The Rest of September

Zane pretty much can't stay in a diaper.  This is how I found him one day when he woke up from his nap - he had climbed out of his crib and made a bed under it, diaper on the side.  What a goofball.  I was so tempted to start potty training but we had a trip planned and that would just mess things up.

Maddie started gymnastics classes.  She loves it more than dance.  She looks forward to going every week and wants to go more than once!  She is pretty good at it too.

Our morning routine before preschool includes vacuuming our floors.  Zane has gotten used to it that he will ask for the vacuum and will vacuum for me - he insists on going under the table to vacuum there - super detail oriented.

Maddie wanted to plant flowers out back so I gave in and bought flowers for her to plant.  Well not even a couple of days later, she got mad that her watering can was too heavy and had a meltdown -- the result: she pulled out all the flowers.  They all died. Sad!  And I think I am out of energy to plant again. Til next year!

Zane likes to snuggle up right after a nap -- here he is after church one Sunday.

Allie and her friend at mutual.  I think this was a spa night of some sort.

A random photo of Zane - but usually where we find him - on the countertops.

Collin's soccer season started up as well - this was him on his first game.  He is liking it again and is a big help on his team.  He likes to play defense.

One of Allie's many silly (and weird) pictures on my phone.  She takes quite a few of them.

More of Collin during a Saturday game:

Still super hot here in AZ!  

Maddie putting away clean dishes and silverware.

I got a big box of Utah peaches one day but didn't can them this year - instead I froze them.  they are so yummy!  Kevin has been on a peach cobbler kick since - and this is one of my creations - peach cobbler with raspberry compote - and vanilla ice cream of course.

I took my preschoolers on a field trip to the grocery store.  It was so fun - they learned all about nutrition and good habits, the different departments in a grocery store and even got to go in the milk freezer.  They got to eat a healthy snack and tried a hand at checking items out at the end of the field trip.  

This was the day I almost burned down the house. :)  I put a frozen pizza in for the kids to eat after school, but had to leave to go take Maddie and Allie to gymnastics, so I set the timer for it to come out a few minutes before I left but somehow someone started causing a big stink and I didn't hear the timer.  Kevin was going to be home half an hour after I was gone, so I left Collin and Zane to play in the backyard while I drove the girls to their class.   Anyway... I get a phone call 45 minutes later from Collin - said I had locked them out of the house - and the pizza was black.  Eek.  I didn't remember the pizza til he said that.  Kevin had gotten home and got the blackened pizza out - and thankfully Collin didn't have to deal with that since he was out in the backyard and had no clue about the pizza in the oven.

We finally got our very first double stroller.  I have never needed to get one before since our kids are all 3+ years apart.  This time however our babies will be only 2 years apart which necessitates the use of a double stroller.  I love this one - took it to Disneyland and it maneuvers like a dream and fits in tight spaces!  

Kevin didn't want to celebrate, but how can you not celebrate your birthday?!  We went out to Joe's Farm Grill for dinner with the rest of the Harris and Merrills, and enjoyed this chocolate cake for a week!  Kevin is only two years away from being 4-0.

I couldn't get a good shot with all of them looking!

Collin likes to set up the stroller in all kinds of seat configurations and takes Maddie and Zane on a ride around the house.  This was one way he did it.

And here's a very pregnant me at the end of September.  29 weeks to be exact.

Maddie and Zane's morning routine during the week includes bathtime while I get ready for the day.