Cedar Hill Farms

Sunday afternoon we went to Cedar Hill Farms in Hernando, and Martin had a great time.  I am still recovering from all of the walking, but loved watching him have such a good time.  We got to see a singing chicken show (which Martin thought was totally hilarious afterwards---during he looked really concerned).  Martin rode the train and then watched the Pigadega 500.  Our team was the black team, and whenever you talk about the pig races, Martin says "quack quack quack".  Our team chant was "black black black" but Martin thought everyone was saying "quack quack quack".  Oh well!  We attempted a pony ride.  He wouldn't have any of it.  You couldn't pry his hands from around Bryan's neck to even get him on the pony....oh well maybe next year.

We walked around and looked at all sorts of animals.  Martin wasn't really interested in touching or feeding them....he did however enjoy them from his safety on the other side of the fence.  He liked the chickens, pigs, goats, cows, mini horses, mules, sheep, and rabbits.  Martin is such an outside child that he doesn't really care what you are doing, as long as you are outside, so he enjoyed all day!

Perhaps our favorite part was the corn box.  It was literally a small room filled with nothing but corn, and Martin LOVED every inch of it (as you can tell from all of the photos). 

Oh, the first rule is No Throwing Corn?  Sorry, I can't read yet!

"Popcorn"

Perhaps corn has therapeutic properties!



Fun in the small hay maze



We also played in the huge hay maze.  Martin wasn't exactly following the rules, but he was running around like a wild man, and he only cheated and stepped over the hay to get inside!  Then, he ran out and chased a girl to the woods.  Woah woah woah, come back buddy....you are too young for that :)   

Big hay maze= plenty of room to run!

Then we took a break from all the Fall Fun to play on the playground....Martin rode down the huge slide once (and I couldn't believe it), played in the sand box, and nearly walked right into a little girl swinging....oops!  Then we rode the tractor pulled hayride out to the Pumpkin Patch to pick a pumpkin.  Martin found a great walking stick within 2 minutes of being off the hayride.  He wasn't willing to part with the stick, so it was our souvenir for the day since he didn't want to pick a pumpkin.  He wanted to play bounce the pumpkin, and touch every single pumpkin out there....but didn't really care about taking one home.  Since he isn't old enough to throw a fit and ask for one....we didn't push the issue.  We picked some up the other day at The Garden Center anyway, so it isn't like he is missing out.  Plus the stick was free :)

Huge slide

Break time on the playground



Riding the tractor out to the Pumpkin Patch



Martin found a stick (shocking, right??)

Martin and Mama

Picking a mini pumpkin

 Then we went to the corn maze.  Their crop didn't do well this year (nor did anyone's anywhere around) so it was more of a corn tour than a maze!  Haha!  Martin didn't know any better, and enjoyed the view from Daddy's shoulders.  He kept saying "go dis way"....but it was usually the long way.  I don't think he wanted the day to be over.  All in all a great day on the farm. 

Farmer Martin

Martin and Dad in the corn maze!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

Zoo Boo

Friday night we went to Zoo Boo at the Memphis Zoo.  We are members, so naturally I was excited to go this year.  I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be.  But, Martin got to see some dinos, eat a sucker, and dress like a dino, so what more could I ask for??  He had a good time!  And, politely said thank you to every person handing out candy.  Yes sir!!  He was NOT excited about wearing the costume, and must have said "take off mama" about 75 times before we even entered the gate.  So, we didn't insist on the dino head, but he did wear the costume the whole time. 

What did you honestly think we wouldn't be a dino??

Pops thought someone needed to wear the hat, and Martin decided anyone but him would be fine!

My two favorite boys!!!  Martin enjoyed every lick of that sucker!

We rode a haunted prehistoric hayride, and Martin pointed out all the dinos along the way.  Child is obsessed!!!  I think it's pretty cool, because Martin can say Brachiosaurus and he is 2--haha!  They had a kid carnival area and you could ride anything.  It took a lot of convincing to get Martin to ride the carousel.  He wanted to ride, just not necessarily on the horse.  He did eventually get on, but he still isn't sure if he had fun.  Then, he HAD to ride the boats.  I knew this would end poorly, but Dad was willing to try for Martin's sake, so I wasn't going to stop them!!  In the picture the water is moving, but trust me....we got off before they started the ride.  He was having a blast ringing the bell, but the minute Martin realized he would be riding alone was the minute the breakdown began.  Dad swooped in and saved the day freeing Martin from the evil boat captain!  Bahaha!  And, all was well in the world again--we gave his sucker back!

The extent of the boat ride!

See, I LOVE the carousel



Here Dad, want some of my sucker??  It's great!



Just don't take my sucker away, and no one gets hurt!

Then on our way out we went to the Creepy Crawlers exhibit....I was glad I wasn't holding Martin.  He touched all of the creepy things, including a tarantula (yuck), huge boa constrictor, and some African bugs.  I don't know much about the African bugs, because I was still freaking out about the first two so I couldn't really hear what the woman was saying.  I don't hate bugs....just spiders and snakes!  We might not ride a boat that goes in a small circle, but we will pet a snake, and let a tarantula touch us.  I think I used 1/2 a bottle of sanitizer and I didn't even touch anything.  Haha!  We had a great night. 

Cotton Fields

I've been eyeing a cotton field that we pass on our way out of town for months.  When it started blooming this season, I told Bryan I wanted to go take pictures out there of Martin.  He smiled and said "Sure Honey" like he does in reference to everything I say to him.  I really do have the best husband EVER!  But, I digress.....anyway, so he probably never thought this idea would come to fruition.  Which would be indicated by my track record, and my hundreds of pins on pinterest that I have not completed many of the actual pins.  So, Friday morning, we set out to play in the Cotton Field, and maybe take some pictures.  We got a few pictures, but the main thing was Martin had an absolute blast!  And, it was still a little muddy, so that means DOUBLE the Fun!  You can tell in some of the pictures what a great time Martin was having.  After about 45 minutes Martin realized there was actually cotton in the cotton field!!  Silly boy!  These are just a few of my favorite pictures.

 

Then after all of our fun in the cotton field, we wandered around the little downtown area in Arlington.  I was going to pick up a jar of honey at the Farmer's Market, and see the pumpkins at the garden center.  Bryan was hoping for an afternoon nap that didn't involve anything besides a couch, and Martin was hoping to go in SY Wilson's antiques and look for "Doc" the cat.  We got an extra bonus at SY Wilson's....because the owners Great Pyranees puppy was on the front porch too.  Luckily we found Doc inside after a good bit of searching.  As we are walking in the front door, Martin starts in "I looking for da cat".  So we continued our search, until we found him cat-napping on a beautiful antique dresser that I don't need!  

Then we finally made it next door to The Garden Center to see their fall collection.  They didn't disappoint.  I think they had every kind of pumpkin in the world!  We picked up a few small ones, mainly because I felt bad for spending an hour walking around admiring and touching every kind of pumpkin out there.  Great place to talk about colors and textures though.  What color is this pumpkin Martin? "Purple", Well, actually its orange, but let's keep looking. 

Then the darndest thing happened.  Martin found THE GREAT PUMPKIN!!!  Bryan said, Martin, come look at this huge pumpkin....and just like that, Martin wanted to know where Charlie Brown was, because this was certainly The Great Pumpkin.  We never did find Charlie Brown, but I think Bryan did find his nap.

I'm so thankful for my precious family and the simple things in life!!!

Martin turns 2!!!

Martin celebrated his 2nd birthday in true birthday fashion complete with 32 of his closest friends and family.  No, seriously--there were 32 people, my house was insane!  We had his party the weekend before his birthday, and it was great!  He and his two cousins (Luke and Thomas) were the stars of the show.  They played on the slide, played in the sand table, played football, and rode the Cozy Truck all over the backyard.  Martin got way more toys that any child could ever play with, and we are totally thankful for everyone who came and made it such a huge success.  I think he really had an absolute blast.  Cake....dinosaurs.....presents....what's not to love?

Thomas and Luke fighting over the chair!

Football Fun

Boys will be Boys

Little Readers

Here Martin, we can help!

These presents were AWESOME!

Here Mom, have a bite!

Martin and Daddy



Dinosaurs are AWESOME!

Things have been crazy around our house!  We are busy trying to get ready for Baby #2--a girl, named Olivia Katherine who will be here in just over 2 months.  Is that real???  2 months??? Wow!!!  I better get busy.  Martin moved to a new room this week.  He is now sleeping in a big boy (toddler) bed, and we are so proud of him!  Olivia's bed is up and her bedding is on the bed, but that is honestly as far as we have gotten.  I need to paint her wooden initials, I need to paint, frame, and hang her OLIVIA Walter Anderson prints, I need to figure out what else I am doing in there too.  She seems to be doing well.  She is growing like she should, and is so active it is CRAZY!!  I thought Martin was active, but I seriously wonder when this child sleeps.....  I still feel strange saying her and she.....  But, she is definitely 100% girl!  Two ultrasounds to confirm!  So excited for the next chapter in our lives and what it holds for The Bentons.


Martin and Mama

Trip to Cleveland

We went to Cleveland, Ohio to see all of my Dad's family at the end of July.  We were scheduled to go after Christmas, but since we all had the stomach bug, we had to reschedule.  We had such a nice week.  Martin did AMAZING in the car.  I don't know what I expected, he always rises to the occasion.  It was about a 14 hour day, and he did great.  We stopped and got out to walked around every few hours, and I think it made a huge difference for everyone (myself included).

Swinging!

Shoveling the snow.....or was it just the sidewalk

Puzzles with Papa

Creek Fun

Help Me!

Having a blast

Come on in the water's fine

Three Martins

Who cares what your hair looks like if you have Spongebob Ice Cream

Back swing

We went down to Lake Erie

We spent two full days at Tinker's Creek, and Martin absolutely loved it.  The water was a little cool, but Martin didn't even notice.  By the second day, he didn't want to get out for lunch, and cried when we had to leave.  He is such an outside kid!  Which is a blessing.  We also went to a pool party where Martin got to meet MOST of the Martin side that he had never met.  And, rounded the trip out with a wedding shower, where we got the see the rest of the crew.  My dad has 5 brothers and sisters, I have 20 cousins, and there are now 9 great grandkids on the Martin side.  So, it was a lot of new faces for Martin, but he LOVED it!  I mean who isn't up for some extra attention.  We also took Bryan down to Lake Erie so he could see his first Great Lake....he said, it was a GREAT Lake.