This is usually how Elsie looks when I pick her up from preschool... :) Luckily we buy stain remover spray in bulk!

We made little scarecrows, and Elsie thought this was a fitting place to display them. I agree!

Elsie and her traditional Fall tree she painted. It'd be neat to dig hers out from last year just to compare!

Russell celebrated his 14th birthday over the weekend. 14 years.... where has the time gone!

Margie, Elsie, Emmy, and Brendan enjoying their cake and ice cream at Grandma G.'s!

Playing Outside

Collecting leaves for an art project.

"Smiling" for my close-up. :)

Monkey in a tree.

And another.

Little Profile

Here's Baby Boy Duffany's profile, from an ultrasound we had done a couple weeks ago!

Elsie and her "Chester" the racoon mask she made at preschool. :)

Go Blue!

Samuel helping make zuccini bread while his sister was at preschool.

His "smile". :)

I'm glad we enjoyed a day at the zoo earlier in the week, because now both kids are sick with fever/colds! Check out their wing spans!

The boys, Samuel and Brendan, taking a turn in the wagon.

I think they liked the otter exhibit the best.

Monkey See, Monkey Do :)

Preschool!

Elsie is going to preschool this year, a few mornings a week. Today was her first day. Here she is all ready for her big day!

She was excited to wear a book bag. She wanted me to take the things out of it because she thought she was going to be bringing books home in it and wanted to make sure there'd be room...lol!

She certainly seemed confident before we left home...

She wasn't so sure when we got there though. She didn't want to put her things in her cubbie. She told me on the car ride that she was going to be "a little bit nervous".

Oh dear..... I wanted to take her right home then and there, but I knew she was going to love it by the end of the morning. So tears and all (from her and me, I saved mine for the car ride home..haha), Sam and I left wondering if today would be her first and last day of preschool for this year. (Well we may have tried it a couple more days... haha).

She sang to an entirely new tune when we arrived to pick her up and she didn't want to leave! She had SO much fun.

Proud of her cubbie this time.

She sure missed that brother of hers though (the feeling was mutual!). She actually kept saying she sure missed her baby brothers, Sam and Tarzan (what she's named her new baby brother due in December). :)

Sam- "Ok, that's enough mushy stuff sis." :)

She was still smiling when we arrived back home, and is already looking forward to going back Friday. She was actually wondering why she couldn't go back tomorrow! I guess I worried all morning for nothing. She's going to have so much fun playing with all the other kids her age. :)

Hmm... I thought keeping them busy with chocolate pudding while unloading my groceries would be a good idea.... ;)

At least they look like they enjoyed it!

Emmy came to play a couple weeks ago and here's our quickly-thrown-together "tea party".

Last week we made the most of the warm sunshine to go to the beach. Elsie enjoyed a messy snowcone!

Sam and cousin Brendan's sandals.

Four bouncing kids on the playground; cousins Elsie, Ava, Brendan and Samuel.

Little Catch-Up

Elsie playing in the sand with Russell, on a recent trip to the beach.

Grandma G. rocked Samuel to sleep in his stroller.

Making a "sand angel".

Sam just loved playing on Aunt Jenny and Uncle Brad's toy tractor!

Sam riding Bubba. Josie was leading and Georgia was riding a big horse in the background. I think Jasmine? Great job girls!

Stacy's fresh air child, Destiny, riding Bubba.

Elsie's turn!

We also recently sang happy birthday to Ava! Seven years old!

I had to add this picture, I just love how Brendan and Emmy were smiling at each other. They are good buds!