Chaos and then some

So this is in no particular order because I just don't have that much of a brain right now. I think I just need more organizing skills. I just feel like a chicken with my head cut off. Anyway, we had a super busy summer and beginning of fall. Here are some pictures of our fun. (from now on just so you know, I will be refering to my kids by their nicknames to just be a little more careful. If you know us, you will know who is what.)

This is a typical sight of our kids. They love playing around each other, and our little froggie doesn't like to be left alone at all. When the other two run into the other room, she starts screaming.

This is what we wear when Monkey picks out our clothes. This is how we went apple picking with Eric's class. It was fun....although we didn't actually pick apple because we already had a couple weeks earlier. We just had donuts and cider. They were really good.

During football season, every Saturday is appetizer night. So they are not full balanced meals, but I do try a little. This is a picture of ribs, zucchini fries, and sun-dried tomato cheese balls. We are getting a great list of delicious appetizers.

Hippo loves to do things with dad when he is home. Needs that man time, you know? So when he was painting the front porch, Hippo had to help. He really did a great job and is very meticulous.

I have realized over the last little while that I have instilled my OCD ness in my children. We had friends over for dinner a couple of weeks ago and Hippo wouldn't let them in until he had picked up the front room (which I had been asking him to do for at least 30 min prior). Monkey was frosting a cookie and freaked out because the frosting got on the side of the cookie instead of just the top. I don't think that I am that bad....but I guess maybe I am if they are.

Hippo started school. I still can't believe it. He has been going for over a month now and is doing wonderfully. It has really changed him...some for good and some for bad. But that just gives us more teaching opportunities at home. This is him with his teacher Mrs. McCarthy. She is absolutely great, I love the was she is with the kids. Hippo really likes her too, and always wants to take her flowers, cookies, muffins, or whatever else is special to him.

Here he is before we left for school that first day....SO excited.

I made these for him as first day of school treats. He was so excited when he woke up and saw this. He was nice and shared his treats with everyone.

Froggie just loves to be in the middle of everything. This one looks like she was just caught red handed or something.

We also did a LOT of canning this summer. We made 5 pints strawberry jam, 5 pints peach jam, 5 pints peach raspberry jam, 11 quarts pickles, 12-15 ( I can't quite remember) quarts peaches.... .and I think I am forgetting something. Oh yeah, 5 pints strawberry kiwi jam. So we were pretty busy with that.

Hippo and Monkey love to be superheroes, especially after watching Super Why. I think I need to make Monkey a REAL cape.

Froggie turned 4 months (even though she is actually 5 months now). She keeps us busy as she is fussier than the other two were, but she melts our hearts every day too.

We headed down to Letchworth State Park which is called the grand canyon of the east. It really is pretty, but definitely more like a resort. All the kids wanted to do was play on the playground.

But I loved the fall colors in the canyon, and the drive was gorgeous.

The kids also loved the waterfalls.

We also had some excitement of Eric getting in a car accident that totalled our blazer leaving us in need of a new car. We decided on a sedan (since we still can) and then wait for the next baby to buy a bigger car. That way it saves us on gas right now. There were other things I wanted to write about but now can't remember. Maybe next post....

owie :(

We had a BIG owie happen a little over a week ago. I felt like the most horrible mother in the world. We had some friends come over to enjoy our a/c during a major heat wave. While us adults were inside cooling off and talking, the kids went outside to play. We had cooked dutch oven that night and Eric took care of the coals, or so we thought. I had a feeling I should go out and check on the kids, and thought for a second, but then went and sat down. I have been kicking myself about that every day since and with a new resolution to listen more closely to the spirit and follow immediately. When we eventually went outside, Adie was screaming so hard she was shaking. And all she could do was point to her foot. No body knew what happened and her foot was filthy. So we brought her in and washed her foot in cold water trying to calm her down enough to talk to us. We also were interogating Porter to see if he knew what happened. I finally asked the right questions "were you in the garden?" and "was the dirt hot?" to which she answered yes to both. She was playing in the garden, which she wasn't supposed to do anyway, and stepped in the hot coals. We also think that she got one stuck in her sandal under foot which is why it was so bad. She sat in a cool to cold bath and watched Tangled to help her calm down. Then watched probably two more movies while on the couch with either an ice pack or frozen juice on her foot. Again, mother of the year award goes to me right? I felt horrible and still do. I stayed up with her until about 1 am because she would just start screaming every once in a while.

This is a picture the day after. It is pretty gross. It looked even worse after some of the blisters ruptured. We lanced them trying to preven that, but alas, it happened anyway. I still have a hard time looking at it....it just hurts me. Eric thinks I am silly, but I have talked to other moms who feel the same way, and it is not even their kid. So luckily he is home for the "summer" and he can take care of it. And luckily we have "Hello Kitty" bandaids to ease the pain.

On a happier note, this is a delicious cake that we made for fun the other day. A little labor intensive, and very rich, but very good. It is called a red velvet crepe cake. Just imagine the possibilities with that. I am excited to try them.

Porter has been so cute lately. The other day he had Adie sit down in front of him and he pretended to do her hair. She sat there for him as he tried to pull it back into a ponytail. So cute.

Also, he does things semetrically now a days. I don't know if this is just a developmental phase that every kid goes through, or if it is just the way that he thinks. I had just asked him to clean up his train tracks before dinner when I came in and saw this. I couldn't get mad because I was just too amazed and had to take a picture. He is so creative. You should see the things that he makes out of his legos. They are pretty amazing.

I think this is just how she smiles, chunk and all. I love it. She is her happiest right after the kiddos go to bed. She lays and wiggles and talks up a storm. I love it. I think she just wants to one on one quiet time.

the kiddos

I think this is one of Porter's favorite words right now. He is always asking me when I call them, "mom, just one kiddo, or both kiddos?" Or when playing, he'll be like "mom, you lost your kiddos!". Anyway, that is totally besides the point.

I got the kids pictures taken by a friend who just wanted some practice. I think she did an AMAZING job. Tell me what you think.

Well, for some reason this is being dumb and it won't let me edit my last post. And I am having to go a round about way to publish my posts too (if anyone knows how to fix it please let me know.) At 2 months she is 12 lbs. 6 oz. and 24 in. long. When comparing all 3 she is just 2 oz more than Adie, and 2 lbs. less than Porter. Man he sure was a chunky monkey.

4th of July and summer fun

We have had a lot of things going on lately. Here is just a little catch up.

The forth of July

Adie was the only one brave enough to hold the sparkler. Porter wanted to do it after they were all burned, of course.

We went to the local parade. We ended up sitting with a whole bunch of friends that live around us and didn't know they were going. Glad we say them, it was a blast. Porter and Adie didn't quite get the idea of running out into the street to get candy that was thrown. I am a little torn on whether that is a good thing or not.

Our red kids after the parade. They are just hot and sweaty. We did have sunscreen on and the next day they were all tan, except for Lottie. She was completely covered the whole time.

Random

This is Porter with one of his best friends. We didn't know they had the same shirt, and wore it on the same day. So we had to take a picture.

Blessing

We blessed Charlotte on July 10th with all our family in town. It was a lot of fun. We wanted to get a picture of her in her dress, but she didn't want to cooperate. So I will have to try again soon.

Family

I wish I had taken more pics, but my hands were a little full, or I just forgot. I am going to get some from family that took pics, but this is the second round of family that came. Eric's brother Kevin, his wife Laura and their little boy Trent. It was so much fun to have them.

We went out to Palmyra, saw the sights, went to the Grandin Press where the Book of Mormon was first printed. It is a wonderful place. Then went to the Hill Cumorah and saw the pageant. If you haven't seen it, it is definitely worth the trip. Our mail lady has been several times, she is not LDS, loves it and tells everyone to go. So seriously, everone should make the trip. They always do it in July, the second weekend and third full week.

Charlotte turned 2 months old. I don't have her stats yet, but will get them this week. She is big, and I can't believe how fast she is growing.

Porter asks almost everyday to play in the sprinkler. I totally indulge him because everything needs to be watered since we are in a "drought". (meaning it hasn't really rained in several weeks)

This is one of my favorite atempts at getting a picture of Lottie smiling. She looks like such a chunk. But yes, her hair is usually in a fro. I guess it just naturally has a lot of lift in the roots.

I love this picture too because it reminds me of my moms baby picture that I grew up looking at in my grandparents room. It just makes me happy.