I HATE when track break comes to an end!

I hate it for various reasons...I miss the being able to sleep in, I miss being able to do whatever we want when we want and being able to stay up late. Sure, being on a schedule is nice and it does help things run smoother around here, but I truly do enjoy not having to worry about being on someone else's time table. Most of all though, I HATE that someone else besides me and the boys, gets to spend the day with Taylor! Taylor is such a little helper to me. Her heart is so big, sometimes I think it could possibly explode! She does so much around here that I know I don't thank her enough for and tonight as I was pulling out everyone's church clothes and getting ready for tomorrow; I realized that this was it!...our very last night of her first track break as a 1st grader. And I can't help but feel jipped and like it went by WAY too fast!! I am DEFINITELY not ready to send her back. Regardless, here's some pictures of some of the fun stuff we did this month while she was off.

Chase's class went to the pumpkin patch this past month for their field trip. It was a lot of fun. Tay got to come too since she was home, Chase loved having her there. And she was such a little helper there too with Chase since I had to keep running off after Talan who kept trying to make his way back to the tractors. Tally was totally obsessed with them.

Here's Chasers with his cute class.

And here we are again at the same pumpkin patch the very next day, but this time as a family. We go every year, it's one of our traditions, so we had to go once again when Cort got home.

Playing on the tractors.

And Talan playing on the tractors once again.

Looking for the perfect pumpkin.

We all LOVE having Cort at home.

Chase and Taylor having one of their many sleepovers. During the break they have had one almost every night.

We made lots of trips to the park this month. Here's Chasers doing the monkey bars, he has been watching Taylor do this for quite sometime and was so excited when he could finally do it by himself.

Taylor had a late night Halloween party with some of her friends this past month too. It was a lot of fun, originally Cort was going to take the boys out for a boys night, but as the party got closer Chase decided that he wasn't going to miss it for anything.
Taylor with some of her cute friends and Chase at the party.

Decorating spooky graveyard cupcakes.

We started to run out of things to do at the party so we had Chase teach the kids some of his Halloween poems and songs from preschool. You could tell that he felt so special doing it and the kids seemed to like it too. Here Chase doing his thing.

Taylor conked right out after the party. This was how far she made it when we send her down to go to bed.

Us just hanging out at home, just enjoying being together.

Playing Store.


Making Carmel Apples for FHE.


And now that we are at the end of the month we our officially counting down to Easton's arrival! I don't think my stomach could get any bigger. This kid has been measuring big almost my entire pregnancy. Any guesses on his weight?? Me and my doctor seem to think he's another 9 pounder for sure. We will find out soon...two weeks and counting. The kids can't wait to meet and hold baby Easton. And I can't wait to not be pregnant anymore. This pregnancy has really been my hardest by far, thank goodness that it's almost over!

This kid really makes me smile

I can't even tell you how much. The other day this is how I found him, sitting in the sink brushing his own teeth. He does this a lot lately. He really likes to brush his own teeth. However, on the flip side of that, he's not above eating things off the ground either...no matter how much I protest! Today I caught him chewing something he had just found and I asked him what's in your mouth and he replied "mmmm, good!" Oh, how I love him inside and out! He seriously gives the most amazing hugs at random too. You can just feel the love whenever he is near. Recently, I have started using time-outs with him. Can I just say, I WISH I had a picture of him standing in the corner with his lip hanging down. It is the saddest and cutest thing you will ever see. And then when I go to get him out, before I even have a chance to ask for an apology or to ask him why he's there he lunges at me with his lips puckered up and his arms stretched out ready for a hug. He is such a fun boy and I love seeing how he is changing on a day to day basis. I can't think of a better way for me to be spend my days then to be chasing these little ones around. They definitely keep me going! I am one lucky lady.

Chasey's new obsession...literally!

We went to our favorite park today as a family to play and before we left our house Chase insisted on bringing his bat, ball, and mitt. Chase has really caught the baseball bug recently and asks to play SEVERAL times a day. We now have even started using his baseball playing time as leverage for him to get his chores done, and doggone it..it works like a charm! I asked him if he wanted to play baseball this spring on a team and he couldn't have been more excited. His dad is loving his new obsession as well, being that he played all growing up and is now teaching Chase the ins and outs of the game. Now I just have one more reason to have this baby so I can join in the fun...

Here's a couple pics of us at the park playing today.

Chase and Cort

Chasers


Talan got into the game a little bit too.

And Taylor gave it a try too, and was into it for about 5 minutes or so.....

But in the end, she had more fun playing on the bleachers with her make-up and purse. Talan joined her for a little bit up there as well. Good thing her brothers are so in love with her and such good sports. This last pic is of Tay putting "lip gloss" (chapstick) on Talan.

Too cute

These two are such good friends, and I hope that they always will be. They play so very good together; I really think they are kindred spirits. Chase absolutely idolizes Taylor and always wants to be just like her. I worried that when Tay started all day school their friendship wouldn't be as strong. I was so wrong. Today they came upstairs giggling and laughing with their church shoes on. I asked them what they were doing and they both said "we are going to the ball." Next thing I knew they were singing, dancing, and spinning around the room together. Thank goodness my camera was near, these pictures are priceless.

Can't you just feel the love

A little sidenote story too...we went on a little road trip last Thursday and Taylor among other things, brought her glitter ball with her, which she absolutely loves and takes to school with her every day. When she got home she realized that she had left it behind, which was 2 hours away, she was so upset. I could see the concern on Chase's face for her. While trying to consule her, I heard Chase tell her "don't worry Tay, daddy is a nice daddy and he will get you a new one."
Cort got home late that night after the kids had gone to bed. Later on that same night while we were all asleep, me and Cort were woken up to Chase standing at the foot of our bed. Cort got up to put him back to bed and that's when I heard Chase ask him if he would get Tay a new glitter ball. Even though it was about 3 in the morning I couldn't help but smile, there's nothing quite like seeing your children look out for one another. It really melts the heart.