Best Buds

I used to hope that Juno would settle down with a nice husband and have puppies of her own. That was never her life plan. For one, she doesn't really like other dogs (she actually adores cats). And two, she is pretty exhausted from raising our little tribe here. She is the most tolerant dog I have ever known. Most evenings Emmy will snuggle up next to her and go to sleep. 

As much as she loves them, I think Juno is glad there won't be any more babies for her to take care of.

Halloween

When I was a kid my mom always made our Halloween costumes. She was fantastic at it. I would come up with a random idea (always involving a box) and she would make it. I think the best ones were a camera, and a refrigerator. I really enjoy making things. I love sewing and knitting, so you would think I would be all over making cute costumes for the kids. I'm not. I just don't have it in me to make their costumes. Dexter and Ember get whatever hand-me-downs they currently fit from the big kids. Piper usually raids her princess stash, and Asher is the only one I usually buy for. I also don't go on any of their field trips. I happily volunteer in their classes once or twice a week, but I don't do the pumpkin patches or the zoo. Now you have my confession for the week.

Emmy Lu got to be the ladybug this year. 

 I love seeing her walk. She is in the drunken sailor stage, and it's just so cute.

 I convinced Dex to be the chicken again. Come on. It's just so cute.

 Asher is definitely past the cute costume stage. At least he dresses up, in a few years he'll be like all the teenagers and just go around in scruffy jeans holding a pillow case. 

 Piper, I'm so glad you are still in the princess stage. I'm not ready for what is next. 

 These kids did really well. We started the night at a party and then went trick-or-treating. The kids were really polite and all had a good time. 

Now I have to figure out a way to not eat all the candy. 

Fall Beach Days

I love having four kids, but I need to be honest. It's exhausting. You know the feeling you get when you cross the finish line after a race? That's how I feel every night when I close the kids' doors after we tuck them in. I feel like I'm crawling over a finish line. Actually, it feels more like I've been dragged over it. 

Every once in a while we have moments where things feel easy. I almost don't want to talk about them in fear that they won't happen again. We went to the beach last Sunday after church. The weather was perfect, and there were only a handful of other people there. Nate and I sat down and actually relaxed. The kids (except for Emmy) all went in the water and spent the afternoon running around on the sand. 

 She loved the sand. She started walking for real this week and had fun practicing her new skills.

 Nate does not like getting his picture taken, but it needs to be done every once in a while.

Days like this balance out all the tough ones.