Dinner with the G's

Natalie always enjoys going over to see G-Ma, G-Dad, GG-Ma, and GG-Dad. These names were started my Natalie’s cousin Mary Alice when she was Natalie’s age, and I guess they have stuck. Here is the secret decoder ring:

G-Ma: Natalie’s grandma, Kathy (my mom)
G-Dad: Natalie’s granddad, Rob (my dad)
GG-Ma: Natalie’s great-grandma (Rob’s mom)
GG-Dad: Natalie’s great-granddad (Rob’s dad)

When Natalie was a baby (well, a real baby, a drink a bottle and burp kind of baby), we used to take her over to stay with my parents. It is amazing to think how much she has changed since we used to take her over there or the first time.

She loves going to their apartment to see everyone, and to “Ca-Ca”....she is trying to say “color”. Every time we pull up to their place, Natalie starts saying “Pol, Pol”...which is her version of “pool” because my parents have spoiled her by taking her to the pool every time she comes over.

The other things she loves to do at my parents place is ride with GG-Ma on her wheelchair. Natalie loves to go for a “Rii, rii” on the wheelchair.

Oh, and she loves watching Dancing With The Stars, which is always on at my parents place. She gets out in the middle of the floor and shakes her booty and taps her feet. It is hilarious!

Landon

A Drive Through the Northeast

Last week I was driving through Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Ohio visiting customers for my new job. It was so amazing to see all of the changing trees as I drove through the hills. I have spent so much of my life in Texas that I haven’t been able to enjoy the changing of the seasons.

So the one thing that I enjoyed while being away from Natalie for a few days was the scenery. I wish that Natalie and Kristin could have been with me to see the beautiful trees, but they would not have enjoyed seeing Plastic Manufacturing Plants, which was the main reason for me to go on the trip.

I hope that we can get up to the northeast in time to see the changing of the seasons, but I think we might miss it by a week. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
To see the pictures I took, check out this link: http://gallery.mac.com/ljluttrell#100016

Landon

Afternoon at the Pumpkin Farm

This afternoon we all went to the Dewberry Farm in Brookshire, TX which is northwest of Houston about 45 miles. Dewberry Farm is a 16 acre pumpkin patch with a corn maze, petting zoo, hayrides, pig races, and all that yummy carnival food. Here is the website for the farm: http://www.dewberryfarm.com/

We decided to take Natalie out there to get some pictures in the pumpkins and to run off some energy. I think that she took care of both, including getting extremely dirty!
The pumpkins were spread out in a bare field that still had the planting rows dug. Natalie had more than a difficult time walking through the field because she wanted to run to the next pumpkin she saw. Needless to say, she got a few grass stains on her “Gymbo” jeans, and got a little dirt and grass in her matching sweater. Nothing out of the ordinary for an adventurous 18 month old.

After exploring the pumpkin patch, we took a ride through the farm and the played in the petting zoo. Natalie got to pet a bunny, chase a few chickens, and stare eye-to-eye with a horse.
I think we got a few good pictures of our afternoon at the Farm, check them out: http://gallery.mac.com/ljluttrell#100002

Landon

Natalie and her laptop

Since Natalie is always trying to get on our computer, we decided to get her a toy laptop while we were at Target this weekend. She refused to let it out of her hands in the store, and it was the first thing she wanted to play with when we got home. She spent the next hour or so on the floor playing with it. She liked to lay on her belly and push the buttons and move the mouse. I am guessing that she has learned exactly how to do this from watching us....makes you wonder what else she is going to mimic!

Natalie has such a mind of her own right now. She knows what she wants to do, and does her best to get her way so she can do it. I guess I cannot complain too much, as I was the same way when I was her age. I guess I should have known that she would be strong willed...my parents have been warning me all my life that my children would pay me back for all the wonderful moments I gave them.

Landon