One last tidbit...

I have one last photo series from the Gillies' visit earlier this fall. Cade suggested one day that they all dress up and have an Easter egg hunt in our yard since they are home in New Zealand for Easter. Why not combine a costume party with an Easter party? I like it. So we had a fireman, a football player, and a bunch of fairies and princesses.

 

 Blythe was not quite as aggressive of an egg gatherer as the others, and Cade went over to share his eggs with her on his own! (Notice Blythe was collecting eggs in a purse. Their baskets were stored away, so we improvised...)

 Eating their stash of gummies from the eggs Sandy provided and hid!

Typical of Blythe- thrilled for a treat, settling in to knock it all out before anyone else can take it from her, bless her heart!

Love Cade's creativity, and loved every moment of fun with our sweet cousins!!

October's This and That

Abby Jane writes messages during naptime. Here is "Blythey Boo" plus a caterpillar and a flower.

Joy and Blythe prefer to pull around Jake's and my chairs in order to flank Abby Jane during breakfast, instead of sitting in their own seats across the table from their big sis. This is how our table looks every morning.

 One morning while Abby Jane was at school, the twins and I planted mums.

 Then we mailed their birthday invitations!

 Another morning, we didn't have a pressing engagement, so we did some yoga in our PJs!

 Hat day at school.

 Abby Jane and I went to watch her good buddy Andy play t-ball. It was just so much fun! So, so cute. Lindsey told Abby Jane that sometimes girls play on the teams and they get to wear pink hats and have pink gloves. So now Abby Jane is trying to decide which days next year she will play t-ball and which days she will continue her ballet. :)

Our yard is gloriously shaded during the spring and summer, but that translates to massive leaf dumping in the fall. Which is fabulous for pile playing! Love how Joy is exactly mimicking Janie here- she thinks her big sis hung the moon.

 This is so her. So full-on, whatever she's doing!

This is how Blythe prefers to rake. Always dressed for the occasion!

Pumpkin Patch

Yes, I'm about six weeks behind here, but here's this year's pumpkin patch with the grandparents and the Gillies!

 Mimi and Bop Bop with their brood.

 Grammy and the ladies!

 Best buddies being silly.

 Hayride time!

 My sweet Blythey and I!

 Joy in her Bop Bop's Canes hat. It was a proud moment for her.

 Blythe was over the moon on the petting zoo, especially the baby bunnies!! She could hardly contain herself!

 Jake's wheelbarrow of sweet trouble!

Celebrating

My best friend got a year older and wiser last month. We celebrated our hero and favorite guy in the world with a beautiful hike.

 Trying to tackle Daddy.

 There had been a bit of a joke about how we were going to celebrate Jake's birthday. Our world right now is pretty much revolving around his writing as he is wrapping up that dissertation, and he said he didn't feel like celebrating much until after he finishes. But I like him a lot, and I'm pretty pleased he was born a while back, so I kept wanting to make a bigger deal of it than he did. We met some friends at the park and I pulled out this cake that I made to celebrate his non-birthday day. That was really his birthday. Maybe you had to be there to think it was funny.

 LOVE my man and any chance to celebrate him! We're pretty big fans of his around here.

Canes Game

Our Bop Bop works with their local high school football team, and this fall we got to go watch a couple of games while all the cousins were together. Joy has become obsessed with the Canes and going to the Canes game. I love this shot of Joy and Bop Bop doing "head bumps"- Bop Bop's special greeting with his grandkids.

 I love Blythe's huge smile in seeing Bop Bop!

 He is always a superstar for these kids, but getting to see him on the football field elevates his status even more!

 Looking at homecoming floats...

 Making good use of a hill...

 Paul and his boys watching the game!

 This particular game was a spectacular one for Abby Jane as it was Homecoming, and we got to see the court announced and the queen crowned. The meeting of princesses, fancy dresses, a queen, a crown, and football all in one evening was like all good things meeting together in complete perfection. It was precious.

The twins cheering on the Canes. If you ask them what their favorite things are, they'll tell you it's football, cheerleaders, and the band. Such a fun night!!