Cayman Island YouTube links

Tinley took to snorkeling like a duck to water.  She had fun teaching Grandma.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZI60GJSkIg&feature=youtu.be

This video was captured AFTER we saw a shark.  It's hard to see it, but it is swimming up and over the distant rocks.  Despite seeing a shark, everyone stayed in.  It was my mom's first time snorkeling.  What luck....?

https://youtu.be/PgPL_KIv5rc

Here is Ashley swimming with the fishes.

https://youtu.be/OpIVKvTbBlk

I scared up a sting ray sitting on the bottom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flm-vFF7D5I&feature=youtu.be

Ashley did okay with the sting rays

https://youtu.be/bVTeXIBt6vw

however, we started the feed them right before we left and they went from gentle giants to horny teenagers.  They would rub themselves all over you trying to get the squid.  Tinley jumped into my arms and Ashley crawled up my back. 

Weekly bump updates

The last 6 weeks

Another one!

Nope...we're not having another baby girl. 

FYI You'll have to turn off the music player at the bottom so it doesn't interfere with the videos.
 A week ago we posted this video on Facebook:
And today we have another for you!
 
 And a few pictures from the evening:

Halloween!

We were late getting our pumpkin this year, I kept hoping for free time on a Saturday so we could go as a family, alas Tinley and I went to a pumpkin patch when it was FREEZING to find the perfect pumpkin one day in the middle of the week. The pumpkin had to meet a lot of criteria...one being the "height and stability while leaning on it test"
 another being the taste test... :/ I made a little (I used a small headband but it was still too big for our little peanut) tutu so Tinley could be a bee for halloween. Carleton would be the farmer, I'd be his hunny, and she was the bee...cute right? Well, it got FREEZING so it didn't work out. We partially (as in not really at all) dressed up for trunk-or-treating the Friday night before Halloween, but come the night of the real deal, we wore what we'd been wearing all day, lame, I know. But Tinley's cuteness makes up for her parents lameness. Practicing giving out candy, this was her favorite part. When people would give her candy she'd dig back in to find it and give it back. As I said, I was totally planning on the Tinster being a bee, so when it was cold I last minute pulled out a costume I inherited from my sister. Tinley has some giraffe stuffed animals so I thought it'd be perfect...as I was unzipping it to put it on her I realized it was size 0-3 months...hence the flood pants going on, sorry kid! 

Where's Waldo Tinley? Trunk-or-Treat and leaving the house on Halloween While Trunk-or-Treating we had to go play/walk in the grass between every car AT LEAST once before going to the next car...needless to say we barely got around once. Fresh home from work We LOVE our neighbors! Here is Debbie excited to see our little 'raffe:) On to the next house Meeting neighbors Our pumpkins:) Oh my gosh that little butt shaking and tail wagging, I CANNOT get enough of it.

Our little pumpkin's party

We had a pumpkin theme party for Tinley's first birthday.  After much planning, stressing, shopping, crafting, cleaning, and time in the kitchen, we had what I'd like to call a successful first birthday party!  Whew!

Poor Tinley had started cutting two molars, side by side, the day before her birthday, then come the morning of her birthday had 101.1 temperature, blood taken, and 5 shots. Talk about a nice welcome to the big 1.  I'm pretty sure she thinks being one is NOT fun. 

She was sleeping when her guests started arriving, but ended up being in a really pleasant mood the whole time (thank goodness).  She hadn't had much of an appetite since Wednesday, and Saturday was no exception.  She was not thrilled about the cake, it took quite some time for us to get her to not turn her face away from it and lock her mouth shut.  Eventually she got into it and gave us all what we wanted.

Tinley had been practicing blowing, and the moment of truth was just around the corner....when Dylan came up and blew out the candle for her.  I told his mom, it's a good thing he's cute!  Maybe you'll get your chance next year, Tinley, you have a whole year to practice;) 

At first she was much more interested in feeding others.

  And if you're wondering why they're called a patty cake, here is your answer:

Thank you everyone who came and made Tinley, and her parents, feel so loved on her birthday! 

In case anyone is trying to get tips for hosting a pumpkin party, I searched hi and low without much luck, so let me make it WAYYYY easier for you!  Here are some helpful links and ideas all in one place.  For food we had cheese balls, a couple different types of gummy pumpkins, peanut butter pumpkins, pumpkin dip, a pumpkin-shaped cheese ball, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bars, sugar cookies in the shape of a pumpkin with orange frosting for people to decorate themselves, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, oreo truffles dipped in orange candy melts with a pretzel in the top to look like pumpkins (also makes dipping easier, and for those who are looking at the recipe- I don't set aside any oreos, I use all of them with the cream cheese).  We also had two types of chili and cornbread since it was around lunchtime and we had some gluten/dairy free guests who we wanted to make sure had something to eat. 

We didn't do many decorations other than fall things and pumpkins around the house, a couple orange balloons and a sign, I found the letters here, and my mom and sister so graciously made it and put it up for me, thank you!

I hope that helps get your creative juices flowing!

*Special thank you to Susannah for creating Tinley's onesie and to Becca, Kathryn, Mom, Jes, Lana and Nori for helping make delicious food and helping with decorations/setting up for her party!