Saturday, November 24, 2018

Madison's Riding Lessons

This fall Madison has begun to take riding lessons at Cambria Stables in Yardley, PA. When we asked her what thing she wanted to do most in the world, she told us more than anything she wanted to ride horses. Since it is a pretty expensive hobby, we were lucky to find a stable that would work with our budget and allow us to come every other week for 30 minutes and borrow a helmet. She's been learning out to tack the horse to prepare for English riding, and how to control the horse and groom it. I've been learning as well... there's a whole world of all things equation! 

She wasn't required to wear tall black boots, but when she saw these ones at Children's Place, they looked like real riding boots!


Madison walks her horse out, and has ridden several different ones. 


She's on Chewy, riding in the "Two Point" position...
She's been trotting, cantering and learning how to direct the horse....

This is Madison with her favorite horse, Trooper. He's really old, but kind. He also likes to roll in the mud, and is really dirty about 90% of the time. Maddie doesn't mind, and will gladly brush him and pick the dirt out of his hooves. LOL.

This pony-loving girl is in heaven when she's on a horse, and feeling the wind in her hair. I am not sure how long her love of horses will last, but for now we are making some precious memories!!

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Veteran's Day Performance

The girls elementary school puts on a performance every year for Veteran's Day. This year Lindsay was chosen to say a few lines in the show...
Lindsay is on the right 
Here's a link to the show from the district:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk2Zx9jqlag

She was so nervous in front of all the people, and she went last to boot! Great job honoring our Veteran's Linds! We love you and are proud of you!!

Monday, November 19, 2018

Pumpkin Patch Fun

At the beginning of October we headed to Terhune Farms with Grammie to get pumpkins!
I was glad this year they cut away all the vines... I trip over them!
It was a misty spooky day, and the searched until all three found the "perfect" pumpkin...
Drew was all about pulling the wagon
 We went through a corn maze, and petted the goats. They had a water pumps the kids enjoyed racing..

Silly fun with Grams
 And they enjoyed riding the tractors...

Who says girls can't drive tractors?!
We had such a fun day, and a great way to kick off October!!

Friday, November 16, 2018

Andrew Brooks is 3



Stats:
height...3 feet, 1 inch
weight... 30.3 lbs
shoe size.... 8 toddler
clothes size.... 3T
hair color...Blonde
eye color....Blue

Thanks Grams for my Paw Patrol Blanket

Hanging with Mama
Favorite Foods:
Andrew loves Chicken Nuggets with Fries and Ranch, Grilled Cheese, Fruit, yogurt, "square cheese" sliced cheddar cheese, Enchiladas rice and beans, tacos, a "cheese taco" aka quesadilla made with a corn tortilla, spaghetti, pizza, pancakes, waffles, just about any sweet treat, especially chocolate ;) He'll eat what I make for dinner most nights if there is a dessert involved. LOL. He loves salsa, guacamole and Reid Red Chile Sauce. He will tolerate asparagus, green beans and broccoli, loves sweet potato and roasted butternut squash. Dislikes: Eggs, eating more than 1-2 bites of green vegetables. 

Birthday boy breakfast with pancake, sprinkles and whip cream

Favorites:
TV Show: Paw Patrol, Thomas the Train
Color: Blue and sometimes Red or Orange
Clothes: Loves his "comfy" pants (sweatpants), and likes to change into them when we get home (sounds like you know who?!) He enjoys his Paw Patrol shirts, train and firetruck shirts and there is a football shirt he wants to wear at least once a week.
Book: Thomas the Train books, Bear Looses His Tooth (any of the Bear books), Guess How Much I Love You
Music: Jesus Loves Me, B-i-b-l-e song, Paw Patrol song, "Friends". Knows a lot of songs from KLove by listening in the car.
Movie: He laughs hysterically at Madagascar.


Andrew's fancy layered birthday cake on his real birthday 

Personality: 
Andrew is an all around easy-going guy, who is generally friendly and will smile/wave. When he has something to say, he talks a mile-a-minute. He knows what he wants and will go after it. I walked into the kitchen and the refrigerator door was wide open and there was a bag of shredded cheese on the floor. Andrew was sitting in the middle of the cheese eating it off the floor, looks up and tells me "I got myself a snack, all by myself!" He is exercising his independence, and I have to watch him like a hawk. We've seen his temper lately, and he has his own ideas about when/how he wants things to go. Out of all the kids, he is the most sensitive when we lay down the law, and will boo-hoo like his heart's broken. He has a flair for the dramatic (where could he possibly get that from?). He also takes after his Daddy in the "I can bug my sister's the best" department... Drew has quite the sense of humor and will let out belly laughs when he thinks something is funny.

Sayings:
"Me do it" He' been all about potty humor lately... "Poo poo Pie"and says "Maybe _____ (fill in the blank watch TV, eat snackie, go outside, pick up sissys) "I no like it, it's yucky!" "I wove you Mama/Daddy/Sissys" "Watch me _____ (throw a ball/roll a truck on the floor/write name)" "I can fix it for you Mommy"

Somebody loved riding in the digger in the front yard
Interests:
This is one fun boy, he adores all things on wheels: Trucks (of every shape and size), Tractors, Cars, Motorcycles and Trains. Being outside, helping Daddy pick up sticks. Helping Daddy do anything really ;) 

He was SO proud
Learning:
Andrew loves our learning time, called "Preschool Practice" we do in the mornings a couple days a week. He's been doing great learning how to write his name, letter sounds, days or the week/months or the year, numbers. He knows all his shapes and colors, and his favorite is reading our stories of the week. This kid could spend hours in the library! He surprises me with his fine motor skills and is pretty darn good at cutting with scissors. His language skills have sky rocketed, and he is speaking in complete, complex sentences, although sometimes hard to understand certain words ;)



We were working on letter "N" and he made a noodle necklace all by himself.. so proud!
Friends: Andrew has lots of besties, Jude, Micah at CBS on Wednesdays and on Tuesdays he plays with Felix and Fallarian at Miss Marcy's house next door. Our next door neighbor, Michael is 6 and a train fanatic and loves to share his trains with Drew. 

Spiritual: Andrew loves his time spent at CBS, and the ladies there love him too. He really does love to sing, and does a good job singing his bible memory verses each week. Drew likes to lead prayer at the dinner table, and is learning all about who God is, and his place in our family and as a child of God.

Drew, what a joy and delight you bring to our family! You are growing into a wonderful big boy, and we are so proud of you!

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Andrew Family 3rd Birthday Party

 Andrew had a family party on his real birthday...
he came downstairs in the morning as was thrilled to see all his presents and the dining room all decorated for him!

He had 2 cheer leaders cheering him on...

 Checking out the gifts...
 Daddy bringing his cake...


 Way to go Drew!!
 Yum Yum cake!

Grammy was able to join us this year at the party!


Thank you family for all the great gifts... Andrew had so much opening them and playing!!

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Fall in NJ

My babies playing in the backyard with the leaves... such fun fall memories! 



Thursday, November 1, 2018

Halloween 2018

Happy Halloween 2018! We had a Mermaid, Race Car Driver and a Greek Goddess this year...

Madison 6.5, Andrew 3, Lindsay 8.5
Vroom! Race Car Driver Andrew
Gorgeous Mermaid Madison
We carved pumpkins a few days before Halloween, and they turned out pretty good!

Kids took a picture with their pumpkins...
At the end of school that day the kids changed into their costumes for a Halloween parade around the bus loop...



Lovely Lindsay our Greek Goddess...





The kids trick or treated for about an hour, the weather was so warm (compared to years past) and they didn't even need jackets! After going around the neighborhood and visiting with the neighbors the girls went to Awanas and had more fun with their friends.