This time of year we like to bake cookies, we usually make 3 or 4 different types. This year we made gingerbread and vanilla-almond sugar cookies a few weeks ago and this week we made Mudslide cookies and chocolate crinkles two of our favorites It was fun baking with Payton this year because she can do so much more and she loved watching the chocolate melt and the mixer go around and around.
It is fun to watch her grow into a little baker who can "do it herself". She loves being able to help and to make then eat her own creations. It is so much fun and who cares if we make a big mess, they are memories that we can share and remember always.





Baking with Grandma Tucker - making a big mess.

Time for some hot chocolate cause baby it's cold out side !

Today we are having the first snow in a long time. Payton looked outside and said It's snowing!! Look mama it's snowing. It is so beautiful to watch . I took Payton outside while I did a few things I need to outside . She was tring to pick up the snowflakes but couldn't so she decided that we needed to sing Jingle bells to the cats in the window. It was fun watching her enjoy the snow coming down. We went out front to check things and as we were watching the snow out there she noticed it was in my hair - she said there's snow in your hair!! It was pretty funny to see.

Peppermint Brownies - ohh so delicious!

Today Payton and I made peppermint brownies using peppermint patties and a simple brownie mix. She helped me mix the ingredients and sort out the peppermints( first she ate some of the dry mix) - as she calls them. When every thing was mixed we poured about half the batter in the baking dish, then the real fun began. I opened the peppermints and Payton placed them on the brownie batter in the dish, she had fun pushing them down and moving them around. She had batter on her face, hands, foot and in her hair, a true baker. When we had enough peppermint patties we poured the rest of the batter and put it in the oven to bake. The smell was heavenly and we could not wait to try our little treat.





They are delicious! Daddy will be surprised when he gets home and I know they will not last long in this house!

My little helper

Payton wanted to help me clean and do laundry yesterday which is great! I love how she wants to help and be just like mommy. I was folding laundry last night and she was wanted to help so she would take what I folded and put it in a pile but not like I would towels together and then my shirts ,Kevin shirts etc - she laid them each in their own spot until she ran of room and then she just randomly started piling clothes up.She got so excited about another towel or shirt it was really cute, I never knew how exciting folding laundry could be until now! Then she decided that she should walk on it and mix it in a big pile when we were done. I tried to put away what I could before all my hard work was ruined. She did help put some of it away and decided it would be fun to fill "her bag" with daddy's socks. Chores are never dull with a toddler around.

Trick or Treat - those are the words Payton had been saying all week but when It came time to say it Sunday night she wouldn't. She did say thank you and another one.






She was excited and got it more than last year. She also loved to feed the kids or people - give the kids candy, she held the bowl for them and really wanted to put it in their bags.


She was a very cute Tinkerbell and loves to wear her costume even those she won't get candy for doing so.. I will be fun as she gets older to watch her play dress up and see what she comes up with. It is fun to watch her as she discovers new things and figures out things like how to pull a chair up to the counter to get what she wants.She can now get into drawers to make new discoveries of what is inside.

We love The Farm!

Saturday we went with my parents to take Payton to get pumpkins and to see the animals. We wandered the patch of multicolored pumpkins and found three that we liked.

Payton needed to go on the little play ground so we made a quick stop before we paid for our pumpkins. Grandpa Tucker gave the pumpkins a nice wheelbarrow ride to the car while we headed to the animals - Payton could not wait!! We saw a mommy pig and her week old piglets sleeping - so precious. Alpacas, a pony and a burro. Payton was most excited about the bunnies and the kittens! She first went to the bunnies and liked when they came over and sniffed her. Next we went to the area with the kittens - this year she got to hold one all by herself - she was SOOO excited!



She thought it was the best thing ever and still talks about it - in fact she wants to go back. Then we got to go in a fenced of area with bunnies hopping around - it was fun to be able to pet them and watch them run. The last few animals some little piggies and the goats - which she pet too. The last part of out trip to the farm included sitting on a tractor and a big pumpkin for our traditional family picture.

Just a walk to the park

Today Payton and I took a walk to the little park near our house. It is a small park but she loves it and it has her favorite thing -a slide!




She showed me how she can slide on her tummy and how she can climb on things. We had fun climbing and sliding together - just the two of us. Out in the cold foggy fall morning having fun. It is fun to look at things from her perspective and see the world in a different view one that I knew a long time ago when I was her age but don't remember. It is nice just having a lazy morning and being able to take a walk to the park.




One the way back we picked up a few of the beautiful red leaves that had fallen on the ground.I love how beautiful the leaves are this time of year.




Now we are snuggled up watching Winnie the Pooh her first movie and she is loving it. If we had some hot chocolate and popcorn it would be perfect.
Recently I found a new blog that I love and it has inspired me to look at things differently and try to do things maybe I would not normally do - bake something new, decorate in a new way or even try sewing something.The blog is called Enjoying the small things -kellehamton.com a mom who is around the same age at me and has two young girls one who is Paytons age. I think I can relate to what is happening in her life even though she has two kids one with Down syndrome a challenge that she has accepted as a challenge to live her life better and to make the world better for her daughters.
So today I will breathe and enjoy the quiet moments I have with Payton, let God speak to me, do some cleaning, school work and just remember to live one day at a time for each days has it own special moments to cherish and we will never get them back.

Memorial day weekend

Memorial day weekend my parents came up to see us.We had a fun packed weekend starting with shopping at the outlet mall. Later we went to costco for food and a yummy frozen yogurt, Paytons first. She loved it.



Then Sunday was church and her first trip to the library so I could get a book for the lesson I had to teach.




Monday we went to the Seattle Children's museum, it was her first time there and she was everywhere. She loved climbing in the whale and drivingt he fire truck. She also drove a bus, visited storybook land, danced on stage, went shoppping at whole foods and visited Africa, Japan and mexico. She had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa.





She also "helped" grandma sew, watched grandpa mow the lawn and planted sunflower seeds.




She can't wait for another visit from Grandma and Grandpa Tucker.

Mothers day

I had a great mother's day thanks to my amazing husband. He got me tea and a top pot donut in the morning, took me out to lunch and then got me pizza for dinner. Yummy - I was so full at the end of the day.The best part was spending time with Kevin and Payton. It was the best day! Thanks Kevin and Payton for a relaxing day - I Love you!

Tulip fields

We went to see the beautiful Tulip fields in Mt Vernon. I love all the beautiful colors, Payton loved smelling them and climbing the mounds. She also liked watched the tractor pull the trolley around.