August 1st-8th and Lately

We have been busy this week with soccer games and practice and a trip to the lake yesterday. Austin had a great time on the beach with rocks and buckets and mud. The girls had a great time too. This last year they have made a lot of improvements around the lake, so it was nice to have an actual beach with real sand and some grass.

Yesterday I was able to get to town and get Austin some clothes from the second hand store. I really haven't bought him clothes other than sunday clothes in a long time and he really needed some. I found some great deals and I was so excited! He doesn't stay clean enough to be in one outfit in a day, so he needed some clothes. He especially needed some swimming shorts and some summer clothes, now that it is almost over.

There are a few things we are wanting to do before school starts, so I hope we can fit them in, and that the weather cooperates!





Audrey pulled out a tooth today, and called all her Grandma's and Grandpa's to tell them. She was so excited:) She has had two teeth come out lately. One today and then a couple of weeks ago she had to have a molar extracted. After that she had to go back and get a couple of fillings. So she has had her share of dental stuff for a while I think. She has been wiggling the one that came out today for a while now and she will probably lose the one beside it soon too.








Last night right around bedtime I really wanted someone to play with my hair. I LOVE it when someone plays with my hair! So the girls and I went into their room and brushed and played with each others hair. It was nice to just put my attention on them. It was one of the rare times when the boys are asleep when it's time for the girls to go to sleep. Jessica was touching my legs and she said they were tickly;) I guess I need to shave them. Then she said, "These are the second chins of your body huh mommy." So I guess she hasn't quite got the difference yet, because they sound pretty close to the same to her. She mentioned something about it when she was getting here shin guards on for soccer, but I thought she got it. She comes up with the funniest stuff! I had been in their room for a while, so Benson came into check on us. Then he came back and took a picture. I am already feeling like my kids are growing up too fast! I am trying to enjoy my time with them.:)

Audrey and Jessica had some friends over a while ago and had a great time! We don't have friends over that often, and so I thought I would take a picture. Audrey knew her friend in Kindergarten, and cried when she thought he had moved. They seem to get a long great together. Jessica went to the same preschool as her friend, but said she never got to play with him, so it worked out well to have them both come.





Austin is doing well in nursery, but has come home with a new bug several times lately. One morning he was so tired/sick that he fell asleep on the floor. This is not normal for him at all!





Audrey and Jessica have been playing soccer this summer and have been getting better and better. Benson has taken the opportunity to be ref and also to coach at the last minute. He really seemed to enjoy it, and think he might coach one the girls teams next year. Audrey and Jessica both had a breakaway and Audrey scored a goal. It became a lot more exciting for her and she gained more confidence after she scored. She ended up being one of two girls on her team. Jessica loves to play goalie. Lately she has been chewing her nails. It drives us crazy to see her doing this on the field! Hopefully she can break that habit SOON!

Jessica gets her uniform, shin guards,socks and shoes on all by herself. She is more independent that Audrey in some things. For example, there has been a couple of times that I have caught her changing Jackson's diaper. She even figured out the snappi diaper fastener and put a prefold and cover on him without help, or permission. She seems to be very fascinated with the process of me feeding Jackson. Jessica is 5 and will be starting Kindergarten this year.




















Both the girls are great helpers with Austin and Jackson. Austin often calls for Audrey to come get him when he wakes up from his nap.

I just love Austin's laugh! He is lots of fun. He likes to run and play tag, play in the "sandbox" in the garden and be read to. He also loves to help load and unload the dishwasher with or without permission...Yikes! I have been keeping my eye out for my sunglasses for the last couple of weeks, and this morning I found them...Next thing I know Austin is on my bed with one of the arms broken off. Nothing is safe in this house I guess. He calls Audrey "oddee" and Jessica "odda". He is starting to talk more, but no sentences. If I pay attention, I notice a lot of things he is saying. The other day, I was on the computer and he came downstairs with a handful of crackers. I asked him if i could have one and he said, "Mine!" He will be 2 on August 15th. I can't believe it!

Audrey is 7. She has learned how to press flowers and has pressed a few lately. The problem is that if the door is left open, Austin will get on Audrey's bed and get stuff of their dresser, Sooo..she has to start again and do some more. Audrey has been reading the Tree House Series books and does very well. She sometimes reads a book in a day. Recently she has been reading an activity idea book of mine, and she got paper and tore it in to strips to make book marks. The book is just overflowing with book marks!

She is very excited to take piano lessons. Benson taught her how to play hot cross buns and she was just beaming! She had been having a hard day and needed a little extra attention, and so after that I asked her how she was doing better and she said, "Yes!" She was holding back her smile and looked like she wasgoing to burst. My kids have a great Father!

Jackson will be 3 months on August 15th and is a great baby. He loves to be held just like his siblings, but is getting better at being happy when I set him down. He is smiling more and more and cooing! A couple of weeks ago he weighed 11lbs 11 oz. He has a small cyst on the back of his head and so if it doesn't go away on its own we will have to have it removed. We will see what the doctor says at his 4 month checkup. His dark hair seems to have fallen out and he has a lighter shade growing in now. He still has blue eyes, and they will probably stay that way. I borrowed a couple of baby carriers from our local babywearing lending library, because they are great for walks and for when I have to get something done and he isn't happy not being held. It is so nice to try them out for free.

Tomorrow we are going to the Zoo for Family Home Evening. Chesbro Music is celebrating 100 years this year and so they are paying for us to go. We get t-shirts, and they are feeding us dinner. It should be fun. Going to the Zoo was one the the things we wanted to do with the kids this summer and now that its free it is actually going to happen!:)

I also plan to weed the garden, bake bread, help girls clean their room, do laundry, water the grass, shower, pray a lot, arrange visiting teaching...