A Night Out, A Field Trip & Nana Visits!!!

We're enjoying the cooler weather that has been happening the past several days and all the fun that fall brings! We've got plans very soon for apple picking, pumpkin patch excursions, another birthday party and all our parents are making their rounds to visit!! It's an exciting time for sure! Here's a few snapshots of the Barrett happenings.... 

John and I went out with our small group one evening to eat at the Farmhouse restaurant about an hour north of us. It was amazing food and great company and we had just a really great time. While we were gone our sitter sent me this picture of Charlie. She said she just couldn't resist sending it to me because he was just so darn cute. I couldn't agree with her more! 

A little halloween preview....Anne Wheeler coming your way.... :) 

Johnny's preschool took a trip to our local state park farm. Johnny and Simon were both very disappointed there was not a single tractor at the farm. Simon said his favorite part was the big red barn and Johnny said his favorite part was not getting pecked by the chickens. :) Johnny also happened to spot a snow blower which was quite a big deal for him....It was really a neat trip to explore all the animals. After visiting the farm, the kids went to a park where they had a snack and played. 

Johnny wanted to take some pictures for his papa: a duck, chickens and a turkey. 

...they loved the wagon....I think because it was John Deere green...

....the pigs were smelly....

....the wagon was fun to drive...

...the windmill was super tall and they special requested this picture, giving me specific instructions to go all the way back...

....the big red barn was also a special picture request...

....and when I wanted a picture, it barely happened....lol

The whole preschool class

...apparently at 4 you also take selfies....these two look so much like their daddies in this picture! 

Nana came to town!!!! This was the first time Nana had come to visit since our move and she helped us get a ton of things crossed off our list! In fact, we were so occupied with being outside the majority of the time that almost all of these pictures are taken by her! I was completely off my picture taking game! 

Our first day with Nana was spent running a few errands...and an "errands run" wouldn't be complete without a trip to the tractor supply....Johnny informed me that these two pieces of equipment are on the boys' Christmas lists

John and I had a neighborhood meeting on Saturday night so Nana and the kids had a movie night complete with popcorn!

On Sunday, Nana & Mellany had a special date for Mellany's birthday to paint pottery

Taking inventory of what projects are left to complete

So proud of the puzzle he completed with Nana

Saying good bye! 

Johnny's preschool had a pizza party this week after school one day. All of the students and their families brought in either a salad or dessert and had lunch all together. It was a really neat event and Johnny really enjoyed it!

John: #39!

Continuing with the birthday celebrations, John turned 39 last week! 

In true John fashion he woke up on his birthday morning and his response to my "Happy Birthday" was "Thanks....yep, just one year closer to dying!" Bahahahahaha!! Neither of us could stop laughing....

We celebrated in his favorite ways:  for dinner I made sausage and cabbage packets per his request, poppy seed cake for dessert, a very special (and completely unexpected!) Chiefs sign painted by one of our friends, and a tractor ride to finish off the night. Of course, it wouldn't be harvest time without a 9:30 phone call from an employee where you have to go back in to work; but it was still a fun night and the kids and I loved celebrating John!

We are so blessed to have John as the man of our house. He is the most patient, kind, genuine, hard-working and good hearted husband and father; and for that I am so thankful! 

Charlie: #2!

Another year has passed and here we are at Charlie's 2nd birthday! So much has changed in the past year and it is hard to keep up with this little guy. He is no longer an infant, he is truly a toddler and has the physical abilities and attitude to prove it! He truly loves life and loves to make people laugh-including himself. You can't help but smile and be happy around Charlie.

Here's a little bit about Charlie:

• He is lost without Mellany and Johnny. Whatever Mellany and Johnny are doing, Charlie wants to be a part of. Don't tell him he isn't big enough because he won't believe you for a second. He IS big enough and he CAN do it. He LOVES being with them.
• Peanut butter and jelly is his favorite food/meal. He will eat 3 full sandwiches in one sitting easily. He is at his absolute happiest just after he has eaten. 
• He loves the movie Coco & The Greatest Showman; his favorite shows are Daniel Tiger and Paw Patrol
• His favorite place to go is the car wash
• He loves Simon, Charlotte and Mrs. Kelley and asks about them all the time. He has even started asking/talking about Mr. Jon....
• He does a "roll call" of all the people he knows when he wakes up in the morning....Daddy? Johnny? Mellany? Gammy? Nana? Papa/Teresa? etc. etc....it is the cutest thing and will go on for a solid 15 minutes. He continues to ask about everyone throughout the day. 
• He has a love for reading
• Tractors and trucks are definitely his go to toy. It's even better when Johnny will join him and play 
• He loves to play hide-and-seek with Johnny in the morning while I finish cleaning up breakfast
• He usually takes an afternoon nap, but really doesn't seem phased if he misses it.
• He loves to be out and about
• While driving, he will point out every single tractor, truck, lawn mower, semi, dump truck, excavator, etc. etc. etc. along the way
• When there is something on his plate he doesn't want to eat, we can usually get him to take at least one bite. Mellany can almost always get him to take several more bites. 
• He feeds himself very well....using a fork, spoon and especially his hands...
• He is wearing 2T clothes
• His favorite snack is goldfish and fruit snacks
• He really only likes to drink water
• He loves to help, especially when it comes to sweeping
• He can follow simple directions very well (putting clothes in the laundry basket, throwing away trash, putting away a toy)
• The lawn mower and tractor are his favorite and he could probably ride them all day long
• He loves any kind of sport with a ball....basketball, baseball, soccer....and he is actually pretty good at all of them. He has quite the arm and leg....
• He is so happy when he wakes up in the morning 
• Most nights he sings himself to sleep
• He can count to 5 and sing the ABC song
• He loves to sing Twinkle Twinkle little Star and The Wheels on the Bus
• He's a great snuggler
• He loves to be in the bath tub and then wants to put on his own lotion after
• He wants to know about everything....he is curious about life and wants to see it all
• Charlie can very clearly tell you what he wants/needs 
• His pout is seriously cute (and he knows it)
• He speaks very well. He has quite the vocabulary, he can say his words clearly enough for most to understand, and speaks in 2-3 word sentences. If you can't figure out what he is saying, he will take you to what he wants. 

2 Year Wellness Exam

Weight: 27# 7.5oz

Height: 34.75"
Head Circumference: 52cm

Charlie's exam was excellent. We actually waited longer in the waiting room than we visited with Dr. Fahler. Everything checked out great with our little man who is growing at perfect rates. He and Johnny told Dr Fahler all about our new home and tractor and after each boy got their flu shot we headed to Starbucks for cake pops. (Because cake pops make flu shots more bearable!) 

Birthday Celebration
After the doctor exam, we headed to the bakery to pick up Charlie's cake, the party store for balloons and then had a special lunch at the diner with daddy. Later that night, after everyone was home, we had pizza for dinner, ate our cake and sang happy birthday, took baths because the kids had icing everywhere :), opened presents, played a game and watched a movie. It was an awesome time! Charlie wasn't quite able to hang for the movie but the big kids sure enjoyed it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLIE!