Hey Griswold. Where do you think you're gonna put a tree that big?

Around here, Christmas Vacation gets quoted nearly all year long. But it seems that on our annual trek to cut down a tree I mutter this line more that any other. I would love to say that its just my husband that is Clark Griswold, but the reality is, we haul three ginormous trees out of Grupp's Christmas Tree Farm every year. Each of them topping over 11 feet tall. One for us, and one for each of Patrick's Aunts.  PS, none of us have 11 foot ceilings- so they all need trimmed to fit in our respective houses, but tiny trees are for scrooges.

 

The best part of this year was that my MIL flew in to join us in the hunt.  It only makes sense, because Pappy got to pick out a pumpkin with Grayson so Gigi was here to get the tree.

 

 

Look below, see the pink dot in the middle of the trees? Yeah, that's the MIL and Grayson. They were on the hunt.

Please note, Im about 5.5 feet tall. That tree was easy 14 feet tall when we cut it down.

 

Why cant we find a tree in a flat field?

Cause they're all picked over, lets go down the hill!

 

Rethinking that down the hill, aren't you tree haulers?!

 

 

I give you the Griswold family Christmas tree- I mean, the K Family Christmas Tree!

 

Let the Christmas Fun begin!

 

 



Christmas Pictures!

This year we were so incredibly lucky to win a Christmas Tree Farm mini session with the incredibly talented and sweet Samantha Nicole Photography.

 

I was super excited, eventhough hubs couldn't join us, because I figured we could get some good pictures for the Christmas card.  What I got were images that were beyond words adorable.  Sam was awesome to work with, super sweet and great with kids. She was also apparently a ninja, because everyone knows that getting great images of a three year old is darned near impossible. As you can see, what she got was perfection.  We actually took these pictures over two days. The first day was, and I'm not even kidding, 18 degrees and a freak rain/sleet/ice storm that started the second we got out of the car.  The next day it was 60 and sunny. Pittsburgh weather, you are officially weird.  

 

 

I can not wait to schedule a session with Samantha when all three of us are able to get pictures, if you're in the Pittsburgh area by all means check her out!



Halloween 2014

Early in September my mother in law texted me a picture of a Buzz Lightyear costume for Grayson, saying it would be cute if he wanted to be Buzz. Well at that time it was a lion, then a yellow bee, then a super guy. Fast forward to when they were in town for Grayson's birthday and we hit the costume store, where Grayson decided he wanted to be none other than Buzz Lightyear. 

 

Well the costume at the costume store was pretty chincy looking, so we trekked out to the Disney store and Gigi and Pap suited him up as Buzz. A few weeks later we hit the streets.

 

 

 

 

Of course, the weather was crappy. It was semi misting/raining. That wasn't going to stop this kid though, he was on a candy getting mission.

One of my favorite things about the neighborhood is the fact that the firefighters participate in the holidays. So obviously, we had to make that our first stop. 

 

It wasn't to infinity and beyond, it was more like once around the block, but we still had a blast! Grayson came home with two pumpkin buckets full of treats and a sugar high to last for days. Id call that Halloween success.

 



Pumpkin Patch- 2014

This year my father in law was in town to go get our pumpkin, and Grayson was so excited to take his Pappy to the Pumpkin Patch.

 

We've gone to Sorgels Orchard every year since Grayson was literally three weeks old. They have so much more than just pumpkin picking to offer, and I love that each year we get to do more and more there.

 

Its crazy when they're actually big enough to climb on the play things. Stop growing now, please?!

 

Hey Mom, Ima drive the tractor.

 

For the past two years they have also offered apple picking and someone was super excited to pull the apples from the trees.

 

It only took us about 20 minutes to fine the pumpkin this year, because Grayson was far too interested in checking out all of the boo boos on the pumpkins.

 

Waiting for Daddy to pay for the pumpkins, Grayson offered to take me on a little drive. I think this is how my future will look when he turns 16. Only then I may need valium.

 

Until next year, Sorgels!

 

I dont even think I can call myself a blogger anymore...

Guys! Why do I suck at life so hard?

You know its bad when your father tells you its time to update your blog. Seriously.

PS- Hi, Melissa! Thanks for telling on me! :)

 

It just seems lately that life is busy. Even if I don't really do anything. The kid is busy, so I am busy. However, I told the hubs I miss this 20 minute brain dump time and I want to get back to blogging on the regular. I.E. not telling you about Fathers Day in September. 

 

So that's on the list of resolutions.

I need to write about Halloween, Christmas, The adventures of Bob the Elf, Christmas tree hunting, my best friend getting married, things we've chucked away at on the house bucket list, and just life in general. My phone has a list of ideas, I just have to get them out of the brain and onto the blog.

 

Another thing I want to do is de-clutter my life. I've set up the challenge of ridding AT LEAST one bag of trash per week from this house. Donate, Sell, Trash- I don't care how it gets out of here but it needs gone.  In all seriousness though, I rarely trash anything.  I usually try to give it to someone I know is in need, put it on free cycle or craigslist, or donate it. Far too much trash going to landfills, and just because I don't want it anymore doesn't make it trash. I just in all seriousness would like to be able to open the closets and see organization, and not total chaos. I really think if that was the case, I would have more time to do other things- like blog!

 

If any of you are still bothering to read this, thank you for sticking around! I appreciate it more than you'll ever know and I really promise to try harder.

 

For today I'll leave you with a few of Grayson's Christmas pictures- because no post is complete without a picture, right?!

 

 

 

 

Our Potty Training Must Haves

It n all of our potty training trials we have only had two accidents. Both of those have occurred because we were in places that didn't have easy bathroom access. So he told us he had to go, but simply couldn't hold it until we got him to the bathroom. After talking with the girls I work with one of them suggested getting the Potette Travel Potty.

 

Hello, lifesaver.  

 

 

Basically, its a small travel potty that folds down and stores in a bag that easily fits into a diaper bag. However, once you take it out and pop the legs up and add a bag with a specially designed liner you have a potty you can use anywhere.

 

 

 

It also folds out to be used as a seat for public restrooms- which is pure genius if you ask me.

Also, when you run out of the liners, you can easily sub in a grocery bag with some napkins.

 

 

 

Once we got this, I no longer have to worry about not having a potty close by. I have carted this to the park, the pumpkin patch and even used it in the back of my car in a parking lot. Its well worth the $13 bucks Amazon charges. If you're currently facing potty training challenges, trust me, this one is a must buy.

 

Another must have? Cheerios.

 

You want to teach a little boy how to aim? Toss a few cheerios into the potty and have him practice "sinking" the cereal. It works like a charm! I'm fairly certain that the makers of the breakfast cereal would never want to advertise this use of their product, but if they were smart they might start.

 

I really believe that without our reward system we would have failed. Grayson saw this fish tank on TV that he decided he NEEDED, and I used that to my advantage. One morning after we had started peeing on the potty he saw the advertisement and told me to "order it online, Mom!!" and I told him as soon as he pooped on the potty I would get him his fish tank.

 

Its actually called a Teddy Tank, and it consists of a stuffed body that stretches over the fish bowl. He LOVES this thing. It makes the perfect home for Dory the Fish.  They also sell them in dogs, monkeys, bears and even a unicorn but we took home Mr. Penguin. 

 

Basically, the name of the potty training game is whatever works.

 

So tell me, what were some of your potty training must haves?!