This is Halloween...

I am getting soooo excited for Halloween!
(make sure you pause the music player
at the bottom before pressing "play"!)

{our preschool journey...}

Autumn started preschool after Labor Day at the cutest little preschool.

We looked forward to preschool starting for a month!

We went "school" shopping, got her a new Tinker Bell folder,

bought new super-stylin' boots, the works.

She was soooo excited for her first day of preschool!

I must thank Pinterest for this super-cute idea!

 

I can't believe how grown-up my little girl is!

Abbey was also very excited for her big sister!

 

She went for two days and then I got a call from her teacher.

She decided to cancel the class because not enough kids signed up. =(

We were both super bummed.

So, I was on a mission to find a new preschool 

that we liked 

just as well as this one.

Everything was full, 

and there is not a lack of preschools in our little community.

The only thing open was very pricey and at a very inconvenient time.

It just didn't feel right.

So, it's been about a month with no luck finding another preschool sooooo

I've decided to *drum roll please*

HOMESCHOOL! 

*gasp!*

It's just preschool so I can't completely mess her up, right?!

We've only done a couple of "preschool days" and so far, so good.

Does anyone else out there homeschool?

I would love any and all advice, especially sites with good info!

{flaming gorge}.

We took a quaint little fishing trip to 

Flaming Gorge, Utah 

with my wonderful inlaws.

Flaming Gorge just-so-happens to be my husband's favorite place on earth.

He grew up going there and he just plain adores it.

We stayed in the cutest little cabin in the cutest little campground

and our cabin had the cutest little porch swing.

Oh, and not to mention,

we had the two cutest little girls there to make the trip even better.

We spent all day on Grandpa Wilf's boat just

fishing, snacking, chatting, laughing, and swimming.

Daddy and Grandpa caught tons of fish and even a couple of craw dads.

The girls loved being on the boat and kept their life jackets on all day.

The next day we went on a relaxing drive to see the beautiful fall colors.

The girls were angels in the car all day.

We took tons of pictures of all the beauty around us.

I just can't get over fall and how amazingly gorgeous it is!

We love Flaming Gorge and 

are so grateful we got one last trip before winter.

We couldn't have asked for better weather or 

a more beautiful vacation spot.

Thanks Mom and Dad Stagg for the wonderful trip!

{prima ballerina}

 Autumn started dance last month and she absolutely LOVES it!

Being that I danced in high school for four years on drill team, 

dance is very close to my heart.

I was pretty picky about what dance studio we chose,

but we are pretty happy with this one so far.

It is a jazz/ballet combo class which is perfect!

 Autumn loves "dressing up" like a "real" ballerina (every little girl's dream)

and asks me every-single-day if she has dance that day.

She already loves to dance here at home so she has so much fun in class.

 

I snuck these pictures of her during class.

She is so cute to watch and 

I know she is going to blossom into the best little dancer.

I can't wait for her Christmas recital!

I feel like such a "real" mom when I drop her off at dance class. =)

 

Our Little Peanut Turned 2!

Ever since this picture, Abbey has been lovingly referred to as "Peanut" in our family.

The name has sort of stuck after 2 years.

Words cannot even begin to describe how fast time has gone these past two years, 

well four years for that matter! (ever since I became a mom!!)

Time passes by so quickly when you are watching your little ones shoot up like weeds.

It is heartbreaking and exciting at the same time. 

I'm not sure how that is possible, 

but I'm sure every mommy knows what I'm talking about.

Abbey turned 2 on the 21st and we had a little party for her at our park

with some close family (we have the BEST family in the world!)

 

 

 We had a little BBQ/potluck that was oh-so-yummy! 

John was our designated griller.

 I was a HUGE slacker and didn't make a cake for Abbey's birthday.

I attempted to do ice cream cone cupcakes and failed miserably, 

so store-bought cupcakes had to do.

I let her pick out the ones she wanted (Tinkerbell).

 

She looooved opening her gifts and even took the time to look at the cards. 

She was thrilled with all of her new treasures!

  

All day long Autumn kept asking Abbey if she was going to share her new toys.

Abbey kept replying with "Of couwse!"

Autumn did a great job of helping Abbey with her gifts without jumping right in.

Such a good big sister.

 Abbey got a trunk full of dress-up clothes and she immediately had to try some on.

This little girl is obsessed with princesses and all things girly.

She wears a princess dress almost every day!

  

 

 She blew out her candle like a pro and sang every-single-word of "Happy Birthday".

She is so adorable and so smart.

 

 

 This picture describes Abbey's little personality perfectly.

She is so funny and full of life.

She always puts the biggest smiles on all of our faces.

Some little details that I never want to forget...

Every night we change her diaper, put on her jammies, say family prayer,

read three books, sing three songs ("I Love to See the Temple", "Twinkle Twinkle", and "My Heavenly Father Loves Me.") 

She asks for these songs in the same order every night by saying 

"Temple, Twinkle Star, (&) Bird".

Then she says "Ni-night" and is ready to be laid down in her crib with her blankie.

When she wakes up, John or I will go get her and bring her into our bed.

She cuddles up next to me and says "snuggoes" (snuggles) which means she wants my arms to be wrapped entirely around her. 

Sometimes we will doze off for a little while longer and some days she just wants to watch Dora (I have about 30 episodes on our DVR).

She is the best little eater and out eats her big sister at almost every meal!

Her favorite foods are oatmeal, cereal, apples, juice, tacos, 

chicken nuggets, and hot dogs.

One time in the car after we had stopped and got some kids' meals, 

she started saying "chicken NUGGETS!!!" (emphasis on the nuggets) 

at the top of her lungs,

so now every time she eats them, she and Autumn have to yell "chicken NUGGETS!!!"

She is definitely a mama's girl and still loves to be held, kissed, and cuddled.

She puckers up her little tiny lips and gives the sweetest kisses EVER.

She LOVES playing with her big sister and WORSHIPS her.

Everything that Autumn does, Abbey is one step behind her.

They play pretty well together and I love listening to their little conversations when they don't know I'm listening. =)

Abbey is a girly girl to the core.

She loves pink, purple, princesses, jewelery, make-up, Barbies, dolls, and shoes.

I'm sure having an older sister that is girly as well has nothing to do with it!

Abbey, Mommy and Daddy love you so much.

We are so blessed to have you in our family and in our lives.

You bring laughter and love to our home everyday.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!