This past Monday we went to a little family festival at Patterson's farm that runs through the autumn season. They have all sorts of fun things for the kids to do there, and the kids loved it. We just love this season in Ohio!
Jonas loved this little bike track! He actually enjoyed pretty much eveything because we were outside. He loves anything outdoors. All day long he brings me his shoes to let me know he wants to go out. It's going to be a long winter with him.
These last two pictures crack me up. I think they best capture what our life is usually like...Jonas putting up a fight about what we want him to do, Charlotte always off in her own little land, I'm never completely ready, and Adam trying to fit into our activities despite his busy work schedule. Oh, these are good times.
This past weekend was spent in the beautiful city of Cincinnati. If it was normal to have a crush on a city, this would be the city I would crush on. Here is the great view we had from our hotel room.
It was so peaceful to sit and watch the river flow by and see the lit up skyline. I went down with a bunch of my friends to listen to speakers and singers celebrate and inspire women. Most of the speakers were great. Friday night Michael McLean performed. He was the main reason I wanted to go, and he didn't disappoint. When I was little my mom had his Celebrating the Light casssette. I remember listening to it and feeling a peace and calm wash over me. Although I didn't recognize it at the time, it was the first time I felt the Spirit. Years later, as a teenager I was going through a difficult time. I kept it mostly to myself and didn't think anyone really knew what was going on. I don't even remember what I was having a hard time with, but I remember feeling very alone. During this time, a dear young women leader showed up at my door with a Michael McLean CD. She told me to listen to the song "Ninety and Nine." It was exactly what I needed. The combination of that leader following the inspiriations of the Spirit and the message of that song testified to me that Heavenly Father knows and loves me. So Michael McLean's music holds a special place in my heart.
While I was there I ran into my friend Aubrey. We went to seminary together in Georgia, and it was so fun to see her somewhere I wasn't expecting.
One of the biggest blessings of our move falling through is the wonderful women in my ward that I get to have as friends. I learn so much from these women and feel so blessed to be in their midst. I had so much fun with them this weekend and am grateful for the opportunity it provided me to get to know them even better!
Daddy hasn't been so busy this month. We are trying to take advantage of every moment he's around. The nice weather we had last week was great for going out and exploring with him.
Charlotte has been his little shadow. I can always find these two together if Daddy is home.
Sorry for the recent lack of posts. We were supposed to move at the end of September, but everything fell apart at the last minute. So we had a couple days/weeks of shock, chaos, trying to figure out where to live, etc. After living out of boxes and suitcases for the last year (due to externships, subleasing our townhome, anticipating moving to a new home) I finally unpacked everything and set up house...in the same townhome we've been living in for the past 4 1/2 years. It was a little a lot disappointing at first, but we're happy about it now. I am especially happy to be staying in the same ward with all of the wonderful friends we've made here.
Among all the sorting through boxes, we've managed to embrace autumn (my favorite season). We painted some pumpkins to put out with our Halloween decor!
This past week was spent visiting my best friend Heidi and her family in Chicago. Heidi and I haven't seen each other since Charlotte was a couple months old. When I found out she would be living in Chicago for a few months I jumped at the opportunity to go out and visit. It was so fun to see her darling family and pick up right where we left off (isn't that the best thing about a best friend?). We had a busy week and wore our kids out! There was a lot of playing at the park, and we visited the Zoo and the Children's Musuem.
I know for Charlotte one of the highlights was riding the train! She loved watching the city go by outside the window. We took the 'L' everywhere that was too far to walk, and I am so glad we did. I couldn't help but have the line "She jumped onto the tracks" from While You Were Sleeping run through my head everytime we were waiting for the train.
Here are some pictures from our adventures at the zoo and museum:
Charlotte and Bronson played so well together. They kept each other entertained. At the end of the day we would throw all the kids into the tub...rubba dub dub.
We are so grateful for our friends! We hope it isn't another two (almost 3) years before we see them again.
Wow...this year flew by! My mom always said that time goes faster the more children you have. I'm beginning to see what she means. I feel like this little man was a baby for very long at all. Each day he leaves more of his "baby-ness" behind to embrace toddlerhood. Oh man, I am not ready for this guy to be a toddler. He is so fun, but he is into everything! I know I keep saying that everytime I post about him, but that's pretty much all he does...gets into things!
He just got three of his molars during the past two weeks. He likes playing "Ring Around the Rosies" and LOVES going outside. If he had his way, we'd spend the entire day out there.
This is usually the view I see of him when we're out there. He's constantly running away from me seeing what he can explore.
We kept his birthday celebration pretty low key this year. We weren't sure what time Adam would make it home, so we didn't invite anyone over. Charlotte was not to keen on that. She kept asking, "Why aren't any of his friends coming over for his birthday?"
He opened some gifts. He loved the ball whacking toy Mita sent him. If Charlotte tried to play with it at all, he would freak out by shouting at her and waving that hammer in all directions. Hopefully he'll be more willing to share it tomorrow.
I LOVE his candle blowing video because he's trying so hard to eat the fire. I've never seen a kid do that before.
He loved the cupcake and had no problems with diving right into it.
Charlotte's little hands often pass Cheerios or raisins to her little brother to keep him awake if we're driving home close to little brother's naptime. I know it's a little thing to do, but it's a big help for me when I can't be back there to keep Jonas awake so that he will take a good nap in the afternoon. And despite it being a small thing, I know it's a big thing because I know that really it means she will one day be there to help me with bigger things, and she will be able to help people with harder things.
Those little hands remind me "that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass...And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls."
-Alma 37:6-7
Today, I am grateful for little serving hands...not just my daughter's, but all those hands that have reached out to me throughout my life and showed me the love of the Savior. I pray that I can use my serving hands to teach someone else about the love of Christ.
