So between Aunt LaLa's wedding (sorry didn't get any pics because I took a camera without batteries ;( ), field trips, other Fall activities and "normal" school/life our last few weeks have been EXTREMELY busy!!  We've visited a cookie factory and a library, the wedding, Pop Pop and Mom Mom Wanda visited from MD, a fishing trip with Cub Scouts, as well as Zoo day with Scounts. There are other activites we've done as well...... 

At the fishing trip we got to take turns trying to catch a fish (too slow a process for us) and see a bunch of deer being raised on the property. 
The cookie factory was a really neat 30 min! Very short but we got to see 2 types of cookies being made. The little flower looking butter cookies that go on your fingers and vanilla wafers. They let us eat the vanilla wafers HOT and take cookies home.
Selah and Mommy had lots of stuff going on for the wedding. Nails, hair, make-up, pictures, etc. The rest of us just got to watch them "pratice", go eat a yummy dinner, and watch the actual wedding. Adding to the fun of that weekend was our surprise visit (only Mommy, Daddy, and Granna knew) from Pop Pop and MomMom Wanda. They played games with us, went to the wedding, and to church with us. It was quick but are happy to see them again in December!

In other news, Aliyah has decided to go to the potty like a BIG girl and is doing GREAT!! Gabriel has also started going to the potty sometimes. Usually at least once a day. :) Mommy and Daddy are excited about this as we could possibly be from 3 in diapers to 1 in a few months!!

Gabriel turned 2 last week. He is "two years big" as Mommy keeps telling him.       
                             (MORE PICS TO COME)

Zion earned his first badge for Cub Scouts and will be presented with his Bobcat Badge on October 30th. He is very excited about Scouts and it looks to be a great experience. 

 
In school Lia has been studying letters A and B, practicing counting, patterns, and writing her name. She also joins Zion for science and sometimes "read aloud" and other activities  Gabriel likes to color, play sorting games, and various other busy activities. He is also adding to his vocabulary and we are ALWAYS encouraging him to talk. We have also still been watching tadpoles that we collected from our pool in July and made a "worm habbitat" that didn't work out very well. not to mention watching a HUGE spider who built a web on the porch.








We've been enjoying the Fall as much as we can. Today we did some school (we missed a few days during the typical week) out on the picnic table, had a picnic while fighting yellow jackets, played in the hose a little, played some games, and had some friends over for a bonfire with smores tonight after. :) 

Such a busy, fun time. Next time we will try our best not to take so long to leave an update!!

A few other fun shots from the first week of preschool and first grade! :)

                                                              Sister snuggle time

                                                      PT with Daddy before starting school

                                        Little Miss snoozing before the big "First Day of School"

                                                           Aliyah practicing writing

                                 Zion is reviewing letters which will make a scroll in a few days

                                                                          Nap time!

                                                                     cute little smiles

                                               Big brother to the rescue while Mommy cooks

                                          Gabe lines up the "babies" to listen to music and rest

                                                       "Trying" to make pots out of clay

Today was our "Exploration Day" for school. We went outside in the beautiful weather to observe "things near the ground". We looked at various types of dirt (though ours is largely rock), observed how ants are attracted to food both with and without disturbing the ant hill first, checked on our tadpoles we've been watching for 2 months now (some of them are getting rather big), and made a worm habitat which we will check after several days of being in the dark to see if they have made tunnels (I hope this works!). 

I am starting this to share photos and stories of our school days mostly. With family, and friends as close as family, in so many other places I thought this would be a good way to share life. I hope to at least post a little bit weekly, maybe more, but we'll just see how it goes. There is plenty here that keeps me busy so who knows! lol 
Anyway, now that I have this set up the sweet baby in my lap has fallen asleep so I think I am gonna run take that shower I first thought about 3 hours ago. :)