Silly Sleepers

I don't know what has been going on around here lately, but my kids have been falling asleep at the strangest times and in the strangest ways. 

This girl goes to bed with a book almost every night. I can't possibly tell her no when she asks for a book!

 Baby J was getting out of bed the first couple weeks we took the front off his crib and we went to check on him one night and found him dead asleep like this.

 Again, getting out of bed and I just shut his door and left him. When I checked on him here he was. =) As a side note, he is fantastic at going to bed now and never gets out at all.

 If Jonas goes downstairs while daddy and Wes are playing the Wii, he is guaranteed to fall asleep right here. Every time.

 Just plop down anywhere Westy! Funny guy. Note the boots. He wears them around the house 24/7.

 A repeat offense. He is laying here as I write this. Poor, tired boy.

Jonas got his blankie one day, ran up to me, and within two minutes was fast asleep on my lap. I had a HARD time putting him in his bed. After cuddling for a while first, of course.

 And this is where poor Saydi girl spent Thanksgiving dinner. She got sick. =(

I would do a separate post about our Thanksgiving but it was very un-blogworthy. Unfortunately. Our basement flooded in Saydi's room at the beginning of the week, Mark got a cold, Jonas got an ear infection, on Thanksgiving Wes and Saydi came down with fevers and we found out they had strep throat, I got a migraine the day after, and we ended the week with Saydi's room flooding for a second time (third total that we have lived here). Yuck! So she has taken up residency with Wes in his room and they both love it. Which is great because we are tearing her room apart and leaving it that way through the winter to make sure we solve the problem. Despite all of this, we are greatly blessed and have seen the tender mercies of the Lord in our lives. Much to be thankful for!

Getting In the Picture

I recently read this article (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-tate/mom-pictures-with-kids_b_1926073.html) about how important it is for us to get in the picture with our kids and let them see that we were with them. It really struck a chord with me. I don't like pictures. I over analyze and criticize myself so I find it easier to just avoid them. But I want my kids to see me, flaws and all, and remember the way I was when they were little. Even if I have a piece of hair in front my face that my husband didn't tell about, like in this picture. =)

So here's to getting in the picture. And hopefully my kids will look at these and have good memories of the way their lives were, because I know I always will remember this time in my life (and theirs) as one of the best times of my life.

Halloween

My little ninja, witch and monkey.

 Beck and Maylee

 Miss, Makoy and Channing

 Emma, Kaden, Amy, Keira and Aaron

 The trick-or-treating group posing with Papa on his 60th birthday!

 Us with mom and dad.

 Dad liked his present!

I love our tradition of going to my parent's house on Halloween since it is my dad's birthday and going trick-or-treating with cousins. I always have so much fun and I love spending that time with my sister and their kids going from house to house. Mark had to work so we definitely missed him but still had a great time!

Living Life

I have been so behind on my blogging. I know people don't really read blogs like they used to but it is the only way I really keep a good family journal. So in the name of catching up here is a truck load of pictures from the last month or so.

Love these three.

 "Helping" mommy make cookies

 The way this kid sleeps cracks me up. I always know when he is getting tired because he puts his hands behind his head like this. So cute.

 Weston was helping me put out our fall decorations and the costumes were in the bottom of the box. He tried on some that were far too small for him...

 This one literally makes me laugh out loud every time I see it. How he squeezed himself into a Jonas sized costume I will never know.

 I walked by my room one day and found them like this. All by themselves. Precious.

 We had a birthday party for the twins at our house and Becky's cupcakes left frosting stains on all the kids faces. It was hilarious. The flash making Saydi blink plus the red frosting created this zombie look. =)

 Playing in the leaves. We get SO many!

 Baby J now knows what the camera is and you can not capture him in a moment for anything! He was sitting down reading with Saydi and as soon as he heard me turn on the camera he jumped up and posed. Cute little terd. 

 I was attempting to catch him making his scrunchy face and this was as good as it got. He is getting so big!

 Weston of course had to get in on the action. Silly boy.

 This makes me giggle. Love my boys.

Daddy decided Buster was ready to have the front off his crib since Weston and Saydi did at his age too. He has done great. I still have to puppy guard him for the first few minutes so he doesn't get out of bed but he will get the hang of it soon.

 This has pretty much just become Jonas' cupboard. He had to make sure I knew the other day and climbed right in.

 Mark was using the bathroom and this was the entourage he had waiting for him. So funny.

 Jonas had a towel wedgie the other morning after I got him out of the bath and he would NOT cooperate for me to get a picture of his bum. =) 

Not much else has been going on around here. Just living day to day life and feeling very blessed for all that we have. And LOVING the fact that our favorite time of the year is here!

Dad's 60th

For my dad's 60th birthday we wanted to do something special so we got some great pictures for him.

Basically what we really got him was a miracle. This many kids all somewhat looking and somewhat smiling. Miracle.

We love our Papa and it was great to celebrate with him yesterday. It is crazy to think that us five girls have created all these little people and to think of all the little people they will all create. Mind blown.