Cute kids, Parties and the Not-so-windy City

Weeks of September 19th - October 9th

Maycie's love of drawing prompted us to sign her up for an art class where she's learning drawing techniques. She loves it and we like knowing we're helping develop talents.

It's raining, it's pouring.

When I went to pick up the girls from the bus stop to save them from the down pour, they requested to walk home in the rain. They then spent the next hour using the rain and gutters as their personal splash pad.

Addilyn was so excited to start her first day of Faith in God Girls.

She thinks she's already a Young Women - and in a way I guess she is.

Isaac turned 5 months on Sept. 18th and cut his 2nd tooth on the same day.

Isaac loves to kick his left leg to bounce himself in his bouncer. Even on stationary surfaces he'll get that leg going to try to bounce.

Family Home Evening with the Southwicks and Worths.

After my friend, Cami Southwick, died her husband and kids made plans to move back to Utah to be near family. We did a farewell Family Home Evening with them. The kids loved playing "Button, button, who's got the button." We'll miss having such a great friends around.

I had great intentions of taking pictures of our General Conference weekend activities. Some of our traditions are playing Conference Bingo and doing puzzles while listening to the talks. As an after thought I took a picture of the puzzle we completed. I love Conference weekend.

Baby, oh baby. It's boy number 5.

My dear friend Kristin is expecting her 5th boy. Though the hope was for a girl, we couldn't let this baby come without a celebration.

A girls night in with fondue and friends.

Here's Kristin with the diaper cake I made her. It's so like her to coordinate with the cake.

Happy Birthday to me.

I hosted a playgroup, potluck style, with my former ward and my new ward to celebrate my birthday. Everyone brought food and enjoyed themselves at "Macdonald Park" (that's what we're calling our awesomely fun, huge backyard).

Sandy and Kristin got me some great fall trends to spice up my wardrobe and Maycie made a birthday crown (which is why I look like I have dog ears in the picture).

As his birthday gift to me Rob granted me his blessing (which is key) and the funds to work on a project I was itching to do. The photo below was my inspiration. The cost of that one ottoman - $1000.

Thanks to Ikea for the square coffee table (above) and some fabric remnants I had on hand, I completed both ottomans for about $150 total.

Here's the finished product.

A quick trip to Chicago.

My sister has made the trip with her children to visit us numerous times. Since my niece, Whitney, was getting baptized we decided it was time for us to step up and return the favor.

Rob couldn't get away from work so the kids (3 of them being sick) and I piled into the car early Thursday morning and made the 13 hour trip to Chicago. Some people thought I was crazy to make the trip with 4 young kids by myself, but amazing (probably thanks to priesthood blessings and prayers) all went well. The children were happy and pleasant, including the baby and except for a wrong turn (thanks to Alex crying about having to go to the bathroom) which got me lost in downtown Louisville, Kentucky during rush hour the trip went nearly perfect. Alex however, did not make it to a bathroom. There was no place for me to turn off in traffic so I gave him the option of peeing in a bottle or peeing in his pants. Despite Rob coaching him on the phone to pee in the bottle, Alex choose the latter. Oh well.

The drive was gorgeous with all the fall colors and beautiful country farms. I will definitely do it again - if the Shurtliffs will have us.

The weather in Chicago couldn't have been milder. An uncharacteristic mid 70's prompted us to take a trip to the ice cream shop.

Liesl and I got a night away from the kids, thanks to her husband Scott, and had dinner at La Madia in downtown Chicago. That pizza fondue was sooo good.

Whitney's baptism was lovely, though Addilyn had brief moment of jealousy about Whitney's gorgeous dress that Liesl made.

Isaac and Topher. City kids!

You don't drive in the City unless you ablsolutely have to. That's the great thing about Hyde Park where Liesl lives. You walk everywhere. School, grocery store, pharmacy, library - everywhere. It took my kids a bit to get used to but they soon took it in stride.

For our last day there we took a walk/bike ride/skate to the beach - Lake Michigan beach, that is.

Addilyn really improved her roller skating, thanks to trying to keep up with Whitney.

There she goes!