The month of September was empty of any huge events, such as road trips, moving, job changes, school starting, etc.
It was so nice!
It was a month of being settled into a comfortable, cozy routine, of eating dinner around our own dinner table as a family each night, of enjoying picnic lunches at the park on Saturdays, of early bedtimes and early mornings, of homemade cookies and after school talks, of piano practice and bike riding and nap schedules.
It was like a little piece of heaven after several months of non-routine.
Here are a few noteworthy events, in no particular order:
Katelee got her first grade school pictures. Love that smile, especially with the two front teeth missing!
I did a bunch of bottling, including peaches, applesauce, apple pie filling, and drying some apples.
Katelee attended a fun primary activity. The kids were all asked to make their own cardboard box car. They had a car parade and enjoyed snacks while watching Cars 2. Gerald and Katelee made her car together. Honestly, I think Gerald was more excited and had more fun with this project than Katelee. :) I didn't get a picture of her license plate, but it said K8LEE. Super fun!
Blake and Katelee continue to make bath time one of the silliest parts of the day.
Gerald's parents left for their mission to London, England! We are so proud of them for serving a mission and are excited for the neat place they get to serve. We are also glad that we live near to the MTC now and were able to see them both before and after their MTC experience. I can't believe that I didn't take any pictures of us with them before they left for a year and a half, though! What was I thinking?
Blake likes to help me in the kitchen. He adds percussive background music while I make breakfast. :)
One rainy afternoon while Blake was napping, Katelee and I played Beauty Parlor.
I was the beautician first, and gave her a complete makeover including nails, make up, hair, jewelry, perfume and clothes.
Then Katelee was the beautician, and gave me a Jasmine hair-do
And beautiful make up!
Daddy playtime is always a blast, especially when a laundry basket is involved.
Daddy's all tired out!
I am quite strict about TV watching in our house. My kids have very little screen time, and that's the way I like it. Because of some things I've learned about brain development, babies, and TV, I never really let my babies watch TV, and have been good at not letting Blake really see TV at all up to this point. But this past month I've started letting Blake watch Sesame Street once a day, a few days a week. I love Sesame Street, and so does Blake! He thinks Cookie Monster is quite hilarious and is fascinated with the Count.
Speaking of TV, we have resumed our tradition of watching a musical together as a family on most Friday nights, this time with Blake joining us. We watched two this month:
So fun! We all enjoy watching these, and Blake has really gotten into the dancing, bouncing his whole body around to the music. I really have to get that on video!
Katelee's school had a fall PTA Carnival, which made for a really fun night for our whole family!
Katelee's school had a fall PTA Carnival, which made for a really fun night for our whole family!
Blake chilling in his stroller watching sister play carnival games. As you can see, he likes to pull his socks off. :)
Face painting!
We waited in line FOREVER to get these balloon animals, but Katelee couldn't have been happier with her two balloon puppies. :)
Remember how I told you that Blake cuddles with his Pluto puppy every night? I love it. As soon as I put him in his crib he crawls to find Pluto and starts hugging him. I think Pluto is his best buddy.
Silly Boy!
One of Blake's favorite games is charge at mommy! If I lay on my belly on the floor, he'll crawl at me as fast as he can until he head butts me. Over and over and over. He's like a little bull and I'm the matador! Sometimes I am really a little scared! ;)
One of Blake's favorite games is charge at mommy! If I lay on my belly on the floor, he'll crawl at me as fast as he can until he head butts me. Over and over and over. He's like a little bull and I'm the matador! Sometimes I am really a little scared! ;)
Here I come!
Ouch! Why does my head hurt?
Autumn has definitely arrived here in Utah. We drove into the canyon one weekend to enjoy the beautiful autumn colors together as a family.
"Fishing" over the bridge with her jump rope!
*smooch*
One last video of Blake playing.
Katelee and I finished reading the final book of the Ramona series.
We have been reading these together all summer, and I will admit that when we read the very last page that Katelee and I both looked at each other and got teary eyed! I hate to see a great thing come to an end. We are now reading the Chronicles of Narnia together, but after that, I just don't know. Recommendations for great books or series to read to a six-year-old girl?
Finally, piano lessons. Not only have I begun teaching a handful to students again (which I am really enjoying!) but Katelee has once again started up with her own teacher. My talented cousin, Michael, comes to our home once a week to give Katelee her lesson. I have never seen Katelee so diligent and enthusiastic at the piano! She loves Michael as a teacher and has just started her second level of books and is playing her scales like a pro. I'm so proud of her and so happy that we have found her a teacher that she really clicks with.
Thank you, September, for being so nice. Here's hoping October continues to be as wonderful. :)
