Settling in for the winter.

We have had this cough hanging around our house for about 6 weeks and I'm so over it already,  mommies are not supposed to get sick.  I even went and had a wheatgrass shot from a smoothie place hoping to kick this sooner, no such luck.  We have had too many sick days already this fall and not the fun kind where you play hookey.  I'm crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath that we'll ALL be healthy this week.    

It feels like we've been so busy, but we haven't done much other than Halloween.  We had the missionaries over for dinner on Tuesday night,  which was really fun for my kids. And we had Great-Grandpa over for dinner on Friday night which happened to be his 81st birthday!  The kids helped me make a birthday banner and we celebrated with yummy soup and homemade bread and cherry pie with a candle.  I don't know that my kids listened much, but it was fun to talk with him about his birthday memories.  

 I laughed when my grandpa asked how old Miss Peanut was.  5?, he asked.  No, 3, I replied. Then he laughed.  She will be 4 though soon, but all of my kids are getting so big already.  

Miss Peanut is practicing writing letters and reading simple words.  She loves to dance, she is learning how to use the computer and makes her own sandwiches now. She loves to help me with baby sister and  in the kitchen and even knows how to start a load of laundry (including sorting to starting it, very helpful for mommy).  She suddenly has the obsession with combing hair.  Anytime I sit down to change a bum or just sit she'll grab a brush and comb my hair.  It must be from Tangled.

Handsome is such a sweet snuggly boy, but he has also been a handful.  He loves to sing and has a great sense of rhythm with music.  We really need to get some kind of instrument in his hands soon  (I'm hoping for a piano, but...we'll see).  He loves to play cars and read books,  but every now and then while playing with big sister will come out with a tutu and say its a princess dress.  Poor dad panics of course, but he's just well rounded and plays well with 2 sisters.  He will come to Cupcake and say "I want to hold it"  and try to pick her up or sit with her.  That is how the following photo shoot started.     

Cupcake is now 6 months.  She's loving FOOD,  pretty much anything and everything thus far, except peas.  I've made my own baby food this time and it's been fun to try things with her.  We've done squash, sweet potatoes, pears, plums, blueberries, applesauce,  carrots, peas, and green beans.  She is now sitting up and then flops onto her belly to roll around and scoots in a circle, but I'm kind of hoping that she doesn't start crawling before Christmas.  She just adores big brother and sister and is all smiles to sit up with them.  Oh and she has found her voice - it is so not quiet.  She squeals when she's happy, giggly, mad, tired,  and she says ba ba ba alot. 

And finally I tried to get a pic with Miss Peanut and myself.  She was being such a goof, here is the result:

I know most people are not so excited about it,  but it snowed yesterday.  :)  And I love it!  I'm secretly hoping for lots  and lots more of it so that we can at the very minimum have a White Christmas. However, I shouldn't because Officer hates driving in it and I don't blame him... he had to work 5 extra hours last night because of it.  People were sliding off the roads all over the place.