Enjoying the Season

Happy Halloween

I am enjoying this fall season so much. There is a little chill in the air, we have a beautiful tree with bright orange leaves in our front yard. My mums are in bloom and we are enjoying the last bit of playing outside before the winter sets in. Such a beautiful time of year. We continued our pumpkin carving tradition a couple of days ago. Jamie and Lainey were a little more adventurous this year with a Minnie Mouse design. It turned out cute!

I didn't get the best picture of Minnie but I think you can make it out.

I love duo costumes on Lainey and Cooper, but I figure this is probably my last year of Lainey picking her costume and Cooper having no opinion about his : ) I am sure if he could tell me he would not have loved the idea of being the Beast with his lacy neck tie thing. But he was a great sport and next year he can be whatever spider man/superman/football player (you get the idea)he chooses!

This princess climbs trees

My favorite. Lainey and her impromptu curtsey.

Poor thing was so stuffed into his car seat

He's a happy boy now with his first sucker and his best buddy, Nolan.

Weekend Warrior

The "before" picture

We decided it was time to give Lainey a big girl room. She's been in a toddler bed for too long and was about to outgrow it. We looked at bunk beds and some different ideas for girl's rooms but didn't feel like any of the options out there gave us the storage she needs or would be the best use of the space in her room. So my rock star husband went to work and made an amazing creation...

He even put lighting in it...I'm still amazed

Trimming it out Drum roll please..........

Tah Dah! The finished product.

Love my handy man.

I had a wonderful birthday this year thanks to my family and incredible husband. We started the day with a trip to the pumpkin patch. There is something about this place that I just love. How could you not...fresh peaches, strawberries, apples, pumpkins...something wonderful year round.

Jamie planned some time for me at a spa and then took me out to dinner at a restaurant that rotates while you eat. It has such amazing views of the city lights and the arch. Just gorgeous and so fun to get all dressed up together. I am thankful for a husband that likes to celebrate moments together...even the small moments. And yes, he is taken and he's all mine.

This is a funny picture to me. In the parking lot that night was a toyota solara, which was the first car I bought myself and I LOVED it. It was sort of like my dream car. We parked across from it in our Odyssey and it just made me laugh how much my life has changed in the past 10 years.

We met my parents in Columbia for the afternoon the next day. We played at the park and had a nice dinner together.

Never say never

Dear 16 Year Old Nikki,

Remember the other day when you said you would never drive a mini van? You are now almost 33 years old and practically jumping up and down over your new Odyssey. Never say never.

The Beginnings of Fall

Lainey is going to pre-school 3 days a week this year and is loving it. Makes me happy that she enjoys school so much. She has some fabulous teachers and is in the same building as Jamie so he peeks in her window a few times a day and tells me that she is always right in the middle of the action. Boy do I miss her though. Three days a weeks feels like a lot to me...guess it's good preparation for kindergarten next year. Daddy's 30th birthday was a couple of weeks ago. We sent him on a weekend trout fishing trip with one of his best friends and took this picture right after he got home. This is our new birthday hat...pretty cute huh! Can you tell how much Jamie LOVED wearing it? He just couldn't turn his little girl down when she put it on his head : )

We have been loving our Saturday morning soccer games. I never thought that Lainey would be timid doing anything, but she is when she plays soccer. Jamie has been working with her to be a little more aggressive. I think it's sweet though, she always cheers for the other team when they score...such a thoughtful girl : )

Wild, little man in the middle of the goal (while the team was heading his way with the ball!) The boy just wants to be in the middle of it all. Have I called him wild a lot lately? Seems to be the most fitting word, or maybe ferocious. Love having a little boy!

One of our favorite fall traditions...apple picking at Eckerts. Love living down the street from an orchard.

What a Summer

This was a fabulous summer. So fabulous in fact that we've been living it up and I haven't updated the blog in a while. So, per my momma's request here are way too many pictures of the past few months... I officially became a soccer mom this summer and am proud to say that I am the loudest mom at the games. Lainey likes it at this point in her life, not sure what she'll think of my cheering her on in a few years : )

We visited Grant's Farm

and the zoo

homemade salsa with things we grew in our garden

Little man took his first steps

Lainey and I had a special "girl day" and she got her first pedicure

We read our first chapter book

We went to Starlight in Kansas City to see Cinderella with my family

We had some good, quality cousin time

We enjoyed the new playhouse my parent's and Seth built in memory of my great grandma

We played all day at an in-door water park

We celebrated the 4th of July at a small town carnival

We added a new member to the family...my niece, Malloree Grace

We had a wonderful vacation in Branson with Jamie's family

We visited Silver Dollar City and Lainey met two of her favorites

We got small glimpses of what it must have been like growing up in the O'Dell house : )

We found out that another member of the family is on his way! Baby boy #3 will arrive in January for Brian and Crystal!

We caught a glimpse of our daughter's driving ability. Yikes!