Pumpkin Fun

Carving pumpkins has always been a Daddy and Samantha activity. I tend to sit back and snap pictures while they carve...and dig...and get gooey seeds everywhere! This year Sam drew her own face on her pumpkin for Daddy to carve. She did a great job cleaning the "guts" out...and we think the finished product was pretty great!

American Girl Place~Chicago

When I was a little girl I used to drool over the American Girl catalog every time it arrived in the mail. I would circle and re-circle the items I loved, and hope Santa would grant my wishes! One Christmas he did...and I received a Kirsten doll. I cherished her! I kept her on my shelf well into high school, until one day it was time to pack away my dolls...and I saved her in a box with the hopes that I would be able to one day share her with my little girl.

American Girl has grown A LOT since I was little. There are many historical dolls and dolls that look like you. They even have a line of baby dolls. Samantha received one of these Bitty Baby dolls for her 2nd birthday, and they have been buddies ever since. Samantha is now excited when the catalogs come in the mail. She loves going through page by page and picking out things for her baby "Addy"...

Two weeks ago my mom and I took Samantha on her very first trip to the American Girl doll store! I must admit...I think I was more excited than Sam! But...then again...she didn't really know what was in store for her!

She had her very first ride on a train...

Her first trip downtown!!! This included her first taxi ride! She was pretty upset that our cab was white instead of yellow, but she got over it when she realized she didn't have to sit in a car seat!

It was "Bitty Baby Day" so there were special activities going on for preschool age girls and their dolls. There were crafts, snacks, and a circle time where they learned little songs and fingerplays for their dolls!

The store itself was a bit overwhelming to her. It was really crowded, and a lot of the displays were over her head. She had fun looking at all of the historical dolls, and picking out a few new outfits for Addy to take home.


We ate at Gino's East for lunch! YUMMY!!! Sam loved all of the graffiti all over the walls, and she was such a good girl while we waited about an hour for her first Chicago deep dish pizza!

On the way back to the train we decided to walk. It was a little over a mile, but she didn't complain ONCE! She just kept looking up at all of the buildings and commenting on how tall they were! We walked over the Chicago River where she even saw a water taxi!

When we got on the train she decided to change Addy into one of her new outfits. It was SUCH a fun day, and we are hoping to make it a yearly trip.

When we got back to Nana's house I decided to pass along my Kirsten doll. I know she is in good hands, and I know we have many more years of American Girl doll fun!

A Day in the Patch

Last year Nana (my mom) and I took Samantha to this really fun pumpkin patch near South Bend. Matthew and I wanted to go there this year, but with gas prices we decided to check out our options that were a bit closer to home. We went to Coulter's in Westville, IN. It is a nice family run farm but there are still plenty of fun things to do! Plus we were able to visit my parents afterwards...so that was an added bonus!







I think she had the most fun striking a pose in front of all of the "photo op" places! But there was also a place for face painting (she had the Cubs painted on her cheek), a small corn maze, and of course lots of pumpkins to choose from!

She LOVED this big pumpkin!

When it came time to choose our pumpkins I immediately went to the largest section. I was SO excited to pick the largest pumpkin that Matt could carry! But much to my surprise Sam didn't want anything to do with the big pumpkins. She wanted a small pumpkin so she could carry it herself. She amazes us more and more each day as she begins to make her own choices in life...proving once more to us...that she isn't a baby anymore!

Stayed tuned for adventures in carving our pumpkins! =)

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

On Thursday October 16th Samantha's class went on a field trip to a pumpkin patch. We went to Countryside Landscaping which is only a mile or two from her school. And I should clarify...it wasn't as much of a pumpkin patch as it was a bunch of pumpkins scattered in a field, but it was still a fun day! =)

We had a hayride to their "patch"...got lost in a maze...and visited a petting zoo! It was a pretty simple field trip, but sometimes those are the best kind!

Spooky Fun!

Samantha always wants to help in the kitchen. I believe she will be the mom who makes pies and cookies for dessert all the time....

I bought this gingerbread house kit last year, but with changing jobs (and working both of them at the same time) we didn't get time to use it. I found it pushed to the back of the pantry, and almost threw it away (with the thought that it was a year old and probably yucky)...but my new found thriftiness just would not allow it. I figured the fun is making it, and no one would want to eat it anyways...so why not? So we had an afternoon of "baking" fun.

**I forgot that Matthew will eat virtually anything (especially sweets) so he tried it almost immediately when he got home. And he said it tasted just fine. We are taking his word for it, and won't be partaking! :)

A Rootin' Tootin Good Time!

Usually Samantha has no problem deciding what she wants...For example: What should we have for dinner tonight? A: "Mac and Cheese!" What do you want to wear today? A: "A dress!" What would you like for a snack?? A: "Reese's!" But for some reason she had a tough time deciding what theme to have for her party. She was wrestling between Cowgirl and Fancy Nancy. (Fancy Nancy is a character from a book) She went back and forth for awhile before finally choosing cowgirl (she decided to be Fancy Nancy for Halloween)...
I had a lot of fun planning this party! Even though I've only been out of the classroom for a year I have missed being creative and making fun activities for children, so this was a treat for me too!
I had a tough time finding invitations which made me be even more creative, and make them. She decided who to invite, and was really looking forward to the party!!! We ate "traditional" cowgirl foods like hot dogs and beans...played a few western games...and of course there was cake and presents! :)



This was my first attempt at making a cake. I was so nervous about how it would turn out! I finally had to let go of my "Monica ways" and just make it!!! (I secretly had a plan of running to Tysen's to pick one up if it looked completely crazy!) It was actually a lot of fun making it, and I am hoping to start making them for all of her birthdays!

She received many wonderful gifts and she wanted to use them all almost immediately! All of her friends went home with a bandanna full of goodies that all cowgirls enjoy...

Cowgirl Activities

Panning for gold...Boot pinata....decorating vests...target practice....

Panning for gold

The whole day I kept saying I didn't plan on having another party next year...but...I'm sure I will! They are just too much fun, and she will only be little once!

Happy Birthday Samantha Grace!

My first thought this morning was how fast the last four years have FLOWN by!!! I literally was shaking my head in disbelief at the fact that our baby is now 4!!!
She has been such a blessing to our lives, and we are so grateful that God gave us such a precious gift 4 years ago today!