Drew came to visit!

 We were lucky to have Drew come for a visit. All of us had such a great time. The kids loved playing endlessly with him, I am sure we tired him out! Ben loved having him here to talk with, play racquetball and soccer with, hang out with, and much more. I loved chatting with him and just loved seeing how happy everyone was to be together. It was a very relaxing few days and we are so glad he could come. The only sad part was missing Nina. 

Nauvoo State Park

 Stake Conference was today and it is a commute. Two hours away to Nauvoo. But it was a beautiful morning and afternoon. This picture was not really as posed as it appears... Ben ran over after setting the camera timer. No time to act casual.:)

 After the session we had a picnic, a bit chilly, but a great Sunday afternoon together. Just for good measure, it does appear all peaches and cream from these pictures... but getting out the door on a Sunday morning by 7:30am showered, fed + packed for a day trip could leave anyone a bit grumpy. Let's just say it was  a long 2 hour drive and it was good we went to an uplifting meeting...

Dishwasher

My brother sent out a hilarious email describing a  family dinner scene that included a plunger, a loud/broken dishwasher, great food, and tools. After I read his great description I thought of my wonderful dishwasher.

The Lake

Ten minutes from our house there is a beautiful lake. We met some friends for a last blast before fall comes and stays... Eliza is a dare devil and will go in this cold water to her chest, that is where the life jacket comes in handy. William will also crawl in the water at full speed, it's a fun little game we play. William goes as fast as he can, I jump up and chase him and save him. He giggles all the way. These kids are water babies! 

Grandma Care!

 My mom came to visit and it was the best. She comes and just takes everything by storm, in a really good way. Her positivity just radiates. She probably told me she loved our little dinky place about 100 times, so positive.  We miss her so much and are so glad she could come.  Here we are in the awesome streets of our little town. I love the picture of she and William. That is a classic Carolyn face and she loves to get down and play on the floor with the little ones. They love her so. The last picture was taken the day William really started walking. I just love it because it shows how happy we were. Wish we could see his proud little face. He could do it before that day, but that was the day his confidence clicked. I was so happy Care was here for that, because that's a prime example of the  little things I miss sharing with our families.

Pizza + Airshow

 Good pizza is nonexistent in our small town... 

so our pizza stone has gotten some great use.

This random Saturday night turned a little magical... we got to go see our friend skydive. It was a beautiful fall sunset and we were all mesmerized. She was one brave lady!

Nauvoo Pageant

We made it to the Nauvoo pageant. A neat night and fun for the kids beforehand at the period fair. Eliza and I learned a few dances, the kids took a handcart ride, and we were nice and hot. Ben also surprised us with talent #409, stilt walking, the kids were a bit taken back, he played it up with scary noises/facials.

Joplin

Natural disasters have always been so far off from my reality. We live hundreds of miles from Joplin, but with the threat of tornadoes looming I am humbled by the reality of how quickly life can change. I often take for granted the basics of life, and can't imagine having no home, clothes, shoes, water, or food for my little ones.  Parenting starts with these basics, and when life is clipping along, we have the luxury to focus on other endeavors. Our thoughts and prayers are with Joplin, MO. (Photo Source AP.)

Mimi

Shelly was able to come visit this last weekend. It was a real treat! The kids loved playing with her nonstop. It was a busy weekend, by Monday morning I think we were all exhausted! For me, the highlight was Nauvoo. It was a gorgeous day,and the temple is beautiful.