SEPTEMBER

September seems to have flown by.  Here is our September in reverse. My Fall dreams came true when we got this picture of the kids on a Fall Drive over conference weekend.  We drove up Trapper's Loop and along the road to Snow Basin.  

We stopped in Mountain Green to see one of the areas that Seth's work is developing.  We flip flopped between buying this lot and building up there.  This view is quite incredible...but I am not sure sure a daily commute would have been quite as incredible.

Millie has saved up "coins" from her online reading class for 9 months to get this pink skateboard.  I started to panic recently as the rewards portal started showing "leaving soon."  I was so worried that the pink skateboard would be gone before Millie had all the coins to buy it.  While I am not sure Millie will be a skateboarder...she sure enjoys looking like a skateboard and sitting on her skateboard.

+

Phin had a Meditation music recital.  He played "I am a Child of God," which we are also planning for him to play at Millie's baptism.

The kids have rediscovered the teepee and love to cozy up inside of it to watch shows or to play pretend.

We decided on a Halloween family costume...we are going to be characters from Into the Spiderverse.  Phin is so excited to be Spiderman Rex.  He has wanted an inflatable costume for years.  We ordered the "child" size...which was apparently for a very small child.  This is the adult size.  Phin can't cover his face at school so he will just stick his head out the top zipper rather than having his face covered.  He spent two solid days playing in this costume once it came.

 

I couldn't resist trying it on before he did...I was afraid it wouldn't fit and didn't want him to be disappointed.

 

I took Millie up to Bountiful Blvd to get some baptism announcement photos with the temple in the background.  We are so excited for her big day to be here.

 I made a digital invitation in Canvas and love how it turned out.

The weather has been perfect...we have spent many afternoons out in our yard playing.

Silas is loving school.  He came home one day and declared that he had made a friend.  This little writing assignment says "I play with Gunnar."

 

Here are a few other photos his teacher has shared of Silas in class.

Millie loves art.  One night I sent her and Seth to our art center for a squeegee paint activity.  She loved having some one-on-one time with her Dad and came home with this masterpiece.

Here is a hedgehog she drew at school.

She has a play date with her best friend Delaney the Friday after her birthday.  They made bracelets and played with kinetic sand. 

 

I set the goal to make cakes for each of my kids this year. Millie loves Dunkaroos...so we decided on Cake by Courtney's Dunkaroo cake.  Millie was quite delighted with how it turned out (and so was I.)

 

Silas had a talk like a pirate day at school.  He insisted on wearing his cowboy boots.  I convinced him to wear the head scarf.  His teacher gave each student a spy glass and eye patch.

My district hosted a fun run that went through Lagoon.  We were able to play 3 games each and somehow we got a prize for each of my kids.  I won a prize at this soccer goal game for Lou, one at Whac-a-mole for Millie and one at Break-a-plate for Silas.  Phin won one at Whac-a-mole. 

Before the run the kids played in the bubble pit, bounced in bounce houses and got a free squid hat.

My sourdough obsession continues...I have now figured out how to make pumpkin shaped loaves. 

We spent an entire Saturday out canning grape juice.  The kids got some ice cream as a reward.

I finally updated the pictures in our living room...and decided to print out all of our Halloween costume photos.  I hung them up on Halloween ribbon on our coat closet door.  I can't even express how happy this little door makes me.  It is so fun to look back at photos from past Halloweens...and to see how much my kids have grown.

 

The first weekend that Frightmares opened at Lagoon we headed out on Friday and Saturday.  Silas got this ball at one of the trick or treat walk thrus and found a creative way to play with it.

 

On Saturday we went out with Sarah's family and Scott's family.

 

On Friday night we went with Scott and his kids.

 

We had our fundraiser "run" at school.  I was able to see Millie and Silas run for a little bit.  Silas was delighted to win a prize after his run.

Silas is LOVING his Let's Play Music classes.  Here he is coloring in the pictures for a puppet show.

 

Millie learned to mow the lawn this month.  Her attention to detail is an absolute strength when it comes to the lawn.

 

Finally... Silas with the name poster that he made on one of the first days of school.

23 MONTHS

Lou is 23 months.  This month was a huge month for her, I finally decided it was time to wean her.  She was starting to tap on my chest to request milk and she also would say "other side" when she wanted to switch sides...so it was definitely time.  She is sleeping much better at night...but still likes to wake up and just have a few cuddles with Mom.  

One thing that I never want to forget about her at this age is that she says "Sure" instead of yes.  "Lou do you want to go outside"..."Sure."  The older kids have pointed out that she gets it from me...I apparently say "sure" quite a bit.  

She continues to love animals and says "woof woof" each time that she hears a dog.  We also often take walks over to see the goats that live a couple of streets over.

She showed interest in potty training and can pee almost all of the time when we put her on the potty.  I ended up sending pull-ups to school since she was doing so well.  She LOVES the little "real" potty at school and has been doing such a great job.  If I could just find a "new" potty for her to use each time, I think she would probably be potty trained.

 

She has been loving school.  Seth walks her to school each morning or takes her on his scooter.  She loves to press the button at the crosswalk.  I think she is really loving that one-on-one time with Dad.  She has loved working on art projects and playing on the playground.  They have even had police officers and fire fighters come to visit. 

 

 

 

She has decided that she no longer needs a high chair.  She also wants to be just like the bigger kids and sits up to eat cereal in the morning.

 

She is fighting nap time...on this particular day she woke up each time I put her in her crib.  So we finally laid down on Silas' bed until she fell asleep.

Whenever I squat down to get a picture of her...she squats down too.

She loves being my little helper. 

I often look at Lou in complete awe that she is here.  I can't believe this little miracle is almost 2 years old.  Thank you for healing our hearts Lou.  We love you!