Picture update!

Who knew how busy life could get?  I have started to blog, and then surprisingly enough, I get interrupted.  Sometimes it is a legit phone call or knock on the door, but most of the time it is Max attempting to go to the ER for the #438 time. Seriously, if I leave him alone for even half a second, I will hear a BANG or CLOMP or SHATTER...then a pause...then the cry that every mother has nightmares of.  One thing is for sure, Max is a ALL boy climbing, exploring, diving, pulling, eating, jumping, etc... We have been lucky so far (knock on wood), but I don't think it will be too long before we will have to go.  Maybe it will be accident #524.  We'll keep you posted.
So, I hate doing the "picture updates," but I guess they have to happen every once and while, especially since I am kind of using the blog as a journal and would love to have some kind of chronological structure!  So buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Oh the fall in Cleveland!  We love it here, and are sucking in each moment with so much

enjoyment.  There are so many beautiful parks that are really close to us, and
we have gone to as many as we can while the weather is still good. Max would live outside
if we let him, so we hop in the stroller with our good friends whenever we can :)

Soooo pretty!

Just me and my Dad...

This is the park that is right above Horseshoe Lake and we can't get enough of it!!

Cleveland celebrates Columbus Day which is awesome!  We
got a group together, and walked down to the parade. Max had a blast looking
and pointing at all of the "Duhhhh" (Trucks)!  It was so fun and exciting for both of us,
we will definitely go again next year! 

Of course, the beads were his favorite part (haha), and he wore them for days :)  

So intent...

I just had to put this picture in, it is too cute to leave out!
Sweet little buddy!

We went to the children's museum that is on Case's campus last
week with our friends the Millburns.  I bet you can't guess what Max  spent
most of his time doing...oh yes, the trucks.  He couldn't get enough of them!
Have I mentioned that we have a 100% boy?

Darling Mallory was a great sport with Mr. Max the Truck Driver...they
play so well together!

Aren't we something else?!?!  So our friends decided to have a Halloween party
last weekend.  We weren't going to dress up
 (A, because we have no money and B, because I have no creativity)
 , but at the last minute we changed our minds.  I thought, "What could Max be
that is free, and that Tim and I could compliment?"  I stood puzzling and puzzling till
my puzzler was sore, then I got an idea!
  An AWFUL idea...(haha, yes I am a Grinch geek)!  Since Max
was named after the dog in the Grinch (not really), I decided he could go as
himself...!  Tim gets all of the credit for Max's costume.  He traced his hands
on some brown felt I bought, then sewed the
antlers onto the head band (I didn't even tell him
how to do it, he thought of the sewing all on his own!)
He also was Max's make-up artist.
I decided to go as Cindy Lou-Who, and Tim helped me do the
whole cup hair-due...I was sure lovely...
Finally, we needed a Grinch!
 My dear husband did not complain that he got the position.
I was able to find an old Grinch t-shirt from high school, and some green face paint.
Then, I went all over, ALL OVER, and finally found a blasted Santa Hat.
The party was a blast, and we actually won some prizes for
best costume!  My awesome sister Elise sent Max a real
Halloween costume a few days ago, and so he will be able to
feel like a real kid on Halloween.  We'll be sure to take pictures,
thanks Elise, you're the best, and Happy Halloween everyone!!

Happy Birthday Tim!!!

I can't believe it!  I am married to a 26 year old man :)  Tim is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and it was so fun to celebrate with him.  His birthday was yesterday, and so it was on a busy school day.  Despite the hours of studying, we still managed to eat a yummy breakfast, stuff our faces with spare ribs and cake, and watch The Lord of the Rings!  For those of you who know Tim and I, you know that The Lord of the Rings is his favorite movie, and my least favorite.  Perfect.  I allow him to drag me into watching it about once a year, and even though I regretted suggesting it after I said it, I figured he deserved to watch his favorite movie on his birthday!  They are good movies, but SOOOOOOOOOOOO long!  I can never, and I mean never stay awake.  Poor Tim, he is a good sport and will either turn it off when I have zonked out, or keep watching it until the end all alone.  The day was a blast, and in the words of my Grandpa Brockbank, "Thanks for having a party so we could celebrate!"  Tim is so wonderful, and makes me so happy.  He puts up with my emotional up and downs like a champ (especially since we have moved out here to Ohio), and is the best daddy in the whole world!  Happy Birthday Babe, I love you!

The birthday boy and his little side-kick!  These two boys are my life, and
I love them so much!  Max looks like he is plotting something, but hasn't quite
figured it out yet...!

Max on a walk!

Max LOVES going outside to walk more than anything lately.  He has started saying, "Duhh" for Truck, and goes crazy every time a truck (or a car, Max thinking it is a truck) passes by.  He also will trot down the sidewalk and pause about every other square to pick up some small random object.  It is the best to watch him, especially right now that the fall leaves are BEAUTIFUL!  I can't be outside enough when the weather is good with this awesome fall season.  Utah is pretty, but Ohio is amazing during this time of year.

So serious...

I don't think it gets any cuter than this...

What do these have in common?

This picture &...

...this picture!!

Sweet little Max chipped his tooth  a couple of days ago, and now I think we will call him "chip"
for short.  I felt so bad for the little guy.  He ate the broken pieces (of course...), so at least
they were put to good use.  It isn't that bad, it could be a lot worse!  He is so
dang cute, that it he can totally pull off the chipped front tooth...right? 

I know this one is kind of blurry, but I just had to put it on!
My sister Elise sent us this Indians baseball cap, and Max LOVES it.
He walks around the house with it on and just giggles and squeals, it is
the best!  Thanks Elise and Ez for sharing :) 

Labor Day Weekend!

It was wonderful to finally have a 4 day weekend!  Tim is getting busier and busier with school, and it was so nice to have some down time as a family.  We got together with a bunch of our friends on Saturday to watch the BYU vs Ole Miss football game!  BYU Football, good food, and friends...life doesn't get much better.  It was so fun, and we cheered so loud, I'm sure Bronco and the gang could hear us :)  Go Cougars!
On Labor Day, we went on a beautiful drive to a darling and quaint little town called Chagrin Falls.  It is so pretty here in Ohio, I love it!  Chagrin Falls has a unique water fall/creek that goes through it. Delightful.  It has antique shops, popcorn shops, cute old-fashioned book shops, yummy places to eat, darling residential neighborhoods, etc...  In other words, we LOVED it!  It was kind of a cooler day, so we weren't bogged down by the humidity and heat.  Max loved the water and seeing the ducks up close :)
If any of you know my dear husband, you can probably guess that the highlight for him was the popcorn shop.  Tim could have popcorn with too much butter and salt for breakfast, lunch, and  dinner.  He makes the BEST homemade popcorn, so I can't blame him.  This cute shop was a popcorn lover's paradise.  There were at least 10 different seasonings you could buy to put on homemade popcorn, which of course, Tim had to splurge and get one!  Bags and bags of popcorn were hung up all around, and it smelled like a dream.  The shop had ice cream too, and frozen custard, which I had to try.  It was so good, SO good.  We left the store with a giant size bag of good 'ol kettle corn, and have been eating it non-stop...mmmmmmmmm!  I think we spoiled our dinner big time, but had a great time doing it. Chagrin Falls is a must do a again soon place for us!

Max and his Daddy looking at the water from the popcorn shop window, darling!

I love it!  So original :)

Enjoying custard.  Apparently Max was interested in something else!  He is so
observant, and pays attention to the most random things.  I just love that about him :) 

I had to take a picture of this.  There is an entrance sign to match it!  So cute :)

Side view of one of the streets in Chagrin Falls.

Well hello Max!  

The water in the falls were kind of dirty, but we still really enjoyed them.

More of the dirty, but pretty water!

Our little family!  Again, Max is probably studying a leaf or stick or something...

   

Walk the Walk!

Well Max decided this past week to scrap the crawling, and move up in the world to walking!  He is so tiny, it is so weird to see him up and going!  He definitely looks drunk, and a straight line is still in the works, but he gets better everyday!  I am so proud of my little crazy man :)  Oh and just a side note, Tim sanitized that toilet bowl brush, just in case anyone was wondering...!

Wedding Weekend!

Tim's brother David got married this past weekend.  We were SO lucky because his new bride, Sherrie, is from Ohio, so they got married in the Columbus, Ohio Temple! What are the chances that we move to Ohio a month before the big day, huh? It was so fun to see Tim's family, and to go the Temple.  Columbus is about 2 and 1/2 hours away from Cleveland, so not too far.  We love Sherrie, and are so excited for her and David :)  Thank you Ashworths for the super fun weekend, we love you!

The happy couple!  Sherrie looked so pretty :)

Style 101: black pants and white socks...this one
is my fault.  I realized the lack of black
socks at the last minute...Max seems all put out about it, hahaha
Style 201: Black shirt and fuchsia tie...I think Tim looked
great, even though he probably would not have picked
these colors himself.  Thanks for expanding Tim's
wardrobe choices Sherrie!
The Verdict: Both boys looks as handsome as ever!!!

Tim's family at the Temple.

Max and his cousin Theo.  It was fun to see them play so well
together!  Grandma Ashworth gave Max this super soft doggie
for his birthday, and he loves it!  Thanks Grandma!!!

They look so much like cousins!  I love it :)

We were at Bravos, an Italian restaurant for the delicious luncheon.
Max and Theo apparently weren't interested in the food...  

Cutting the cake!  Surprisingly, there was no mess involved :)