Monster Mash!

Our friend Carson put this together for us and it was too cute not to share. Make sure you have your sound turned up and paste the address below into your browser!!! Enjoy!

http://www.monstermashup.com/3c470e

A Visit to The Deanna Rose Farmstead

This weekend the weather was perfect for a visit to The Deanna Rose Farmstead. For those of you not from the area or if you don't have children, Deanna Rose Farmstead is an amazing farm with every farm animal imaginable! It's free to enter and has a lot to offer the kids. Here are some of the animals they have, cows, goats, sheep, ponies, draft horses and miniature horses, donkeys, chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks, bison, longhorn steer, prairie dogs, bobcats and birds of prey. It's really amazing! There is a fishing pond, pony rides (for kids 3 years and up) and wagon rides. We decided to go visit the farmstead firsthand this weekend. We went with our friends Bart, Jenny, Chase and Maia. Good times were had by all. The kids were able to bottle feed baby goats. We were nervous about how they would do with this but they LOVED it!! They loved petting and following them around. Bella was a little more nervous at first but she got over it once she saw all the other kids. We also took a nice walk on a nature trail where Bella and Maia held hands and pretended they were in a fantasy forest. We ate lunch in a big pavilion and were able to play on several play areas spread out throughout the farm. When the day was done, we were tired but had learned so much about all the animals and plants. We will definitely be making this visit again! Next stops.... The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha and the pumpkin patch here in Kansas City, in October. Lots of fall fun planned!!



Jack, Bella and Chase checking out the cows!


Big cow!


Swinging in the forest!


Showing off our color skills! "RED!"


Swinging with Daddy


Maia was Bella's big friend pushing her in the swings


Not sure about the goats yet


Family goat feeding time


Bart, Jenny and Chase feeding goats


Comfortable with the goats


Bossing the goats around no doubt


Jack loved feeding the goats

Jack and Bella turn 2!!!!

What a weekend it has been! Thankfully it's a 3 day weekend so we can use today (Monday) to recover from all of our festivities!! Jack and Bella turned 2 on Saturday, September 5th. On Saturday we went to the Kansas City Zoo with our friends Bart, Jenny, Chase and Maia. Fun times were had by all. We got to see LOTS of exciting animals including sea lions, elephants, lions, monkeys, rhinos, zebras and giraffes. The weather was perfect and by the time it was all over Jack and Bella were snoozing in their strollers. Yesterday was party day at our house. Family came from near and far to help Jack and Bella celebrate such a wonderful day! Since Jack and Bella love Nemo so much we opted for a Nemo themed party. Nemo things are hard to come by anymore so I had to order everything online aside from the cake! We had plates, napkins, balloons, stickers and temporary tattoos for the kiddos! Bella has 2 tattoos on right now and keeps showing them to me "Mommy, turtle. Mommy, Nemo." We celebrated the day with some delicious Greek food and homemade ice cream and cake. Popi and Nana made the Greek gyros, Greek salad and Greek potatoes and then Grandma and Grandpa Norgren brought homemade vanilla and homemade cookies & cream ice cream from Iowa! Delicious! Jack and Bella are blessed to have so many good people in their lives who brought lots of hugs, kisses and presents with them when they came yesterday. We cannot thank any of you enough!! You all made the day so special. Highlights for Mommy and Daddy were bonds for college, of course, and the clothes they can wear this fall - which seems to be coming sooner than we would like!! Jack and Bella were very excited about their new "cycles", cars, dress up clothes and crown (!!), shopping cart, a giant basketball hoop and the list goes on and on! Nathaniel said yesterday "Well, if it wasn't official already, it is now - they have taken over the house!" Thank you to everyone for coming and sharing in our special day. We cannot believe they are getting so big!!


A lion at the zoo.

Jack, Bella and I by the flamingos


Watching the sea lions!! Very exciting!


Playing in the yard at her party!


Very interested in his new tiny Elmo


Bella and Grandma Norgren with another tiny Elmo


Aunt Tina shows Jack the Nemo balloon. He loved hitting it!


Popi making the gyros. Notice the apron!!!


The spread: gyros, Greek potatoes, fruit and Greek salad


The cake!!



Jack and Bella with their cake!!!


Bella's "cycle"!



Jack's "cycle!"