Oh How We Grays LOVE Apple Harvest Festivals!

I have always felt that traditions are what make those family memories so memorable! Every family has them, every family member has fond memories of them for one reason or another....you know the kind of memories that get brought up during family get-togethers, but whatever the case may be traditions are a part of family life!

I have LOVED going to Festivals in the Fall for quite some time now! And when I married Micah and even more once we were preparing to welcome Emily into our family, he began to appreciate that tradition a little more with each passing year! To me there is just something about being out in the open in that cool crisp air, and the smell of the apples and fresh baked apple fritters and buying a jar of apple butter! There's nothing like it! I LOVE it!

This past Saturday we loaded up our little crew and we headed up to Syria, VA for the Graves Mountain Apple Harvest Festival! It was Haley's 1st Festival and Emily's 2nd!! And they both really enjoyed being outside and seeing so many new people and having a picnic at a picnic table while we listened to a live country music band! Emily enjoyed cruisin' around in her old stroller, while Haley enjoyed being in the carrier on Daddy's back! It was a full day that is for sure! And we enjoyed all of it!

Here we are at Graves Mountain just 2 months before Emily joined our family!

At Carter's Mountain about 5 months before Haley was Born!

Us, just a few days ago, with both of our girls in tow!

Emily liked looking out of the BACK of her stroller!

Playing on the Hay Bale, while we were waiting for Daddy and Haley!

Daddy and His Littlest Girl at Lunch Time!

Me and Haley trying to "hold down the fort" in the wind!

I love this picture, it captures everyone perfectly!

Snug as a little bug on Daddy's back!

A close Up! ( I LOVE the expression on her face!)

This festival wore this little princess out!

And this one wasn't far behind her!

Haley and Emily, the Funny Girls that they are!

We have been blessed with 2 very expressive little girls! They both have minds of their own and they are not afraid to use them! Emily and Haley have very unique personalities! Emily is very mild mannered, until all of her energy gets all balled up inside of her and then she turns into a "crazy girl" for a few minutes! Then after her "aggressive moment" is over she is very quick to say "sorry" and "love you". She loves to give hugs and kisses, she adores her little sister, she loves her mommy and really enjoys playing with her daddy. One thing we are working on with Emily is obedience. And I must say, she is doing very well. She also LOVES to help out with chores around the house, her favorites right now are sweeping and helping me put her clothes away! She loves to read and listen to her music. She also loves to sing and dance! We love this little girl, she brings so much happiness into our family!

Our little Haley is a ray of sunshine. And she seriously is one of the most laid back babies I have ever come into contact with. She loves to watch life as it goes on around her. Having said that, she LOVES people so much that she DOES NOT like to be left alone. If she is playing in her excersaucer that is fine, but if you try to put her down in her crib for nap or bed time and walk away, boy does she let you know it! And it is at those times that we are reminded just how fully developed her lungs are! She is such a happy baby and she loves music and dancing already too! Recently she has started moving her head to the music and it is SO FUNNY! She's our very own "Stevie Wonder"! Haley also has a very contagious belly laugh and it cracks us up! She is very ticklish and she can laugh so hard that she loses her breath! She is quite the funny one!

Both of these girls give us so much joy, and teach us so many things that we could never have dreamed of two and a half years ago when we were praying for them to come into our family! They are truly answers to our prayers in so many ways! We love you little Sweet "P" and little Honey "B"!!

Haley debuting her winter time hat and ready for a walk!
Up Close and Personal!


2 Things Haley LOVES: Her Excersaucer and Anything to chew on!
Emily looking all cute at the Breakfast Table!

Love this Expression!

Trying to get a better picture of Emily in her red overalls!

Haley enjoying her new chair downstairs!
Emily takes a turn, just after she bumped her lip:(

Can't say enough about this expression!

Or this one, for that matter!

Seven Months Old and More Fun with Each New Day!

Time passes way too quickly! I can't believe our Little Haley Boo is SEVEN MONTHS OLD already!! She is growing and learning so fast! She is so smart and alert! She loves to be with people. Her saddest times of the day are nap time and bed time, because she just doesn't like to be by herself! She is such a happy and joyful little baby! She is always so smiley! Her happiness is contagious, whenever you are having a "melancholy moment" all you need is a little Happy Haley time and she will have you back up and feeling like new again!

She is really learning a lot of new things now:
~ She can roll over from front to back AND back to front now!
~ She is eating a lot more solid foods now....she loves pureed foods (canned peas, pears, and the latest is chicken are her favorites, oh and she also LOVES mashed potatoes too!).
~ She is really starting to interact and respond to other people now too! It has been really fun to watch her and Emily start to actually play together over the last few weeks!
~ She also loves to give kisses....the big slobbery wet ones!
~She is GREAT at sitting up and playing with and reaching for things now too!
~And lastly, she (from time to time) can do a little "belly scoot" to reach for an exciting toy that is just out of reach! I am sure that means crawling is the next thing on her mind.....look out!

I think that about covers Haley's SEVENTH MONTH! She is such a beautiful little baby, inside and out, and we are so grateful that Heavenly Father sent her to be a part of our family! We love you Haley Boo!

An Adorable Shot of our little "Honey B"!

Telling her little bear a funny secret!

Kisses for the Bear!

Emily has become obsessed with her purple boots, she would wear them EVERYWHERE if we would let her, so we had to sneak this photo in! What a silly girl!

Emily Trying out the big chair with Haley's Bear!

Mommy and Her Littlest Girl!

Daddy and Haley sharing a funny moment!

All Smiles and ready for a picture!

Our Two Adorable Girls in the Big Green Chair!

Checking Out Something off of "Stage Left"

The latest family photo!

Sister Play Time!

We have hit a monumental stage in our family...the stage where our girls thoroughly ENJOY playing together! Now, as a Mommy this is the moment I have been envisioning ever since we found out last November 11 that we were welcoming our little Haley into our family! I have been excited for them to entertain each other, not just to give me a breather, but to be able to watch them play and interact and build a relationship with each other! And when Haley hit about 6 months that is when it began to happen. Emily loves to run around in front of Haley and Haley loves to watch her. It cracks me up that they can both be sitting in their booster seats at opposite ends of the table and just be cracking up at each other!!

We have two little "funny girls" that is for sure! I am so glad that our home is filled with the sound of their laughter and with their screams and cries too (as I know that one day our house will be all too quiet and I will reminisce on these rambunxious days often!). I am thankful to have these little chicas to help keep me on my toes! They make my every day brighter!

Haley cheesin' for the camera, while Emily practices her yoga move!

We love our Happy Haley!

Love Love!

Our Little Look Alikes!

On Sunday I was looking through Haley's dresses to see what she should wear and I found the adorable this little frilly blue dress. And I remembered that that was the same dress that we had Emily's 9 month pictures taken in. So I decided to dress Haley up just like Emily was and take a few photos of her before she grows out of this dress at 6 1/2 months!! We had such a fun time doing it! And it amazed both of us at how much they both looked alike!! What do you think? We are so grateful for our two adorable little daughters!! They bring more challenges and more joy to our lives that we could ever have imagined possible!! We love our little Sweet "P" and our little Honey "B"!

Emily at 9 Months!

Haley at 6 1/2 Months!

Our Little "Feather Weight"

My Aunt Gail gave us this feather duster when we first moved into our new house, and I have to admit I haven't been as diligent about using it as I should be. But what can I say, I am lucky to sweep the floors while the girls are asleep some days:)

But this weekend we let Haley play with the feather duster while she was laying on the floor and she knew exactly what to do with it! What a strong little princess we have on our hands! And pretty brilliant too, if I do say so myself:)

Haley Pumping Feathers!

You can tell this feather duster is no match for her!

Some Cute Moments!

It sure is nice to have our camera back! We have had a nice week....some visits with family, some yummy dinners, some fun play dates, some good naps, some not so good naps....life has been fun! Emily and Haley are both growing closer and closer together with each passing day. They are really starting to play well together now!
This post is written mainly for me. To remind me of some of these cute moments later down the road, whether it be next week when things get busy and I feel like I am going to go crazy, or years down the road when Emily and Haley are bigger and aren't as pleased with the "simplest pleasures in life". I want to remember the moments of "right now".
Emily is still in the phase where she likes to wear Mommy's Shoes. It doesn't matter which pair it is, if it is not in the closet you can bet she will try them on and walk around to make sure they okay:)
Haley is in a Mommy Phase too! I have to say even though Mommyhood is very trying at times I am grateful for the time that I get to spend with my precious girls. They are so full of love....it warms my heart to see the joy in their eyes!! I love the sound Haley makes whenever she sees me come around the corner and I love to hear Emily look at me and say "love you mama"!
But enough sappy stuff for now. Basically life is good, even though sometimes it is hard. And I am extremely grateful for the blessing that I have to be a wife and a Mommy!

Happy Emily after she lined all of her cheerios up in a row!

Haley enjoying a fish in her excersaucer!

Mommy's Shoes are the Best!


Before we headed out this afternoon, Emily picked her purple golashes out and put them on herself. She was ready!

All decked out and ready to go!