Sunny November Day...

The kids enjoyed a nice warm sunny day yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I like nice days, but I do wish our weather would decide if it was the end of summer or Fall. It's hard to keep up, plus I would like to sort through their clothes and put some away.

 Yay...

 It is the funniest thing watching Miles zoom around on the tricycle...

 So sweet...

 So Innocent...

 Happy Face...

 Syd loves catching a ride with Bub...

 My big girl...

 Miles definitely prefers being the one driving...

 Pouting...

 All better...

 Such a big helper...

 Off to have more fun...

 Professional rock collectors...

The kids had a great time as always outside.

Super Miles...

Miles has been using my nursing covers as capes since I made them when I had Madi. Goose thought I should make Miles his very own "real" super hero cape. So that is just what I did...

I guess now I need to work on him a super hero outfit...

 He liked the "M" I added. He said, Yes, now I will know it's mine!"

He loves his cape, but you guessed it...Ten and Syd have already requested I make them one too! Guess I better not put my sewing machine up just yet :-)

Trick or Treating...

After this year I have decided that Halloween is the most exhausting day for me...I think it's because too many things are packed into one day. With that being said, the kids and I had a good day.

First, I need to give credit where credit is due...While I am the one that made the costumes, I'm not the one that came up with the idea. Ang did! That's right, this years cute halloween theme is all because of my sister. She sent me a pic about a month or so ago and suggested that the kids would be super cute as a barber shop quartet. At first I brushed it off, I was going to let them pick their costumes this year, but then Goose saw the pic and he liked the idea too. I'm glad I came around to their thinking, because I agree, they looked super cute!...and that is the rest of the story :-)

We actually started off our day at Goose's work, Susie gave the kids enough candy that we could have gone home then and there, but of course we couldn't, the kids were too excited. 

I actually hadn't planned on trick or treating the square this year, but since I had plenty of time to spare, we went ahead and did two sides... 

Carol, from church, was handing out candy from her store. The kids were happy to see her.

 Waiting for more candy...

Ten heard some kids talking about the costume parade and told me she wanted to do it. Almost the minute she mentioned it, Miles insisted that he didn't want people looking at him. Ten put her arm around him and said, "it's ok, if you walk by me, they will look at me not you." It was really very sweet. He immediately relaxed and told her, "ok".
They won 1st place. Ten was super excited. Once Miles realized they won tickets to the cinema, he was pretty excited too. Syd and Madi were just along for the ride.

After the square we headed to our church for Awana game night...

Pouty Face...she didn't want her picture taken...

She was being so still! I don't think she has ever been as still in her life. She must have really wanted that butterfly.

The ball pit...her favorite! It was for 3 and under and she BARELY fit, but clearly, she didn't care...

Football toss...She had fun playing the games, but she was most excited that she knew her verses, when they say their verses they get a cool prize.

I swear he gets this from his Daddy, I'm way too cool for this to come from me :-)...

I think he is working out a strategy...

Funky Bean Bag Toss...I guess...

We have one block that we Trick or Treat. It consists of 3 guys that Goose works with, a lady the Nancy works with, and one of the doctors that helped deliver Madi...Honestly I don't really like the door to door T&T, but since we know the people, I'm ok with it.

Their spoils...

We also made stops at Grandma and Granddad's, Aunt Darlene and Uncle Nelson's, and Grandnanna and Grandpa's.

See what I mean? Halloween is BUSY!

The Stansell kids Barber Shop Quartet...

My little Trick or Treaters are ready...

Candy...here they come!!

Pumpkin Carving...

We bought these pumpkins when we went to the pumpkin patch. With Goose's work schedule and half of us getting a nasty stomach bug, it has taken us a couple of weeks to get these babies carved. Needless to say, it as a little chilly that evening.

Goose was sweet enough to cut the tops... 

He thought the pumpkins stunk so after the tops were off, he said his job was done.

Ten dug right in...

My happy little pumpkin carvers...

They had fun digging in the pumpkins...

Someone forgot to tell Ten to look at the camera...

Left to finish alone...the kids got bored.

Goose's photography skills at work...

All our finished pumpkins...Miles' dragon. Syd's happy face. Madi's "S"(really it's just her pumpkin by default, yes I realize I should have carved a "M"). Ten's  Cat(that I think looks like the bat from Anastasia". My pumpkin, I used a template that Ten got in Sunday school.

Goose and I thought this was cool. He slowed the shutter speed down so slow that it made what was a pitch black night look like it was early morning hours.

The kids loved their pumpkins, but since I did about 90% of the work, I would say maybe we should have waited a couple of years. :-)

8 Months

This big girl has had lots of changes this month. She is growing and changing so fast...too fast!

She weighs 15lbs and 13ozs. She is 281/4 in long.

Hooray! She finally got a tooth!! She is a little camera shy about it right now, but maybe I can get a pic of it soon.

"What I'm how old?!?!"

"That's too much, I just can't take it!"

We seem to be over our sleepless hump. She still might wake me up once a night, but I can handle that. She does a quick nursing and then goes back to bed. Maybe that tooth is what was causing all the sleep deprived nights, what ever it was I am happy to put that stage behind us.

She has a full belly laugh now. She wont do it all the time, but when I get her laughing it is pretty stinkin' cute. She is pretty goosey in the neck, so that will usually get her going.

She started pulling up shortly after 7 months. She LOVES to pull up and stand. Ten has been working with her on her walking, but she doesn't seem very interested in it right now. I'm in no hurry, I already feel like we are flying through these baby stages.

Her hair is long enough to clip bows into, but so far all the bows I have bought are too heavy, they just slip right out. I guess I need to get my creative juices flowing and make her some. ( I think she looks like she is posing here, touching her chin and raising her knee. Syd was sweet enough to hold up the 8)

She still has her beautiful blue eyes. A sweet friend said the other day she has precious moments eyes. I don't know about that, but they are pretty "eye catching".

She continues to be a good eater. Her favorite is oatmeal and applesauce. Pretty much all fruits. She doesn't really care for straight bananas, but she will eat them mixed with other fruits. Her veggies are a little more limited. No green veggies(which seems to be common trait with my kids) at all. She does like sweet potatoes, squash, mixed veggies, and carrots. She also really likes the yogurt snack bites, star puffs, and nilla wafers.

Ten helped me keep her entertained for this photo shoot. I love this picture. She and Ten were having a conversation. Whatever they were talking about, Madi thought was pretty. She would talk and grin, talk and grin!

Another month come and gone, our little "Squish" just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter!

Costume Preview...

I finally got all the supplies I need for the kids halloween costumes. Any guesses...

Poor kids, I was going to let them pick their own costume until I came upon this idea! I can't wait to see how it turns out.