CARNIVAL

ADDICTION

I knew this was coming.

Over the years, my want turned into a need.  The desire intensified when JP was born and has only increased now that there are three kids.  And now it's a full fledged addiction: taking pictures.  I've just come to realize this in the last week when my big camera died (and my iPhone camera storage is full).  I haven't been able to take a photo for eight days and I am filled with anxiety.  Seriously.

I'm certainly no professional (and I don't even try to be!), but somehow taking (sometimes daily!) photos of my kids is a coping mechanism of motherhood.  Though I try to be fully present in each and every moment of my kids ever changing, often chaotic, and oh-so-precious days, it is impossible.  I'm pulled in many directions and I cannot fully savor the beauty of the moment.  By snapping a quick photo, I can capture the event, the celebration, the joy, the little things.  When all of my babies are fast asleep at night, I can thumb through those photos and reflect on my day.

But without my camera, I am filled with panic.  Life is passing by and I have no way of recording it.

I just mailed my camera to the Official Canon Doctors and I sure hope they can fix it quickly and send it home soon.

A BUSHEL AND A PECK

I'm loving my work hours these days (especially with A working every weekend!).  Today we took advantage of the beautiful fall weather and visited our local apple orchard while the rest of the city worked.  

 (Trying to capture a photo of Big Brother, Little Brother, and one Spunky Sister was NOT easy!)

 We picked out flowers,

 rode a tractor up to the orchard,

 sampled apples 

 (Grandma K even tried to give Baby J a lick- he clearly didn't enjoy!),

 and picked a peck of beautiful and delicious 

 apples.

GRANDPA A

Happy 

 Birthday

 Grandpa

A!

IMAGINATION

JP and AA are the best of friends.  Although life was chaos during those first few years with two under two,  I'm beyond blessed to have the two so close in age.  They wake each other up in the morning to play, they always choose to read books together at night, and they are side by side every moment they can be in between.  Once in awhile I'll be the referee for a quick squabble, but for the most part, they play really well.  JP adds the boy flare to AA's rules about dolls and babies, and AA girls up SuperHeros, cars, and trains like no other. 

They both have an imagination as big as the sky.  And so quick.  This morning I went upstairs to feed Jude for ten minutes and came down to this:  

AA was the conductor of the "choo choo train" and JP was the cook for all of the passengers.  On each chair sat one of their stuffed animals, and in the caboose (Baby J's car seat) sat a baby.

Praying that their friendship lasts a lifetime.

PARK

Baby J's first swing ride!

WEEK OF FIRSTS

And so our busy week continues ...

AA started dance yesterday.  She took some classes through our community education office in the spring.  Since she loved it so much, we enrolled her in real dance lessons.  She'll attend class weekly for the school year with a recital in the spring.

I must say I am more than impressed with A's ability to put AA's hair in the required bun!  (And here I was thinking I needed to hire the neighbor girl to come over on Wednesday mornings to help with AA's hair while I am working!)

FIVE MONTHS

 Baby J is 5 months!

Stats: 17 pounds, brown(?) eyes, blonde (?) hair (a new thick layer at least), thunder thighs and two big adorable dimples

 Eats: 6 oz four times daily (with a dream feed) - just starting solids now!

 Sleeps: 12 hours at night, 3 naps in day (inconsistent nap times- depends on what Big Kids are doing!)

 Loves: sitting up independently!, holding and chewing toys, watching Big Kids, being outside, moving

PRESCHOOL PART II

After much discussion and prayer, A and I decided to wait one more year for JP to start Kindergarten.  For somewhat different reasons (A is a huge proponent of the book Outliers, and I just can't stand the thought of my baby growing older!), we both feel confident in our decision.  And JP never seemed to question us.

JP started preschool again today.  He'll be with the same teachers as last year three mornings each week.  In addition, he's one of seven kids enrolled in a new "3+2" program this year- he'll also attend an afternoon preschool twice weekly at a different Catholic school.  We hope the transition from last year to this year (five half days of preschool) to next year (five full days of kindergarten) goes smoothly.  We're excited to watch this sweet guy grow!

FOOD

 Guys, am I really going to get something to eat?  I mean I LOVE breastmilk and all, but I have never tasted ANYTHING else for the past five months.  You make me sit on the kitchen table and I watch you eat every day.  It's about time!

 Really, GIVE ME FOOD!

 Oh my, I see it!  Is this for real?  Is that milked down oatmeal?

 Give it to me!  I totally know what to do if you just stick that spoon in my mouth.

 Hmm.  Wait a minute.  Let me think about this.

 I LOVE it!  Is there more where that came from?

 Better yet, just hand me the spoon and I'll feed myself!

PRESCHOOL

Lil' AA is growing up!  Today was her first day of preschool.  FINALLY- it's her turn!  After escorting JP to and from preschool last year, AA has the routine down … she was a favorite before class even began.

Miss Jeffre helped give AA an "Elsa braid" for her first special day!  AA will be in preschool Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  There are only eight kids in her class and two amazing teachers.  We look forward to watching this little spunky one grow in many ways this school year!

END OF SUMMER

My summer goal?  To get the big kids comfortable in water.

Check.

STATE FAIR

It all started one year ago.

The entire gang (Uncle M, Aunt J, Uncle J, Aunt K and our family) trekked up to Fergus Falls for our annual State Fair Weekend.  We always anticipate celebrating the State Fair in our own way- forgoing the crazy, crowded, and costly chaos of the actual MN State Fair- pulling out the deep fryer and making our own food.  Fried cheese curds and onion rings, mushrooms, peppers, pickles, marshmallows, Snickers and Reece's, funnel cake … and plenty of beer (okay, so last year the three girls were pregnant, but we had a sip of beer.)  We spend the whole weekend doing nothing- lounging on the colorful hammock attempting to perfect our end-of-summer tan.  My big kids get the garden hose and spend hours soaking Grandma K's plants.  Grandpa A makes ten trips to the grocery store each day.  Aunt K obsesses about the perfect gluten free recipe, and the uncles act like they are in junior high.  

But last year, Grandma K made us all leave the house for one hour on that Saturday morning because someone was interested in buying their house.  I'm not sure we really understood how the story would t unfold.  I'm not sure Grandma K or Grandpa A did either.  

That was our last trip up to Fergus Falls.

Within a few months, Grandma K and Grandpa A accepted the offer for their house, had a major moving sale, moved into a one bedroom apartment short term and then bought a home in MY town.  The transition from Fergus to my town has been a process - Grandpa A is still looking for a job and continues to commute to his new home on the weekends.  Grandma K is just getting into her real estate business as she continues to perfect their foreclosure-flipped home.  And I'm still digesting how amazing it is to have my parents live just twenty minutes away.  

Of course, I'll always miss my hometown.  Despite living in Fergus since 6th grade, the memories I'll hold most tightly are the most recent ones.   I'll miss driving down Union Avenue (after four plus hours all packed in the car!) and hearing JP squeal, "There it is!  I see Grandpa A's house!"  I'll miss the looks of pure joy as AA and JP would run into their house and immediately race upstairs to play with the toys.  I'll miss the time when the entire gang was home (even though it was impossible to keep my kiddos sleeping as the intoxicated aunts and uncles went up and down the creaky stairs a million times).    I'll miss our Christmas Eve dinners and our movie nights on the patio.  I'll miss our breakfast feasts, late night popcorn, and candy dishes dispensed all over the main floor.  I'll miss the way life just stopped when we were all together.

And now we have a new place to make memories.  I was so happy to continue on with our Labor Day State Fair weekend tradition.  Though we weren't all together at the same time, we were able to lounge:

play with water:

perfect our end-of-summer tan:

and, best of all,

indulge in fried food!