Halloween 2014

I am a few blogs behind, but we will start with Halloween.  Festivities started with the carving of pumpkins.  The boys both made their own as well as Jason.

Cadence enjoyed watching everyone.

Then it was time for carving.

Always so intense!

Cadence got hungry while watching ...

Complete with dirty face!

Top pumpkin is Bowen's, the middle pumpkin is Ashton's, and Jason's is on the bottom!

Time for costumes and trick or treating.  I apologize my pictures are kind of blurry - not sure why.

Ashton went as a werewolf ...

Bowen was an alien ...

and Cadence was Minnie Mouse ...

Dane and Bennett came over to join us to go trick or treating.  Jason went out with the kids and Cadence and I stayed home to hand out candy.  It was a slow year with only about 20 kids coming.

Bennett was a little freaked out by the werewolf!!

Handing out candy is exhausting.

It was another great haul.

Happy Halloween!!

6 Months Old

Really!!  Half a year!  Say it isn't so!  Our sweet little Cadence is 6 months old today.  It seems like yesterday we brought our little miracle home.  We sure love her.  She has brought so much joy to our home (and we were very happy already).  Her brothers are wonderful with her, and so kind and gentle.  I watch Jason look at her and know I'm going to be the one strong enough to say "no".  I love and treasure the time her and I get to be alone together.

Age - 6 months (October 7th, 2014)
Weight - 17.9 pounds
Wears 6 month clothes with a few 3-6 month clothes still fitting.
Eyes have changed colour.  More green with a bit of blue like me.
Hair (what little there is) still quite dark.
Very active, rolling everywhere.
Grabs and plays with toys ( EVERYTHING goes in her mouth)
Can sit unassisted for a short period of time.
Babbling alot, sometimes so loud we can't hear the TV.
Loves her family and smiles all the time.
Giggles - but mostly for just Bowen and Ashton.
Always sleeps through the night (can't remember when she woke up before 7 am)
Has started eating solids (rice cereal, carrots and bananas so far)

Cadence you are an amazing little girl - Happy 1/2 Birthday!!

Organizing - Part One

So I've decided my home needs some organizing.  We have too much stuff and need better storage solutions.  I thought the first thing to tackle would be our dvds.  We are currently storing all our dvds in storage cases in our TV stand.  We have more videos than would fit in these boxes and had started overflowing into the back of the TV stand, plus some shelves downstairs.

So I recently purchased dvd binders.

I couldn't believe how many dvds we had all over the house.

All of these movies are now housed in these four cases (with a couple more empty ones on hand for when they are needed.

The kid movies are in two of the cases, and adult movies in the other two.  They are now in the cabinet and I moved all boxed sets into the storage cases.  It feels great to have this organized.  Now onto the next project.

Creative Boys

I love it when my kids are creative.  Ashton was watching some videos on You Tube and came across a little video to make apple swans.  He decided he wanted to try.  I thought they turned out awesome - plus they were delicious!

Bowen was playing with some blocks and came up with some McDonald inspired creations.

Fries, burger and pop - look good enough to eat!

Of course, I have to include a picture of little Cadence.  Here she is all ready for fall weather with her new coat and hat.

Early Christmas

A few days ago I mentioned to Jason that I thought we should get a "jumparoo" for Cadence for Christmas.

Guess what daddy came home with yesterday after work ...

Cadence enjoying her jumperoo this morning.

Somebody has daddy wrapped around her little finger.

With her swing, bumbo chair, play mat, and now her jumperoo, our family room looks like a baby store!

Hopefully it will give her hours of entertainment and I'll now be able to get something done around here.

5 Months Old

Hard to believe it, but another month has gone by.  We can barely remember life before Cadence and she has certainly fit right into our family.  I'm finding it a little harder to get anything done while her brothers are at school all day.  I've taken for granted how much they keep her happy while I'm able to get things done.

Age - 5 months (September 7th, 2014)
Weight - 17.5 lbs approx.
Wears size 6 mos. clothes (can still squeeze into some of her 3 month clothes)
Is really interested in watching us eat
Sucks her thumb, or fingers more and more (will take her soother out to put in her thumb)
Enjoys playing with her feet, especially while sitting in her bumbo chair
Is very alert and loves to watch what is going on
Loves to squeal and try out her voice
Often growls, especially when hungry

Loves hanging out with her brothers

Love you sweet baby girl!

Home Alone

Cadence and I just hanging out alone while the boys are at school.  It sure is quiet!

Back to School Supper / FHE

Yesterday was the last day of summer for our boys before starting school today.  We slept in and then had a nice big breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.  After breakfast Grandma headed home.  We enjoyed having her with us this week and hope she comes for another visit soon.  Then we went swimming.  Everyone had a great time.  Even Cadence enjoyed the water and then had a little nap while her brothers finished swimming.

After swimming we ran a couple of errands and then came home for our "Back to School Supper and Family Home Evening.  We decided to roast hot dogs and marshmallows for supper in the back yard.

After supper we had FHE.  I copied an idea from a blog I read and we decided that as a family we would have a "family theme" for the school year.  This theme is to help us focus on how we want to live and what is important to us.  We talked about the theme and what it meant and how it could help us.

It is a quote from Jeffrey R. Holland.  We will hang it in our home and recite it each week at FHE.  We had a great discussion with the boys and their knowledge of the gospel impresses me and I am very proud of the strong young men they are becoming.

After showers it was time for a fathers blessings from their dad, family prayer and then time for bed.

This morning Ashton was up early and was dressed, had made his lunch and had breakfast before I got up.  Bowen and Cadence got up and we got ready for school.  First we dropped off Bowen at Douglasdale Elementary.  He has a new teacher and lots of kids in his class he doesn't know.  I'm sure he will make friends quickly and have a great year.

Then it was off to Ashton's new school.  He is in middle school now and is excited for a new opportunity.  It is a really big school so I'm sure it will be a bit of an adjustment.  He has a male teacher, so that will be new as well.

All set for Grade 3 and Grade 5!

Have a great year boys!!

Looney Tunes

My handsome men ready for church today.  Complete with fun looney tune ties!!

Rainy Day Fun

Lego is always a favorite when the weather is cooler.

Cadence is enjoying watching her big brother work.