Young's Farm

Young's Farm is closing this year, so we headed up to Prescott on Friday to witness it's last days. Jen and Madison were going with us which added up to three adults, three kids and three carseats, which means... MINIVAN TIME! Katie and Scott graciously traded cars with us for the day and off we went for a day of fun (and no naps).

Miles

Kate and Madison in the pumpkin patch

They had a man driving a tractor and pulling around kids in cut-out barrels, so of course we paid him two dollars to give our kids a ride.

I'm not going to describe the unattractive gymnastics that it took to get me in there. Or out, for that matter.

Hayride time! We (well, the boys) stood in line for about 45 minutes to get us on this thing, but it was really cool.

Josh, Madison and Jen

Along the hayride, we stopped to learn a bit about Young's Farm. We got to taste sunflower seeds from a giant sunflower that was growing in the pumpkin patch. Those are Madison's cute hands.

We also sampled sweet corn right off the stalk.

Uncle Jake, Aunt Jocelyn, Gavin, Grandma Cheryl and Aunt Cara joined us for the day. Jake was extremely useful when Miles passed out from too much fun.

Gavin and Miles - they are three weeks apart in age and Jocelyn and I are already preparing for the mischief that will ensue.

The girls had such a good time. We found a kid's area with slides that ended in a big pile of corn. They threw it, buried themselves in it and apparently, stuffed it down their underwear because that's where I found it later.

Madison

Gavin

The bouncer slide was a favorite. Miles is turning out to be just as adventurous as Kate - I think that means that I should just pad all of my walls now, for safety and for my sanity (or lack thereof).

The aforementioned Kate

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

Ghetto Is As Ghetto Does

Ah, fond memories...corn dogs, the big yellow slide, glass fun houses where you come out with a bloody nose... Baby, it's the Arizona State Fair! My mom used to take me out of school every year to go and the strange thing is, I have been so excited to take mine someday. I guess the grubbiness isn't an issue if you're under the age of ten. Anyway, Katie and I took the kids on Thursday and we had a really fun time, although Katie did point out a lady who most likely was addicted to crystal meth - oh, and the big yellow slide is gone, but I did eat a corn dog.

Me, Kate and Amelia

Kate on the bumper boats

Amelia and Creepy Bumper Boat Man

We found a big warehouse-like structure called kidzone or something and even though it was The Place That Nasty Built, the kiddos loved it. They had little cars to ride, but Kate didn't get it and kept changing cars because she thought hers didn't work. There was an area with big blocks where the boys played for about three seconds, it being filthy and Miles sticking them in his mouth and all. There also was a Little Gym area with mats that my boy promptly spit up on. It just added to the atmosphere, ya know?

Showing off the necklaces and bracelets they made.

The boys, taking it all in from the comfort of the more sanitary stroller.

"Amelia, don't be scared, it's just like the one at McDonalds!" Ha!

The one and only "real" ride they went on.

"Uncle Krunkle's Farm" had fake cows to milk, a fake field to plow and fake chickens eggs to collect. The pumpkins were real...

Kate picking fake oranges off a fake tree.

Hear this ladies, Miles is uninterested in anything that is not real! (Nor is he interested in ladies - except his mommy)

I will say this...the petting zoo was sweet. They had zebras, ostriches, kangaroos and a giraffe!

Oh, yes - we're coming back next year!!!

Myra Foley: Realtor and Murderess (apparently)

Oh yes, it's Bunco time and this month brought intrigue, suspicion and a cutting of brake lines. Nicole hosted "Murder Mystery Bunco" and the scene took place at our class reunion where we were informed that our friend, (friend, shmend! She tried to steal my job!) Helen, had sadly bitten the dust. We had each been mailed our persona and mine was titled, "Most Likely To Succeed." Quite the stretch.

Favorites of mine:

Katie as "Karen Johns" - "Class Clown" and I only recall her name because she repeated it every 3 seconds. She's rich, loud, and has a hot husband named Duke. I think this may be the first time Katie stayed completely in costume all night. She also guessed me as the killer and won the prize.

Kelly as "Lainey" - "Class Treasurer" who got married and pregnant - in that order, people - at 16 and now has baby #15 in the oven. She was great to be partnered with because she kept score so that I could chat.

Jen, Holly ("Most Athletic") and Katie

Jen as "Head Cheerleader" - She even had a cheer for sweet, dead Helen. I can't do it justice, it was priceless.

"Most Likely to Murder an Old, Ugly Friend" and Cathy as "Prom Queen," obviously...

Fun, as always. I hope we're playing when we're 50. I didn't win any money, but Nicole did give me a gift because I was such a swell murderer.

Kate wore my shoes around the next day, and she kept saying they were her "Bunco shoes."

Happy Birthday Owen!

Owen just turned five. Five. I met Robyn for the first time when she was pregnant with him, although she didn't even know yet. For a long time, Owen was the only kid amongst us, known for his "worm" dance and his intellectual genius. It doesn't seem like five years have gone by, but they have, and six more kiddos have joined our ranks. So, to celebrate, we all congregated at Robyn and Lance's house to eat cake, play and spit up on the white carpet.

The Birthday Boy

Amelia, Owen, Madison, Kate and Luke

Owen scored this sweet bike. All the kids took turns sitting on it.

Miss Madison

Miles

Later in the evening, Lance busted out his mad balloon animal skills. Have I mentioned before that he's very handy at parties? Especially if you like tapioca.

All he was missing was his button that said, "Tips? No, I couldn't... Well, If you insist!"

Kate

Josh, Jen and Scott

How many kids does it take to open a birthday present...

Happy Birthday O

"And Babies Make... Five"

TRIPLETS. My mom and I visited Tina (my cousin) in the hospital when she was admitted for preeclampsia at around 30 weeks. I can't even fathom having three little people moving around in my belly at once - well, Miles was the size of at least two of them, so...

Most triplets make it to 32 weeks gestation, but Tina held on until 33 when her blood pressure just wouldn't behave anymore. I don't have the exact weights, but they were all in the 3-4 pound range.

TRIP.LETS.

Tina and Brian were way overwhelmed in the hospital at first and only so many people could be bedside at a time, so I saw them for the first time last week at Phoenix Children's.

All snug-in-bug-like Me with Davin Robert-Arden

I got to hold him the whole time and we fell hopelessly in love with each other.

This is Alyssa Malin and she is sporting her trademark pout. Yeah, girl!

Tina with Braden Christopher

I'm working hard on how to become their favorite "second cousin" or whatever. I guess I'll be happy if they just recognize me at family functions, but if they laugh at my jokes, then THAT'S when I know I've arrived.

And He's Off!

Yep, Miles is crawling... everywhere. His favorite place to go is the DVD player - how much money could I make if I designed a toy to look like:

* a remote * a CD player * mom's shoe * the phone (well, actually, we have one of those and he's not interested - imagine.) * the fan cord * fill in the blank...please? That might be fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn6HsTsyOZo

Thanks, Kristin, for shooting the video. Sound = Good