11 Months

Only one more of these monthly posts?! This year is just flying. Good news is we're still crazy about Austin Boy. 

• The poor boy was sick most of the month. He had Roseola and then ended that virus with a little stomach flu. So there was lots of snuggling going on. 

 Mariah was so concerned for Austin and rubbed his back so that I could get some stuff done. 

His poor little sick face. This is how he sat in his high chair...so lethargic. 

• Austin has decided he hates diaper changes and getting dressed and getting his fingernails cut. Basically anything that requires him to hold still. So there's a lot of wrestling going on. 
• Speaking of wrestling, Austin is a big fan. If Tanner is wrestling with the older two, Austin tries to crawl right into the chaos; head lowered as a battering ram, growling the whole time. 

• He is a busy baby but hasn't gotten too messy yet. He does like to put things in and out of containers. His favorite container of choice is a cup. 
• He is a big fan of other babies. At church the other day I put him down during Sunday School and he made a beeline to another baby. After he was done with her he headed over to another baby. The boy is social. 

• He isn't as big of a fan of baths as I was hoping he would be. He spends most of his time trying to stand up and crawl out to get to me. If one of his siblings is in there with him he does a little better. 
• He interacts more and more with Mariah and Chet, following them all around the house. 

There's something so heart-wrenching about watching your children learn and grow. You want it to happen but you don't understand how it can happen so quickly. Austin has almost been with us a whole year and I don't know if we are ready to accept that. 

Firetruck Jammies 

Thankful

November was so good to us. 

We live right behind a VA Hall so on Veterans Day we walked down for their little shindig. They had food and live music. I told Mariah and Chet about Veterans and why we have a special day honoring them so I was happy when they got the opportunity to meet a few. I am so grateful for those who have sacrificed their time and some even their lives serving our country. 

I'm really falling in love with the people in this community. Everyone at the VA Hall were so kind to me and my children. I lost count of the amount of people who asked if I needed help. One man got all of us drinks and napkins and another lady went and got the kids pizza. There are such good people on this earth. I think with all the bad that is constantly before us through the news and social media we forget that. 

The next day we got to help with the community Winter Weather Posse. This is where volunteers help winterize people's homes/yards who cannot do it themselves. We were paired up with some college students to rake leaves.  

 We don't have any big trees in our yard so Mariah and Chet were bummed that they were missing out on leaf piles. So this was a great opportunity for them to get their fill of leaves. 

 They were so helpful too. The first house we went to they bagged leaves the whole hour we were there. I was really proud of them and their hard work. 

 I forgot Austin's shoes so he got to have dinosaur gloves on his feet. 

He didn't seem to mind too much. Tanner was there too but he was working so hard we didn't even get a photo of him. It was great to serve as a whole family. 

We had to say goodbye to Sister Sackett. She came to the Morgantown area the same time we moved here. We try to have the missionaries over each week for dinner so we had gotten pretty close with her. And yes, my hair always looks that good :). 

Mariah got to go on a field trip for Preschool to the grocery store. She was so excited to show Chet all the goodies she got. She even shared the treat that she bought "all by herself" with the family. 

 We had our first snow of the season and Mariah and Chet were excited. Chet shoveled off the deck and when he was done with that he started on the yard. I wasn't going to discourage it. 

Tanner made the turkey because he is gifted like that. 

The kids and I went down to Pittsburgh the week of Thanksgiving while Tanner worked. Mariah and Chet had so much fun with their cousins. Chet couldn't remember their names so he just called them his "fends" (friends). Tanner was able to come down on Thursday for dinner and we had a wonderful meal. The oven got turned off while the Turkey was cooking so we had salmon instead. Wasn't your typical Thanksgiving meal but was still delicious. 

Tanner and Brittany made a delicious mixed berry pie. Tanner designed the top with a lattice crust complete with a leaf border and turkey in the middle that he cut out  of crust with knives. And we didn't get a picture...typical. 

We are so grateful for this season and the reminder of all the blessings Heavenly Father has given us.