Happy Halloween

Friday at Rapco we got to dress up for Halloween.

I dressed up as Jessica from True Blood on HBO.

Obviously nobody knew how I was.

This was the first year that we got to really do Halloween with Stratton. 

We didn't really do a whole lot for Halloween. We started off at my sister Casey's house on Saturday night.

Casey and her friends dressed as Zombie Wizard of Oz! It was SO good. They even won $100 as a group.

There was the scarecrow, wicked witch of the west, Wizard, Dorothy, Glenda the good witch, tin man, and one lolly pop guild kid. They looked awesome!

Here is what Casey and Marcus looked like.

Casey and I put Marcus's top piece together using silver vinyl, safety pins, and chrome duct tape. 

We both agreed that it turned out awesome!

Sunday I had to work at the Kostomb Shoppe early on in the day. My mom and Stratton came to visit me at work. These were really the only good pictures I got of him. He hated getting his picture taken while he was in his Yoda costume. Poor little guy.

 I know the quality is terrible but it's all I got.

Stratton drinking Grandma Kathie's COFFEE!

Thanks mom.

We went and visited Aunt Casey and Uncle Marcus after he woke up from his nap. After that we went and saw Great Grandma B and then went to Great Grandma & Grandpa Janssen's house for more trick or treating. We wound up going to a few houses in the neighborhood. Stratton had never done this before so it was really cute to see him go to the door. When they would open the door we would tell him to say trick or treat and all he would say it "TREAT!" then he would take the candy and say "Thank you."

After Great Grandma & Grandpa Janssen's house we went to Great Grandma & Grandpa Williams house. We played with some toys there and she gave Derek and I a goodie bag full of beef jerky and swedish fish. She know's us TOO well. Then we were off to Aunt Stephie and Uncle G's house we stayed for a little bit and got to see baby Payne before he went to bed. Last we went to Great Grandma Maxines house. She gave us a card and candy. Stratton was sticky and fussy from all the candy so we went home and took a bath.

While Stratton took a bath we video chatted with Grandma Brenda up in Chicago. She sent us some really great pictures of herself while she was at work. 

 After Stratton's bath we had a small photo shoot.
Here are the results.

God Bless Payne

My nephew Payne Fenway Williams was baptized last Sunday the 24th at LaCroix church. 

He was so adorable in his little outfit. Stratton go to go to the Rein Forest and play with kiddos his age and I got to actually go to church with my husband. It was really nice having the entire family there. Next week on the 7th 

we will be going to see my niece Cobie Elise Koehler getting baptized. 

Here are a few pictures and a video from Payne's baptism

Grants Farm

A few weeks ago we went to Grants Farm up in St Louis. We had such a great time. We didn't get to stay very long because Stratton got tired and needed a nap but he loved all the different animals and he had a good time.

Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Great Auntie Pam (GAP) got to come with us and she got to feed an animal by hand for the first time in her life! Haha I couldn't believe it! We went to her house after we got done and had a well needed nap!

Can't wait to go again when the weather warms up.

Wind Damage

Last week we had a big wind storm roll through and we had a rather large branch land on our fence and mess it up pretty bad. The storm was on a Monday and we didn't notice the damage until Wednesday. (We don't go back on the deck very often when it's cold) It's going to be a little bit of work and money but I think we should be able to fix it pretty quick and painless. Here are a few pics of the damage.

Day 15 of 30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 15: Bible Verse

Pumpkin Painting

Before the mess began

The artist at work

He did so well about painting right on the pumpkin

CHEESE!

It used to be kind rainbow-ish until they all got mixed together

 

This was one of the three sides of my pumpkin

Side 2

Side 3

Derek's pumpkin of course

Derek's pumpkin side 2

He had to paint one of the small ones too

The final product. A kiss pumpkin, a three sided pumpkin, a gray pumpkin and a half orange half gray pumpkin.

Day 14 Oof 30 Day Blog Challenge

A Picture That I Love

I have more than one that I really love so I'll post a few of my absolute favorites

Day 13 of 30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 13: Goals



-Save up for Stratton to have a nice car, and pay for his college
-Upgrade to a bigger house so we can fit a family of 4 easily
-Get a better job than what I have (my dream job would be working for the
SEMissourian)
-Save up for a retirement so we don't have to die while we're working
-Get Derek a new vehicle (Nissan Xterra)
-Get completely debt free
-Graduate from College
-Get a few raises at work
-Get a degree for graphic design online
-Have another baby and not gain 50 lbs while I'm pregnat
-Run a half marathon or do a true triathlon
-Do more benefit runs around town
-Find 1000 geocache with Stratton
-Have another healthy happy baby
-Get a dog (someday)
-Be a good mom
-Be a good wife
-Cook at least 5 times a week
-keep up with the laundry
-Graduate with my BFA (if I can)
-Go camping at least 5 times a year
-Visit my grandpa's grave more often
- Call both of my grandma's more often
-tell my family I love them more often
-Learn how to slackline
-Go skydiving
-Make a bucket list
-Watch less television and go outside more
-Drink more water every day
-Go outside and enjoy at least 5 minuets of fresh air
-try to get Derek to quit smoking
-go hiking at least 3 times a summer with Stratton AND Derek
-Spend more time with Derek and Statton and less time working
-Learn how to play guitar
-Go to church more often
-Read as much as possible

Day 12 of 30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 12: What You Believe

I believe...

that I'm a good person

I'll go to heaven when I die

my tattoos are beautiful along with the stretch 

marks I got while I was pregnant

that killing with kindness is better than talking trash

my heart knows better than my head at times

you should always give to those who aren't as fortunate

as you. You never know what could happen to you someday

that love and family should always come first

in the five ball method to living life 

(if you don't know what this is please ask me)

in miracles

you should never go to bed angry or upset with someone,

you never know what could happen to them overnight

God has a plan for me and my family

even though I don't  go to church every Sunday,

I still walk close with God

God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason

(listen twice as much as you talk)

God gave us Stratton so my family would be closer

you have to have a little rain to truly enjoy the sun

men should have the utmost respect for women

life is good as long as you live it to the fullest

More Geocaching!

We have been making a lot of trips to St Louis the last couple of weeks for this and that so I figured what better to do when you go somewhere new? FIND GEOCACHE!

09/26/2010 In the Neighborhood GC1Y3Z9

I didn't get a picture for this one. It was cold and rainy so I was happy just to find it and be able to get back in the car to where it was warm. I didn't even get Stratton out of the car for this one. We were on our way back from an OTA event. Stratton stayed in the car eating french fries from Steak and Shake and I looked. Fun. 

09/29/2010 River Despair Cache  GCVW4A

Grandma Kathie found this one. She did so good!

10/10/10 Bike Racing-St. Louis Hills Francis Park Criterium GC2EHCH

I got Derek's step-dad Jim to come help me look for a geocache down the street from his house.

It took us a good 45 min to find this one. It was up under a tree under a stump that was fake. 

This is by far my favorite find yet. It was SO cool!