What We've Been Up To

The end of summer just flew by, and now here we are at the end of September and the beginning of fall.  Chilly days are here and we're ready for all the fun that fall brings.  Our days are simple but busy, full of everything that comes with life and raising four little people.

Toby is giving us adorable baby smiles now, which we are loving!

Joanna is into everything girly these days - princesses and ballerinas and mermaids.  I found these ballet shoes at our local consignment shop, and the dress I found in the costume section at the thrift store.  The fun she's been having with them is totally worth the $6 I spent!  She looks an awful lot like a ballerina here, but she's actually "being Tinker Bell".

The bathroom remodel is finally in the works.  We'll be working on it slowly over the next few months or so, starting by tearing everything out.  This is what it looks like right now, with most of the wallboard and some of the flooring gone.  

The garden is nearly finished, although we're still enjoying a few things.   The tomatoes have been quite productive, which is awesome, except that I have to actually do something with all of them!  I've been working on them here and there, dicing them up and putting them in bags in the freezer.  

Ben spelled his first word all by himself.  True, it was by sight, but still, it's something!  The kids watched the Toy Story trilogy recently, and they're a little obsessed with them!  Ben was adding the different numbers for the different movies (1, 2, 3).     

Keeping Mommy company while she works on sewing projects.   I'm trying to keep the kid's store stocked with my changing pads and crayon rolls, and I'm also working on building up my stash so I'll be ready for the bazaar I'm doing next month.

Not only are Duplos great for building all kinds of skills, they also make a great replacement for lots of other toys.  Here Benjamin built a Buzz Lightyear that he was then playing with.  He made one for Ezra, too.  He built several of the Toy Story characters.  No need for more toys!  Some of his other favorite things to build are trains and dinosaurs.  He is very specific and detailed with his building.

Ezra literally wears one of these masks all day long.    He is very physical right now and is always trying to wrestle and climb on people.  He almost never stops moving.  I think the only time he sits for more than a few minutes is when he's eating!