WOW! Already slacking on my blogging (only 1 month and 5 days since my last post, no biggie) but I have been SOOOOOOO busy! I know people roll their eyes like they aren't but I am. Being a working mother, finding the strength and motivation to help run a business and still throw in being a somewhat mediocre wife takes a toll on ya. OH YEAH, this blog is about Raising a Russell not Feeling Sorry For Jess......
OK, a lot has gone on in the past month! I totally slacked on my yard decor this year and ended up throwing together a simple but lovely little setup in my entryway. It really should be on the cover of some Fab Horn Lake Living Mag- OH YEAH, HAHAHAHA that doesn't exist. Well, if it did mine would be on there. I am my mother's daughter!
Me and Travis woke up on October 30 hungry for Waffle House, threw on some clothes then headed to buy some pumpkins, mums and cornstalks. Better Late Then Never, right!?!?! Please excuse my homeless looking child. I did say we threw on clothes and went to Waffle House..... I'm sounding more and more like a true Horn Lake Resident throughout this blog! This was seriously the best pic I got!
I guess I can't jump into Halloween talk without discussing how the month went costume wise!
Well, there ya go. I guess you can tell we HATED being a lion AND a hamburger! I'm so glad I tested these options out before deciding we needed something a little more subtle. Maybe next year we can be a little more daring!
We started a tradition last year of going to ZooBoo which I want to stick to every year. This year I think we decided, along with the whole city of Memphis, to go the Sunday before Halloween. I'll never make that mistake again. We had a blast but WAY too many people there. The older I get the more I can not deal with crowds especially ones filled with rude Memphians AND THERE SLUGGISH FEET. Ryder's favorite part of the night was Dracula's Disco. A DJ was set up inside the Panda Exhibit and the room looked like an actual club but for kids.
Ryder was gettin down the whole night!
How freakin cute is he!?!?!?!
Found this from last year's ZooBoo trip. Lacey, Ryder's Godmother, goes with us every year. I don't even remember him being this little!
We were so exhausted on Halloween we did nothing but hand out candy. I had to dress up Ryder but I did it to surprise Daddy, a true Alabama fan.
Another little tradition we have started is going to Cedar Hill Farms. It was much more fun than last year now that Ryder can do a little more. He loves animals and being outside so I knew he would have a blast.
Here is a pic from last year and this year. I'm crying now......
Running through the Hay Maze and riding his 1st Pony!
He loved the Hay Ride and picking his own pumpkin!
I almost forgot our 1st trip to Hope Presbyterians Fall Fest! What a production our church put on to kick off Fall! I went with all my girls and the kids had a blast. Ryder was on a whole other level that night. He was cracking me and my mom up. Something about getting in a busy environment with other kids and having room to run makes this boy WILD! I love his independence but it can give me mild heart attacks!
So much fun my shirt is CRAZY!
I love these ladies AND their babes!
So much fun my shirt is CRAZY!
OK, long post but it was a busy month! I do have to mention some of my favorite things Ryder is doing now!
- Says Hi: I know that doesn't sound too impressive but it's the way he says it when I open his door in the morning, walk in to pick him up from work or when he walks into a room full of people. His voice is SO angelic and innocent. It literally melts my heart.
-Bye: Bye is another story. He says it with such an "I don't care" tone it will BREAK YOUR HEART! HAHA, I leave him every morning to go to work and when I say bye, he literally turns the other way and throws his hands in the air and says BYE! I love his independence but a couple meltdowns while I'm walking out the door wouldn't hurt my feelings!
-Bath time: He has always loved his bath time but lately it seems to be his FAV thing! He will play in there for an hour if I let him. His fav is mommy and daddy's BIG tub! He goes WILD in there! He know dunks his head underwater and comes up laughing hysterically, IS THAT NORMAL!?!?!? I look forward to that sweet time every night. It's kind of relaxing after a long day at work. It's the one time I can just sit there in silence (smiling, of course) and watch him have a blast! I love it!
-Dog Park: After my fear of Samson running away we have finally decided to get this poor beast out of our house and backyard and let him RUN FREE. He did great and we are now setting aside a day to take him to Shelby Farms Dog Park. I think it's good for the whole family but especially Samson. He needs that space to run and exercise. Ryder, of course, loves dogs but he has LOVED being outside and seeing other pups besides Phoebe and Samson.
