Halloween

Halloween 2012! What a blast! Although it rained we made the most of it. Started off in the morning with the boys waking in matching pj's and helping mama bake cupcakes, storytime the night before with daddy and alot of playing in there bedrooms. Logan insists these days that Hunter play with him. Hunter doesn't really play but he sure does enjoy just sitting in Logan's room watching him play. I like to listen from the outside to Logan telling Hunter what toy he can play with or not play with. Lucky for Logan, Hunter doesn't tell him what toy he wants to play with just yet.

 

While the Chicken Caccitore simmers on the stove, the boys and I all get dressed in our Halloween costumes. They weren't really costumes for anyone but Hunter though, everyday clothes for the rest of us. Daddy, Mama and Logan were cowboys (or cowgirl) and Hunter was our prize Bull. Pretty fitting for our heavyweight.



I attempted to put freckles on my cheeks (more cause I guess I don't have enough naturally) and Logan didn't like that, he informed me "mama you sick, you need to go to bed right now"



Boo Boo insisted on bringing down Pistachio for the festivities! We found Logan his saddle just in time for Halloween. It was a hit of course, all the neighbors came out to see what the neighing was coming from. Logan couldn't have been happier, he wanted Pistachio to come inside, it's all he can talk about.



A boy and his horse!

 

and Grandparents too!

Mustache pumpkin was Mitchell's, mine was an owl but you couldn't tell. Until next year! Give us ideas for a family costume again!



Pumpkin Patch (visit # 3) and final!!

 

Nonna really wanted to take the boys to the pumpkin patch, so we arranged to meet there on the weekend while daddy was at work. The boys loved it, well Logan anyway, there isn't much Hunter doesn't not like these days. Except being hungry. There were still tractor rides, hay slides and a hay maze. (yes stanly lane again, my favorite) Logan really wanted to inspect the tractor most of the time while we were there this trip.

 

I was able to snap some pretty cute pics of the boys today though!



                       Hunter: 6 Months   Logan: 2 Years 8 months

 

We had a blast! Came right home with all of our mini pumpkins to get started on our Halloween dinner table crafts! Stay tuned for Halloween night pics!

 



Pumpkin Carving and the Coffin Races, What?

 

Friday night was spent with the Franco's carving pumpkins! They had all the right tools and space, plus Manya made a delicious dinner. Spaghetti and Meat Balls, yummy! Mitchell and I haven't carved pumpkins in years, so we printed out stencils of what we wanted and voila! It made it pretty easy, for Mitchell anyway. I taped on the stencil and dotted out the outline then he did the gutting and carving.

 

Logan was suppose to help but he would rather pick up all the seeds off the floor or play with the pumpkins insides. Maybe next year he will be more in to it?



Miss Mia had the cutest pumpkin, hearts for eyes and nose and some big puffy cheeks with a big smile, Nico's was too scary

and well you will have to wait for Halloween pics to see ours!


 

Coffin races the next day were cool! There were about 10 to 15 themed coffins, my favorite was the Geanie in a coffin one! Those woman were awesome!

Logan had an alright time, not much to do for the kids, except trick-or-treat through the near by businesses.

All in all it was a nice, HOT, family day out. 



4th of July Caldwell style!

Happy Birthday America!

American Canyon Parade AKA "Rancho"





Tahoe! First family vacation as 4

Tahoe, our favorite place! For Father's Day Logan and I planned a trip for daddy, a trip to the cabin in Tahoe!!! On the way up there we stopped off in Sacramento to have lunch with one of our favorite little families, The Kelly's, by the end of lunch they were coming up with us! It couldn't have been sweeter having Ryan there for his first Father's Day, just like Mitchell had just a couple of years ago. Logan was so excited to play with Finn at the cabin and at the lake.

Lauren and I shared a few nursing sessions together, my current favorite past time. We had to take a picture of the two of us to document this special time, which will end all too soon. Logan was a big boy this trip and slept in a big boy bed in his sleeping bag and only fell out of bed once. Yes, he fell out of bed still in his sleeping bag.

Logan saw the big trampolines in town and was begging us to jump, "I get a ticket, I jump," he said. So of course we bought him his ticket and took him to jump but he did not want to wear the belt, a little crying occured, so that was the end of that.

The Lake! Rum Runners, peeing by trees, ducks and awesome company! What more could you ask for.

Yes, that is Logan taking a pee by the tree at the lake. He said he had to go and when your potty training and the child says that they have to go, by all means let them go!

Taylor Creek, our official Father's Day tradition. Logan was taken here when he was just 4 months old and well back again at 2 and Hunter at 2 months. Logan really liked it this time of course. He is all about Fish. and dinosaurs, dragons and well any animal really.

It was a wonderful trip. This marked a lot of good things for the Caldwell Family, Logan sleeping in a big boy bed and actually staying in it until we came to get him. Hunter sleeping 6 - 7 hours a night, putting him in his crib when we came home, first of many trips with the Kelly family, Hunter is a great traveler, Logan watching a movie in the truck, and well the first of many trips as a family of 4!

Father's Day 2012

Easter

Easter, one of my favorite Holidays!!! This year started out on the Thursday before with Pa and Ma coming over to dye eggs. Logan of course wanted to drink the dye, I think he thought it was juice. It was fun watching Daddy, Logan and Pa talk about the colors and if they should stay in the dye longer. Daddy worked on Easter so we gave Logan his Easter basket full of new Lightning McQueen sheets, Max & Ruby book and of course a nice big backpack. He has been asking for a backpack for weeks. He loves to wear it around the house and fill it with all kinds of toys.

On Easter Sunday we headed over to Boo Boo and Nana's, Mama usually hosts Easter at her house but with Hunter scheduled to arrive in only 12 days, Nana insisted on having everyone at her house. Thank you, Nana!!!!! Of course mama couldn't resist helping with all of the planning, right down to the decorations and invitations.

Strict orders from Daddy though, she was to stay off of her feet! Dinha and Dee made sure that happened, they helped Nana ALOT! 

    Hunter's first present, handmade boots!

Easter was a little bittersweet for Mama this year, my last holiday with just my one boy! Next holiday I will be a mother of two, I just can't believe it! 

Nonna and Papa Jac came out for Easter Day! Nonna brought some delicious Pioneer Woman potatoes, I will be making those as soon as I get a minute! She also brought Logan some pretty sweet boots for this Winter!

 

Pa and Ma came with Great Grandma and Grandpa Caldwell, they brought Logan a life vest for summer camping at Icehouse and beyond! Logan loves to wear it around the house.



Oh the food! Lots and lots of food! Ham, deep fried Turkey, salads of all kinds, beans, potatoes, potatoe salad, rolls, etc.......

Finn was there! Oh the many faces of Finn!!! As soon as he got there, Logan and him were SO excited to see one another, I hear there was squealing and hugging that just wouldn't stop!



Finally, the HUNT! Dozens and Dozens of eggs, cousins and friends all helping one another out to find that one special egg! Too cute! Can't wait until next year!!!



Spoiled yet again, for Christmas!

Christmas began in the Caldwell house the day before Christmas Eve, with baking and cooking. I made Cabral Green jell-o salad, Va's famous Fudge, my famous Chocolate Chip Cookies, Deviled Eggs, Lasagna and a Quiche! Yes all of that for two different family Christmases!!!! It was the perfect day for a nesting mother to be.

Christmas Eve started bright and early with Pa, Ma, Grandma and Grandpa Caldwell coming over for Quiche, scones, fruit salad and of course PRESENTS!!!! Logan was in heaven, ripping paper with Daddy just waiting to see what was inside. Yes he did get spoiled. His favorite gift out of everything is the art easel, believe it or not after the Art disaster, he has wanted to do nothing else but draw.

Christmas Eve we headed over to Pining, Auntie B's and Aj's for a Lasagna and Ravioli feast and maybe some special sweet treats. There was a Christmas light walk, fun and games with all of my cousins and we recieved our matching pajama's from Nana! Then it was off to bath and bed to get, what was suppose to be a good nights sleep, before Santa Claus came with all the presents.

Christmas Morning 2011!

(still can't put the race cars down that Uncle Joe got for me!)

Boo Boo and Nana spoiled me with clothes, two pairs of shoes, clothes, Hot Wheels 4 Wheeler, Clothes and of course my annual snow globe! I had LOTS of fun with AJ, of course! We loved seeing what we got for eachother and playing with what we got for eachother too!

Cabral Family Christmas 2011

(Amy 15, Logan 1, AJ 3, Jaron 8, Karly 11)

Train from Santa!

Christmas went on to continue back at our house, and yes there was more baking and cooking. I made Snickerdoodle Cookies, German Chocolate Cake, Puttanesca (an italian spaghetti), Brussel Sprouts and Mitchell's homemade Ceasar Salad, for Nonna, Papa Jac and Granny Rita. YES, more spoiling occured! Logan got his very first drill set, a couple of books and a Firehouse complete with 3 Fire Apparatus! He really enjoyed drawing with Papa Jac and Nonna on his Easel and becoming a present all wrapped up!

I am sure that next year will bring an entirely different type of spoiling all together, and I am sure that it may be difficult for Logan to understand the meaning of these are Hunter's toys and these are Logan's toys, but as the saying goes, Boys will be boys! Yes we have taken down all the Christmas decorations and the tree and put our house back in order. We are preparing to ring in 2012, not sure mama will make it to midnight, with cider and yummy food! Thank you to everyone for making this Christmas so special and memorable, we love you all!

Love, The Caldwell's