October

October is a busy month!  I think I already did a post for Will's 1st birthday and Halloweenie, but there's still so much more!

 This year nobody is in preschool.  That means we have 5 days a week of 8-2:30.  A good solid chunk of time.  I have so SO enjoyed this special time with Jake and Will.  I think I posted before that it's like jumping back in time to when it was just John and Eve and we didn't have preschool, except this time the rest of my life is in such a different place, and my friends are all in different places, so it's different.  Still, it's been so great.  Some days when it's cold or rainy (I'm assuming rainy this day...or we did this a lot during the addition) we go to Lowe's to ride the lawn mowers.  I think this was the first time Will was big enough.  He and Jake both love every minute of it!  They also really enjoyed the Halloween and Christmas decorations.  It takes us a long time to work our way through even if we're not even buying anything!

 I got to go with Eve's class on their field trip to Paris Mountain State Park.  We gathered mosquito larvae and such from the creek.  So cool! 

Of course, we made our annual trip to Denver Downs.  So much fun!

 Somehow we squeezed them all in one box

 If I remember the corn maze correctly, this year it was a tribute to Colonel Sanders, and we were picking his nose in this picture.

John, Eve, and Ellie all played fall soccer.  Trying to juggle 3 kids playing and 2 little ones that don't exactly want to watch, and trying to actually watch a bit is quite difficult.  Needless to say, we didn't get many pictures.  I got a few of John's team, but not any that you can actually see him playing.  Eve and Ellie liked it OK.  John enjoys it, but not so much that he wants to practice outside of scheduled practice.  Still, it was great exercise and teamwork experience.

 Will's 1-year picture with his lamb

 John gave him his first lollipop on his birthday.  It was a hit!

 Everyone enjoyed opening his presents.

 Poor thing wasn't feeling well on his birthday.  He wasn't excited about the cake :(

 I gave him another piece a day or two later when he was feeling better.

 It was a hit!

 Ellie was chosen to read one of her writings at the monthly Author's Tea at school!

 Cats love balls.  Cats love moms.

 Jake was very excited to help make his birthday cake!

Of course we carved pumpkins.

 Jake turned 3!!!  He is so stinking smart!  His verbal skills are WAY beyond his age, and the things he remembers blow me away!  His love is fierce.  He gives the sweetest hugs and says the sweetest things.  He's always saying, "Mama, I love you".  "Mama, you're the best mama". and such.  His tantrums are also fierce, but hey, he's 3 (or so I keep telling myself).

 He LOVES Paw Patrol!!!!!

 One day Eve asked me if she could blow dry her hair.  Sure, why not.  Could she blow dry Ellie's?  Sure, why not.  Then I found this.  I mean, you can't let that go without a picture!

And then she did this!  He wanted them in every day for a few days.  Kinda glad he grew out of that.