Fall

Apple picking with the boys!

Field trips!

Colors!!

Oh happy day!

If you assume that in the first three months of life you change a babies diaper 10 times per day, then you will change about 310 diapers in three months.  Assuming you change 7 diapers a day from that time until they are one, you will add on about 1,890 more diapers.  Let's say they don't toilet train until two.  Changing about 5 diapers a day that's another 1,825 diapers.  Bringing us to the total of 4,025 diapers more or less.

Do you know what this means people?!  I* have changed over 20,000 diapers in 9+ years!!!!  So celebrate with me this HUGE milestone, and toast to Ben and his tighty whities!

*Disclaimer- Obviously I didn't change all 20,000.  I am very grateful for my wonderful husband who helps tremendously in all areas of parenting.

Happy Halloween!

The girls knew what they wanted to be for Halloween as soon as the Wishcraft  catalog showed up in the mail this past summer.  They would flip through the pages with stars in their eyes.  I would find the magazine and quick toss it in the trash, because who can justify spending nearly 100$ per costume!!  "No sir, not me!" said the mom with 5 kids in tow.  But WAIT.... What's that?  Up in the sky!  Is it a bird?  A plane?  No, it's... Gramma Pat flying on a sewing machine!!! On her way to save the day.  Our own personal superhero spent hours and hours on her last trip out making sure all the girls had just the costume they wanted.  She would have done the same for the boys, but a trip to goodwill found us a mint condition Spider-man costume.  Never mind the fact that it was a few sizes to big.  Aaron wanted it none the less, and who was I to crush his spirit for 8$.  (Plus it will fit him next year, and Ben can get a few years out of it.) Poor Ben the forever victim of 'if it fits, it's yours!'  Much thanks to Gramma Pat for all her hard work!

Happy Halloween!!

and

BOO!!

 Would you take candy from this guy?  Todd had a good time scaring all five of the trick-or-treaters that came through the neighborhood.

Virginia Beach

What could be better than a 80 degee day in October?  Spending it at the Beach!  Gramma and Grampa Baker planned a weekend trip for all of us in beautiful Virginia Beach.  Our first day there was amazing.  Beautiful and hot!  We spent the entire afternoon relaxing and playing .

The end of the first day also brought the end of the good weather.  It dropped 20+ degrees overnight, giving us a chance to explore the Aquarium.

We tried to get a little more beach time in on our last morning, but didn't last long because we were Free-ee-ezing!

Good-bye Virginia Beach!  Till next time...

Fox Field Races

If you are ever in Charlottesville in April or September, put Fox Field Races on your list of things to do! There is not much that could have topped the day we had.  The weather was perfect and a good time was had by all!!

School Boy

Aaron started Preschool.  He has been waiting for this day since he was two.  He was just a little excited.

The above picture is his teacher Mrs. Pritchard.  He is in a class with 5 girls and 4 other boys.  He LOVES it.  He has art, music, Spanish, and chapel classes.  He likes learning about his letters, but informs me that he already knows them all.

First Day of School

It's 6am and the news begins broadcasting into my dream.  I am pretty sure I set my alarm wrong, because it feels like I just crawled back into bed after moving my squirming 2 year old back to his bed.  I sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes.  'Did I even sleep?' I wonder as I  slip out of bed to turn off the alarm.  My thoughts quickly shift to survival mode and it's like there is a neon light flashing the word 'Coffee' in front of me, guiding me down the hall and into the kitchen.  I savor 10 whole minutes alone with my steaming cup of Joe, before setting into motion.

Lunches.  I open the refrigerator.  It's packed full, so full that you have to unload half of the shelves before you find what you are looking for.  Fruit. Check.  Sandwich fixings. Yup.  PB&J for Olivia, no crusts. Check.  Turkey and cheese for the twins, cheddar for Paige, swiss for Claire. Check.   Goldfish, granola bars, juice, water bottles.  Check, check.  Music begins playing down the hall.  Must be 6:30.  I hear shuffling.  It must be all of 5 minutes before all three of them stand before me.  Olivia, 9 now, is bright and all smiles.  She's my morning person. All summer she would be the first one up.  It was her who would get the boys their cereal, and take them downstairs to play.  Those days are gone for now.  Behind her stand her twin sisters, Claire and Paige.  They are 7.  They are up and dressed but it looks like they are still sleeping.  Paige is rubbing her eyes, and leaning against the counter.  "Okay girls, hot wash cloth on the face!  It will help you feel more awake!"  I promised.  Olivia leads the way and they begin chatting about their expectations for the day.

 I am left with my thoughts.  I can hear Paige at two years old, 'hey, gwanma, gwanma?  Are you happy?'  I see Claire standing by her.  Claire always right by Paige content to let her have the lead.  Then there is Olivia busy coloring page after page in her color books, ripping them out and handing them to everyone.  'I made it for you!'  she would say.  Little doll faces.  The girls return from the bathroom chatting high pitched and excited, breaking me out of my thoughts.

There they stand looking so big, and I stare at them.  My heart is so full, I am so proud, and it's true what they say...  It really does go by all too quickly.  "Who wants waffles?"  I say.  "Meeeee!"  they all answer in unison.   It's going to be a great year.

V.P. Mr. Granger giving VIP treatment

Olivia and Aiden Grace BFF's

Olivia with her teacher Mrs. Hilgartner 

Claire and Paige with their Teachers Assistant Mrs. Mitchell

Seems just like yesterday...