Happy Halloween! (updated)

Bad photography, but cute of her

They're actually both looking at the camera at the same time!

Yeah, this is more like it.

And an update with more pictures...

TERRIBLE lighting, but you can see Eleanor's dilophosaurus costume in all its glory.

Also, you'll notice our GIANT pumpkin!  We didn't get around to going to the pumpkin patch until Halloween, and when I started to pay for a smaller one (all of the cash I had on hand), the guy said we could have whichever pumpkin we wanted.  Eleanor, of course, picked the biggest one she could find.

She was so proud of her costume and her pumpkin!

("I do not want it to have a nose because jack-o-lanterns do not usually have noses.")

Failed attempt at a sibling costume shot.  I think they were done with pictures for the day.

Arthur's a puppy, by the way.  I got lazy and didn't feel like making a second costume.

Arthur was not a big fan of the hoodie.

October fun

The past few weeks around here have been a little rough.

Eleanor had pneumonia

(and we've all been sick at some point)

I broke my toe

Our dryer stopped working, though thankfully Hunter was able to fix it (along with his little helper).  We just had to buy a new part.

Arthur got a new tooth and is working on two more.  Notice the drool.  :)

It's so strange to me that he's working on teeth #11 and 12, and at this age Eleanor only had 2 teeth!

But in the midst of it all, we've had lots of fun!  My babies sure are growing up - Arthur is now tall enough at 12 months that he can reach stuff on top of the kitchen counter.  This might get dangerous.  ;) And Eleanor says and does things every day that surprise me and show how mature she is getting.  The sweetest thing she has done lately is to try to calm her brother when he's upset.  Sometimes when he's fussy and I can't go to him right at that minute Eleanor goes and sits with him.  She'll say something like, "It's okay Arthur, I'm here," and it always works!  He never cries if she's sitting with him.  I love her caring, sensitive side.

Arthur LOVES to give snuggles!

The kids have enjoyed their skeleton pajamas, especially the glow in the dark part

Arthur loves to help me rinse off Eleanor's hair

 

"We are stirring up trouble pancakes!"

Now that the dryer is fixed, Arthur likes to help me load it.

Arthur was messing around with this chair and getting *really* frustrated.  I finally figured out what he was trying to do and helped him sit down in the chair.  He was THRILLED!

Getting ready to leave the house to go to "Trunk or Treat" at our church.  She was sooooo excited!

(And she looks SO grown up to me in this picture!)

Green dilophosaurus costume on!  The ridges look more like ears from this angle and you can't see the tail, but you get the idea.  Most people knew she was a dinosaur, and one other mom whose son has a similar obsession even knew which kind she was!

Arthur's Baptism

Waiting for the service to start

Eleanor stood up in the front with us, and while the pastor was talking she walked over to the fountain and said, "I'm so thirsty."  I picked her up very quickly before things got crazy!

Buela and Papa Bob with 4 out of 5 grandkids

Arthur checks out the pastor - I love this one!

Buela and the girls

Evan wanted to be in the picture too!

Thankfulness

I have been doing a study at my church on the book The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith and I have really enjoyed it.  In one chapter he talked about thankfulness, and I just wanted to share a few passages that I really liked:

A lecturer to a group of businessmen displayed a sheet of white paper in which was one blot.  He asked what they saw.  All answered, "A blot."  The test was unfair; it invited the wrong answer.  Nevertheless, there is an ingratitude in human nature by which we notice the black disfigurement and forget the widespread mercy.

I fuss about my "cups," little and large (not having enough money to do this or that, a problem at work, a strain in a relationship), and never once stop and thank God that I have eyes to see.  If I lost my sight and had a million dollars, I would gladly pay it to get my eyesight back.  My eyes are worth a million dollars.  So is my heart.  And my ears.  And my wife.  And my children.  If I were wise, I would spend time each day thanking God for the "vast treasure" he has given me.  I could start, but I could never stop.

He goes on to suggest that we all make a list of things we are thankful for and continue to add to and edit the list over time.  So, here is my list (borrowing a couple of items from his).  It's a work in progress!

Air conditioning

Fall in the mountains

Technology

Snuggling with my children

Indoor plumbing

Opportunities to travel and learn more about the world

Cool mornings when you can open the windows

Sleeping children

Christmas trees

Candles
A clean house

Enriching conversation

Watching my children learn new things

Reliable transportation
Picnics
Eating chili on chilly nights

Affirming words

Clean sheets

Coffee

High quality education available to my children

Saturday morning pancakes
Digital cameras that allow me to take all the pictures I want
Modern cloth diapers and a washing machine

Birthdays

Books that I don't want to put down

People who love my children
A variety of healthy food available to my family
The night sky away from the lights of a city
Living within walking distance of multiple parks

One Year Old!

My boy is 1 year old today and I can't believe it!  Arthur has brought so much joy to our lives that it's hard to believe he has only been around for one year.

He started off his birthday with a Delta IV rocket launch!

Somehow I didn't realize my lens was all fogged up thanks to the humidity.  Maybe I can pretend I was trying to be artistic?

How do you pick just one?

Arthur's loves at one year

His sister!  If he gets up in the morning and she's still in bed, he goes to her door and tries to open it to find her.

(This was their first time together in this cart.  I avoided it in the past because I was sure they would fight, but they loved it!)

Being chased!  He laughs hysterically and crawls away at lightning speed.

FOOD, especially cheese and strawberries.  And cake.  And whatever Mama has on her plate, even if it's identical to what is in front of him.

Legos...he can actually put them together sometimes.

Splashing in the bath.  He loves it when I pour water on his head and always hands me the cup that we use like he's asking me to do it.

Music!  He loves to dance and clap his hands and play instruments to make music.

Books.  I love how he will sit and "read" to himself for long periods of time.  He's not quite as into them as his sister was at this age, but he's definitely a little bookworm.

The color orange.  I'm not making this up.  Any time there are lots of brightly colored toys, he ALWAYS picks out the orange one and carries it around.  He got this toy for his birthday and before I handed it to him Hunter said, "Guess which one he'll pick up first."  Sure enough, he immediately grabbed the orange gear and wouldn't put it down.  What else would you expect from the child of two Clemson grads?

Riding on his little scooter.  Cutest thing ever!

Sleeping with his little bottom in the air

Attention from anyone and everyone!

Happy birthday to my silly, happy, affectionate, smart, handsome little boy!