Catching Up - September

Sweet girl always wants to be my helper. 

The three big kids have been in baseball this season. The boys love it (Pastor Brent is their coach), but Laina is not a fan. As witness:

Laina's coach Katie: Laina! Next week you have to come early because we're having pizza.
Laina: I can't come next week.
Coach Katie: Why not?
Laina: Because I don't like baseball.

Mason was in a silly mood one afternoon so I crossed my fingers, bribed with candy, and tried my best to get a picture with all four looking and smiling. I got pretty close. Mason's grin is adorable.

Our church turned five! So of course, we pet farm animals and rode ponies. The kids loved it.

Roasting hotdogs in the backyard. It was way too hot for it, but fun anyway.

At the park:

One Saturday, we did a family hike up Pine Mountain. It was fun--and it rained.

Cory has decided he wants to learn to play the cajon. Good thing his daddy is a drummer.

This was too cute to not post.

Laina as the shield maiden of Rohan.

And some funnies to remember:

I found the boys lying in the garage talking about who they'd want in their army: Robert E Lee, Henry Ford (to fix the cars), the Wright Brothers (for the Air Force), Andrew Jackson (because that one battle he fought when only eight people were wounded was SO GREAT.) 

And this is copied from Jeremy's facebook page...

The scene begins with my three-year-old daughter walking into my home office. She is wearing a tutu on her head like a bridal veil, and she wears a sad expression. Now my kids are always wearing weird things on their heads, but I had to ask…
Me: Laina, why the sad face?
Laina does not answer.
Me: Laina, are you sad? Why?
Laina: (forlorn) I want a men.
Me: (thoughts racing… did she really just say she wants a man?) Can you say that again?
Laina: I want a men.
Me: (good sense kicks in) Can you point to one?
Laina walks to where my boys are playing and points to their Lego minifigures. They offer her a "man" to play with. And I breathe a great sigh of relief!
Come see me again in eighteen years, Laina, and we'll revisit this subject. Until then, the Lego men are on me!

Beach Day

When we went to Florida in September, one of my main goals for the trip was to get my kiddos into the ocean. I had taken the three big kids by myself for an hour or two when we were down in August for Yaya's funeral, but Mason had never been, and I wanted an entire day there. (Really, I wanted a day there where my kids could play and I could sit and read in the sunshine, but that's a few years away.)

We spent some time with Jeremy's parents and hit the Gulf Coast, and it was wonderful. Not too crowded, not too hot. They bought a big canopy thing that provided shade, so Mason even got a nap in. The kids loved it. Cory hunted for seaweed, diving under water (!!! That's a big deal for him!) and piling it up on his boogie board. Iain and Laina both stayed in the water as much as they could. Mason didn't care about the sand, but he enjoyed the water immensely. He kicked like a crazy boy and dipped his head down backwards into the water again and again. I don't think the grin left his face the whole time.

Mason's Baby Dedication

September 29--we dedicated Mason to the Lord. The sweet boy slept through the entire dedication. It was a sweet time with family (my mom, Jenna and Titus, Haylee, and Jeremy's parents), and our friends. Stephen spoke about how our children, these babies, were evidence that God remembered us. Of course, when he read 1 Sam 1:27, "For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to Him" I thought about all the prayers we prayed for this little boy, this sweet Mason, before we even knew who he was. 

And so we dedicate him to the Lord, promising to raise him up in the knowledge of God and to teach him the love and grace of Jesus.

Afterwards, we took some family pictures outside. Then--off to Moe's to celebrate our boy!

Mason and his grandparents:

The Brannon family:

Our best family picture since Mason was born (at least in terms of everyone smiling!):

We love you Mason!

Iain is SEVEN

This guy. This Iain.

He is smart. The other day, when Jeremy and I were discussing plans, he interrupted and said, "If I may make an objection, Mom?" Uh, yes, sure.

He is funny. He has some wild dance moves and isn't shy about showing them off. He laughs a lot an gives good hugs.

He is always thinking. We were talking about what one question we'd ask Jesus if we could, and his? "How can You be outside of time? I just don't get that."

He's creative. He draws these awesome pictures (I've mentioned them before) and says they're like video games only better because they use his imagination.

Anyway. For his big seventh birthday, he decided he wanted to celebrate a week or so early in Florida, so he could go to The Track with his buddies Noah and Jude (who also, as it happened, celebrated his last birthday with him too). It was Cory's first time at The Track as a five-year-old, which is a big deal because it means he gets to drive all by himself. Laina and Jude rode with Jeremy and I, and Mason watched with Lauren.

They gave Iain a shirt, which he loves.

Then we headed to the Geigers' house to eat cupcakes and do presents. Iain chose the cupcakes and the icing (blue with fish sprinkles), and debated for a while because fish don't really go with the race car theme. But they won out anyway because they are fun.

Lauren decorated for the party, which was so sweet. It's always nice to have people love on your kids, you know?

Oh my word, that kid is so handsome.

After present time, the boys headed into the back yard to...shoot each other...

There was also lots of lego playing.

Back at home, on his last day as a six (my poor heart! How am I going to survive these guys growing up!)

Cory, pretending it's his last night as a moose...I mean, and eight.

On the real birthday, we headed over to the school where our church meets to spread some pine needles. Nothing says happy birthday like manual labor, right?

Afterwards, the birthday boy watched the clouds for a while.

Then we went to Cheeseburger Bobby's for a birthday lunch.

First day as a seven!

I love this guy.