Jake's First Food!

I can hardly believe it, but here's how it happened... Jake ate some baby cereal!

He downed it, more easily than I remember any of my babies. He is so interested in what we're eating and getting grabby, so I knew he was ready!

We have a cute video of it but as usual blogger doesn't like it, so just imagine lots of siblings cheering him on! Don't you want to just hug that little man?

Conference Weekend

Oh how I love General Conference time! It is always a time of refreshment and feasting for the soul... and body! I have to admit good food makes it all the more enjoyable. I planned on making whole wheat pumpkin muffins for the Saturday morning session, so I turned on the wheat grinder and ran upstairs to finish something. I came back down a few minutes later to a white kitchen!!!

I had forgotten to put on an attachment inside the bowl of the grinder, and the flour dusted the whole room! I persevered and made the muffins anyway, and they were worth it.

In between sessions we went to a yummy sandwich shop and met my parents and Dana's cute family for lunch. What a treat! Conference always makes me nostalgic for my growing up years when my mom would tat lace while she listened or we would listen on the radio while we did our Saturday chores. I feel so grateful for good parents who raised us int he gospel.

I just love the time to be together as a family, curled up in blankets on the couch, with no more important place to be than there, listening to our prophet and chosen servants' inspired messages.

Saturday afternoon we worked on some housekeeping items, changing light bulbs and washing windows. The kids sure love that ladder... I think the best part was having Daddy home with nothing else competing for his attention!

Sunday we had to get creative to keep the kids occupied. Ty and Ella played with playdough while Maddie actually took really good notes! Later we built a fort in the living room.

In between sessions we went outside to soak in some sunshine. Ella loves to play spider with Daddy on the swings.

Then I got a turn with her and captured this happy face on the upswing!

Mommy's Monster got some energy out on the playset!

After conference Mike made good on a promise to teach the girls Monopoly! They played for hours that night and had so much fun! I was amazed at their grasp of it and enjoyed listening to them counting money, buying real estate, and charging rents.

While they played I finished our Sunday dinner that had been making my mouth water as it roasted all afternoon... there is no better smell in the world. When I was growing up this was my very favorite meal, and I think I have passed it on to the next generation! The pickled beets completed the time machine, taking me back twenty years in an instant.

As far as the spiritual feast, I have too many favorites talks to name... but one of my favorite quotes was from President Uchdorf, "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." I really appreciated all of the messages on keeping hope and faith through trials, and I needed some of the reminders on how to raise our family: keep your temper, read the scriptures to prevent strife, and LOOK UP!

Pumpkin Patch

It was time to pick the pumpkins and move them to the front porch. We planted a little bit late this year, but still got enough to make a festive display. I just love how the fall sunlight is so bright and makes the colors saturated. Such a beautiful time of year!

 Everyone had a turn cutting and carrying pumpkins to the wheelbarrow.

This one's heavy guys!

Baby Jake wasn't too interested but he was there too.

We tried growing giant pumpkins this year, but because we planted late we only got one. She's a beauty though!

 Daddy's pretty strong to carry that crew!

 

Maddie wanted to make a pumpkin snowman so we picked a green one for contrast. Pretty cute!

We also cut down our cornstalks and tied them up for the porch.

 

For some reason, I have been slow to warm up to fall this year... In the past it has been my very favorite season, but I think it was ruined last year by morning sickness, and the memory is still strong enough to taint my feelings about it. I think decorating for Halloween with the kids helped me to finally embrace it and be ready for it... although I wouldn't mind a few more Indian summer days!

It's just so hard to say goodbye to the yard when everything is in it's glory! The flowers are still going strong and the back lawn is finally getting thick and pretty. Hopefully we have a few more weeks to enjoy it!

Jake at 5 months

My oh my, where does the time go? This little man is getting big! I took the traditional monthly photo with the blue bear, which seems to be shrinking! :)

Little Jake is teething, so he likes to stick his tongue out! Its so cute, but it translates into lots of waking up from naps and nighttime sleep. I love most things about babyhood, but teething I could do without. 

I think this little guy is going to be a mover! He has learned to roll back to front now, and just a few days ago realized it's a method for travelling! I put him down with the elephant toy while I was making lunch, and looked up to find him magically a few feet away! He has also been rolling to his tummy in his bed, which makes him really mad because there's not much room to get to his back again. I guess he might have to learn to be a tummy sleeper!

Maddie's Cafa

Maddie is the table setter right now, and one night she decided to transform the dining room into a cafe. I say anything that gets my kids to do chores with enthusiasm is welcome!

Drinks were brought out on a tray like a real server.

A tablecloth was procured and napkins were expertly rolled.

Menus were provided for each person, and we got to order from the wide array of options in the kitchen that night....

Vegy pizza and water! Love this little girl and her imagination. It made for a better than usual dinner time ordeal.

My Little People

I am happy to say we are finally adjusted and back in the swing of things since school started. It's always a bit of a shock to the family system to go back to school schedules and activities, but we are enjoying it now!

For the past three years Maddie has been in ballet and Ella started last year. They have been begging to try gymnastics too, but my purse and my sanity wouldn't handle both, so for now we are taking a break from ballet to try gymnastics at the Legacy Center and see how they like it. I figure they are still young and it's good to dabble in a bit of everything before they decide what they are passionate about. (I also didn't want to pigeon hole them into ballet just because it's what I did....) Big surprise--they LOVE it!

That's Maddie in the back row, middle. Little Limber Loo.

She thought it was so cool to try a lot of the big official equipment in her first class! Her favorite was the bars.

Lucky for us, soccer ended just about when gymnastics began because this girl was a little overscheduled! One Saturday morning she went to gymnastics at 8:30, soccer game at 10, and piano lesson after that!

These little besties had a really fun time doing soccer together. I love how Ella looks up to Maddie... I don't know what her real interest in soccer is, but she is already talking about playing when she's 5.
 

 Little Ella Bella got her turn at gymnastics too.

She also got to try the uneven and parallel bars, and the rope swing.

 Now that's a happy face!

Back at home, the girls seem to have more fun together because they are together less. Isn't that interesting? Less time to bug each other, I guess.

One morning Tyler and Ella begged to play with shaving cream. It's been fun to see the two of them play better together when Miss Dominant is at school.

 

After school there is still plenty of time to play outside. Oh how I love indian summer days!

I didn't forget about baby Jakey! He is getting really grabby and Ella thought it was pretty funny to entertain him with her toes, but now he can reach his own toes!