Trick or Treat~

~Sigh~We love this house.

Chef Landen~

One day Landen decided he needed to lick everything. These are all the things he licked that day. Obviously this dining room chair, the cart at Target, a green bean can at Target(ew!), every spoon at dinner, Zachary's dirty socks, his own socks and toes, and I think a few more things. Such a goof!

He loves his walker now. These are just two random pictures.

Love the concentration. He loves brobros toys and I think he has pretty phenomenal dexterity.

He is obsessed with all things kitchen and cooking.

He is so funny! He loves oven mitts and I guess thinks anything can be one. These are all the funny things he tried to use as an oven mitt. Above is a toilet paper roll.

My coin purse. This one really irritated him because he couldn't grab the lid.

Some other things were a glasses cleaning cloth and again, Zach's dirty socks. Here he insisted I put his own socks on his hands.

Such a sweetie and a smartie!

He really would rather play with things from the kitchen than his own toys! Any time I try to cook he insists I hold him and wants be right in the middle of what I am trying to do. If I don't pick him up he will just grab my pant leg and fuss until I do. He has discovered Mikayla's old play kitchen in the basement and loves it! That thing is 9 years old. I'd say we are getting our money's worth. Landen doesn't even mind that it is pink and purple. Well this is a completely random post, but I don't want to forget all these precious moments!

I'm really going to miss fall~

16 Months~

Looks like he is in the depths of some forest, but this is actually our backyard before Jeff raked all the leaves! Just too pretty not to take a few pictures.

Love this picture!

This is Landen saying "cheese!"

He did not like these steps. They were quite cold, but daddy managed to get a small smile out of him.

"Landen...don't eat the pumpkin."

"Landen..."

I've been wanting to do pictures by the gate in our neighbors yard for months. I finally tried it, but Landen was about done, so I might try again before we move.

He was way more interested in the smashed walnut under the gate.

Right after this he took a bad fall and scratched up his face. I felt horrible! He is ok, but has some scraps on his sweet cheek.

Landen, at 16 months you are starting to point to things and say what they are without being asked. We think you are a genius when you do this. You can also follow one step commands, like throwing something in the trash, which you love to do! Thankfully you only throw trash away. You love to cook and play with everything in the kitchen. When daddy and I try to cook you insist on being held so you can see what's cookin'. I think you are going to be a chef. You are very loving and gives hugs and kisses and blow kisses all day long. You are a very good eater and love to try new things. You always want to eat what we are eating. You really love drinkable yogurts, hummus, clif bars, apples, tomatoes, beans, anything crunchy like chips and crackers and your new favorite- eggs. The whole crib debacle ended with you sleeping on a queen mattress on the floor in your room. You stay there most of the night and for naps. You still beg to go outside or the basement all day. You also have a blast in Zach's room and you mostly don't try to eat his legos. To you Zach is Zah, and Mikayla is sissa. You have finally started saying mama, but mostly it is just shouting ma! across the house like the big kids. A few weeks ago we went to Chili's and you sat in a booster seat and we ordered you your first kids meal--grilled cheese and mandarin oranges. It was too cute how you sat there like a big boy and colored a little on the kid's menu. How did you get to be such a big boy already!?! Thank goodness you are still a little peanut at about 25lbs. and 32 inches. Your smile melts our hearts daily and we are all more in love with you than ever!

Brothers~

~My sweet boys~

They love each other so!

It's True~

We are going back to Cali. Seven years ago on halloween we moved into our new house in Indiana and met all our new neighbors by trick or treating around our little cul-de -sac. I think it was supposed to be about three years before we moved back to CA. I knew it would be more like 5 years and sometimes it felt like we might live here forever. We felt at home right away and have really enjoyed the last 7 years. Of course it's hard to be far from family and friends, but we knew this was God's will for our family. And we definitely could feel Him telling us that Indy wasn't the place for us anymore. We have some pretty good roots here and it will be hard to move, but we know God has a great plan for the Thiesens. We are all very excited to be going back home to California. Landen always seemed like a California baby anyway with his 9pm-9am or 10pm-10am schedule. Jeff's new job is still in pharmaceuticals and is a really good fit for him. Let's just say I think he will be much happier in his new position and he will also have a much shorter commute. Mikayla and Zach will miss their friends dearly, but can't wait to see their cousins and the beach! I still don't think it has hit me yet. There's a lot to do over the next month. I know God will take care of all the details and His plan is much better than I can imagine. I will try to keep the blog updated as much as I can as we make this big transition.

Zach was 20 months and Mikayla was 3 years old.

Eyelashes~

3rd Annual Oktoberfest~

3rd annual for us anyway. The first year we went we had just told the kids they were getting a little brother or sister. The tradition began there and we just love going every year. I decided all these pictures needed an antiquey feel.

Landen loved the pumpkins!

He seriously wanted to pick this one up.

Mikayla found hers pretty quick. It was actually a pretty chilly, windy day, but we had a great time anyway.

Zach always tries to get one he can barely lift, but I convinced him to get something lighter this year as it's a long haul back to the car even with help from the stroller.

Of course, we all enjoyed the german food and polka band again.

It's really more of a pumpkin hill than a patch.

Not great positioning, but it's good enough!

This was under the pumpkin we chose for Landen. Yikes!!!

He wouldn't smile for any pictures until he saw the kids walk behind me with some ice cream. Then he turned on the charm! He loved that box of little pumpkins and played with them for like 10 minutes.

Had to sample both!

I think third babies always get more treats.

Three Little Pumpkins~

Just a little sneaky peek at our trip to the pumpkin patch yesterday!

Live-in Help~