Car time

I really don't like driving and I don't like being the passenger.  However, tonight, as my family left a BBQ, my kids were all hyper and wound up.  My first thought was to calm them down.  But then I just started listening.  Evey sang the ENTIRE ride home.  It was at least a 25 minute drive. And the song was made up from her string of thoughts.
Alice sits behind Luke in the car.  Those two have sort of a silly bond. Alice can get him laughing and Luke loves to laugh.  I've had him fake laugh when I laugh just because he wants to join in. So Alice had Luke rolling and Evey was singing and it was loud and sort of crazy.  Once I embraced the noise, it was beautiful. I just wanted to remember that. Just a simple pleasure.

My dapper man and baby lumber-jack

I now am a mom of a boy and everyone told me their clothes were boring. But I'm telling you, I've never had a lumberjack girl. I was also told that this was Andrew's outfit.  Andrew is the 12 year old cousin.  I'm glad the clothes made the rounds and we get to enjoy them now. I love seeing these two together. Honestly, I love watching my man with any of his kiddos.

My kids met Santa at Bass Pro Shop

We had heard you could meet Santa at Bass Pro Shop (the hugest sporting goods store you ever saw), so we went.  They had Santa's village set up where you could hunt, shoot, race and ride, like at booths at a carnival, but all for free. We spent 2 hours enjoying the Thursday morning there.  Everyone else was in school, but those of us with kids in year around have them off right now.
I really liked the shot gun and shooting the animal targets.  yikes.
Miss A is like a pin ball who can't stop moving and just goes from one thing to another.
Miss E just sort of absorbed and followed.
The little man...mostly slept and smiled.

My little man

This little man is really patient and happy.  Right now, he wakes up in the morning and chats with himself.  He chews his hands and occasionally sucks his thumb.  I think his sisters maul him sometimes and he doesn't seem to mind. Cheerful is how I would describe him. When he's tired or his surroundings are really chaotic and loud, he really gets upset.  He laughs now, but only for Nana. He smiles with his mouth wide open most of the time. He eats great. he sleeps great. He seems to be a content lover of life.

Blessing Day

School art show

My girl, Miss A, was selected as one of two kids to have her art on display at the high school for Veteran's Day.  Honestly, I feel pride and joy and want to gloat, even though it's just stars. I love her. I love her love of sharpies. I love her love of art and crafts and doing 'projects'.

Halloween parties and Halloween

This picture freaks me out a bit...creepy vampire look on mini mouse and the cowgirl.

the three newest cousins

yup. he has sisters.

Halloween is really fun with young kids.  Everything is cool and there is really nothing you have to teach them about the holiday.  It's nice to not feel the pressure of telling them the reason why they are getting candy.  Just the festivities are enough.  Carving was fun this year.  Miss A wanted to do ghosts.  I told her they looked like two eyes and a nose, so we added a mouth.  It's cool looking. Miss E drew her face and I cut it out for her.
We partied at the Turners house and enjoyed watching the kids play in their costumes.  It was also the first time the three youngest cousins were together. 

they absolutely didn't want to have pictures.  they absolutely wanted to be trick or treating

my little pumpkin! 

Fall

My girls love when the leaves fall and they can collect the ones they deem the most beautiful.  They enjoy racking, collecting, crunching, and throwing the leaves. 

First day of church with 3

After 6 weeks of no full church, I ventured with three children.  My man was in a different ward, so I was alone.  It was just fine.  My girls were great.  I was able to serve, listen, and feel peace and confidence.  All in all, it was good.

Quilts from Grandma Alice and Aunt Melanie

The kiddos all laying on their quilts

The little man and his elf ear

big sister eating brothers foot...yeah.

they love him. He smiles at them. so sweet

My grandma Alice  and my aunt Melanie quilt and are quite talented at it.  They make quilts for special occasions and so I have one from high school graduation, one from when I got married, and now each of my children has one. They are precious.  My grandma once told me that they were to be used, not put in a box somewhere.  So...all mine are in use in my home.  It's an honor, really.

pumpkin painting

Just his jolly self enjoying pumpkin painting.

I don't remember painting pumpkins as a child, but I really love doing it with my kids.  This year, Miss E got her baby pumpkin from a field trip.  It was sort of an honor for her to paint it. We invited Steven, the neighbor boy, over to paint with us.

Me and my brother

Everyone asks how the girls are doing with the new baby.  I get tired of it.  How does anyone do with change? It takes time. I will say this, Miss E is enthralled by her brother.  She wants to show him love and she wants to tease and play with him.  She has poked, squished, patted, and rubbed him.  A few times she has made him cry and I've had to comfort her more than him because she is so upset, "I made baby broder cry!" she sobs. She really loves him and is figuring the whole big sister thing out. 
Miss A...she has become the queen of  helpful. Honestly, I didn't see that one coming, but she has grown up a lot with the arrival of her brother.

newborn pictures

yes, Miss A took this picture of my hands and the little mr.'s feet

I like that he looks like he's smiling and Miss A is showing her missing tooth.

You know it wasn't a planned photo shoot when there is marker on the kiddo's hands.  That's reality and I love it.

I really wanted to take newborn pictures when the little man was really a few days old...but time passes and I didn't.  And when the moments came, I had my hands full with his sisters or you know, recovering from pregnancy and child birth.  So, one fine afternoon, I seized a moment and got some happy shots of the kids.  The girls really really love him.  Miss E asked, "does he have to go back to the hospital?" I asked her if she wanted him to go back and she yelled at me, "No." I assured her that he was ours.

3 weeks old

Things only the mother can know...and the ultra sound technician.  This little man had his hands in his mouth in every ultra sound picture.  He still enjoys those little fingers.  Also, see that picture with the foot sticking up? That sweet little foot damaged his dear mother.  I had pain (like the kind that makes it hurt to drive, drink, laugh, sleep and lift anything), for about 3 weeks before he was born and about 6 weeks after.  Needless to say, he's a strong lad with an extra great kicking foot.

The baby in the bassinet

Miss E called this the cradle.  I call it the bassinet.  Whatever you call it, it has been through, I think 10 grandbabies.  I love looking and remembering how sweet and little they are.  How quickly they grow out of this.  The little mr. was moved out after about 2 weeks.  He was a really loud grunting baby and neither me or the big Mr. could sleep through it.

The first day of preschool for Miss E

The first few times she went to school, she cried the whole way there and then was happy when she got there.  She'd say to me, "Mom, you wait right here the whole time, okay." Um, no sweetie, but I promise I'll be back.  She now does really well there.  I love that she has something that is for her. 

LSL - arrived and well

really happy and proud sisters.  they also immediately loved him

Our little Mr was born on August 30, 2013 at 2:47 AM at Aurora Medical Center.  He was 7 pounds 4 ounces and loved immediately.  He didn't really scream.  He sort of whined and then cooed for about an hour.  The nurses loved it.  I loved it.  It helped me feel a sense of peace in an otherwise painful situation as they had a lot of really deep tissue massage and stitching to do after he was born.