September

Betty playing in a new (used) bouncer.  She loves it!  It takes up a ton of room but is worth it, it's so nice to be able to put her somewhere safe and fun for her.  

Elijah is enjoying spending time with me at home while Cora's in school.  He figured out how to make heart hands.

And, a huge step, he finally got potty trained!  Both he and Cora were late and difficult potty trainers, so I hope Betty takes it easy on us!  Both of them had a lack of motivation, although now I wonder how much they picked up on my personal feelings of dreading the process. Our move also pushed Elijah's potty training back, since I didn't push it at all from the time we decided to move til we got nice and settled in our new place.  

 Working on some "homework" like his big sister. We got cute little desks for him and Cora at the big Labor Day Hillsville Flea Market.

Here's Cora working on her cute little kindergarten homework on her new desk, with some unsolicited "help" from Elijah.

Shopping at Goodwill with the munchkins.

Helping Bob, our handyman, paint the rail to prep for the fence he put up around the stairs.

I love when babies fall asleep with their bum in the air.

Mom is so amazing, she came back down to help us get our POD and get our stuff all moved in.  She also helped me plant some herbs while she was here.  Of course, as I always do, I killed them through my neglect a few months later.  Sorry Mom!  Thanks so much for all of your help though!

Betty was not a fan of rice cereal.  Lol I don't think any of my kids have liked that gross goop.  

Moving in is exhausting!

Trying to keep her corralled in a baby pool.  It worked ok, but she got tired of it quickly.

Another evening at a playground.  The kids were so excited to find "real acorns!" (No oak trees in Hawaii).  They collected a bunch. And Ryan was amazed to find his pockets full of acorns that night.  

Elijah has been very interested in Jesus lately- one day he came down from his room and told me he'd been pretending to be Jesus, playing with his animals. He usually waits til we're in the car then starts asking me questions about the Creation- a couple from yesterday: "how did Jesus make birds? Did he use glue to put the feathers on?" And "how did Jesus make our car?" Last night he asked me an even harder one- how did Heavenly Father and Jesus get made?

Other funny things the kids have said recently:

Elijah- Mom you got to go to Facebook! Me- Oh really? What is Facebook? Elijah- It's a place. In Virginia. My teacher in the church in Hawaii told me she would see me there.

Overheard Cora whispering as she bows dandelions- I wish My Little Pony was real. I wish Care Bears were real.

Cora singing to Betty- I love you as much as I love daddy! I love you one hundred dots! I love you as much as I love pink! I love you as much as I love purple! I love you as much as I love everything girly!

Elijah watching me comb through my ponytail and throw away loose hair- Mom you got to stop pulling out your hairs! You're not going to have any hairs left in your head!