Happy Fall?

Happy fall! I pulled out all of our fall/Halloween decorations yesterday so we could get into the fall spirit. I love, love fall. I am trying to get into the mood. Fall decor, fall soups- but Florida is hard to take when fall rolls around. I am pretty sure I shouldn't be sweating so much while foraging around in the garage for my decor. It felt all wrong.
I think Florida is trying to make it up to me, because it was cool out this morning! Maybe we can be friends after all, Florida.

Summer is not so excited about fall. She said it felt like winter out. Would any of you like to set her straight about that. It wasn't that long ago that we left North Dakota! I mean, really. I'm certain shorts are not the attire of someone in the throws of winter. Maybe she's just sad that she is out and fall is in! Auf Wiedersehen!

T Jay's baptism

After T Jay's party, we shifted gears to prepare for his baptism. We did it on his birthday so he will always remember when he was baptized.
Getting ready. So sweet.
On the Wednesday before his baptism, Jess took him to the church to try on a white jumpsuit. He found the right size and hung it up in the dressing room so it would be ready to go on Friday. On Friday, when they arrived at the church, it was gone! Frantically, Jess called me, which caused me to panic. He called the missionaries to see if they knew where it went. They did. A boy was going to get baptised in Fort Pierce on Sunday, so they picked it up while they were at our building. The missionaries said they could bring it, but they would be late. A little stressful, but it all worked out. It was a wonderful day.

Butterfly kisses

This was T Jay's first grade teacher, Mrs. Taylor. She is now Summer's first grade teacher. Let's just say that she is the best teacher on the planet and leave it at that!

The crew! Jess' parents were able to come from MT, my Mom from CO, Great Granddaddy from AL and Katelyn, Aunt Sherry and Becky from the panhandle! It was fantastic having so much family here to share such a special day with us!

Super Spy

Since I decided to take the summer off from the blog, I am so very behind in everything. We have some great photos and memories that I want to put on here. I keep putting it off, trying to decide if it's worth the effort or not. I decided that I will post some of my favorite things so they will be included in what has become our family journal.
T Jay's eighth birthday was on August 13. He wanted a spy party. Jess and I planned a huge mission (scavenger hunt) to find and diffuse a bomb. It included walkie talkies, cell phone, binoculars, a BB gun, voice recorder, and plenty of codes and mysteries to figure out.

Here they are pulling their clue out of the lake.

Jess put letters to the clue inside balloons and the kids had to shoot the balloon to get the letters out and then figure out what word it was. It sent them up to my room to use binoculars to look out into the woods and read a sign which sent them to the dryer, where they found...

The bomb! Which they diffused by wacking it! Not normal protocal! They had tons of fun running from clue to clue. His birthday was so much fun.

2000 and 10

Summer on patriotic day at school

We are in the "club" phase of child rearing. It's fun. Here is the signage on Summer's door as of late. It's very specific and if you don't meet the guidelines, well, that's just to bad for you!

The collage

I'm going to have to look into the "boyfrends" part of this sign. Remember, only pertinent info is on here!

It's a girls club, but...

If you are a boy who is in the girls club, go on in! Anyone else noticing discrepancies in the rules?

There's an exception to every rule, I suppose!

The only thing I don't like about this, is keeping the peace between those who are "in" and those who are "out"!

Hap!!!!!!!!!!!py Friday

The girls as babies

Our kids are getting way too computer literate. Here is Summer's e-mail to her cousin in Montana today:

Heidi I miss you really much I wish we lived together and I wish I cood just come over and play at your house and have a sleepover it wood be so much fun if we. Lived together I wood be so ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ppy it is so sad That we live so faraway from echther .LOVE SUMMER FOR HEIDI

Deep thoughts from Matthew

Matthew at the ranch in MT this summer

This morning while we were out jogging, Matthew posed an interesting question to me. "Mom, when poop goes down under ground does it talk?" Me : "um what do you mean?" Matthew: "Does it talk?" Me: "No, it doesn't have a voice or a mouth." Matthew: "Oh, or a penis or a bum?" Me: "Nope, none of those things." silence. Matthew: "I have a great idea. the germs eat it."
Just a little peek people! Love him!

Lost

Ok friends, I'm back! School starts on the 23rd, so after T. Jay's baptism, birthday party (AUG.13) and school starting, we should be back on a roll of posting. Yay! It's been a long, busy summer and I have a ton of catching up and photo posting to do. I just downloaded all of the photos and I took over 1100 pics! No, I won't torture you with posting most of them, but it's going to take some time to find my favorites. Until then, a funny story:
We arrived home on Sunday evening. After sleeping in 11 different locations during the summer, my own bed was a special treat. I slept like a rock. Night number two was a little different story. Lexi tossed and turned a little and at one point woke up crying. I was still mostly asleep as I went towards her cries. I got out into the hallway and didn't know where I was. I couldn't figure out where her sounds were coming from. I stood there in the hallway trying to figure out how I was going to find her without barging in on whomever my gracious host was in the middle of the night. All of the doors were closed. I paced the hallway at least twice (it's a large hallway) a little worried, when I passed our overflow pantry closet. (yes, it's upstairs. I have more food than linens, I suppose) It took a moment, but it jogged my memory enough to remind me that I was in fact at home and Lexi was not so "snug as a bug in a rug" in her own little bed. It was a funny feeling. I guess it gives me an appreciation to how the kiddos might feel waking up in 11 different locations through out the summer!