Cabinets, Chopsticks, and a Pumpkin Patch

Well another week has passed and we can finally report the great news that Joel got offered a job and he starts tomorrow. He will be doing consumer bankruptcy at Phillips and Assoc, so we are so proud of him. However, this means that Bella will we starting daycare this week at Tutor Time next to the office. I know I'm not ready for this to happen, but I think she will love playing with other kids..and will help to go part days when the new little one comes. Please pray for me this week as it has been a hard decision to have strangers watch over our precious little one, and for Bella as she adjusts to new people and new little friends. I won't get all gushy, but we've had a busy week ... especially trying to walk with shoes on our feet now that we have to go to daycare. Anyways....

Well, we would love to say that Bella loved all her new toys she received for her birthday; however, they apparently do not compare to her cabinet she is allowed to play in. She can spend a good 30 minutes emptying all her snacks and juice bottles out of the cabinet and onto the floor...I mean things go flying over her head. Emptying the cabinet is almost as fun as..

...crawling into the cabinet once it is empty. We took the "kennel" down today in hopes that she will play with all of her toys one day...until then we have our family room back!! Since she is mobile she can't stand to be couped up, so the walls came down.Yesterday we celebrated Uncle Chad's birthday at Benihana's. Bella did pretty well sitting through the 2 hour lunch until the last 30 minutes. She loved her chopsticks and
daddy even fed her crackers to her using them.
Today we went to a pumpkin patch at Scnepf Farms. Yes we have pumpkin patches in Arizona, but they of course do not compare to the Midwest as Joel repeated told me. It was a lot hotter than we had hoped at the end of October, so it was a short trip. Bella and daddy found her first pumpkin to carve, so that's tomorrow night's plan. We also visited the petting zoo on the farm. There were so many people, Bella didn't know if she should people watch or animal watch. We saw a rooster, sheep, cow, ducks, goats and pigs. She finally gathered up enough courage to pet the goat but it was short lived. I think maybe when she's three it might be a little more fun. They had a small amusement park there, but we were a little young for that. After the farm we met up with my good friend Eve, who is back in town for the winter. We had a great lunch at a new restaurant, San Tan Flats. It's a real western cowboy place with a saloon, fire pit and dance floor. Joel and I plan to have a date night there sometime with some friends. It was great to see Eve since we hadn't seen her since last year...when Bella was tiny.

I love when she holds my hand and walks with me now.Finding the perfect pumpkin
Not too sure about the sheep.
Or the goats.