Halloween

Hadley started as a soldier and then eventually changed to Davy Crockett.  We celebrated at the Jones’ house with an enormous group of kids and friends.  Thanks for hosting Sarah, I’m looking forward to my picture when you get all those dishes cleaned.

The pumpkin patch

So this year we decided not to drive an 1 1/2 hours to Medina.  We just ran out of time and didn’t want to drive so we visited a pumpkin patch not far from our house, picked out a few pumpkins, went home carved them and then made pumpkin snickerdoodles. We’ve been to Medina since before Linden was born and I was sad not to be there but this was so much simpler.  Here are all the kids in the pumpkins.

The Marathon

It’s so hard to choose just one for today but we had an AWESOME run/walk at the marathon.  I’ve had several people ask how much money we raised and with registration fees and donations we’ve raised $1,678!  Thank you if you ran or walked for us.  We are about to write a very large check to AWAA for our adoption and every bit helps.

 

Here are those on our team who beat the slow ones.  The boys all ran in the fun run.  Thanks Sarah for the picture!

Trunk or Treat

I’d heard of trunk or treat before but since this is our first October at Northside this was our first year to participate.  I searched on pinterest (it really is the best thing EVER) and found this quick and easy way to decorate our car.  We decided at the last minute to volunteer our car so there were no cute games but at least we were decorated.  I think I didn’t even spend $5 and I thought Stefan’s car looked cute.  I was thankful that Karen and Phil were in town so there were more hands to help trunk or treat, watch Gibson and pass out candy.  Plus, I’d actually forgotten the candy we were to pass out (4 kids in costume and decorations for the car got there so give me a break please) so Karen and Phil saved the day and ran to the store while we duct taped everything on the car.

First fire

The first fire of the season happened in our house on October 27th. Was it cold outside? Not exactly. We had watched the weather and a front was supposed to come in around lunch time. It actually came in around 6 that evening and the temperature did drop but since it had been warm almost all day there wasn’t a need for a fire but Stefan had been so excited about the cooler weather, we made a fire anyway and had hot chocolate. I guess we were kicking off the season. Gibson was quite enamored by the fire and wouldn’t really leave the fireplace.

Channing was really worried he was going to catch on fire.

Fingerprinted

We FINALLY got our appointment to be fingerprinted. Check, done with that, and now still waiting for our I-171H form. I’m hoping it won’t be long before it’s here. I’m ready to have the Dossier out of my house and on it’s way to Ethiopia.

Waiting not so patiently

Grammy and Grumpy came into town for a short visit and the kids were estatic. Their last visit was in late March so it had been awhile and I think I’ve decided next time I’ll just wait and surprise the kids and then I won’t have to tell them every 5 seconds how much longer it will be till they get here. Having someone else read to them besides us is a treat for everyone involved.

Her precious baby

This baby goes just about everywhere with Channing.  We have lost it somewhere at the moment and I think it’s most distressing to me.  She has substituted her “big baby” with others but I’m still hoping to find THIS one.

Oooo

I don’t remember what I was making but doesn’t Gibson look amazed?

Grandparents Day

The boys were so excited about this day at school even if there weren’t any of their grandparents in attendance.  They had made a sign with pictures of all their grandparents on it that they held up during their song.  It was really cute but sadly, this is the best pictures I got of the two of them on that day.  I did however video the entire performance, while taking this picture, impressive, I know.

All those teeth

Hadley is looking like a different boy these days with all his new teeth coming in. I know he has to keep getting bigger but I want it to slow down.  As Gibson is wearing the clothes that I remember Hadley in and he has the same blond curls I am just wondering when did Hadley go from my baby to my seven year old?

Family Retreat

Let me start with, we skipped ACU Homecoming this year to go on Northside’s family retreat. It was a tough choice but we had a great time. We were all glad to be back at HEB camp but were about done with traveling so we decided to get up early Saturday morning and head out there instead of spending Friday night. The weather was beautiful and perfect. We enjoyed a little time down by the river even if no one was getting in that FREEZING water.

We were there

Yes, we were all there at the family retreat and we have a picture to prove it, thanks Troy.

Field Trip

The kinder and first grade classes had a field trip at Devine Acres.  I took all the kids and we had a great time.  My favorite picture of the day is Channing girl who was feeding the animals and decided that the goat got a little too close for comfort. 

How they wake up

Some days Gibson and Channing wake up like this.

Thankfully they normally turn the corner after a snack.

Practicing

The boys had to watch a youtube video to hear the song they were singing for Grandparents Day.  They really liked practicing and had to do it for Stefan when he got home.  Channing “sang” along.

Taking one for the team reward

As I was training for the quickly approaching marathon I realized that my old shoes were pretty worn out and hurting my feet.  I went looking for new shoes but after realizing how expensive they were I settled on new insoles and sent Stefan a picture of the shoes I wanted asking him to get them for me for Christmas.  Turns out the insoles in my old shoes were glued down and we couldn’t even get the new insoles in without ripping apart my shoes so I settled for wearing the old ones and was fine with that.  A few days later I came home to a new pair of shoes on our couch ready for me to wear.  Stefan thought it was silly for me to train for the half marathon with old shoes and get new ones AFTER the marathon so he went out and bought me these.

I do really love them.  They are the first pair of walking/running shoes I’ve ever put on that feel great right away and don’t feel like they need to be broken in.  I have such a thoughtful husband!

The new shoes

Don’t you love it when you buy your children new shoes and then they decide to play football in them in the rain and they turn out like this?

So dirty they can’t even be worn.  I washed them in the washing machine and they are much better.

Dressing up

Linden and Brooks decorated an old undershirt with markers to use as clothing for some of their animals.  Linden came down with his alligator completely dressed, even with underwear on.   He was pretty proud that he’d thought to put the underwear on it.  Funny boy!

An unexpected surprise

We went to get a few more plants from a nursery nearby on Saturday and I randomly took Linden and Channing with me.  The nursery had a fun train ride and little pumpkin patch which we hadn’t expected.  It was fun that we got to do something fun and different when we thought we were just shopping for plants.  They also had a bounce house but we were on a mission and needed to get back to get all the 100 plants in the ground before it rained anymore than it already had.

Landscaping in the rain

We worked in the yard quite a bit this spring getting it ready put in plants.  Well, now that it’s no longer 100 degrees we thought now would be a good time to get plants in the ground.  All the boys helped unload.  Check out Linden with the plant on his head.

Helping out

Channing loves to get Gibson’s hair all sudsy then rubs it in her hair.  I think she thinks she’s helping wash his hair and he tolerates it as long as he has a cup to put things in.

Living history

We visited a living history farm in Johnson City the Wednesday of fall break. I thought it was awesome! The kids got to pick some cotton. They liked doing it but it was cloudy and about 80 degrees. I’m not sure they’d feel the same if it was 110 and sunny.

Crazy hair

It’s not often that Gibson wakes up as a complete grump but he did on this day and his hair was SO crazy I just had to take a picture.  I love that boy, even when he’s grumpy.

Dinners!

There have been a LOT of babies born at church over the last few weeks and even though I’ve wanted to take meals to these families I just haven’t had the time so I used FALL BREAK as my chance to make dinner for four other families. Four families plus our family of 6 is like catering it’s so much food. I made a big trip to Costco before beginning and this is what my kitchen looked like in the middle of it. I make a mess in the kitchen and almost ran out of space!

A beating

Our trip to Corpus was not quite as planned.  LONG story, but I thought I’d either left my camera in Corpus or that it had been stolen.  I’d lost it and cried about it most of the day on Saturday only to find it in Cara and Barrett’s house.  Turns out I’d taken it out as soon as I’d gotten there and forgotten that I’d done that.  We’d never been back to Kennedy’s room after I left it there until around 5 so from around 10:30-5 my camera was lost.  Well, it was worth all the hassle (don’t ask Stefan about it).  Who could resist this sweet girl?