September is quickly coming to a close. I feel like it just started! It has been a whirlwind. Here's what we were up to the first half of the month.
We were crazy and decided to begin the process of re-doing the kids bathroom. Luckily we aren't doing a total revamp or anything so hopefully we can finish it up this week before this baby comes! Maybe I'll even get some after pictures posted. :)
We headed out to Palisades one beautiful afternoon. The kids love the Pal.
We decided to check out another part of the park to see if it was less muddy and the kids got to ride in the back of the van with daddy with the back open. So basically it was like Disneyland. ;)
This boy. I firmly believe that the Lord knew exactly what he was doing when he made him so cute. He knew it was the only way both he and I would survive. haha. Seriously though, that face just gets me every time.
Whooooaaaaa, hello big belly! I kind of hate being in pictures right now but at the same time I know I won't just want all these 9 month gaps where I'm just not in the picture or the memories at all. But man, I look huge.
MUD!
Shells and rocks.
Another picture with mom, this time without the belly. :)
Hey who is this bearded man?! Do we know him? He has been sooo busy lately sometimes it feels like we don't get him much. But we sure like it when we do.
We made another trip to the temple in September. We tend to bring our nice camera on a couple of outings (Palisades, the temple, etc) and take lots and lots of pictures as we mess around with settings. Then we don't take many pictures between these bigger outings. We should probably figure out a better balance.
The weather was absolute perfection the day we were in Nauvoo. We enjoyed a nice long walk on the temple grounds.
This picture is my favorite. It is a perfect illustration of these two right now. Tatum seeming more and more grown up (and sassy!) by the day. And Declan always striking a super hero pose. Love it.
Childhood.
An example of taking a bajillion pictures messing with settings and hoping one will turn out. Then you end up loving a million of them haha.
Like this one. I never want to forget what these two are like together right now.
Loving on dad.
Crazy kids with big imaginations.
Trying to spot angel Moroni at the top of the temple.
Jumping to dad.
Brennan and his mini me. This girl loves her dad. While Declan is attached to my hip and often says daddy is "the maddest in the family" (haha! Extra hilarious because we all know I'm the one that gets mad the easiest.) Tatum is a total daddy's girl. She is always happier when daddy is around.
I'm not sure why I even included this picture. Brennan was acting like the paparazzi and I guess I just wanted it documented that I actually do my hair every once in awhile in some way other than a nasty ponytail.
It kind of feels like we have been to Nauvoo a million times and seen and done it all. But we found something a new! A teeny tiny hike to a view of a lake. So fun!
Sass. So. Much. Sass.
I'm not a very sentimental person, usually. And I'm not as good at expressing my love for those closest to me often enough. But man, I see this picture and my heart could literally explode. This is my life. And it is beautiful.
Had to include this picture because Tatum looks so creepy and crazy hahaha.
A truly beautiful sunset that we just couldn't quite capture, of course.
Baby laundry! I started having even more contractions in September and some pretty severe lower abdominal pain. Nothing came of it but it sure kicked me into gear and I pulled out all the baby clothes to wash and put away.
The kids love to play dress up.
Tatum's face.
Brennan, the bird whisperer, managed to hold Bongo at my parents' house. Not something many can accomplish.
Two hot air balloons flew right over our house one evening. It was quite the excitement! They were low enough we could talk to the people in the basket! And don't mind the photobomb by Brennan's bum. Just noticed that, hahahahaha.
Declan loves loves LOVES these little electronic reader books that we have. He sits and listens to all 8 of them almost everyday while Tatum is at preschool. And often does it again in the afternoon or evening. He always looks so grown just sitting there "reading" books on his own.
Sometimes dad comes home from lunch. And most of the time that does result in much food being consumed.
Declan has found a new love-painting! He could paint for hours.
I'm really trying to soak up this one on one time with Declan before the baby comes. It's easy and quiet and quite unusual to be alone with one child. As ready as I am to not be pregnant anymore and to have childbirth behind me, I can't help but be sad that these moments together are about to change drastically.
Watching a show from their new tent.
Chasing a butterfly on a walk.
There is almost nothing we won't do for free or cheap food haha. Culver's was having princess and super hero night and any kids that came in dressed up got a kids meal for 99 cents. Not bad! Mario might not really be a super hero but close enough, right?
Mold. Mold took up a lot of the first half of September. We found some in our basement and did a lot of laundry and hand washing of toys to make sure there wasn't anything left undetected. We are hoping that a fix of a window down there as well as a giant dehumidifier has solved the problem. But in the meantime our backyard often had some interesting things hanging out. We had some stuffed animals hanging on the line one day and our neighbor asked Brennan if the poor animals had misbehaved. :)
The kids are pretending to wave to a hot air balloon passing overhead right here. Their imaginations are pretty impressive. And the hot air balloon sighting clearly left an impression.
