I can't believe that it has been almost a month since I last posted. I feel like I have been moving at a neck braking speed. We are getting in a great back to school routine, but it seems like everyday presents some kind of exception that keeps me up late or get's me up early. I like to be busy so I am happy with the pace.
The end of September brought with it a ton of canning. We have kind neighbors that hooked us up with tomatoes that I canned diced and canned pasta sauce using the herbs from my garden. I used my birthday money to buy peaches and canned 7 half bushel of peaches. I also got a great deal on pears so I canned them as well. It was a lot of work, but I am sure we will enjoy the end results. Ali couldn't wait to enjoy! She loves all fruits and vegetables. She could eat fruit all day long. She is not even partial, she like them all! Maybe it is her love for healthy food that is keeping her in the 20th percentile for weight at her 18 month check up. She is in the 90th percentile for height so she is tall and skinny! She does have little chicken legs.
Andy turned 3 on September 23rd. I love that kid!! I really enjoy everything about Andy! He was a cute little birthday boy! He is so happy and healthy! Although sometimes I think he must be living on nuclear energy. He only eats about five different things. He eats peanut butter sandwiches, hotdogs (when they are available which isn't often), green beans, and some desserts . . . Josh and I are trying to think of other things and cant. He lives on milk alone. Luckily he is in the healthy 85th percentile for both weight and height. I'm hoping at some point he will get hungry and start eating.
He got a new trike. (Well, a $3 garage sale bike, but new to him.) His old one was a hand-me-down from neighbors and had gone through four boys prior to Andy. It brought white-trash trike to a whole new level. Andy loves his bike. He doesn't use the peddles but he can really move those little legs.
Grandma Iva is always great at making birthdays special for each of her grandkids.
We didn't let football season go by without our trip to a USU game. We went to the Student Leadership Reunion and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather. I was a proud mama of my cute crew sporting their Aggie t-shirts. It was a beautiful day and a fun game even though the Aggies lost in double over time.
The highlight of the reunion was the raffle. Caleb won a t-shirt and shortly after Gabe won Caleb's dream football gear. It included a child's size helmet, pants, and a jersey. Gabe traded with Caleb and Caleb's whole year was made. He is going to wear it for Halloween. It has been almost a month and he still plays with the helmet almost every day. He even slept with it for a few weeks!
I jumped on an opportunity to go to Alaska and visit my sister Cathie and her family at the end of September. I was there for four full days with a travel night on each end. I have never left Josh and the kids and gone on vacation by myself. I was really lonely in the car on the way to the airport, but I quickly got over that and hardly found time to call while I was there. I loved being with the Coombs family. Cathie is such a good mom, and it was nice for me to get to know her kids on a different level, without my kids around. They are all wonderful! I was COLD, but Alaska was beautiful.
I've been told that I can't really count it is leaving Josh "alone" with the kids. We have Josh's brother, Gabe's girlfriend, Alexa, living with us. She approached us last spring about living here in exchange for helping with the kids. She is awesome! She is on a full ride scholarship majoring in Special Ed and Elementary Ed at USU. My friend says that we have a nannie (Alexa) and a "mannie" (Gabe) since he's often here to be with her. Everyone did great at home so I think that means I can leave again!
The way that I rationalized the trip was to share the essential oil brand that I have been using and sharing. I almost feel like a missionary again. Of course I am not teaching people about something that will save them eternally, but I believe that I am sharing tools that are changing peoples earthly lives for the good. My eyes have been opened over the past couple of months to the power of essential oils. The company was founded by people from the essential oil industry who didn't like what they were seeing, which was inconsistency. They raised the bar on testing and make sure that the essential oils that they distribute have every single compound that it should. I get regular emails from people who are using the oils that I have shared with them, thanking me for the difference the oils are making. It is so fun and rewarding to share! I feel like it is one of those things I would try to share even if I were not making money, but I am bridging a gap in our income which is motivating too.
Last week I also started crocheting beards again for
Beard Beanie like I did last year. I like to make money without taking away too much from my "mom job" and I am excited about crocheting again, but I am having a harder time finding time to get the work done this year than I did last year. I am busy with my business and of course with the kids. I am trying to keep up on my calling, although we did get the primary program over with in September, and it was a great success. (As a side note, Caleb sang the first verse of Praise to the Man with his best friend Isaac and did a great job. It was one of the most powerful parts of the program.) Of course there all the little things like cooking and keeping the house clean that fill my day. It seems like by the time I get all that done it is 9-10 PM and then I start crocheting. Besides, Ali doesn't like me to crochet. She is quick to start pulling yarn. I don't think I will last long burning the candle at both ends, but of course I am going to try.
This little bug is growing up! (For some reason my nickname for her has been "bug" since she was born.) She is walking and talking and has become the stressed out mother of a hand full of dolls. She must say the word "baby" at least 100 times a day.
She is always wanting to take care of her baby's and have them close by. She wants them in her bed which disturbs her sleep and she gets them dirty and sticky when she eats. She loves her baby's. She is all girl!
Speaking of all girl, miss Cara has been begging to have aunt Chris come and do a make-up class with her. This week they got together and did make up. Cara was so happy about it! I thought it would satisfy her for a while, but no, now she just wants to know when she gets to do it again!
