Random Dane stuff

I try hard to take Dane to do something just for him once a week.  Krista is homeschooling David this year and also babysitting a one year old - so we go on walks or to the park with them sometimes.

I don't know who took the above picture.  Dane is a great eater.  His favorite thing to do is throw his sippy cup off the high chair.  His siblings taught him is was hilarious and now he wont drink it he just chucks it and laughs.  It's the worst! ha

I guess we have a toddler.  He isn't walking yet - but he loves to get into things.  I would say he gets into more things than my other babies - which isn't saying a lot - most my kids were NOT a "get into things"/destroyer kind of baby/kid.  We actually find it really endearing.

I love shopping with him.  Mostly becasue I can talk and sing to myself and I don't look like a crazy person.  He is so fun to have with me all day.

Sleepovers

One weekend in September Jason, Brock and Noah all went camping at the boys scout camperee.  Madison was invited to a slumber party 

These are the pictures the mom sent.

Madison, Devin, Khloe, Mia, Brailynn

My first (selfish) instinct was to find a place for Megan to go have a sleepover so I could have an evening (and house) to myself (and Dane).  But then I thought "or I could have special time with Megan".  I thought about what we could do and after some pondering I felt inspired to let her have a sleep over at out house.  She has been having friend/ girl drama this school year.  She had a best friend (Pailey) for the last 2 years but Pailey has made some new friends and Megan is getting pushed out.  Anytime Megan has friends over Madison is also there - and while that hasn't been a problem I thought she might enjoy a sleepover with JUST her and Pailey.  I was right!  It was just what the doctor ordered.  I took them to Chick Fil A for dinner and then back to our house where they had the whole house to themselves (quite a treat when you are in a family of 5).

Fun Run

We had the fun run.  I hate the fun run - but the kids are always so happy whenever I bring Dane to the school.

Kasey, Matt, and Miles came

I didn't get very many pictures of our week - but Matt Kasey and Miles came to visit us for a whole week!  It was awesome.  I never wanted them to leave.  They just hung around the house with us and helped with our kids.  They watched Dane while we went to some doctor visits with Megan, Matt helped Brock with his math homework every night.  It was amazing.  I tried desperately to convince them to move here.

The reason for their visit was that a friend of theirs was getting married in Colorado Springs.  They came a week early to hang out with us, then they left Miles here from Friday morning to Sunday evening.  He fit right in.  I loved having a toddler boy around the house.  He got along great with Dane and the girls loved playing with him.  Especially Madison.  She took him right under her wing and he followed her around and Madison got him to do things I couldn't (like eat dinner).

The only "down side" is that he is an only child - and so Kasey just lays down with him to go to bed every. single. night.  So I had to lay with him until he fell asleep - some nights that took an hour and a half!!  I was dying inside :)

He even got to come to church with us.

It was a wonderful week

Feeding the 5000

We participated in one of our favorite family service projects.  Like all years I was hesitant to sign up becasue Jason wouldn't be around that day and Dane would be hard - but like all years I signed us up anyways - and like all years it was WONDERFUL!  

Dane was a champ.  He was happy and adorable.  

Madison actually came up and played with him in the cart for a minute and turned to me and said, "He makes me so happy.  I mean, I know that we were happy before he was born, but I can't even remember being happy before him.  Because, I mean, what we were so happy about?  I feel like I have never felt this kind of happiness before. When I play with him, or see him, or when he smiles at me I am just filled with it."  

And THAT is why we do this!  The world is going to tell my children that children are hard and unnecessary and a burden.  I want to teach them that children are joy!

Again - my kids were great at approaching strangers and talking to them, and taking rejection - perfect missionary prep.

Our camping trip

As mentioned earlier was had a summer bucket list.  Since we weren't going camping this summer the girls really wanted to set up a tent and have a sleepover in the back yard.  We never got around to it.  So one weekend in September they invited a few friends over and Jason set  up a tent for them to have a sleep over.  I guess if you don't finish your bucket list at the end of summer it just keeps going...???

Ammon Goes on a Mission

Our Ammon left on his mission to Salem Oregon.  He is going to do awesome.  We love him!

Rain Gutter Rigata

The girls had a rain gutter rigata 

They built these boats all by themselves at activity days (I don't think Jason minded).  It was actually a pretty crazy day.  Jason's car had died a few days before and was in the shop getting fixed so Jason had to take my van to work and school for a few days.  On the day of the rain gutter rigata we all rode our bikes to and from the church.  It was pretty funny.

Megan won 3rd place!  It was awesome.  She was so excited.

Noah's birthday

This was Noah's "off" year for a birthday party.  We had a little family party with some presents and a chocolate trifle. 

Noah is having a great year right now.  While he still has some rough moments and sometimes rough days (who doesn't?) - some of the issues we were having at this time last year or even 6 months ago seems so distant.  He is generally happy and helpful. He is very creative and is working on some new hobbies and talents - especially that of  drama.  He and Dane have a special relationship.  He has a great little friend group at school and is getting along better with some kids that, in the past, he has struggled with. He is getting VERY excited to get the priesthood and go to the temple in January.  He even started working on family history last week and seems genuinely interested in it.  Last year I was so concerned that there was NO WAY he would be ready to go to Young Men's, or the temple, or get the priesthood - but he has blown me out of the water - he is very ready and is going to do great.

There is a giant in the fairy garden... run!!

Dane loves playing in our front yard.  We put a swing on the porch for him, he loves our front yard sand box (yes we have a front yard and a back yard sand box!), he loves going up and down the stairs and trying to climb on the rocks.  But his favorite thing to do is destroy the fairy garden and eat my ground cover.

I LOOOOVVVEEE hanging out with this kid all day.

family for the baptims

Welp, I did a terrible job of taking pictures of our other activities for Madison's baptism.  The morning of the baptism we went to the park and the library (the baptism wasn't until 3). 

I can't remember what we did Saturday Night (I know that Debby and Randy left on Satuday - they had a lot of stuff to do to get ready to go to Greece the next week).  My parents stayed and hung out with us on Labor day and they took us miniature golfing and then out to slurpees.  Then my mo took Noah birthday shopping.

We  love when family comes!