33 Years Young

To celebrate the birth of the man who was made for me, we snuck out just the two of us for a romantic dinner. We giggled as we tried to capitalize on the last fifteen minutes of happy hour like a couple of kids.  We indulged in good food and spent more than we should have for a family in law school.  We toasted to this year and the changes it will bring.
To you Todd, The man of my dreams, the wonderful fun loving father of my children, and the love of my life! 33 Looks good on you!

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.