Family Night & Fire Light.....

We built our first fire on Monday night. The kids loved it and it was nice and warm all night long. I was a little nervous that Gavin was going to burn his little hands, but he can't reach the door. Thanks heavens!!!!! When we lived in our first house Carter was about 18 mos. old and Mike had started a fire and left for work while I was grocery shopping with the kids. When I came home I just set Carter in the door and went to get the groceries out of the truck and a few seconds later he started screaming. He had burned the whole paw of his hand on the glass. It was AWEFUL!!!!! Glad we won't have to do that this winter!

I always have to put a picture of Gavin and his delicious smile in the mix!

We have the BEST hometeachers that brought us yummy brownies WITH icing, and a game called "Don't Eat Jack." I played it growing up but we played with skittles and it was called "Don't Eat Pete." We had a ball. The kids loved their dads goober way of sucking the candy corns off the page.

Katlyn also gave a really good lesson out of the friend about a family that wanted to go to the temple and be sealed, but they lived in Honduras and the closest temple was in Guatemala, a two day bus ride away. Their family grew corn and so they sold tortillas to raise money to go. They were blessed to raise enough money in just a couple of months, but they were also worried about taking all of their money on the bus because robbers often stopped the buses and took everyones belongings. They had faith that Heavenly Father would protect them and went. He did protect them and they were so grateful for the blessings of the temple.

After the story I asked if it was hard for us to go to the temple and Gage said, "No, I go by it every day on our walk." Carter said, "I can see it every day when I'm up in the playroom." These two sentences hit me SO hard. We are RIGHT by the temple of the Lord and we don't have to sacrifice anything but a little of our time to go there. Our children see it every day and are reminded of it's blessings. We don't have to travel for days and we don't have to worry about robbers. We are so blessed and spoiled. I am guilty as ever of not going as often as I should. Do I have as much faith as this family did? I don't think so, but I hope that one day I will.

For your entertainment......

Shopping at Grandma's house.

Smarty Pants, Smarty Pants******

Katlyn is officially the Smarty Pants in this Papa household. On Friday she was given a certificate for being on the Superintendent's List. That means that she has a 95% or higher in all of her classes. I am going to brag a little and say that she is SuPeR smart. School just comes easy for this girl. She has never had a B yet, but we are sure to make her aware that it IS ok if she does get one someday. (I don't want to put pressure on her.) She is fantastic, and we are so proud of her. Her dad is her biggest fan. He makes her feel so good all the time about how well she does and encourages her to do her best. (I do too, but she thinks her dad is a little cooler than me!) Way to go Katlyn! We love you tons! Keep it up!

Jack-O

Every year the kids get to go to the Pumpkin Patch at school. Carter decided to carve his this year. He named him Jack-O. Very fitting I think.

Gage decided that he could help too. Or at least give him opinion on how they should make his face look.

Yuck!!!! Carving pumpkins grosses me out so Mike was flying solo on this one. He and Katlyn decided we needed one for each member of our family, so they went to the Patch and got a few more to make a family of Jack-O-Lanterns. I LOVE this time of year when the leaves change and it gets a little cooler. Bring on Halloween!

Gage had a little accident last Thursday night at the football game. He and Carter were playing up on a wall and he fell right on his head! It really knocked him for a loop. He was pretty dazed and confused for a second, but after we brought him home he seemed o.k.. Then I put him in the bath and he threw up. I kinda freaked out and called our home teacher who is a paramedic and he calmed me down. Thanks Brian!!!! After a couple more hours he was totally himself again. It's a good thing he inherited that big Papa noggin!

Gage oh Gage!.....

This morning at breakfast Mike asked Carter to say the prayer and Gage quietly said, "I'm going to bow my head, but I'm not going to close my eyes because I want to see the t.v." This child is always such a goof!

Goings on in our neck of the woods...

The Fire Truck came to story time this week and Gage couldn't believe his eyes! This was by far one of the best days of his life. He had a permanent smile the whole time. He even got to get up in the truck and touch a real firefighter with all his gear on. Braedyn, Jacob, Sadie and Bryson were all there too. "That was totally awesome!" Classic Gage!

Cute little bugs! I think Gage is a little jealous of Gavin because he's kind of mean to him a majority of the time, but today he was a super big brother and Gavin was loving it.

A little squishy on this lawn mower ride, but they were all four happy to be there!

Katlyn got to go to a Mystery Dinner for Achievement Days this week, and they all got to dress up. We put this little get-up together and I think she looks perfect. Mike had the idea to use the wig at the last minute and it was perfect! Katlyn loves Achievement Days and has an amazing leader that puts so much into making sure the girls have fun and some super memories, and still teaches them about the gospel.

We have been crazy busy. I have made a decision to cut way down though. I found that the last few months I wasn't really enjoying my days. I couldn't wait until bedtime every night and so I could just STOP. My poor baby was never on a good nap schedule. My four year old reverted to acting about two. My older two were always grouchy because they weren't getting enough sleep and had to listen to their mom be grouchy all the time. Not to mention Mike has been at work or out of town for almost a month straight. One night I had to be at a dinner and Mike had class so Katlyn was here by herself with the boys for almost 4 hours. I kept getting texts from her saying that Gavin was crying and when was I coming home. I could just imagine my poor baby so hungry and tired, waiting for his mom to get done doing things for other people and so she could comfort him, and I just kind of snapped! Why was I making sure that everything except my family was taken care of? I came home to find my baby and his brothers asleep because they have such a sweet sister. She was so sad and frustrated. A nine year old does not deserve to have deal with all that. I should be here. So, I am cutting down. I am going to be here with them. I'm going to learn to say no sometimes and put them first. When you get too overloaded you end up taking your frustrations out on the ones that you love. I don't want that for my family........

He just keeps growing and growing.....

This is his serious face...... So dang cute!

Apples are a favorite. I think just because he wants to be like the big boys.

Already climbing up on the beds! Yikes! I found him two steps up the ladder on the bunk beds the other day! TROUBLE!

Just because these are my favorite kinds of pictures.

Gavin is almost 10mos. old now. I can't hardly believe it! Look at those amazing blue eyes, chunker cheeks, blond hair, chubby little fingers, & the sweetest smile ever! He's almost never sad. He LOVES being outside. He can wave and play patty-cake. He is not even close to sleeping through the night, but we won't judge him too harshly for that. He adores his sister and brothers. When his dad gets home I do not exist at all! He lives for baths & will stay in as long as I will let him. Why do they have to get so big so fast? Love this little boy! We are so glad that he is a part of our little fam!

One Last Weekend of Fun at the Papa's!

We squeezed in one last weekend at Grandma and Grandpas before the water got too cold to swim. We all had a ton of fun and even got to go to Kylie's Baby Shower and spend a little time with the Woods' and the other Papa's!