Crazy Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, and Pumpkin Carving...

What did you do with your weekend?

Well, we had a long one so we were able to squeeze a TON of fun into ours.

I've never really looked at corn stalks and thought "Wow this sure is pretty," but when we decided to go to the Crazy Corn Maze that is exactly what I began to think as I watched my cute family make their way through the maze. 

See what I mean....

Pretty right?  

Anyway, we could hardly keep the kids contained when we arrived.  They were beyond excited to get started and get lost.

We had a really good time, but I was scared the entire time that we were going to lose one of the kids because they kept running ahead of us.  Children of the corn kept running through my head and I couldn't help but thing "What if someone comes and grabs one of the kids and pulls them into the rows of corn and we never see them again?"  I know I am a HUGE worry wart.

And then of course the kids thought it would be funny to play upon Mom's worrisome ways and would hunker down in the corn and see if they could worry me even more because I couldn't see them.  

I of course would always find them. HA!

Bill even opted to get in on the hide from Mom fun, but he too failed miserably, but in his defense he had no hope in success with the kids by his side.  Just as I came around the corner I could hear Sam whisper (very loudly I might add), "Shhhh guys, I see Mom!"

Doesn't matter that his plan didn't work.  As you can tell from the picture above he still thought that he was super funny and clever.

On a different note, I must say that having a husband like Bill makes it very difficult to enjoy the fun of getting lost because with a map in hand he knew exactly where we were and exactly where we needed to go to get to our next checkpoint.  

In case you have never been to the Crazy Corn Maze, they have 10 questions that you are suppose to answer and then ten different check points within the maze with different shaped hole punches at each check point to ensure that you found each of them.  If you find them all then you get a prize at the end.  Though we didn't get lost, you had better believe that we found ALL ten of those check points.  

Now, no Tomlin Family outing would be complete without two things.  One, dancing Brenna and two, some kind of potty drama.  Without fail, everywhere we take our kids we have to visit a restroom at least 2-3 times.  AND without fail Brenna is busting out some type of dance related moves.  The dancing poses no problem at the corn maze...

BUT you can imagine what kind of problems come along with the potty thing, especially when you are dead center of the maze with no easy access to a potty.  I must say I am SO proud of Brenna for making it all the way through the maze without having to pee... THE BOYS

On the other hand were a different story.  Yes this includes Bill.  Both were hit with an immediate NEED to go pee, but as I mentioned we had no easy way out to get them that much needed relief.  

(Note to EVERYONE, visit the pot before you enter the maze)

Fortunately for boys, they have the option of just being very discrete in the act.  Yes, they BOTH tucked themselves away in the corn stalks and did their business...

Bill MAY or may not kill me for these pictures.  He should know better though... HA!

We finally made our way out of the corn maze, though I am sure we made it out much faster than many do it did seem to go on for quite awhile.  

An added benefit to having gone to the Corn Maze is that it doubles as a pumpkin patch.  We were, however, very disappointed with the pumpkin options.  It seemed that the majority of the pumpkins were beginning to or in the major phases of rotting.  We were pretty limited.  This may be a result of being late into the month along with the warmth and dryness of our summer?  I'm just guessing here, but it seems like those combined could be likely causes.  

We finally decided on the pumpkins we felt right for each of us and headed out.  We hit up Jordan Landing for some dinner and of course we can't go there without making a stop at Barnes and Noble.  We didn't get home until late so the Pumpkin carving had to wait until Sunday.  

Amazingly enough we managed to keep the table fairly clean during the carving process.  YAY for easy clean up.  

Brenna decided on a vampiress pumpkin.

Sam and Bill of course had to have the scary element to their pumpkins.  Sam wanted his JUST LIKE Dad's, but Bill talked him out of it.  

I of course have to have a girly/cute pumpkin.  She even has eyelashes.  

Our little Tomlin Pumpkin Family.

I think each of our pumpkins represent each of us very well.  I sure hope each of your weekend was as fun filled and awesome as ours was...

Have a HAPPY MONDAY!

(A little over a week till Halloween, are you as excited as I am?) 

A Father Is...

I know I should have posted this a few days ago, but to be honest I was having way too much fun enjoying my kids and family to take a time out to blog.


A Father is...

A rock.

The solid foundation in which carries the strength of his family.

He is the safest embrace and sternest of hands.

He is a hard worker and provider.

He is wise.

In my life, my father has been just that.  A rock, my safety, my disciplinarian who taught by example what respect is. 

Respect for others and Respect for myself. 

He has always worked hard, and loved his children with such depth and unconditionally.

He is always there to offer a shoulder to cry on and wisdom to help me through the toughest of times. 

(even if at times I don't want to hear what he has to say)

He is one of my very best friends and I am so grateful to call him MY DAD.  

I am fortunate to have found a husband that does just the same for his own children.  Bill is an amazing father and has really impressed me with how much love he has for his family.  I see the same bond developing between him and our children as I have with my father and I am so grateful for the opportunity to sit back and watch them bond.  

This Father's Day was a bit different for me.  Bill took off with his dad to a Bike Rally out in Elko for a little bonding time of their own, which left the kids and I home to entertain ourselves.

After the heart attack event at the beginning of the month I had a new appreciation for what this day represents.  Not only is a day meant to celebrate all the father's in the world, it is also a day that they should be allowed to do whatever it is their hearts desire.  Bill wanted this time spent with his dad, and I was okay with that.  My dad wanted some time alone, to relax, rest, and just be.  I respected that as well.  He deserved to just be after the month he has had.  The kids and I just hung out all weekend.  We went and saw a movie with Grandma T. (blog to come about that), went to a birthday party for my nephew, spent a little time with my mom, and then had some good quality time at home.  

The kids and I made Bill a candy bar bouquet for fathers day while he was gone.  Bill came home Sunday afternoon and we just laid low for most of the day. The kids were so excited to give his gift to him, he barely made it through the door before they were handing over the goodies.  We did go out to dinner because none of us were in the mood for lasagna as I had planned to make.  Summer dinners are hard to plan... It's just too hot to cook. After dinner we stopped by my dads for a short, but sweet, visit.  We sat on his porch and talked while the kids played a hilarious game of hide-and-seek.  Everyone should really have the opportunity to watch my kids play this game.  They really SUCK at it, which makes it quite entertaining.  

Happy Father's Day to all you amazing father's out there! 

And thank you for being the Rock we all need in our lives!

How I Spent My Mother's Day 2012

This mother's day I felt quite spoiled.  Bill and the kids did a wonderful job letting me know I am loved.

Mother's day just so happened to fall on my birthday this year as well so Bill was very considerate of that.

He asked me what I wanted to do for my day of double celebration,

and I didn't hesitate to give him my list.

Really it wasn't THAT big of a list, I just wanted to not have to do anything AND to get breakfast and dinner made by him and my babies.

He complied with my requests... I got French Toast for breakfast (my favorite) and then he got some huge steaks to bbq for dinner.  I only had one other request with my dinner and that was spinach artichoke dip from Chili's.  Instead of doing that, he got all the ingredients to make it homemade.  I had to help him make, but that was okay because I really enjoyed being in the kitchen with him at my side making some delicious food.  

Our dip turned out FABULOUS! 

Even better than Chili's.

(This post is going to all over the place so I will apologize ahead of time)

That morning after breakfast Bill and the kids rushed out to his truck and came back in with a bag of gifts.  They each picked me out something special from them.  Brenna got me a photography book that teaches you about all the various cameras, lighting, staging, exposure, contrast.... You know all those things that go along with photography.  I LOVE IT!

Sam got me some perfume.  They told me they went to Kohl's and that Brenna was the test subject.  Sam sprayed numerous kinds of perfume on her until he narrowed it down to the few he liked.  Eventually he narrowed it down to one by Ed Hardy.It smells great!  I love it!  

And I love it more simply because my son took the time to pick it special for me.  

Bill got me another photography book, but this one is all about how to run a successful photography business.  I have skimmed through it a little and was struck by the first chapter titled, 

Getting Started: Finding the Real you.

The very last sentence of this chapter reads, "My career success began the day I became clear on who I was as a photographer and started sharing it with the world."

This is something I think I am still unsure of myself.  I don't know how all this photography stuff even really happened to me.  It all just kind of fell into my lap.  I am grateful for it.  I love to do it.  But lets face it, I'm slightly lost in this whole business stuff.  

I am so happy Bill got me this book.  Just that first chapter tells me that it is going to lead me to great places in my "business."  

At around 2pm I got a text from my little brother.  All it said was "5pm Moms house."

Of course I reply, "For what?"

"A BBQ"

Well considering that Bill had already went above and beyond for me with some great dinner plans I had to decline the invite.  In which case my brother was bummed out.  He said that it was okay, but they (my brothers and brother in law) had planned to have cake for my birthday.  

AWE!  They are so sweet. 

We ate dinner at my house around 4, so even though I declined the invite for the BBQ at my mom's house I ended up heading over after dinner.  I felt bad that my brothers thought of me and I had to disappoint.  It was a good thing that I went too, cause they bought 2 HUGE cakes because they couldn't agree on which one I would like.  

Again AWE!

I took my camera along with me because I knew that all my mom's kids would be there and she ALWAYS wants a picture done with all of us, but somehow it never happens.  I was determined to make it happen for her.  It was a good though for Mother's Day right? 

I was happy to see that my grandparents came up for dinner as well.  I don't seen them often enough so it was a good surprise. 

We spent three hours there, just enjoying one another.  Laughing. 

I had my brother-in-law take some pictures for us... then I edited them.  

AS you can see my family is entirely incapable of taking a 'serious' picture,

That's okay though... It's who we are.  

It was a good day!

All the Special Mom's

My personal Favorite, even though I am a nerd.

Isn't my mom so lucky?

This is about as serious as it gets...

I hope everyone else has as blessed of a day as I did!