The Berenstain Bears Trick-or-Treat

We had an easy time choosing our costume this year since Annabelle's latest obsession is the Berenstain Bears! If she won't eat we ask her what kind of bite this is, "Papa Bear bite?" No. "Mama Bear bite?" No, it's a Sista Bear bite! Works every most of the time:) She loves them and we loved being the Bear family for Halloween!

 

Trick-or-Treat 

Annabelle really loved this. She told everybody thank you for filling her "punkin" then halfway through decided it was lame to get candy but not eat the candy... she started digging in!

 Church Trick-or-Treat

 I love my sweet Sister Bear!

Happy Halloween!!       

The Berenstain Bears

Muddy Piggy Party!!

Annabelle turned two on October 24th and since her favorite thing in the world is pigs playing in the mud we designed her entire party around the pink, snorting farm animals!

Our Birthday Girl!!

The adorable party invitation

Cricut machines + Mom's ideas = super cute!

Piggy Activities:
John Deere Tractor Rides
Old MacDonald Baby Einstein video (what inspired this shindig!)
Gettin' Dirty in the Mud
Muddy Piggy Cupcakes
Presents
Pictures by the Barn (Dad expertly cut it out, mom & I painted it!)

 I about died when Travis walked out looking like FARMER BROWN!! haha

   
Little Piggy Menu:
Slow Cooker Mac n' Cheese
Pigs n' a Blanket
Corn on the Cob
Red Grapes
Apple Juice

Muddy Piggy Cupcakes!

The toppers are bathtub squirt toys, so cute:) 

The Party Guests 
We had 13 little kids ages 5 and under playing in the dirt!

Bishop, Natalie, & Rebecca Hatton 

Brian, Natalie, & Aubrey

 

 Ryan, Kayla, & Mav

Joey & Ash

James, RuthAnne, Jimmy, Alex, & Anna

Todd, Emily, Alina, & Mila 

Jeremy, Ashley, Emma, & Liam

Team Tolman w/ our birthday girl!

Happy Birthday Annabelle! We love you more everyday:)

Mom & Dad        

Homecoming (past & present)- DIY Baby Corsage!

Homecoming in Southeast Texas is bigger than Christmas... okay maybe not, but almost! All the schools get early-out, businesses shut down, main street is blocked off for the parade showcasing tons of black and gold floats, girls wear corsages that weight at least 20 pounds and some cost well over $200. The entire town goes to the football game and Vidor has an amazing halftime show-- complete with lights-out, glow-in the dark band & dance team, twirling batons on fire (personal favorite), and of course the firework show! This year was especially perfect since we annihilated our mortal enemy (PNG) 49-13!! Basically, homecoming is a day we live for.

Past Homecoming
Annabelle was only six-days old on her first homecoming! She definitely won the "Littlest Pirate" award.

DIY Corsages/Boutonnieres
Kayla had the grand idea to make our babies corsages! They turned out adorable and were made in about an hour, plus two hours of chatting:)

 Step 1: Cut a cardboard circle for the corsage backing

Step 2: Hot glue ribbons to the bottom half of the cardboard

Step 3: Scrunch ribbon together and staple periodically to create the ruffle behind the mum

Step 4: Hot glue the mum to the center of the ruffle, then glue that to the cardboard circle

(For the boy's boutonnieres, my mom glittered Pirate skull chipboard pieces)

Step 5: Trim the ribbon pieces to fit the little person and presto... an adorable corsage! 

Present Homecoming

ARRRR MATEY!     

Team Tolman

             

Utah Fall "TRIP"

We visited Utah again... but this time is was a total surprise to Travis' family! It was awesome surprising his mom (she almost dropped her newest, adorable grandbaby out of shock) and the rest of the family was so excited! We love surprises, so ya never know when we'll show up;)

Utah in the fall is so nice. The weather is crisp and cool, perfect for a hike! We spent one morning at the "elk's house" (a.k.a mountains) enjoying the beautiful scenery. Annabelle kept saying the elk were "taking a nap or hiding." Then she'd laugh and say, "Annabelle find 'em!"

Visiting Utah was a "TRIP" instead of a "VACATION." A funny family friend classified a "vacation" as when you come away feeling rested & rejuvenated because you left your children safely as home. Then there's a "trip," one with children, a.k.a. you leave having had fun & enjoyed it, but you're more tired than when you left. Haha! Utah was absolutely wonderful and since Annabelle struggled to sleep because she was so excited we came home utterly exhausted, hence our trip!!

Enjoy some pictures of our amazing visit to Utah!

Playing with Aunt Danners at the Park- Annabelle's first piggy-back ride!

We met Danielle's "Prince Johnny"

We finally met "Prince Johnny!" Travis thinks he has some resemblance to Prince Harry, so the name has stuck.  When we asked Annabelle if she liked Johnny she said, "Annabelle touched him!" haha

We made gumbo (yummy!) then went ice skating... a first for Annabelle!

It was adorable and fun to watch her try out her new tiny skates.

 

 The ice-skate trio (aren't hers adorable!?)

Visiting the old roomies & their families!

Sara & Chad (Cute Lucy was asleep)

P.S. I'm jealous of their new house! Ahh, One day...

Sara, Britt, & Me

Uncle Keith & the famous "BOYS"

Hiking Squaw Peak

Luckily we were hiking on the sunny, but windy, mountain because right behind us there was a huge storm on Mt. Timpanogos!

 

We met Lyndsey, Coco, & Rowen for lunch at Kneaders our last day. We miss them sooo much!

This picture will be a reality in for us in just 5 1/2 months! Here comes baby number two!

That's all the pictures I took, but we saw all of Travis' family at the Tolman Fall Party, Taylor & Eva, Alyssa (Danielle's roommate)... fun fun trip!

Sincerely,              

Team Tolman