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!

 

 



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!

 

Train Obsessed Toddler Heaven

We did it again, we took Grayson to see Thomas.

 

Toddler Mind, Blown.

 

This is our second year in a row trekking out to Ohio to ride on the Blue Choo Choo, and I will say that this year Grayson really understood what was going on a lot more.

 

What a difference a year makes...last year to this year he really has gotten so much bigger.

 

 Can I point out that Thomas the Train is pretty much a toddler addiction? Whenever his whistle would sound there were literally hundreds of kids screaming and yelling. It was almost like being at a Justin Timberlake concert for toddlers :)

 

 

At first he wasn't too sure- it might have been the 2 hour car nap fog had not worn off yet.

 

Once we got on the train however, he was much better.  Except when the train stopped- then he just kept saying Green Light Thomas, Go Fast!! Meanwhile Mommy gets motion sick like woah, and that stupid train goes backwards. See that smile on my face? That's really me attempting not to lose my Starbucks. The things we do for our kiddos, right?

 



Me gots a Thomas paper, Mommy!!

 



Overall it was a great day. If you have a train obsessed toddler in your ranks, I highly suggest Day Out with Thomas.  The train ride seems pricy at around $20 each, but all of the other activities are completely free.  The big arse Thomas balloon cost me $10, and approximately two minutes after tying it to my hand the top part let go and Thomas floated away.  Luckily they did give me a new one, since that was obviously not my error. Otherwise I would have shelled out another $10 because Grayson was already telling everyone who would listen that Mommy let his Thomas go up to the sky. He still looks up at the sky and asks where his Thomas balloon went. He's got the guilt game down, for sure.

 

Now he's asking for Gigi and Pap to take him to ride on Thomas, so we'll see if there are two train rides in our plans this summer!



Pumpkin Patch Fun!

I wanted to wait for a nice fall day to go to the Pumpkin Patch, one where it wasn't too cold to go out but one that still felt like fall.  Well thank you October weather in Pittsburgh, it was near 80 last weekend as we made our annual visit to the patch.

 

 

 

The shirt I had so lovingly purchased/had monogramed for the occasion was long sleeved. So lucky for us Nana had found this shirt the week before that she had purchased way back last year. Because you cant go to the patch without a Halloween themed shirt, right?

annnd he's off. We spent literally 30 minutes chasing him through the pumpkins. The kid was a man on a mission. 

 No Aunt Maureen, it needs to be THIS big!

He found his 32 pound pumpkin. Then wouldnt look up for a picture.



The farm had first time ever pick your own apples, knocking three things off of our fall bucket list when you add in the hayride we took to get to the patch!

 

PS- Fresh picked apples are AMAZEBALLS. 

He ate three of them before we even left.

 

We've gone to the same pumpkin patch since Grayson was born, and its crazy to see the changes that have occurred in just two years.

 

three weeks old.

one. 

two.

 

Where did my itty bitty baby go?!

Do you guys have a pumpkin picking tradition?



Christmas 2012

Grayson Boy must have been on Santa's nice list this year- well if not Santa, at least the Grandparent's good list.

 

Its a tradition that Santa sends an early present to you- usually PJs and Slippers for Christmas morning. Santa knew Grayson already had some nifty new slippers, so he sent PJs and a book instead.

 

 

Then in our spanking new jammies we put out cookies and milk for Santa

 

However, Grayson decided he needed to sample them before Santa got a taste. Despite Daddy warning that's a good way to get on the naughty list.

 



Cookie thief.

 



 

Trying to get a family photo where Momma doesn't have half closed eyes- fail.

 

 

However, Santa mustnt' have minded because

Christmas morning looked something like this:

 

 

Santa left his footprints by the cookies and milk

 

 

 Checking them out!

 

 

Patrick's parents stay with us for the holidays, so Grayson gets to wake up with two of his favorite people in the house.  When they are around- Patrick and I do not exist.  Christmas day is crazy. We start at home, then head to my Mom's, then my Dad's, my Grandma's then Patricks Grandparents. Time is budgeted and a schedule is made. However Grayson tossed us off the schedule by taking a 2.5 hour nap at Nana's. Here's a little snap shot into the day.

 

Pappy made him a fire truck pedal car for Christmas- the back half is a super sweet bookshelf/toybox. Grayson loves it...Momma isnt so sure about all of the alarms Pap installed on the sucker though.  

 

Opening gifts with Nana

Loved this face when he saw his remote controlled car.

 



The year of the cars- Grayson was also gifted his own truck by my dad. 

 



 

We always end the evening at Gong and Pap's.  Its full of food, family and presents. This is my favorite picture- the four generations of K men. Every year it gets more an more apparent that this child will look NOTHING like me as he gets older.

 

 

In other news, I now own my own toy store- its located where my dining room used to be. Feel free to stop on by and play sometime!

Merry Christmas 2012!