Another Year in the Books-Cardinals 2013

Well, what can I say? We made it to the World Series but just didn't win. To be honest, the Red Sox were the better team.  They out-hit and out-scored us and that is that.

Yes, I was very upset during the actual games when there were silly, silly mistakes or when we just could not get a hit or when everyone Cardinal fan knew they should be walking David Ortiz and we didn't . . .but, when put into perspective, we made it to the World Series and I can't really complain.  We just won the Series in 2006 and then in 2011, how can I complain?

Even though we didn't win, some things never change about my love affair with the St. Louis Cardinals.

I always love going with this guy . . .(notice the way we are dressed for the NLCS, Game 2 on November 12)

This is NLCS Game 6 on November 18.  Stupid St. Louis Weather!


I also always love when they bring out the pride of St. Louis, the Budweiser Clydesdales.  It NEVER gets old!

I also love being able to experience the post season with family and friends.

In the end, I am proud of the Cardinals.  It stinks that we didn't win but our future is bright.  We are a young team with lots of post seasons in our future.  As many of us discussed during the playoffs, we are very spoiled in St. Louis.  It is almost just assumed that we WILL make it to the post season.  We I often forget that it isn't an automatic thing.

This pretty much sums it up for me (Click HERE for a video from the Cardinals) and I am already counting down the days until March 31, Opening Day!

Fall Parties

Today was a fun and hectic day.  This year I have two kids with Fall Parties.  Luckily, their parties were at two different times so I was able to go for both parties.

Kanin's party was first.  I wondered how he would act this way being a big 4th grader and if he would want Mommy at his party and hanging around but my sweet boy surprised me and really wanted me to be by him the entire time.  Of course, I ate it up!

We played lots of games . . .first he carried eggs in a relay race . . .

then he tried to stack dice on an ice cream stick . .

I loved when we placed an Oreo on his forehead and he had to try to get it down into his mouth.  This game was so much fun and I loved watching all of the kids try it.  Surprisingly, several kids got really, really close! . . .

Kanin had a partner in which they had to lock arms and run down and back . . .

the last game was the potato sack race.  I loved this only because it brought back my own memories from doing this as a little kid.  I'm glad that he was able to experience it, too.

In the afternoon I moved over to Gracie's party.  I was really excited as this was her very first school party.  She was so excited and hopped right out of bed this morning, a rarity in our house.  I also loved that she was so excited to see me.

One of the families in Gracie's room has this neat little putting green and they brought it for games to her party.  What a great idea.  The kids loved it and Gracie was so excited to sink the ball a couple of times.

 I love her so much!  It was so cute that a couple of the kids kept telling me that I look just like Gracie.  LOL

We made these bug crafts.  It was so cute.

It was a great day.  I am so happy and blessed that I was able to go to the kids' school today.  I made memories and I hope they did, too.

Halloween 2013

There is no way that Halloween has already come and gone. Where, oh where, has 2013 gone? I feel like I ask that question every year!

Here in St. Louis, my kiddos were so worried all day that they were not going to be able to Trick or Treat because it was cold and rainy.  Luckily, right around dusk the rain cleared out a bit and we were left with a couple hours of just mist and wind.

All 3 kids were really in to their costumes this year.  This is the first year that Caleb actually understood what Halloween is about (the candy, of course!) so he kept up with the big kids all night.

My niece and nephew came over again this year.  I was really afraid that Ali would think that she is "too old" to Trick or Treat this year (she's 14)  but she informed us last night that she is going to Trick or Treat until she is 17.  We all told her that she could Trick or Treat forever as long as she still dresses up. 
 

I love this bunch of monsters:  GracieAnn (6), Aidan (10), Alison (14), Caleb (4), Kanin (9)

Pumpkin Patch 2013

Last week we went to the Pumpkin Patch.  I love the Pumpkin Patch not only because the kids have so much fun but I just love all of those fall flowers and decorations.  We didn't get a chance to go last year so all of the kids were really excited for it this year.

Aw, I love these kids.  They all look so big, though, in this picture.  Makes this Mommy a little sad.

Gracie's eyes in this picture crack me up.

This particular Pumpkin Patch is the one that we went to the first two or three years for Kanin.  I need to go back and find a picture him at ages one, two, and three in one of these same little carts.

The kids loved these big tire swings.  They really are a lot of fun!

After the Pumpkin Patch, we came home and decided to paint our pumpkins.  The kids were so excited to paint them.  We I usually end up carving them and it takes me forever so I decided that this year the kids would actually decorate their own pumpkins.

As much as I hate to see the summer come to an end, I love all of the fun activities that come with fall and the changing seasons.

Caleb Is a Big Boy!

While I am slowly trying to catch up on writing about the major activities of our family over the past few months, I started thinking about major changes in our life that happened over the summer.

First and foremost, Caleb became a BIG BOY!  He stopped wearing diapers AND gave up his binky.  This was a long, hard road on both fronts.  I had attempted several times to potty train Caleb and he just wasn't having it.  Off and on all summer long I would attempt to potty train him and he would just say, "No, I want to wear diapers."  I cleaned up more accidents than I care to remember.  Finally, one day I guess he just decided that he was ready and that was it.  No more accidents. 

While, of course, I was very happy to be out of diapers I do have to admit that I was also a bit sad.  No more babies.

The binky was not nearly as easy to get rid of.  In fact, we have only been a couple of months binky-free.  I tried several times to take the binky away and he would always find one somewhere.  Finally, it came time to go on vacation and I came up with a story.  I told Caleb that binkies were not allowed in Jamaica.  I kept telling him this for a couple of weeks before we left.  The night before we left he said, "I better have my binky because I can't take it with me."  I did actually pack a binky but he never even asked for it on vacation.  He took naps and slept at night and didn't make an issue out of it at all.  Once we got back, no more binky. 

Isn't it crazy how kids work?

4th of July in Chicago

from July

This year we decided to go to Chicago for 4th of July to visit family.  Our niece's husband is in a band (Mason Rivers) and they were playing at a couple of festivals up there.  We had never seen them play before so we thought it would be a great way to visit family and see the band.  (Check them out HERE).

Our kids do not do so well driving so we decided to ride the train from St. Louis to Chicago.  My sister-in-law and niece do it all of the time and highly recommended it.  I'm not going to say that it was the easiest thing in the world but what is with 3 kids?  They all thought it was really cool for the first couple of stops but then they kind of got bored with it.  Scott and I, though, thought it was great.  We didn't have to drive and we could each just sit back and relax.  The one thing the kids did love, though, was the food car. 

All decked out in our Red, White, and Blue

Kanin, Caleb, my great niece Kenzie, and Gracie.  You can see Mason Rivers in the back round playing on the stage at the Naperville Rib Festival.

Here they are the next night (I can't remember the name of the town).

Here is Gracie being Gracie.

It was a great weekend in Chicago.  The weather was perfect (not too hot), the music was great, and it was good to be able to hang out with family.