Matt & Karisa

We encountered several firsts this month...

Makenna discovering Nutella

"Mmmm! This is yummy!"

I was laughing so hard...

...doesn't she look like Mario?!

Mattaya being Campa Dave

Makenna...shocked that I let her sit in the "special chair".

(it's just the plain old office chair I have at my desk, but she LOVES it...she will ask to sit in it...and if you sit in it, she will bother you to no end until you let her sit in your lap.)

Bonus! Mommy even let her play with the calculator!

Wearing her special monkey shirt from Gampa Gary and Gamma Pam.

Ready to go to The Mall.

Gramma Julie giving the girls a ride in the chair

(whilst I look on and have a HEART ATTACK).

First Kiwi

Makenna thought it was GREAT!

Mattaya had to fight the urge to spit it out.

Opening up for her first bite of ranch (on pizza crust).

She definitely wasn't the ranch fan that Mattaya has always been.

"What's this?"

"Everyone else seems to touch it to their food..."

She so badly wasn't to use utensils, but she doesn't really understand or have the coordination to accomplish it on her own just yet. But you should see her grab a spoon fully loaded and independently put it in her mouth--so proud!

All done alphabet!

Checking the van. We went for a quick trip to The Cities. When we got to Fargo, the van was sounding awfully sad, so the guys dutifully checked it out.

Miss Valerie and Mr. Keaton (who joined us on our mini-vacation)

While we were off having tons of fun, the girls stayed with Gramma Julie and Grampa Dave. This was Makenna's first extended stay at the grandparents'. And she did great!

Gramma Julie taught her how to get off the couch without breaking her neck. Very useful skill for this girl who's favorite game is "Couchy Couch" (rolling, tumbling, flopping, twirling, spinning on the couch).

Her pajama's say "Grandpa's Girl". So true.

My parents have a new basement floor. They aren't going to do carpet or anything until AFTER spring thaw and summer rain to make SURE they aren't in for a repeat of last year. It's totally unfinished (concrete floor, no walls), but it's lots of space to run and play now that the weather is colder.

Mattaya laid claim on the room under the steps. My mom said when she first saw the room she walked in and said, "My sinking woom. I sink..." (as she tapped her finger to her chin). So they have plans to keep it as the "thinking room".

Coming home from Gramma's house.

This was Makenna's first time facing forward in the van.

The damage they can do in FIVE MINUTES.

New rug. We love IKEA.

Mattaya's a little teapot (pretending to sit on the "stove", which we of course won't let her do).

First Cheetoh

She liked it. :)

(Second half of November should be coming soon...)

My grand plan to stay on the ball lasted all of a couple weeks. Again. Oh well. I guess it's the subtle hint that I don't get to control even my little section of the universe. ;) Even though I don't control it, I sure do enjoy it!

Modeling an Auntie Karen outfit.

Such pinchable cheeks you have!

Awwwww.

We made a second quick trip to the pumpkin patch with Gramma Julie.

Micah is very good to humor this little lap-hog.

Uncle Moka has his hands FULL!

Mattaya LOVES her some lettuce. And ranch. And especially the "putongs" (i.e., croutons).

She's motoring around with our fingers more and more!

One of our last "nice" days.

Practicing independent use of the sippy cup. She proved she can independently spill it all over the patio. :)

"Pick me up!"

"Moooooom, pick me up."

I'm well-aware of my lack of fashion sense, but I felt pretty confident about mocking this particular outfit. ;)

Makenna still has just the two teeth on the bottom...

Apparently I'm Sleeping Beauty, and she's my napping assistant.

"Mommy, look what I made!"

(It's a duplex, for those of you who CAN'T tell.)

Prepping for their Halloween fun-run (a 5K).

"Hello!"

*kiss*

Talking to Gramma Pam on the phone.

Daddy can bench 35 lb.

Excited about a new jacket. :)

"It has flowers ALL OVER. Just like Gampa Dave jacket."

Annual Pumpkin Autopsies are a very serious deal.

Mattaya was eager to help Miss Angela scoop out her pumpkin. So not my child.

This was her first time coming to Small Group (or "Fall Gwoup", as Mattaya calls it). She was PUMPED. Usually she's still sleeping when we leave Mom's to head back into town (and she wakes up and is sad because she's missing out...she has no idea WHAT she's missing, but she MUST be missing something if Mommy and Daddy went without her), but she was awake this time. She had a BLAST playing with new toys and friends and pumpkins and snacks.

Carving.

Miss Valerie prepping pumpkin seeds.

Asher, eating the table.

Matt's pumpkin.

Mattaya was thrilled to eat supper with her friend Hudson.

For dessert, Miss Angela provided cake pops: ball of cake dipped in almond bark and decorated like a pumpkin. I don't have the attention span or dedication for those types of recipes, but I'm sure glad SHE does!

When autopsies were complete, Trevor got out his climbing gear to help Jason and Kassidy with a tree limb that needed cutting down.

Boys.

A Gramma Pam outfit.

Doing it HERSELF.

"I'm a big girl drinking a straw cup all by myself."

Taste of tiny bits of popcorn.

The pumpkin all lit up.

New pajamas. :)

After seeing the eye doctor for the first time, Mattaya got to walk down the street to the cookie store. She chose a bat cookie. Yum.

Pizza crust? Maybe?

Mattaya LOVES Lip Smackers, but she doesn't take the "lip" part of the product name literally. She has a tendency to apply the "chapstick" AROUND her mouth. Liberally.

Mattaya drew Larry the Cucumber with her bath crayons.

And these are her "stick figures".

"My Grandma Rides a Harley"

(a shirt from Gramma Pam)

Makenna has started to love on her babies and animals. She holds them on her shoulder, squeezes them, pats them, and says, "Ohhhhhhhh." :)

Changing George's "diaper".

Mattaya chose George's outfit and was so proud of the outcome.

(It would seem she does not yet have a firm grasp of gender yet...)

;)

A comfy, cozy outfit from Grampa Gary and Gramma Pam.

We got several inches of snow, and Mattaya was SO EXCITED to "go snowing". She had a touch of a cold, so we bundled her to the hilt. :)

An attempt to make a snow angel.

So excited to be watching Sister play in the snow.

When it's time for me to make meals, Makenna decides she needs to be held. To distract her, I drop a pile of puffs somewhere nearby. :)

X is for x-ray.

Mattaya is using fingerpaint with a bone stamp to make an x-ray of an X.

Practice.

Finished product. :)

"What did you do to my feet?!"

"Please, pick me up?"

"You pick me up right now!"

Makenna's first time playing in the snow. We wanted a picture of her standing in her gear, but she doesn't stand if she doesn't want to stand. She goes limp as a noodle. Doesn't fuss. Just relaxes every muscle in her body.