Look who's one!

Dylan and Camryn turned one year old this week. I always say that time flies by but with these two it flew at double speed. We have had such a fun first year with these two. They are such a fun addition to our family. They loved all the attention they got at their birthday party. They loved opening presents and eating the wrapping paper. But even more than the wrapping paper they loved eating the chocolate cake! Dylan and Camryn are both getting close to walking. But they can take as long as they want. They already get around too quickly and pull out everything in sight. But it's hard for me to get very mad at them because their smiles definitely melt my heart.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our little monsters!

We love to eat!

Dylan and Camryn love to eat! Dylan has discovered that sometimes it's just faster to put your face on the tray and eat that way. That's why he has manicotti stuck to his forehead.

Sundays

This is a typical Sunday afternoon at our house. We look forward to our naps. I thought this was a cute picture of Mark and Gavin. Somehow we all ended up on this couch but I was too squished so Madison and I moved to the other couch.

Applesauce

We have been busy canning this weekend. I got two bushels of winesap apples so we made applesauce. Despite how Gavin and Madison look in this picture they loved helping us so it went pretty quickly. This applesauce is so yummy!

Punkin Patch

We took a trip to Eckert's to get some pumpkins. It was a little muddy but we had a great time. Gavin got chosen to be the counter for the pumpkin cannon and for the pig races. His pig Hamma Montana won and he got the grand prize (a pooping pig). There were rides and a haunted house that the kids loved. We chose pumpkins before we left and I told Gavin and Madison to pick a pumpkin that they would be able to carry. Mark and I were carrying Dylan and Camryn so our hands were full. We searched high and low for two small pumpkins and there weren't any. So Mark and I had a baby in one hand and a pumpkin in the other. It was quite the chore getting back to the wagon and then back to the car. My arms were killing me. I am bound to have some bulging biceps (Mark already has some)before Dylan and Camryn can walk.

Monday

It's Monday. I wonder what's in store for me this week.

Fall Festival

Glen Carbon Elementary had their annual Fall Festival. It's one of the big fundraisers and something the kids really look forward to. Gavin and Madison couldn't wait to visit the Wacky Hospital. They came out with all kinds of injuries. They also have lots of bounce houses, games, and food. They had so much fun on the climbing wall. When we got home Madison washed off all her make-up from the Wacky Hospital. I went in there afterward and it looked like there really was blood all over the sink, towels, and walls. It looked like a scene in a horror movie and one I hope I never see again.

TROUBLE

This is just one of the many things these two get into everyday. They pull off every DVD on this shelf at least once a day. They are starting to move really fast. In the morning Gavin plays with them while I get in the shower and if he opens the door they quickly go out of the room. He picks Dylan up and takes him back in the room. By the time he puts Dylan back Camryn is in another room. He goes to get her and by the time he gets her in the room Dylan is gone again. Gavin is like a little shepherd herding his flock. It's pretty funny but I am so glad he is so helpful because it's the only way I can get in the shower.

A couple of firsts

Madison has had a couple of firsts this week. She rode her bike without training wheels for the first time. She probably could have done it awhile ago because she took right off. It took her one time to get the hang of it. She loves riding her bike even more now because she can go faster. Gavin is already trying to teach her how to do tricks. She also had her first soccer game. She just follows the herd of little kids trying to kick the ball. She really enjoys it and actually scored a goal. I love watching kids play soccer at this age! It is my comic relief for the week.

Happy Birthday Madison!

My little girl turned 5 years old this year. She had such a fun birthday! She had a pajama party with a few of her friends. They watched Matilda and ate lots of popcorn and candy. She has such a fun group of friends! We also had a family party and I made a princess crown cake that she requested. We sure love this girl! She is constantly making us laugh. She loves all things girly but isn't afraid to pick up a worm and get dirty.
The pajama party. Madison, Brooke, Sasha, Shyann, Delaney, and Julia.

Madison opening all of her presents. She got a princess castle, polly pockets, a barbie swimming pool and a barbie jeep.

The birthday girl. Another year older and cuter too!

The princess crown cake.

Two peas in a pod

I just love these two! They are so fun to have around and are getting into everything. They love each other and it is so cute to see them interact. When they wake up in the morning or from their naps during the day all you can hear is giggling. They just sit in their crib and talk and laugh until I go into get them. They are both crawling all over and pulling themselves up to everything. They keep me on my toes and I have had to pry dog food out of their fisted hands more times than I'd like to admit. We have so much fun with these two and just love them to pieces!

Dylan driving

Dylan had his first experience driving home from church today. Grandpa handed over the wheel and Dylan wouldn't let go. He should feel priveleged because Grandpa never lets anyone drive. Don't worry he didn't make it out of the parking lot but he sure enjoyed every second of it.

Nina and the Pinta

Replicas of the Nina and the Pinta were docked on the Mississippi River in Grafton, Illinois. This was so close to our house we didn't want the kids to miss it. It was really neat to see the ships and think about the history of the Nina and the Pinta. We also walked around the small town of Grafton and found a fudge shop that we couldn't pass up. Chocolate peanut butter layer and rocky road were just a couple of our favorites

Mark's Birthday

We had a little get together for Mark's birthday. He wanted an ice cream cake so I got one from Coldstone. They have the best ice cream cakes! It was so yummy and we had so much fun celebrating. The kids really enjoyed the cake. It was covered in chocolate ganache so you can imagine the mess it made. Madison got it all over herself and the floor. I had no idea but Dylan had quietly crawled under the table and was eating all the chocolate that Madison dropped on the floor. He really enjoyed his first taste of chocolate and I don't think he'll have a problem eating cake on his birthday.

Madison's First Day of School

Madison started school this week and she is in Miss Connie's class. She got into the Pre-K program at Glen Carbon and we couldn't be happier! She misses the kindergarten deadline by eight days and was so ready for something a little more challenging. She goes Monday through Thursday all day. She loves school and has only complained about nap time. When she comes home from school she always has so much to say. She told me that she is friends with the French girl at school and is learning French words (maybe a little too much Fancy Nancy). I asked her what words she new and she said Hola. I told her that was Spanish and then she remembered that her friend was teaching her Spanish. On another day Mark picked her up from school and she told him she got sent to the principals office. She told him some girls in her class said she had a baby cup at lunch time so she hit them. Then she quickly told him she was just kidding. Now as soon as they told me I knew there was probably a little truth to the story. We found out the girls told her she had a baby cup during lunch so she flicked applesauce on their arm. This girl had a plan she told us the worst scenario so when she told the truth it wouldn't be nearly as bad as it could have been. Madison is definitely going to keep us on our toes. But at least we don't have to worry about her being picked on at school. I think she'll be able to hold her own.

Gavin's first day of school

Summer is over and school is in session. There has been a lot of excitement this week (mostly for me) as we have been getting ready for school to start. Gavin started second grade and has his first male teacher Mr. Schneider. He was really excited about having a boy teacher. He was a little nervous this morning when I took him but once he saw some familiar faces he seemed to relax. When Gavin got home from school he talked on and on about what a fun day he had and how much he liked his teacher. It made me so happy because Gavin is a boy of few words and I feel like I have to drag information out of him. But today he had lots to say about his first day. I can't wait to hear about tomorrow.

Pioneer Day

Our ward had a Pioneer Day activity. The kids dressed up for a parade and they had fun games and yummy food. They played stick pull, had three legged races, wheelbarrow races, and rolled a wagon wheel. It was great to see all the primary kids having so much fun without any material things. It was a great way to celebrate the early saints and their sacrifices.

Salt Fork Lake

We rented a pontoon boat and went to Salt Fork Lake. We had so much fun and this is possibly one of our favorite trips. We had a tube to pull behind the boat and we all took our turn. Gavin did really well and started to get pretty fancy as the day went on. Madison was a little scared at first but that didn't last long. Mark was a pro and I was a rookie. I didn't know I was supposed to get out of the middle of the tube. I couldn't see anything because the water was splashing in my face. After they stopped I asked them what I was doing wrong and they told me to get on my knees once I did that it was smooth sailing. Dylan and Camryn were so good considering they had to wear life jackets that were almost bigger than they were. They were really content and enjoyed playing in the water when we stopped. We played at the beach and Katie put on a good shark attack show. I think everyone on the sand was about to pack up and take off. My dad was a good captain and let the kids help him drive the boat. Everyone had such a good time and we are already making plans to do it again!