Self-portrait FAIL

Actually, the self part of these portraits is fine. You'll note that I look almost exactly the same in each picture, my entire head is in the frame, and I am actually looking at the camera with my eyes open.

If only the same could be said for my children.

Strike One!

Strike Two!

Strike Three!

And we're out.

PS Yes, I do like to dress them in matching outfits. So sue me.

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The Butt Farm

Disclaimer: No butts were actually farmed in the making of this post.

Last month, we were invited to visit a ginormous pumpkin patch called Bates Nut Farm.

Or as it is known affectionately in our family: Nate's Butt Farm. Or simply, the Butt Farm.

Despite having grown up in this area, I myself had never before visited the Butt Farm. My husband and his parents responded to this news with much horror and audible gasping, so we all set off out into the desert to remedy the situation.

Upon arriving at the Farm, we were greeted with everything you would expect from such a place: hay rides, barbecue sandwiches, hay mazes, and piles of pumpkins. We were also greeted with unrelenting sunshine and 90-plus degree heat. (I did mention it's out in the desert, right?)

We all flipped a collective bird to the heat, and got our tickets for the hay ride.

After a yummy lunch (in the shade) we set out to pick some pumpkins. Some of us might have started to get a bit cranky.

Aaaaaah! I don't wanna stand by these pumpkins!

Waaaah! Me neither! You can't make me look at the camera!!!

Pumpkins were purchased and we retreated to our air-conditioned cars for the trek home. And five minutes after leaving the Butt Farm...



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The Day Savannah Fell in Love with a Llama

No, I am totally not making that up.

Last month, we needed some pumpkins and some evening entertainment, so rather than head over to our nearest mall parking lot, we drove out to the middle of nowhere to an adorable little pumpkin patch.

Despite its small size, there was a lot to see and do. We found three mazes (hay bale, corn, and bush), dozens of toys to play with, and many animals to look at and/or feed.

Among the animals, was a llama. THIS llama, to be precise:

And with that brief meeting, a love affair for the ages was born.

After that day, I kept hearing Savannah say, "Mama! Mama!" but it was clear she wasn't talking about me. (I have a much shorter neck and I typically go by "Mommy.")

She'd point to a goat in a story book: "Mama!"

Or a baby deer on a matching game: "Mama!"

Or a toy giraffe on a toy catalog: "MAMA!"

Now the hunt is on for all things llama. At the library, she now has a knack for digging out Is Your Mama a Llama? from the board book bins. She often asks to wear her llama shirt (I guess it hasn't dawned on her yet that she does not currently own a llama shirt, nor has she ever seen one).

In the car, before we can turn on Chelsea's kids' music, Savannah shouts: "MAMA! 'ONG!" (Translation: SING ME A LLAMA SONG!) To which I dutifully reply, "How much is that llama in the window...."

And although they are not listed on the official map at the San Diego Zoo, look who just managed to find her favorite animal anyway:

Ok, so that might not actually be a llama. Do you think she cares?

Now all I have to do is find a llama shirt and maybe a little stuffed llama for Christmas and fervently hope that she doesn't find some new obsession within the next month.
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Tyra's Gonna Call Me Any Minute. I Know It.

America's Next Top Toddler:

And (not to be outdone) America's Next Top PreSchooler:

Eat your hearts out, CW betches!

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I've Been a Bad, Bad Girl

I've been neglecting my blog.

That last post down there? The date was October 1st. I fully intended to post on November 1st and say, "Oh my goodness, I'm so embarrassed it has been A MONTH since I last posted!"

And... now it's been like 6 weeks.

Here are my reasons:

A. I suck and am lazy.

B. I have not had Internet access for oh, about 6 weeks. (Except on Jeremy's work laptop on which I am forbidden to visit dangerous, non-corporate sponsored sites. Like blogs. Sorry, Blogger!)

C. All of my 80 kajillion photos from October are on MY laptop. The one NOT connected to the Internet. (And really, what's the point of telling all my little stories without pictures, hmm?)

But let me tell you, October was pretty good: shoelace hairbows, not one but TWO pumpkin patches, nude pumpkin carving (by THE CHILDREN, jeez, get your mind out of the gutter!), a Red Sox game, a llama, and costumed adorableness, of course.

First installment coming soon. Like, before everyone wakes up from nap. *fingers crossed!*
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