I love September. It's a lot like New Year's for me. I feel renewed, and like I want to try harder and do better. I'm always just so relieved to make it through another Summer.
This year we had a jam packed September.
Glenn received a rank advancement for Boy Scouts.
We ate lots of yummy Apple Crisp.
Me and most of my cute boys eating apple crisp.
Max reading to Harry and Bennett.
This was staged for a video used in a Relief Society Lesson. I actually really like it.
I am reading a story from The Friend magazine to the kids.
One day I was up in my bedroom and heard a loud BOOM! I came running down the stairs, and saw Jason out on the deck surveying the damage. Our glass table top had shattered when the umbrella was lifted by the wind and crashed down.
I am sad to not have a table out on the deck anymore.
Glenn and Jason went on a scout camp trip on the Oregon Coast. They went crabbing and had tons of fun!
While they were camping, the younger kids had a primary activity at the temple. They had a special tour around the grounds and the new visitors center. They learned a lot about the symbolism in the building of the temple. It was a really fun activity.
Lily was almost 12, and really not excited about going to a primary activity. I made her go. Mostly because I needed her help! She got in the shower as we were supposed to be getting the van! I was MAD! Luckily I had the time wrong. It was a half hour later than I thought. I never told her that. I wanted her to keep on thinking that she was making us late.
She came out to the car with a towel on her head, and she did her makeup on the way there. I was silently laughing at her the whole time. This made her really mad. Oh well. I'm an annoying mom, just like my mom was. I was mostly just enjoying the moment, and feeling kind of sad that she is growing up into a teenager. I had to take a picture to help me remember this forever.
By the time we arrived at the temple Lily was back to her happy self. The peaceful spirit there is not just inside, but all around it too. I love going there. My children really loved doing this.
Max and Harrison loved doing the tour of the grounds.
The new visitors center is awesome! The kids loved it, especially the interactive games. If you live in the Portland area you should go! You don't have to be a member of our church. It is a really neat and educational thing to do with your family.
This was Bennett's favorite part. He kept saying, "Jesus!" He was so excited to find Jesus there. It was so sweet!
I knew that the activity was going to be getting done right about lunch time. I also knew that my kids would be starving and want me to buy them fast food. I thought ahead (very unusual for me) and packed a picnic. One of the sister missionaries told me where to find a park about 1 mile away. It was GORGEOUS! One of the best parks we've ever been to. We can't wait to play there next Summer!
The whole play area was covered in this water proof tarp thing. It was perfectly designed for Oregon weather.
We ate lunch, and they played for close to two hours!
We got home right before Jason and Glenn did from camping.
One day I really needed help with Theo, who was upset and crying. Max wanted to take him for a walk. Harrison and Bennett were excited to go too. They walked around our culdesac several times.
When they got home Theo was sound asleep. Bennett and Harrison tried to lift him out to take him to bed.
Earlier, before the walk, I had Theo in the other room while I was trying to make dinner. He was fussing. At one point I realized that he was quiet. I came in to check on him and found Bennett playing with him, and entertaining him really well. At first I kinda freaked out because he had Theo's face covered up with the burp cloth. Then, Bennett yanked it off and Theo squealed. It was adorable! Bennett even got some laughs out of him.
My house always becomes more clean in September once the kids go back to school. I still have to stop sometimes and ignore the mountain of laundry that needs to be folded so I can snuggle with Theo.
Costco has their Christmas stuff already??? Well, Bennett was thrilled! He had a blast with this Rudolph.
Bennett, still refusing to take naps after the crazy, fast paced, loud Summer. Occasionally he falls asleep in the van. It's so sweet, and when it happens I drive around a little longer so I can enjoy the peace.
After Labor Day I realized that Lily needed some new black shoes for church. She picked out her first heels. I don't know how I feel about this. She is growing up too fast.
Harrison and Bennett LOVE all the quiet playtime they have without all the older kids bugging them.
One of their favorite toys is this Arctic set that Max got for Christmas when he was 3.
Theo turned 5 months old!
This is what happens when I am holding Theo in one arm, and making PB&J with with other arm. He got a handful of PB. I have to say that I rather enjoyed sucking that PB off of his fat little hand.
I was really excited to have my next Gourmet Club dinner to go to. Check out the link
HERE
to get all the details from it. It was a beautiful night. The theme was "A Night in the South." We were asked to dress like Southern Belle's. It was an awesome night!
Theo had a well child check and got shots.
Bennett LOVES sneaking off to Lily's room. Mostly she is very nice to him. On this day he disappeared down the stairs to her room. He came back 30 minutes later looking like this. Maybe Lily was trying to teach him a lesson, but instead she just made him want to hang out with her even more!
Theo usually smiles constantly at Bennett, but not in this get up!
Lately Bennett has been wearing any fun hat he can find. I usually don't notice it, or have time to take a picture til he's sitting still and eating.
And then, other times he just prefers to sit back and chill in Theo's rocker.
Theo loves watching all the kids and craziness around him. Greta Phair has started to notice, and like him too. She loves to give kisses.
And one more thing for September. I helped the other girls in my Gourmet club make the dinner for our church dinner. It was a special dinner for all the women in 7 congregations. They expected about 200 women to come eat dinner before a special broadcast from Salt Lake City to all the women in our church world wide. For all the details on this dinner that we put on, check it out
HERE.
