Here and there

These are pictures from my phone. I have almost forgot we have a camera that isn't connected and comes with me everywhere. I really need to be better at bringing the camera. 

Either way these are pictures from here and there and everywhere in between for October.

We spent a couple afternoons at the Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point. These two cousins are best of friends. They just grabbed each others hands and walked hand in hand out of the museum. 

We had an extra for 3 days (2.5 really). My cousin Chelsea was going to Moab and needed a sitter. So we got to watch her daughter Blakely, all my kids were so excited to have an extra friend around the house to play with. It went really well--esp because Lilly and Blakely are easy going kids but it was also like having twins. I am so thankful my babies all came one at a time!

But while you are tending why not throw one more into the mix! The hardest part of the day was kindergarten pick up. I had to load all the kids in car seats. We spent the early morning in the back yard pulling out plants and getting ready for winter when suddenly it was time to go pick up Lexi. Of course, Lilly needed a diaper change. I loaded Blakely in a seat belt so I could change Lilly. And Owen disappeared. I couldn't find him in the back yard or the garage--he's pretty quiet so when I called his name he didn't answer. BUT he went up stairs and was playing with the toys. I buckled them all in and away we went! This was dejavue--it wasn't long ago I was buckling 3 kids in car seats and running errands!

Lilly's extra friends left that day. And really they were a piece of cake. I even got all 3 to take a nap at the same time. That never happened when I had 3 kids.

I told the kids today was Grandma's birthday. Lexi asked are we going to have a party. I thought why not. I had some ripe bananas and made some banana cake. And we lite a candle and sang. Sure miss that mom of mine--thankful for her watching over these 4.

Fall projects! I feel in love with some new outdoor lights at Costco and convinced Mike he loved them also. My outside shutters have needed a paint of coat all summer. They were so faded. They were originally blue and now almost grey. Richmond didn't cover a replacement 4 years later.  I asked Mike to take them down and he said if they came down (if he could) they would never go back up. I also wanted to paint the front door.

 Not sure how but on pinterest I came across this stain and decided to give it a try on the front door. It is thick--gel like (imagine that) and gave the front door such a great face lift I decided to try it on the shutters. They painted even better than the front door did. Only trick was getting to all the places where they were.

The brick side, I leaned out as far as I could in Jack's bedroom. Our neighbor Davis had a tall ladder that Mike painted one coat on the east shutter. The 2nd coat I leaned out and held on for dear life! The girls rooms, I climbed out on the garage roof dozens of times. I also held on for dear life. BUT love the change a single can of stain made for the house. And of course the new lights! They are LED and turn on/off at dusk/dawn. LOVE the changes. And of course any project has complications. What should have been a simple light change for Mike was complicated. The screws were too long, the outlets in the brick were crooked you name it there was a problem. BUT Mike finished the project and didn't like me very much the rest of the night (or month I should say). We are also in the middle of finishing the basement. I'm terrible and haven't taken a single picture! We hired a friend to do the framing and electrical and plumping and HVAC and the sheet rockers just finished this week. So now the next project is painting. Again, Mike doesn't like my honey do's much this fall season! BUT i love the change to the front of the house can't wait to see more changes in the basement.

Back to school. We all survived track break and then had to go to the dentist for our 6 month check up. This one did wonderful. She just laid down and watched a movie while they cleaned her teeth. Amazing, not one of my other kids ever had a checkup when they were 2.

Fall break. We spent a Thursday at cornbelly's with lots of cousins and lots of Utahn's celebrating fall break also. Friday, we decided to go and feed the ducks at Daybreak lake and invited our friends and cousins to join us for a picnic and apparently a dip in the lake.

LOL. These 2. Then Sunday they came in looking all dressed up. Karsyn has a darker coloring then Lexi did--but she was covered in makeup also. 

And that makes it to the end of my phone pictures. We are in full swing gearing up for Halloween. I'm helping with 3 class parties in addition to being at the school already once a week. My friend watches Lilly so I can volunteer. All the teachers have asked that I be there every week. In the past I only have 2x a month, it's wonderful seeing the changes in my children. I am so thankful for teachers who work so hard! and on a side note I've never received so many hugs and affection from Jack. Hope his love of his mom at school continues!