My Favorite Season

September 22nd was not just Radley's birthday, but also the first day of Fall, my favorite season. I already have all my fall decorations out and I hope to get some pumpkins and corn stacks when we get back from our trip to Michigan. I am so happy that I am going to the great UP to see some of the best fall leaves anywhere.

My love affair with Autumn.

I love...

when the leave change colors... brown, gold, orange, red, purple

when they crunch under my feet

the crisp fall air

pumpkins

pumpkin carving

pumpkin patches

pumpkin pie

pumpkin bread

apple picking

apple pie

apple cider

apple butter

hey rides

sweaters and long sleeved shirts

mums, sunflowers, and fall daisies

scarecrows

Halloween costumes

candy corn

thanksgiving dinner

cranberries

cranberry sauce

yams

squash

acorns and pine cones

My birthday!

I Think I Will Keep Them...

...If for no other reason than that they are so darn cute!

Our Little Man is 3!

For Radley's third birthday, we did a construction theme. Each child was given a hardhat upon arriving and then they were free to play in the bounce house, the tapped off construction zone filled with construction equpipment and tools, or a coloring station with Bob the Builder and Handy Manny pages. Next we played Dump Truck Rock Toss, where the kids threw bean bags ("rocks") into a dumptruck and them we played Pin the Dirt on the Front Loader. Then we ate. Robert grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and we had varrious other dishes, including Ants on a Log and Dirt Cake (inside one of Radley's dump trucks). Radley had informed me months before his birthday that he wanted cupcakes, not a cake. So I made cupcakes but let the kids decorrate them with grass (green died coconut), dirt (crushed graham crakers and oreos), rocks (chocolate chunks), and worms (gummie worms). Radley had his own giant cupcake (pictured below). He then oppened his presents and got a ton of great stuff and the next day he helped me fill a box with toys to give away since he had gotten so many toys.

There were 17 adults, 14 kids, and 6 babies at his party!

I can't believe he is three. When I look at him, he is all boy... the baby has dissapeared. I miss that, but I am excited to see what the next stage brings.

"Chow Time"

Colleen... what a good friend, wearing Izzy for me.

My friend Jenn let us use their bounce house and the kids loved it of course!

Playing in the sandbox in the taped offed construction zone.

Radley's cupcake.

Blowing out the candles.

He only had one bite of his cupcake and then he was off to play some more.

Radley is a hugger. Every thank you he gave for his gifts was accompanied by a hug!

Presents!

A scooter from mom and dad!

The Loot!


Birthday Flashbacks!

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

Silly Babies!

Izabelle and Maraliese eating some pear

Maralise

Izabelle

Really mom, my sisters made this mess!

Playing outside with our friend Kayliegh... she has such a cool helmet!

Izzy and Mara are busy and so funny! Both of them crawl like mad and pull to standing. Izzy can climb stairs, but Maraliese is a bit cautious yet on the steps. They both have taken a few steps along the couch and ottoman. Both say mama, but I don't think they are referring to me. Izabelle always has something to say, she likes to open her mouth like a bird. Maraliese still prefers to stick out her tounge. They are very happy and very silly. It is getting wild around here and so much work.... but so much fun!

Hike into the Rocky Mountains

Labor Day weekend we drove to Estes Park and the Rockey Mountains National Park and hiked 3.5 miles into the Rocky Mountains on Lawn Lake Trail We wanted to hike the entire trail to the lake but it was just to much for Radley to do by himself. Radley did hike about 1/3 of it by himself. When Radley got tired, he rode in our framed pack on Robert's back. Robert had to wear him most of the way down because it was too steep and he kept slipping! It was really beautiful and a great way for Radley to learn more about God's creation. Izzy and Maraliese loved the views from mom and dad's carriers. We stopped to have a snack and let the girls move around some. After our hike we walked around Estes Park and ate in a little restaurant and then got some fudge (everyone knows you can't leave a touristy town without getting fudge!) We had so much fun and are hoping to get a few more hikes in before it gets too cold in the mountains.

Daddy with Izzy in our new Babyhawk.

Mommy looks pretty tired! Good thing she has that walking stick!

Izabelle

Maraliese

Taken a break.... having a snack.

Maraliese says "This hiking stuff is great!"

Now if you really want a workout... hike in the Rocky Mountains with a preschooler on your back and a baby on your front!

River flowing from Lawn Lake.

Bridge to cross the river.

Radley... what a trooper. Notice that he has one sock up and one sock down... he wanted them this way! : ) He is so funny!

Raising Children... it's hard!

Mothering is exhausting, frustrating, guilt-inducing, but it is also, wonderful, funny, energizing, and joyful. I have only been a mother for just under three years and I have been challenged in ways I would never have imagined. But I have found that one of the hardest parts about being a mother is the doubt that creeps in from unwanted comments on my parenting or my own unrealistic expectations of what a mother is. I make mistakes everyday, but I am learning and growing and my children love me. Below is my digest of something I read somewhere... I cannot recall where.

God has a unique life plan for each of His children and He needs a variety of parents to raise them. He perfectly matches children to their parents. Therefore, it is important for me to not compare myself to other mothers or my children to other children. I believe it is important to not become a slave to a parenting style, method, or ideology. It is important for me to gather as much information I can, sift if through biblical truth, do what works for our children and our family, and look to God for the final answer.



Although we may not be able to reap all of the rewards from our diligence in parenting, it is nice to have moments were one can see it is all worth it.

The Kid Loves Tomatoes!

We picked our first tomatoes from our garden a few days ago and Radley can't get enough. He eats them faster than we can pick them. Yesterday he picked three cherry tomatoes and eat them all before we could get them in the fridge. I am very thankful that he loves to eat foods that are good for him. It just is not a struggle with him. Now we have our share of struggles and challenges raising this little guy, but eating is just not one of them.

Radley at 9.5 months. pulled a tomato out of the vegetable drawer and started to eat it like it was an apple!

We be Jammin

Summer berries... yum!
So we made jam. We made Mixed berry Jam (strawberry, raspberry, & blueberry),
Blueberry Jam (Robert's favorite), and Pineapple-Strawberry Daiquiri Jam. For those of you who have not made jam, it calls for 1 cup of sugar for 1 cup of berries! So we used unsweetened white grape juice (you can also use apple juice), agave nectar, and Stevia to sweeten our jam. It came out wonderful!

Mexican Celebration!

Here we are out for lunch to celebrate Robert's move to his new shop. It was really, really good food.

Robert and Radley entertaining themselves while we wait for our meals

Izabelle and Maraliese

Mom

Good stuff, eh?

ZOO

We were in need of a fun day away. So we spent a few hours at the Zoo. It was a great day. The sun was shining, but the Zoo has lots of shade as you walk so we were able to stay cool and keep from getting burnt. The girls slept most of the time. Radley had so much fun, but not as much fun as Robert and I had listening to his comments as we walked through the Zoo. Radley quotes:

Lions: "can I go in there with them, daddy?"
Gorilla: after asking Radley if the gorilla was really big, he commented, "and he has a big bottom too, mama!"
Turkey: "Hi! What's your name?"
And he kept asking "can I ride the prairie goats?" I am not sure what a prairie goat is, but apparently they are at the Denver Zoo and they are ridable.... as least that is what Radley insisted.

Radley watching the Elephants

Feeling at home at the Zoo

Izabelle taking a snooze

Six Months Old!

Our sweet girls are 6 months old today! On one hand it seems like yesterday that we brought them home, but it has also gone by very slowly at times.

They both can sit really well. I contribute their excellent balance to Radley's unbridled energy that ends in steamrolling several times a day.

Izzy and Mara are also mobile! Yikes! Two babies... two directions. They are all over place by getting up on all fours and throwing themselves forward!

Izabelle is very vocal. She loves to scream... when she is happy, sad, angry, and for seemingly no reason. Maraliese loves to stick her tongue out all the time. I wouldn't say one is more this or that. They are both pretty active, just not as much as their brother (thankfully, a family really should have only one Radley!).

Right now Maraliese weighs about 5oz more and is 1/2 in longer. Both are peanuts and under the 25%.

They love to get raspberries on their bellies.... preferably from daddy and Radley. By the way, they adore Robert and he is a sucker!

I have a feeling the next six months will fly by!


Izabelle


Maraliese


I love you, sis!


Hey, give me that brush!


They sleep together. Every night I put them on opposite ends of the crib so they have some room and they always scoot right next to each other. So cute!