Happy Halloween

So it was cold and I was tired and this is the only picture I got of Joe actually trick or treating. Oops.

Rory sleeps through yet another year of trick or treating. Oh well better luck next year.

Have I mentioned how difficult it is to get pictures of two boys ?

Yet another try...

So this was actually last week but I thought it was super cute how Joe had to show Rory what the flash light could do.

Autumn afternoons

Poor Joe had a bit of a flu at the beginning of the month. But never fear his Pasha, or as he has taken to calling her "Pasta" was there to snuggle and comfort him.

Rory in one of his new outfits that we got while school shopping at the out let stores. (Yes I know he's not in school yet but it was such a cute outfit.)

Jasper waiting for me to throw the ball for him yesterday while we were out raking leaves.

Poor Joe thought he had to protect the pile of leaves from his brother until I explained I had raked them up for the boys to jump in.

Hard at work. A few more pics of the kids and critters from yesterday are after this. We went out again today to get a few more leaves raked up. I ended up raking them into the pasture for the goats because I noticed a large amount of very black clouds heading our way. We lasted about a half an hour before the rain began to fall and I had to hustle the boys in. Of course I had taken so much time to bundle them up because it was very windy today so I had to un-bundle them. By the time they were down to one layer the rain had stopped and the sun was back with the wind still blowing. We opted to remain in the house since I saw some more clouds of a suspicious nature on the horizon. Maybe tomorrow we can get some more of those leaves up and out of our way.

Ed continues to do well in school. He had a bit of a wild ride home this week. His brake line on the truck somehow got a pin size hole in it and his brakes were non existent. Luckily he managed to get to some of the back roads and take his time. We are getting by with one vehicle for a couple of days.

Joe is looking forward to carving his pumpkin this year. I think he has finally gotten the Halloween bug. We will post pics when we get done with those next week.

Love from all of us.

Joe's new umbrella.

What can I say?

What do you mean this is Rory's toy, It fits me perfectly.

Kicking back, or trying to as you can see his brother is pestering him.

Finally a free moment to get some pictures up. Of course it has been difficult to get good pictures. Two bodies in motion do not make for the best pictures in the world but I am sure I will be forgiven.

My favorite season

I love the fall, the weather is perfect. Temperatures that are so much more comfortable then August. A nice breeze that gives the horses an extra spring in their step. The color of the leaves exploding like fireworks in the trees. The bustle of getting the last of the harvest in and preserving everything. So far this year I have put up strawberry jam(early this summer), peach preserves, pear butter, lots of salsa, I am doing the concord grape jelly today. Probably apple butter tomorrow as well as freezing some tomatoes.

Speaking of tomatoes I made the best tomato soup last week. Nothing better on a cold wet fall day then home made tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich. Rory was impressed but Joe wasn't so sure about the soup until I called it ketchup soup. Then it was given a taste but may need a few more tries before it is fully accepted.

Ed has started school and is adjusting to the idea of being back in school. He is doing very well despite being nervous about it all. I am already making a project list of things that he can fix electrically speaking on his school breaks and next summer. Poor guy.

Joe has started his fall session of preschool and is loving it. Although he is home sick today. Poor kid had a stomach flu over the weekend and is now sick with a fever and sore throat. I know my guy is sick when he is willing to sit still on the couch with nothing on the TV. I gave in and let him have a DVD day today. So far we have watched his favorite Wallace and Gromit twice.

Well I better get my projects for the day started. I will post pictures as soon as I find the camera that I seem to have misplaced.

Love you all, Nikki

Just one of those days

So Joe and I were out running errands on Thursday. When we got home Ed informed me that he took a picture I just had to see. He explained that he had gone into the back bedroom to grab something. He immediately heard a clang of the dog bowl and a few seconds later Rory grunting. He returned to find our son had sat down in the dog's food bowl and was stuck. Oops ! He now gives the dog's bowls a wide berth as he toddles around the house. Poor guy will never live this one down.

Love you all Nikki

Happy Birthday Rory

Busy little man has lots to do in his day.

Crash.

The brothers getting along, yes we are finally starting to have a few of the difficulty's that everyone mentioned. Like wanting the same toy or attention at the same time.

12 months old. Poor kid is smiling like he feels great but he is actually running a fever today. We just got these pictures and I gave him some Tylenol for the fever. He is now sleeping in his swing. Probably just teething, but he has his one year check up tomorrow so if he still has the fever we will get it checked tomorrow.

Love you all Nikki

Pictures of our day with Thomas

Guess who?

Nice view from the train as we rode along.

Joe and Grandpa on the train.

The Lansing boys big adventure.

Visiting Sir Topham hat.

The night before

Alright I think we have managed to keep the cat in the bag. Ed and I bought tickets for a train ride about a month ago. Of course Joe would be thrilled if it were just a simple train ride but I expect he will be over the top because this is Thomas the train and Sir Topham Hat will also be there. We will probably be badgered for weeks about going on anther train ride with Thomas but it will be worth it just to see his little face tomorrow at 3:00. And yes the camera will be ready and waiting to get the pics for all of you.

Until then hugs and kisses,

Nikki

Boys will be boys

Remember this little guy. I took this picture back in August when Rory was a little over 2 months old. So scroll down and take a gander at my our little man's 11 month old picture.

As a certain obnoxious car commercial puts it, He's HUGE!!!!!!

This year's cow, Harley. Or as Joe says it Howie. By the end of the summer he will have the R and L down.

Joe helping daddy move rocks with his wheel barrow. Of course the rocks never quite made it were daddy wanted them but we managed to keep them out of the lawn so they will not be flying projectiles in the near future.

I walked over to the neighbors to check on something before I take the horses over tomorrow to have their feet trimmed. I took Rory over in his stroller and Joe walked. Joe has visited quite a few times to see the tractor and other fun boy stuff that Amanda's large barns have that we don't. So we were talking and as I turned the stroller so Rory was out of the sun and she could get a better look at him she stopped talking in mid sentence and exclaimed Wow, Rory has gotten really big ! Now being the person who hefts him around I knew this but looking at him from a fresh set of eyes and looking at these pics I now realize my baby almost looks like a little boy. I hate how quickly it goes. Of course Amanda thought it was funny considering how Joe was running like a wild man playing with her Jack Russel Terrier and Rory watched every move they made. Especially the move were Joe and Waylon (the Jack Russell terrier) tried to crunch all the tiger lillies. I tried to stop this action for about 2 seconds but decided not to waste my energy since Amanda was laughing so hard Joe just kept right on stomping the flowers for his latest girlfriend. All the way home he talked about Miss Amanda. I can see myself struggling in the future to get the boys to help with farm chores but Miss Amanda will probably get more offers for help then she can shake a stick at. Oh well, boys will be boys.

The boys are both sleeping so I am going to treat myself tonight. (Translation I am either going to read my book uninterrupted or watch a movie that does not have single animated character in it. Or maybe I will catch up on my sleep. Yeah...right.)

Love ya Nikki

Some more pictures.

Rosie the rabbit.

Rory checking out the grass as Joe laughs.

I accidentally got the "after" picture in front of the "before" one.

Rory really enjoys his meal times - the "before" picture.

May 1st on the farm

Are you sure they aren't giant dogs mom?

Jasper's favorite game.

Music soothes the wild beast.

Joe's favorite game.

2 happy brothers !


I can hardly believe how big they are getting. We expect Rory to be running around by this time next month. He is very ambitious and wants to keep up with his brother.

We are doing well except for a bit of a nasty flu that came through last week. The boys both had fevers and were extremely congested. We all seem to be on the mend but it has taken a while. Joe has missed almost 2 weeks of school.

Ed went out to Hudson Valley Comm College last week and got his fall schedule. It will work very nicely with my work schedule. He is really looking forward to getting started. (And yes a little bit of that might be just getting a break from being Mr.Mom.)

I, on the other hand, am looking forward to only having to work for 3 days a week and getting the rest of the week to spend with the boys and doing my farm chores. As usual, our spring to do list has grown considerably. It always starts out so reasonable. Oh well. One of the unexpected projects was the front porch had to be finished. We had a very small amount of the old wood work left there that had questionable peeling paint. Of course NY state in their infinite wisdom is passing a new law that will make it more expensive and a bigger pain in the ........ to get rid of material with lead paint. So we had that ripped out before they could make life more difficult. The porch is now done. We have built in shoe shelves and toy shelves as well as a corner window seat. Guess I may be working 4 days a week to build the savings back up.

We are expecting the next cow any day now. Everything is all set up for him. I hope he likes the goats because I have no were else to put the rotten buggers. They keep slipping under the panels and getting into everything. We also got a rabbit. I will post pictures of her tomorrow. Hopefully.

I better run, it's getting close to bed time.

Love you all Nikki

The Lansing boys playing

Oops.

I can't believe I forgot to post pictures of Joe's first day of school. So here he is, our sweet little man with his freshly combed hair.

Yes the backpack does seem to be bigger then him.

Sleeping Baby

What a cutie!