Happy birthday to Bella...happy birthday to you!

Isabella Rose turned 4 (!) on October 17 - a date she can now recite by heart.  It sounds like this - Octover Sebenteen - Oh how I love the language of children!

We had three - yes three- birthday parties to celebrate Bella's 4th year around the sun.  We celebrated with my family while Mimi and Papa were in town, with the 5 of us on her actual birthday, and with Brian's family during the October birthday bash.  Two of the three had a beach theme- complete with a sandcastle cake, hula girls, and lai's all around. 

I love birthdays, they are an amazing day that we celebrate, for what could be better than celebrating someone you love...a party build around the fact they were born and continue to live a beautiful life on this earth.  I will admit - I LOVE my birthday, but after I became a mom, I realized something even better and more fun than celebrating my own birthday - celebrating our children's birthdays.  We eagerly countdown from months out, than weeks, and finally days...we have balloons, birthday cards, birthday phone calls, all the cake and confetti we can fit in one (or three) day.  Life is an incredible gift we have been given and it is something that should be celebrated.

Our sweet Isabella, you are a vivacious 4 year old.  You have a fantastic contagious laughter that comes from way down deep in your belly.  You amaze us with not only your ability to think of surprisingly not-toddler questions and answers but also with your ability to respond in the blink of an eye when presented an odd question.  Your teacher described you as "your own individual" and "someone who knows exactly what she wants"...this is true my love.  You are amazing, and beautiful and I am so thankful for you.  Happy Birthday my love.

Fall!

Ah, Fall - my favorite season is here!  I can not help but love the crispness in the air and the crunch of the leaves under our feet.  I especially love the extra excuses to cuddle in and cozy up as a family.  We have had a perfect fall so far; and the beautiful fireworks of color provided by the trees is astounding this year!  Fall always helps remind me of how much we have to be thankful for.  I have been so blessed with a beautiful, loving family - not only the one I came from, and not just the one I married into; but also the one Brian and I have made together.  God has given us so much and although we have had trials of faith; I know he is here beside us helping us through each day.

We visited our favorite pumpkin patch yesterday afternoon.  It is so much fun visiting the same place year after year; to see the light of remembrance in the kids' eyes as they recall climbing over pumpkins last year, playing the bean-bag toss game, and coloring.  It is a great family tradition and I'm thankful it is there year after year! 

After filling our wagon with pumpkins, it came time to decide which ones would come home with us.  After much deliberation; we settled on a handful for our family and packed it up to head for home. 

We made one last stop before heading home - the farmer's market has a beautiful display of pumpkins this year and has a perfect picture spot.  Since we don't feel comfortable with taking William to a photo studio; we used this opportunity to take his "Halloween picture" (we have one of Norah at 5 months old, one of Bella at 1 year, and now one of William at 17 months)  to hang on our wall.