Sleeping Beauties

When KL was just 5 months old, we were preparing for Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Allan to come for a visit. Naturally, this preparation consisted of quite a bit of mad cleaning on my part the last day before they arrived. The night before they came had been quite crazy and I hadn't given KL much attention at all. It was dinner time and the kids were eating take out Chinese picnic style on the floor in front of the fridge because the couches were where the table was because we had just had the carpet cleaned. I had put KL in the Bumbo next to the kids while I was running around the kitchen trying to keep some amount of order and keep the dinner mess contained to the 10ft square blanket I had laid down to eat on and no where else in my house I had spent all day cleaning. Eventually, I turned to check on the baby who had been so patient with me, despite my neglect. I found her like this:

I took this picture with my phone and it has always been one of my favorites. She was totally sound asleep and she looked so sweet.

Well, about a month ago, we were having a crazy day again (ok, probably a normal day) and A was set in the bumbo to be ignored while I tried to take care of the rest of the kids. Again, I eventually looked over to her and found her asleep like this:

I just couldn't resist taking the pictures since reminded me so much of KL doing the same thing at the same age. There really is just something so sweet about a sleeping baby! When ever I see one of the kids just fall asleep in the middle of something I always just laugh and have to take a pictures. Here is another set of pictures of these 2 little girls falling asleep in similar ways (can you tell which is which?):

In the high chair

(Baby 1:)

Baby #2):

Just in case you couldn't tell, #1 is KL and #2 is A. I love my babies!!!

Here is just another cute picture of A asleep.
I'm pretty sure this one is from one of the other kids who got a hold of the camera.

Woodworking

Recently, B completed all the requirements for him to earn his Wolf Badge in Cub Scouts. It was sort of a mad dash at the end, but we got it all done. One of the things he had to do was complete a wood working project. It was a little upsetting for him to have to spend time during Fall Break working on it, but the bitterness was lessened when his 2 buddies were able to come and work on it with him. In the end, all the boys had lots of fun working with my power tools (we used the drill, hammer, miter saw, and palm sander)--especially the saw. I also had fun using my tools and I've been itching for a big project ever since. It has been awhile since I've used some of my fun tools. It may have to wait for the new house, though.

I had explained to the boys that using a saw or a sander or anything that makes sawdust fly, it is important to wear something to protect their eyes. Naturally, I didn't have lots of safety goggles, so they proudly wore my sunglasses.

The boys using the sander

Naturally, L felt a little slided that this was a boy project and wanted to get in on the action too.
Here are the girls trying to do a project of their own, while A calmly sits in the bumbo, where she was from start to finish.

Here they are with the final product. May be had to tell, but they are bookends.
Carson, Zach and B

First Solid Meal

About a month ago, A was introduced to Rice Cereal and had her first solid meal. You can see how much she loved it! We eventually gave up trying to make her eat rice and tried carrots. That went a little bit better, but not much. She has warmed up to the idea and all her big brothers and sisters love getting in on the action when it comes time for her to eat.

Everyone's Favorite Angel

I decided I just wanted to post some pictures of our sweet little baby. She is such a fun baby to have around and she has all of us wrapped around her little fingers. This weekend was Youth Conference and so I was gone quite a bit and I can say that I really did miss her. It makes me feel good to think she missed me too. She certainly has been acting a little bit more attached to me now. Dave took her from me this morning during family scripture study and she started crying until I took her back. She's never done that (well, unless one of the kids take her) and it is just fun to know how much she really does know me!

Here she is laying/playing in bed with her Daddy

Just after bath time...clearly she isn't starving. She is still measuring off the charts and despite being only 6 months old, we have had to give some of her 6-12 month clothes she has outgrown to her cousin who his 8 months older.

With previously mentioned cousin (lily) who is 8 months older. Lily is so funny with A. She can spot her from a mile away. She always comes running whenever she senses A has entered the same building as her. Yesterday at Church, she found us and gave A her bottle, then gently tucked the blanket around her.

One day, Dave laid her down on our bed while he was getting dressed and a minute later she had fallen asleep.

Helping mom in the Kitchen

Puppies!!!

My good friend's dog had puppies a few months ago. Just before the babies went to their new homes, she let us come over and play with them. They were so cute! I think I had more fun that then little girls, still... It was hard to resist the urge to bring one of these little dolls home. They were all Chocolate Labs While they were still so amazingly playful, they weren't overly hyper. They were just so fun!!!

CK and KL playing with some of the puppies while Evelynne fearfully watches on.

Me with the puppies.

They really like chewing on the ties on my pants...

...and my hair.

The other thing the girls really liked (even my niece since they were in cages) were the big turkeys. They just laughed and laughed at those guys!

Fall Decorations

I know it has been a while since I posted. It isn't for lack of trying. Part has been that I've been keeping pretty busy (and now I have a TON of catch up on this blog) and the other is that I have been having some technical difficulties with my computer. I'm hoping that I've got the problem resolved (or at least on the way to being resolved), and now will spend the next few weeks trying to cover all that we have been doing over the last few weeks. And so... without further adieu...

A few weeks ago, I went to pull out my fall decorations, but was more than a little disgusted when I opened my box that has been sitting in my garage for the last year. Everything was very wet and there were dead black bugs EVERYWHERE (as is evident from my once lovely fall wreath--yes, this was a werath).

Well, as I took each thing out piece by piece, I finally found out what had happened. Last year, I bought some decorative corn, small pumpkins, and other small gords. Without really thinking, I packed those up with my other decorations. As what is now very obvious to me, these sorts of fresh produce don't do so well sitting in a hot garage for a year.


All I can say is that at least it wasn't my Christmas decorations.