November

Ella turned 7 and had a birthday party!

Ella is 7!

 

I guess Cort's 5:15am wake up call proved to be too early for him!   Or maybe it was Dr. Seuss that lulled him to sleep. Either way, that hardwood floor doesn't look comfortable!

Cort and I also had a little one on one time when Ella was at school and Ty was at "school" with Grandma. 

We had some very engaging conversation!

And a pastry, of course!

Who needs a piano bench when you have Tupperware!

Ella had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast at school that I got to help with!  All the kids were adorable! And the food was fantastic!

We were happy to see an 8k race come to our little town on Thanksgiving Day!  Peter ran it in the snow and we all came to watch!

The kids watching the runners finish!

USPS

Your check is in the mail..... somewhere!

So I am well aware that the ancient art of sending a payment through the good 'ole United States Postal Service is so very 15 year ago, but I do find myself doing it from time to time.  

And so I did. 

30 days later, my payment has not arrived in Illinois.

So I ask, where are you little check? 

Have you gotten yourself stuck on the bottom of that big blue mailbox?

Did you find yourself hidden under the seat in the mail truck?

Have you arrived at a strangers mailbox instead of our agreed upon destination?

 Where are you little check?
I miss you so!

 

toddler talking...

A few of our favorite sayings from our two year old...

Mom:  "Ty, why don't you keep your socks on?"

Ty:  "Because then I can't march!"

Ty:  "La  La La"  (singing in the car holding his snack cup)

-thump- 

-pause-

Ty:  "Uh Oh"

-pause-

Ty: "I can't sing! I lost my cup!"

 

Halloween

Awwww!  How adorable!

Ella is Elsa

Ty is a penguin

Cort is a cow

 

And everyone was Frozen when we were done trick-or-treating!

Fall Fun up north!

Busy!

Busy Busy!

 

 Labor Day Truck parade...  "big trucks" was the phrase of the day!

 

 Ella's first day of riding the bus!

 

 Our camping weekend got completely rained out, so we quickly changed our plans and went to the circus!

 

Ella and Ty at the circus.  This was one of the strange faces he was making :)

 

 Ella lost her first tooth!! Look at that smile!

 

Feeding the goats with our street sista Ellie!

 

Ty and Cort watching Ella play soccer!

Ella playing soccer!

 Beach moment on a sunny day!

 Waiting for the bus!

Pumpkinfest festivities!

Face Painting!

More face painting!!

Art Prize 2014

Ella and her friend were able to cheer at the HCHS football game during the 2nd quarter!

Cort's first haircut!

Cort got his first haircut!  Although it appears that there isn't much hair to cut (all business),  you should have seen the party (mullet) in the back!

Let's just say it didn't quite go as hoped!

It seemed to be quite an unpleasant experience for him!   Maybe it was the adorable kids cheetah print cape that threw him off :)

Thanks to our wonderful hairdresser Jodi who managed a haircut amidst the movement and tears!

School

Although we are a few weeks into school, this is from Ella's first day!

The boys love to go to the bus stop with Ella too!

Summer Fun!

In between camping, vacations, birthday parties, and weddings, we had some other fun too!

Outside fun in the sun... with Riley!

 Face painting!

Blueberry picking!
 

  Splash Pad! 

That is Ella on the blue center, Ty in the green swim shirt, and Cort in the white swim shirt

They loved it!

 Ella and her friend Brooke at the zoo petting the sting rays!

The new tiger exhibit.  What a beautiful animal!

 All the little ones by the penguins, but where did the penguins go?

 Ending our day with Ella and Brooke at the splash pad!

Ty holding the fire hose!

The boys in their camo PJ's.  Can you see them? 


 
Peach picking with a tractor ride next to the corn field

 Peach picking

next to the corn field

 
Princess Day at the ballpark means...

girls night!!

Another zoo day!  
Ella and her friends earned money to ride the camel!

Michigan's Adventure!

 Michigan's Adventure!

Wedding

Ella took her 6th trip down the aisle this weekend as a flower girl!  

She is quite the professional!

Ella looked georgous as did everyone else:)

Camping with friends!

We spent a long weekend camping with friends.  In addition to wonderful company from the adults, the youth section was well represented as well!

 

 Between 3 families, we had age 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 1 and 2 months (not pictured).

 Camping is fun and busy!  Sleeping generally doesn't go as well as when we are home.  So this bike ride proved to be too exhausting for the boys.  

That doesn't look comfortable!