Day 36

We had so much fun at Ava's party today that it made me really glad that I'd made the 2+hour drive to get there. I don't foresee us living in a drivable distance much longer, so I want to enjoy cousin birthday parties while we still can! We missed you!
Birthday Girl! She was so excited to be four!

Bennett loved the bowling balls. He loved them so much that I was sure he was going to drop one on his toe. I took one off the rack, thinking that he'd roll it around the floor. Nope. He kicked it. That made me even more afraid he was going to break his toe!Sweet bowling girls! Maura was WAY into it. She bowled far longer than everyone else and even got two spares...with bumpers...and a ramp!Blessed.Apparently Tristan said something funny. Not surprising!What a bunch!! So glad to get all the grandchildren together with Nan and Poppa!

Day 35

It's exhausting, being a little guy! Guess he didn't want lunch??I told Maura to take her dishes to the sink. She was halfway upstairs before she stopped and said, "OH!" and giggled at her absentmindedness!

We had fun painting today...

Even Bennett, who discovered that finger paint isn't good to eat.

Happy Half Birthday, Tristan!I can't believe my big man is already three and a half!

Day 34

Perhaps I should have taken a before and after Night of Indulgence photo. I'm pretty sure I didn't sit down for the entire night and I'm TIRED! I'm so glad it's over and it was a success! Katie kept the kids and we enjoyed hanging out for a bit before she got on the road. What a day! Glad it's over!! PS--ten points if you can identify the movie that's playing in the background!

Day 33

I worked with Tristan for a while this afternoon, trying to get him to do some "homework" from school and also trying to get him to write his name. I wrote it out in dotted lines for him--all he had to do was trace it. It was laborious, and took some cajoling and bribing(see that candy in his hand?) but I finally got him to trace his name twice. And he was so proud that he wanted to put it on the fridge!

Day 32

One of these things is not like the other. One of these things doesn't belong.

Can you guess which thing is not like the other?

Before I finish my song!

BUSTED!

P.S. You need to have a talk with your son about how cool it is to wear 15 Tinkerbell Bandaids.

Day 31

We're a fourth of the way through! That makes me so excited! It has certainly been an adjustment and we miss you like crazy, but we're doing OK. We miss you every single day and it always feels like a vital piece is missing, but our days are still full of laughter and fun. We are loving life every single day and counting the ones that will bring you home to us!

We took advantage of this day's beautiful sunshine to get out and enjoy ourselves. I keep thinking that each beautiful day will be the last one of the year, but God has blessed us with some gorgeous weather this autumn. Bennett LOVES sliding now. He won't let me put him in the swing anymore. It's all sliding, all the time...even headfirst! Can you tell he's been into the candy bucket??

Tristan had his usual sidekick out in the yard with him. RunStop took a little gallop along the top bole of the swing set. :)

Maura was, of course, pretending to be a dragon. I'm not sure what the significance of the net full of sand was! I have to brag on the kids. I gave them a five minute warning, went in to finish dinner and then called them in. When I went out to call them again, they'd covered the sandbox and both trotted in without complaint. Makes life so much easier!!

We made cookies for you tonight...even Bennett. He LOVED dumping in all the sugar and flour. I have the feeling that he's going to want to "help" again soon! We had such a fun family night with outdoor play, pizza, crazy baths, cookie baking, WildKratt watching and fall storybooks before bed. I wish every evening was this easy and fun!