Fall Festival

Below are some pictures of the kids and their friends at their school's Fall Festival.

This was taken earlier in the day, but it's so cute that I had to include it.

Carving Pumpkins

Nothing screams Halloween like a pumpkin carved into a scary monster. 

The kids had no problem picking out the faces that they wanted on their pumpkins, 

but were not at all thrilled about the whole de-seeding process. 

 

I may have had to say at multiple times, "Do not eat that stuff?"

"Is your pumpkin biting you? Why the face?"

This little guy basically had a dinner and a show. 

Yeah, he's anti-bibs right now. 

My bottle of  oxy-clean thinks an intervention is in order. 

3 seconds prior to this picture, she was screaming her head off. 

What is about cameras that get kids to act right. 

And I just noticed one of her annoying older siblings stuck the pumpkin sticker on her.

Ethan's pumpkin is on the left and Gracie's pumpkin is on the right 

which really means Eric's is on the left and mine is on the right.

A year it has been, we've had so much fun and now little Eli has turned ONE!!

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you.”

- Dr. Seuss

 After I read the above quote, I just knew that Dr. Seuss was going to be joining us for Eli's 1st birthday.

Eli has been such a blessing and we are so very thankful that he came into our lives.  Like any parent, I still can't believe how fast that first year goes by.  Eli's such an easy baby, that it almost feels criminal to have a baby that is so happy and mellow.  Whenever people comment on how mellow he is, I always say, "God probably thought I was close to losing it so he gave me an easy baby as a peace offering." It usually gets a laugh out of people.  Seriously though, I was so sure that Lexie was going to be our last that I'm shocked by how much I've enjoyed having a new baby.  We had always planned on having 4, but after Lexie I was too scared to try again and accepted the fact that we were done. However, and you would think that I would've have figured this out by now, it seems we don't really have a definite say about what is in store for us.  Eli has rounded out our family beautifully and has helped his sister Lexie grow into the little girl that she is, far better than we ever could have.  There's something that happens once a child becomes an older sibling. It's like they realize that there is someone far more dependent and they help them become more independent themselves.  I'm anxious to see not only what the future holds for them individually, but also how they interact as siblings. Thankfully Lexie enjoys making Eli laugh and loves on him like any good big sister should. I just wonder if they will ever know how alike they really are.  Of course, Ethan and Gracie are constantly fighting over Eli as well so it's pretty much a given that Eli will always have someone to hold him.  I have to say that one of the most irresistible things about him is the adorable dimple on his left cheek we get to see whenever he smiles or laughs.  

Why can't he stay this small forever?! 

"Green Eggs and Ham"

(pretzels, white candy melts, and green M&M's)

Blue jello cups with red fish swimming.

I took a photo from each month of Eli's first year and made a little photo table runner.

Each photo had a Dr. Seuss quote printed on it.

Not a big fan of ice cream. 

Don't worry, it will grow on you!

Seeing how it's always so busy during the party, pictures are few and far between. 

The one above is Eli giving his friend Lacy a kiss and the one below is of Lexie and Lily riding in the wagon together.