Petting Zoo Verses Pumpkin Patch

We took Olivia to Linder Farms last night for her first "pumpkin patch experience". It was actually the first such adventure for all "four" of us! As it turned out, the petting zoo held much more allure than the pumpkin patch in the cold, dark evening. Richard and I agreed next year we should definitely visit the farm during daylight hours; picking out a pumpkin in the dark, with or without a flashlight, does not appeal to either of us. Either way, we had fun on the hayride and got to see and pet some very cool animals!

Bundling up with Dad on the hayride

How cool! How many people in the world can say they've petted a camel?

The zebra was one of my favorite animals at the petting zoo, along with the camel.

Brrrrr. . . The feel of fall is definitely in the air!

Gone in 60 Seconds

Olivia finally has enough hair for pigtails. I have never been very good at "doing hair", but I am trying. Unfortunately, she pulls them out just as soon as she realizes I am finished putting them in. She's two. . . what can I do???

Aren't they cute while she keeps them in ???!!!

Who Dunnit???

I got out of the shower this morning to find this lovely tissue mess made just for me.

Our whole family is getting over our first "family cold" of the season, and I've been sleeping with the tissue box next to my bed. Someone decided to use a tissue or two!

Suspect Number One:

I think not!!!

Suspect Number Two:

We have a winner!!!

Never a Dull Moment!

Look out Dodger, here comes Olivia. . . fly swatter in hand!

Olivia has taken quite an interest in helping Richard and Dodger destroy the many flies that took over our house last week. Personally, I'd rather she didn't touch the germ-ridden fly swatter, but it's a fight I couldn't win on either front. I'm outnumbered three to one.

Olivia is concentrating hard on picking just the perfect color for her page.

" Masterpiece finished!!!"

Where on Earth Is Olivia Nichole???

Olivia found a favorite hiding place.

"Peek-a-boo!"

"Here I am!!!"

Secret Hideaway

Yesterday morning Olivia thought it would be fun to dump all of her dirty clothes out of her clothes hamper, tip it over, and climb on in.

She was so tickled with herself, all I could do was smile and get the camera.

More Jammies, Please

Olivia was absolutely shocked last night when she was playing on my bed and her toe magically appeared from within her footed pajamas.

"This is the little piggy who went to market, right Mom???"
" . . .And he says "oink, oink". "

With the arrival of fall, I am trying to winterize Olivia's closet and get her ready for the cold weather that quickly approaches. It's actually a little bit of work. I'm in the process of packing away all the summer items I know she'll never fit into again and deciding which winter items from last year must make their way to our storage attic upstairs as well. The pajama drawer has taken a back seat, as witnessed by the picture above. While I definitely need to send some things to storage, I need to buy my kiddo some new jammies to replace them, as well.

I get way too sentimental with Olivia's clothing. For instance, I can tell you that the Slater girls gave Olivia the Minnie Mouse pajamas she is wearing in the picture above at her church shower when she was only 2&1/2 months old. I remember thinking, "adorable, but size 12 months, I'm sure she won't need these for a long time". Olivia wore her Minnie pj's for the first time the following fall (just last year), when Aunt Gloria, Uncle Bob, and Greg came to visit us for her birthday. This fall, when the weather turned cold and I pulled them out, she recognized "Minnie Mouse" for the time. These are NOT just pajamas, they are part of Olivia's infant/toddlerhood!!!

Maybe one of these days I'll be able to sort through and part with some of Olivia's infant outfits. However, I think it might just be awhile. Every time I open a container I end up marveling at how little her clothes once were and how big and independent my baby girl has become.

Deprived Little Girl

Halloween will be here before I know it, and I still don't have Olivia's costume. I am not even sure what to buy. She really likes Mickey and Minnie Mouse, from Playhouse Disney. She does a great job "singing" their theme song whenever we see a picture of either of them. I thought she'd make an adorable Minnie Mouse, and I even bought the costume Saturday. Then reality set in. I realized I paid much more for one costume that Olivia might wear for three hours, at best (and I still didn't have leggings or shoes), than I would pay for an outfit she'd wear all year long. So, practicality (or some would say cheapness) won out and Minnie went back to the Disney store. Did Olivia care? Will she be scarred for life??? Let's hope not. But what will she dress up as this Halloween? I still don't know!!!

The two of us set out the next day on a great costume search. She was quickly bored, and I remained costumeless. We tried bears and tigers; Olivia does an awesome "ROAR". I kept coming back to puppy or Dalmation costumes, but not one was as cute as the Lady costume(from Lady and the Tramp) she wore last year. We returned home to find the Lady costume does still fit! Since I know our little guy won't ever be wearing it, I may just let Olivia be Lady two years in a row. What kind of mother does that???!!!:)

She doesn't look too traumatized by a possible repeat does she???

I am certainly not a "Halloween person" for many reasons. One is that my mom put me in the most ridiculous costumes ever (I love you Mom). We laugh at some of them now, but I certainly don't want to put Olivia through the humiliation of wearing a Strawberry Shortcake sweatsuit and calling herself Strawberry Shortcake (although yes, it is practical, cheap, and reusable). Ask me about a robot costume that requires just a box and tinfoil sometime. Or how about pink footed pajamas you can wear all winter long accentuated with bunny ears. . .

But seriously, I am always convicted by those who do not to dress up for the pagan day at all. I choose not to know this true history of Halloween, and my ignorance is bliss attitude permits me to enjoy harvest parties and neighborhood kids in adorable costumes. I guess it all comes down to perspective. A friend was telling me about a local church that uses the night to create a setting where kids go to different rooms and hear various Bible stories. Now that is a great way to turn a dress-up party into something meaningful. I am hoping we end up there!

An Afternoon at the Boise Zoo

I think riding this tiger was the highlight of Olivia's day.

We couldn't pass up a chance to go down the giraffe slide.

"Brinley, do you want to hide behind the mama penguin or the baby penguin?"


Olivia really did enjoy the animals, too. If I remember right, she is looking at a white leopard (maybe next time I'll remember the true name, genus and species).

Rainy Indoor Saturdays

Olivia practices being a "big sis" and feeds her baby. Our watchdog stands guard.

"I'll have a little of this myself."

"Maybe I'll have a little more. Ahhh, so refreshing!"

"Atta Boy, I love my Dodger Duke."

Play Ball ! ! !

The Dodgers and the Cubs played their first game of the playoffs today, and our house was alive with baseball fever all afternoon and evening. Thank goodness the Dodgers won, or Olivia, Dodger (our Cocker Spaniel), and I might have had to find somewhere else to spend the evening.

"Keeping my eye on the ball, I'm in my batter's stance. . ."

"It's all about the follow-through, you know."

"Yeah coach, I hear you, but I'm still the boss, got it!"

"Ready for my fastball Dad???!!! Here it comes!!!"