Linda up to the property at Peone Prairie to walk around and check out the future Wadkins homestead.

 I can't wait to take this picture and have a house behind me & my kiddos :)

Our little Zags fan

Taking a walk before Nana's birthday dinner.

Lola helped Nana blow out her candles.

 Watching a video of Lola singing "This little light of mine"

 Reading books together.

 Waking up to snuggle with her babies, Maggie & Lucy.

 Waking up for some Boppy tummy time.

 Uncle Andrew shopped at Lola's store.

 He taught her how to swipe his credit card to make a return.

 Like father...like son? In law?

Mac is SUCH a dog lover. His face just light up and he has started lunging towards them. He will definitely be on my side when we try to convince Dan that this family needs a pooch :)

Buddies

Reading books with Nana

Jammie Time!

Indian Summer

The past few weekends, we have soaked up the last of the warm sun for the season. How I LOVE sitting on the beach in a swimsuit in September. We spent some more time at the beach in Coeur d'Alene and the next weekend, headed up to Palmer Lake.

Dan taught Lola how to make sand castles.

 A tie to the beach?

Little stud

 Lola's first canoe ride. With her favorite chair, snacks and shades, she was all set!

 Lola is my little helper, often entertaining Mac and teaching him all she knows.

 I'm cherishing the fact that they adore each other right now.

 Playing with her ducks while the deer made their way across the lawn for an evening snack.

 Another first...smores at the camp fire.

 They were a hit! This is the face of a smores-loving kid!

 Mac wasn't impressed by the smores this year but I have a strong suspicion we'll all be enjoying them by next summer.

 And the most exciting part of our trip... in late afternoon, I saw 6 deer in the yard and was so excited, since we've only ever seen three at a time at dusk. I grabbed my camera, but before we knew it, there were nine deer, and then there were twelve deer! We couldn't believe it! Then we herd the sound of mooing down the road and Dan realized there was a cattle drive just down the street. We hurried up to the front gate and watched a huge herd of cattle, some cowboys and a cowgirl make the last leg of their trip.

The cowboy in this picture came up to the gate to let Lola pet his horse. He told us this was the third day of their trip, coming from Palmer Mountain and bringing the cattle to a pasture at the end of the lake. When Lola herd the mooing she said, "Mama, I don't like their snorting!" We explained that was the sound of them mooing. When she saw her first blonde cow, she very excitedly exclaimed, "Look guys! It's a lion!!!" Again, we corrected her but I think she likes her idea best :)