Happy Fall Y'all!

We have been enjoying the beautiful weather to get outside more! We spent a Saturday morning at a Farm- Hayride and Corn Maze. We had such a great time!















































Grammy came to join the fun!










































As you can see by Anna's face they were a little nervous about the animals up close.





























































Nat loved the hay ride




















We also went out for a family hike! We would let the girls walk until they got tired or slow and then carried them for a while; then let them walk again, etc... It was fun- everyone enjoys the outdoors.




























We couldn't figure out where to put the third girl so we stuck Elisabeth in the old Baby Bjorn on Chris' front. It doesn't supply the greatest support so it definitely was a little rough on Chris, but she didn't seem to mind. We put her there as she is the easiest now- and the littlest!

Everything is going so well right now for us- the girls have settled in to a new schedule and Alex is doing great in school!
Switching from two naps to one may not be that difficult with one baby- but it was a huge challenge with multiples! Elisabeth dropped her morning nap months before the others were ready so we had a few months where everyone was sleeping at different times. Thankfully they are all down to one good afternoon nap. It is so wonderful as it gives us a good chance to get out in the morning, and also gives mommy 2 hours to herself in the afternoon. For the first time since they have been born I have time to actually clean my house regularly and start some other long overdue projects. I've even started scrap-booking again!
The girls continue to be their happy, good- natured selves. We have been so blessed by them! They are still so quick to smile and laugh. They are all saying some words besides Mama, Dada and Alex- up, down, juice, ball, shoe, more, dog, hi... It is so fun!
Anna loves to copy everything we do- she can sweep and wipe up the floor better than her brother can! She understands EVERYTHING we say to her- it is amazing! And she loves to deliver the diapers to the diaper genie for us- it is a funny sight!
Natalie now has the biggest attitude- she wants to do things by herself without help! She also will just go off on her own without looking back or stopping when we ask- which is difficult when we are in public or outside. She is so funny, though, because she is always getting stuck in the weirdest places- between or under chairs, on top of something, just everywhere...
Elisabeth loves climbing on everything and before I know it she is up on top of something. She loves to laugh - and to her the funniest thing to do is grab something from her sisters and take off running. She was the first to walk and so is the quickest on her feet- no one can catch her!
Alex is having a GREAT school year so far! We are so glad he is repeating first grade- it has brought him so much confidence. He also seems to fit in better with the kids that age. Last year he started 1st grade reading 4 words/ minute- this year he is reading 70! And his handwriting is SO much better. Math is more of a challenge for him, but we have a new math program that we hope will help him succeed.
We are excited to enter the fall season (cooler weather, please!)

Here are some pics from the last few months- a visit to Chris' grandmother Mamaw, Chris' parents visit, Alex learning to ride a bike without training wheels, and some from around our crazy house!
Elisabeth and Mamaw had so much fun together














Mamaw and her great grandchildren














The kids with Chris' parents














Alex riding his new bike!














Chris trying to watch college football- but the girls were all over him!














Natalie wearing Daddy's shoes




















One of my projects- redoing the basement to make a larger play space!














Natalie














Elisabeth














Anna














Anna discovered a blue marker














This is a video for those of you who love Mamaw like we do-
She is 88 and not in great health, but gets down on the floor with the kids and just plays and loves on them like crazy. She is so wonderful!

Chattanooga opened a new splash and play water area by their pool. I've been wanting to go all summer but waited until the girls were walking pretty well to do it. We had a great time! The girls all love the water. After we took them into the 1 ft baby pool and they loved it- although Chris and I had our hands full with all of them. They kept wanting to go off swimming by themselves!






































































We also celebrated Alex's birthday with my family. It took us a little while because of the stomach flu we all got right after our trip to Lake Winnie. Alex didn't mind celebrating his birthday so many times, though!




























Pictures of the girls with their cousin Aubrey. They are all so big!














One of Elisabeth's favorite things to do- sit in the toy box (or the laundry basket) and pull out all the toys.














This is a cute picture of Anna checking out her great-grandfather Papaw!













The girls really don't watch any tv and have never shown any interest in it. On our Jekyll Island trip the house had an old 1972 Sesame Street Sing a Long tape we played a few times and the girls loved it! I got a copy for our house and they will watch it while I make dinner, etc.. The songs are really getting stuck in our head, though.














So the girls are loving to climb right now.. climb onto the couch, climb onto anything really... It is hard to keep up! Here is Natalie climbing

Alex is back in school today so guess what I have time to do... update the blog!! Alex was very excited to be back in school- he will have the same teacher this year and she is wonderful.

Alex turns 8!

Happy Birthday, Alex. We can't believe our little boy is now 8 years old. For his birthday we took him and his friend, Anthony, to Lake Winnie for the day. They had a wonderful time, even though it was HOT!














I have been praying all summer that Alex would have a friend that would just enjoy him for the way he is- and Anthony is an answer to that prayer! They are in boy scouts together and we have had him over for playdates this summer. The two of them are just alike and have a great time together!















Alex continues to have no fear of rides, or seem to get sick from them. Not like his Mom...





























































Pooped out from the day.. or pretending to be, anyways




























We love you Alex- you have brought so much joy into our lives!

Just wanted to share that all three girls are now walking all the time! Yeah! Elisabeth did so about a month before the other two, as usual. Of course they are also climbing on top of everything, opening everything, and generally getting into even more mischief! They keep us on our toes!

Trip to Jekyll Island

We decided to return to Jekyll Island again- this time as a family of 6! We (mostly me) was a little nervous about packing everything we would need for a whole week away from home, but it turned out great! The 7- turned out to be 9- hour drive down was not pleasant as the girls are not too big on sleeping in the car- but we all survived and the trip was well worth it. We went with my parents- we couldn't have done it without them- and rented a house with an indoor pool. We had a wonderful time!

Ready to hit the beach!














The first few days on the beach the girls were not too sure about it. They mostly wanted to eat the sand- yuck- and were nervous of the waves.










































Only Anna got into the sand the first day





























































Soon, though, they started taking off crawling all around the beach- and straight into the ocean! It was so funny, but once one started doing it they all did! And they had no more fear of the ocean.






































































Alex enjoyed the beach, but he still thinks the ocean is too salty! I think he wiped out a few times on the boogie board so he preferred the pool.




























The indoor pool was awesome. All my kids LOVE the pool! We have floats for the girls, but of course now they don't want to be in them anymore- they just want to swim!

























































Alex went miniature golfing with Grammy and Gramka. They also gave Chris and I a chance to go on a date.














We all went out to dinner one night.



























It is not easy!














One day we rented a surrey and fit all 8 of us onto it! This is the only year we will be able to do that! That ride had a few mishaps (lost shoes, lost hat, Kim getting left behind) but it was fun!














We also rented bikes one day. It was during the girls naptime, though, so while it started well it ended with a lot of unhappy babies.
























































Strolling around



























Some favorite places to play














Cutie pies







































































We had such a great time! Thanks for coming with us Mom and Dad!