My mission...

... for the remainder of this week is to take some new pictures!!  I THINK about updating the blog, but then realize I have no pictures to add.  And blogs without pictures are just boring ;o)  Not always, but sometimes, especially when it is MY blog.

We have been very good.  Busy, but good!  I can't believe that tomorrow is October (and my dad's birthday too!) Time just keeps passing us by so quickly.

It finally feels more like fall everyday.  This weekend we are supposed to have more mild temps (only in the low to mid 60s)  I'm ready, I think.  I only dread the increase in laundry that sweatshirts and jeans add.  But then again, if laundry is my only concern, I'd like to think that I'm awfully blessed!!

Avery and Silas LOVE their schools.  As the days pass, it is getting easier and easier to get them out of bed.  And they have both had very positive reports so far.  Silas had his first field trip to the zoo last Friday. Avery doesn't have any trips this fall, or so he says.  We might have to take our own field trip to the apple orchard or the pumpkin patch!

Ok, I'm going to go for now.  I'll be back with PICTURES next time.  And before the end of this week!!

Name that child...

Looks like Avery, doesn't it???  sorry it is so small and blurry, but....

It was taken a LONG time ago... Take a look:

It was ME!!!

I can't find any pictures of Avery that show just how similar we look because, well, he smiles with his mouth closed for pictures...  And trying to get him to make a similar smile would result in NOTHING even close.  I just found this picture and couldn't believe how many similarities we have at about the same age and everything! As Steve said, it is uncanny :O)

Our weekend

Our weekend went really FAST... Daddy had to work on Saturday at the Safety Festival, and the kids and I went to some garage sales with Grandma Darlene and Papaw Bobby.  When daddy got home, we went over to the school and played on the playground where we ALL had a good time, and the kids got plenty dirty!

Sunday, we went down to Grandma and Grandpa Frye's.  We have been working to try to get wood cut to fill the garage for the winter.  It was a fun day of work back in the woods!  After supper, we were pretty worn out, so we just played around in the front yard.  Daddy thought he would "relax" on the lawn, but the kids thought differently:

Avery was wrestling him while Chaille was COVERING him in slobbery forehead kisses!

This week should be fairly calm for us.  Silas has school pictures, and a field trip to the zoo.  Otherwise, it is the same old routine (or so we hope!)  Stay tuned, and I'll update again soon!

Career dress-up day

Silas has "campfire stories" (aka. show and tell) each Friday.  This week, in addition to bringing something in, the students were encouraged to dress up as what they want to be when they grow up.  Silas knew right away what he wanted to be.  His dad and I were SURE that his answer would be a moto-cross racer.  But, no... He wants to be a football player.

Silas is a pretty thoughtful little man.  I have no doubt that he thought about what he already owns that he could wear.  He's seriously THAT considerate.  Either way, we put together a pretty good football outfit from his very own closet, and he was the handsom"est"  pre-k kid I know:

I apologize for the poor picture quality.  We left home in a rush, so all I had to use was my cell-phone camera :(   He's still so handsome!

Where have I been???

Or more importantly, where has the camera been???

I finally found it.  Under the passenger seat in the van.  But it wasn't until I cleaned the van on Tuesday that I found the camera.  And I found that it had NO NEW pictures on it to blog about.  Because, well, when you can't find it, you can't use it.  And my cell phone is crammed full of crummy photos that aren't very clear.  Steve's new IPhone 4 is full of great pictures and videos though.  Maybe I will have him upload his pictures for me.  Then you could see the world from daddy's point of view :O)  I like that idea...

Our world is very busy of routine right now.  And I'm finding that I LOVE ROUTINE!  It makes life predictable, and easier for young children.  It eases sleeping problems, and it makes little things into "treats."  If we usually have a snack at home at 4:00, a walk to the store to pick out a snack is a little piece of heaven!  If we usually go to bed at 8:00, it is a treat to stay up and watch an extra inning of the Reds game!

Now, I just need to put blogging back into my routine.  Sorry, friends, for my lack of posts.  But when I get ahold of that IPhone, I will come back with a fun array of pictures!  How fun it will be to see pictures from dad!

Finally walking...everywhere!

I know that I am absent a lot lately.  I'm trying not to clutter my time with being on the computer.  I seem to be too easily sidetracked.  I'll jump on soon with more pictures to share, but for now, enjoy the video of Chaille finally walking (at almost 16 months old):

Long time, no post...

I know that I don't have to explain to anyone.  I have a big family with plenty of responsibility.  No one expects me to update daily.  But, for those who have wondered what we've been up to, here's a quick summary. (Sorry, no pictures today!)

1) School - Between drop offs and pick ups each day, our days fly by.  We live in with such a routine anyway, that it seems that the days all just run together.

2) Potty training - We are "out" of diapers now, but still having trouble with Nolan and his #2's... But we keep on keepin on.  He will catch on (hopefully sooner rather than later!)

3) Chores - I've committed to myself that I will do a better job of staying on top of things so that the housework doesn't seem so overwhelming.  So, every afternoon during nap time, I work a full 90 minutes non stop, oftentimes longer.  It is working out well, and I'm proud of the way the house is looking lately.  I just have to remember not to stress out when the kids make messes.  There is always tomorrow to clean again!

4) Outdoors - We've been spending more time outdoors as the heat is less in the mornings and evenings lately.  We take lots of walks, bike rides, and just enjoy the beautiful days!  Plus, the more time we spend outdoors, the less mess that we make (refer back to #3!)

5) Focus - This one I saved for last... Because it is where I get all vulnerable and transparent.  For a long time now, I have been very distracted.  Not only in my doings, but in my thought life.  I've been all over the place, from trying to just be busy to trying to justify my every action.  It is because I have felt "guilty" for the times when I have not been "focused."  I haven't been focused on my walk with Christ.  I haven't been focused on making the right decision in every moment... (this is really hard to explain, because I'm not a bad person according to the world's standards. I just sometimes chose to say or do something "worldly" over something I know is right, say like gossip, or idleness...) So, to help myself along, I have eliminated some of the distractions that have kept me off track.  Things that have clouded my thinking and my actions.  Doing so has helped tremendously.  Plus, I have surrounded myself with wholesome things.  Music, books, people... things that make me want to be the best person I can be.  I can "focus" on who I want to be when I have encouragement and uplifting words both inside and out.  Daily I pray for myself and the interaction I will have with others.  Daily I ask God to help me make the right decisions.  And my prayer dialogue has improved greatly!

Ok, I know that I went a little too deep with the last one.  But, I'm almost done here.  I'm back at the housework now, but before I go, I would like to share my favorite song right now.  It is by FFH, and it is a song that I listen to and sing along as a prayer in my life.  You should check it out: