Pumpkin Patch

On Sunday, we met Matt's family at the pumpkin patch about half way between their town and ours. They had the girls so we decided it would be fun to meet for pizza and the pumpkin patch to pick them up. I love this pumpkin patch! There is so much to do and it is one of the many reasons that I love Fall.

Finlee on the tire swing.

They had adorable puppies for sale there! Jaelyn loved them.

A slingshot to launch these "apple" balls! (I can't remember what their called.) Awesome!

Girls in the tree house.

The girls on the zipline.

There are so many photo ops at this pumpkin patch! Cute!

Riding in the wagon to pick out their pumpkins!

Jaelyn with her pumpkin.

Finlee with her pumpkin.

Riding the train.

Love my girls.

Our family.

This pumpkin patch has so much to offer and the prices are reasonable. Adults and children under 2 are free. Otherwise, you pay $5 per child and that covers all the activites except food and the pumpkins. There is a tube slide, a zipline, so many photo opportunities, a pumpkin patch, a maze, a s'more roasting station, a slingshot, a tree house, train, and so much more!

They are located off of I-70 Between Topeka and Manhattan. Take exit 328, Hwy 99 Alma/ Wamego. Go south towards Alma 1 mile . Look for the metal pumpkins and orange flag next to the road. Visit their website for more info: www.littlemunchkinspumpkinpatch.com.

Xoxo,
Tanna

Tea Time

This past Saturday, I invited a few friends over for a Tea Party. I am always looking for different ways to spend time with my friends and a Tea themed party seemed like a lot of fun.

The invitations I made.

The inside of my invitations.

I love to be crafty at my parties. I love to see the different ideas that people come up with. At this party, we painted our own mugs.

The centerpiece that Matt and I made for my main table.

The plates and tea cups were my grandma's. She gave them to me a year or so ago and this was the first time I had a reason to use them! On each plate was a chocolate covered spoon to stir in your tea if you wished to.

I made each friend an apron and that is what is hanging on their chairs.

All of the different Tea to choose from.

I served blueberry scones, cherry turnovers, and petit fours with our tea.

During our tea time, we played tea trivia!

Chaseton was our guest of honor. :)

Here are the cups we painted together.

I am terrible about taking pictures during the party of my guests but I was so thankful to spend some time with some of my friends. So thankful for all of them!

Xoxo,
Tanna

Recipe: Tamale Pie

With the arrival of Fall weather, I have been making a few crock-pot meals lately. I found this recipe from the Crock-Pot Girls website and thought I would share. It's simple and so yummy!

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cups red kidney beans (from 19-oz can), drained, rinsed
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
1 pouch (6.5 ounces) cornbread & muffin mix
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chiles, undrained
1/4 cup sour cream
4 medium green onions, chopped (1/4 cup)

1.In nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in beans and enchilada sauce.
2.Place beef mixture in 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker. In medium bowl, stir cornbread mix, milk, margarine and egg just until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Stir cheese and chiles into batter. Spoon over beef mixture in slow cooker.
3.Cover and cook on low heat setting 5 to 6 hours or until toothpick inserted in center of cornbread comes out clean. Serve with sour cream and green onions.

Here are a few of the ingredients you need.

The filling.

Ready to go in the oven.

Check out this website for more yummy crock-pot ideas!

Xoxo,
Tanna

Fall Party

We had a Fall get-together with some of our closest friends this past weekend. We roasted hot dogs and s'mores and played a few games. I remembered last minute that the girls could dress up if they wanted to so I had to dig through their dress-up box to see what I could find.

Finlee was a cowgirl.

And Jaelyn was Snow White.

I guess I better get to sewing on their real Halloween costumes!

Xoxo,

Tanna

Oh, Jaelyn

Jaelyn has such a fun personality! She is still making us laugh with all she has to say. Here are a few funny things she has said lately:

• Jaelyn has recently started to try to do headstands. She figured it out one day and has constantly been doing them on our couch. She was showing me how to do one the other day and said, "I've been working on this for years." She must of thought it took her a really long time to learn how to do a headstand!

• Jaelyn is in a stage where she thinks she has to have everything. She was recently telling me she wanted Baby Alive. When you feed this baby a bottle, it pees and when you feed it baby food, it poops. Jaelyn was trying to explain this to me so she said, "I can give it a bottle and it will go to the bathroom and then when I feed it baby food it will have diarhea!", as if that was a selling factor for me to get her a Baby Alive. That's all I need is another baby that poops! :)

• I was baking the other day and was telling Jaelyn how much I was going to love the blueberry scones that I had just baked. She then told me, "I know you love, love, love it, mom, but sometimes love hurts!" I had no idea that loving blueberry scones could hurt. She is quite the character!

Xoxo,

Tanna

Three Months!

Chaseton, you are three months old today!

October 7th, 2011

How are you already three months old? 

You have grown so much!

At your last check-up, you weighed just over 12 lbs and I'm sure you have grown since then!

You wear size 1 diapers (which you have almost outgrown) and size 0-3 month clothes!

And here's what you're up to:

We have been spending a lot of one-on-one time lately and I love just being with you. You are such a good, cute baby!

I decided to give cloth diapers a try with you and we love them so far! You have been in them off and on for just over a month. We're trying to build our stash so you can wear just cloth diapers until you're potty trained.

You are loving this playmat. You love to hit at the toys and watch yourself in the mirror. You smile and talk so much when you are playing on it. (Thanks Grammy!)

• You started rolling over (from your back to your tummy) this month.
• You love to suck on your hands and thumb.
• I think you are teething. You are drooling everywhere and are constantly chewing on your hands.
• You smile often. All I have to say to you is, "SMILE", and you will.
• You still love your swing.
• You sleep SO well at night. I put you to sleep just before 10pm and you usually don't wake up until 6am or later. That also means you don't sleep much during the day.
• You love to nurse! I've tried giving you a bottle and you think its a shame that I would ever give you a bottle. You want the real deal!
• We have so many nicknames for you. Chaser-bug, Chaser, Brother Bear, Chaseton Boy, Chasey..the list goes on and on!
• Your sisters love to be in your face. They talk to you, kiss you, and play with your arms. You will be on tough boy!
• You are so, so loved.

I love you, sweet boy!

Xoxo,

Tanna