So....I don't have much time, but I wanted to update with some pics! I am pretty sure the pictures are in opposite order of the things I am going to mention....

About 3 weeks ago Travis and I left Brenton with Grandma Jeanette and Grandpa Mike (for the first time overnight!!) and went to KC for a 3-day weekend (thank the Lord for bank holidays!). We got the trip as a gift and it was awesome- the Intercontinental hotel (fancy-schmancy), concierge level room (key card access only- seriously- the elevator won't even take you there without a key!), Plaza shopping, Cheesecake Factory, T-Rex adventures (we will take Brenton next time!)....oh, and did I mention- spending time as husband and wife for 3 days straight?!?! Perfect.

We missed Brenton, of course, and bought him new toys. :)

We also got to go to Tulsa in October- yay for Moriah's birthday, circus extravaganza, and Moriah getting baptized!

And then- PUMPKIN time! We chose to buy pieces to put in Brenton's pumpkin (like Mr. Potato Head pieces) instead of carving....he thought the pieces were better suited for his mouth. Every time we put them in, he would take them out and put them in his mouth! Crazy kid has had a LOT of fun with that pumpkin....it's about to be too soft to keep around! PLUS- you get a sneak peek of Brenton, the monkey's, debut at the YMCA Kid Zone! More Halloween pictures to come, I promise! You will not want to miss the Monkey and Banana pair! :)

Another month....almost!

I am having trouble keeping track of what I have posted and what I have not....

Let's see- Brenton knows about 35 words now, but definitely picks and chooses when he wants to use them or use the good ole' "AHHHHHH!" to get our attention! It is so great, though- ball, up, truck, bus, taco, fish, ice, more, boom (usually pronounced boom-buh....it has 2 syllables in case you didn't know)....and on and on. Sadly, he has not yet said any of the nice- manners-words like please, thank you, you're welcome....we're working on that- little stinker!

We've had a lot of fun in the past few weeks- we went to Tulsa for Aunt Maranda's big 17! Yay High School Musical on ice! :) Of course it was great to spend time with my family- I miss them all the time. A few weeks ago the bank sponsored a family event at All Star Sports and Brenton got to ride-rides and play all day. Last weekend we took Brenton to a thing they had here in Wichita that was all about big trucks. Basically, whoever sponsored the event just had big trucks of all kinds parked in a huge parking lot and kids could climb on them and check them out, sit in the seats, push all the buttons, honk all the horns....etc. Brenton loved it! We sat him in the police car (yes, I know- that's not exactly a big truck) and the policeman taught him which button makes the sirens turn on and Brenton had it mastered. He would drive, drive, drive the steering wheel, then turn to his right and dink! SIRENS non stop! Then the policeman handed him the PA announcer-thing that projects outside the car and Brenton spoke right up and said, "HI!"! It was cute! After that we went to a new pumpkin patch and it was a lot of fun, too. They had a sandbox made out of dried corn kernel instead of sand (which I loved! no mess like sand!), a big hill-slide, animals, a playground, a little train, and of course lots of pumpkins.....or BALLS if you are Brenton. He was running around the field saying, "ball! ball! ball!" and picking up pumpkins and throwing them about 5 feet.....good thing he didn't actually break any! :)

So....I gotta run chase the baby and head off to the gym! Here are some pictures!

Let the traveling begin!

Now that Travis is no longer working at Red Lobster (yes, the end of an era, I know) our weekends are amazingly FREE- OPEN- NO PLANS- FREE TIME- ABILITY TO TRAVEL!!!!!!

So....here are visits to Manhattan and Tulsa in a nutshell:







Ok...this was in Wichita....but seriously- is this what Grandparents are for, or what? We were definitely not allowed to put the slide into the pool when I was growing up...boy have times changed!













Travis' grandparents in Manhattan
















She is an experienced wiggle-worm-book-reading-Grandma....and is about to be a Grandma X 3 in about two weeks!



















Grandma sets them up....Brenton knocks them over....Grandma sets them up.....Brenton knocks them over.....Grandma sets them up.....Brenton knocks them over.....




















Brenton and Sadie....they have both grown A LOT since their last time together.....but they still both fit in the chair....together. Sadie followed Brenton around all weekend and when she wasn't....Brenton followed her around....they are a great pair!

















Well, this one is in Wichita too.....but look how great he is doing! Brenton has great aim, but his biggest challenge is in getting food to stay stuck on the fork!






















ONLY GRANDPARENTS WOULD LET YOU LICK YOUR BOWL CLEAN.

(Queso at Ted's in Tulsa)

















And our trip would not be complete without CHICK FIL A!















And then we tortured my almost-17-year-old-little-sister!!! BEFORE

















AFTER- she got her ears pierced!!









So....we have been having a great time! This past weekend we even got out our bicycles and went for a long ride at the park! Brenton loves his new bicycle chair! We even have a few new little ones around us to enjoy- introducing:












Gavin Andrew! Hmmm....looks like I'm ready for 2.....NOT QUITE YET!




















And Erick! SO CUTE!

Pants!

I just have to tell you this really cute thing Brenton did this morning....

I was getting him ready for church (we're about to leave now) and I dressed him in new clothes he got for his birthday: khaki pants and a green and blue striped polo shirt. After I got him dressed I stood him down on the floor and you should have seen his reaction! He looked down at his feet and legs with the funniest face and slowly tried to lift his feet to walk....and then it dawned on me! He has not worn pants (as opposed to shorts) for a long time- in fact, not at all since he started walking! He thought the pants were pretty strange....but it only lasted about 2 seconds and then he was running around again like normal! :)

All picture post- keep scrolling down!!

So....that's our big-one-year-old in a nutshell! The party was at my sister's house, he loved his cake-- every piece of it! Someone gave him a piece of chocolate and a sucker and a juicebox when I wasn't looking! Brenton loves his new toys- check out the harmonica in his pocket! The radio flyer red race car is what Travis and I got him for his birthday- he has already figured out how to stand up in it! Brenton has picked up both swimming (the random guy in the picture holding him is his swim instructor) and golf! Oh- and check him out lifting those 1 lb. weights!! Whew.....isn't he cute!! :)