Grandparents and MAD musical and other

Alyssa likes to take pictures.

Alyssa took this of Cali and my friends son, Ezra, playing at my feet.

Cali loves opening up these cupboards. It is filled with her toys (that she doesn't care to play with) and in the beginning she would grab onto these knobs and often hold on for dear life to them as her legs slipped out from under her and go under the cupboard.

I took these next 2 to remind me of the cute little handprint on the inside of the garage door. I smiled each time I looked at it.

Her hand is bigger now. Something I will miss.

On president's day, fishing for pennies in a bowl of ice.

Tyler made these mouse cupcakes for his class recipe book. They were a hit, though the recipe I think was written down wrong and they weren't very cake-y. Quite dense.

Cali is so proud of herself standing.

This is the reaction I get when I don't get her the first 10 seconds she is awake from her nap.

Great Grandparents' Ball came to visit. Why, Matthew, why? And Tyler? They think they are pretty funny.

Uncle Russy's birthday

Michael and I dressed up for a murder mystery dinner--we were in character.

Matthew's school musical. He was a "wise" man.

Tyler at lunch with friends.

Visiting Matthew at lunch.

All of us at Matthew's musical.

Michael took the boys to the science night at school. These are the two projects they worked on.

Cub scouts trip to the police station.

Some pics...

Playing at the store.

A bench I want on my new front porch found at Hobby Lobby. It's $300, so I want Michael to try to build it.

Not sure why some images turn themselves and others I have to turn...a cool ladder/table I like.

Ashlee and Alyssa befor Ashlee moved to Colorado. She spent the night here her last night. I also took some pettiskirt pics of them and posted here. We will miss Ashlee, friends since AJ turned 1.

Cali had 2 bottom teeth for a long time. Her first top tooth came in in an odd spot. Click to see up close.

Felt topiary I made with help from Alyssa. See more details here.

Alyssa holding her drawing of the "super sunglasses machine" that can make any kind of sunglasses you want.

One of my laurels went on a mission to Brazil

Don't have a pic of the girls room with the crib in it....

Our neighbors across the street (whom we love, she lets me hang out in her house while we have showings and she is at work--gave me her garage code) are building a port a potty on their driveway. They just got land that is empty and she said she has to have a toilet in order to go out there.

Sister Adriana Richardson was Alyssa's sunbeam teacher last year. For a while, she would cry for me, and Sister R. just held her on her lap. Alyssa loved to see her and when she got dressed each week, she'd often say, "I bet Sister Richardson is going to LOVE my dress." She would often complement her on it. She is originally from Columbia (her daughter above with me).

Wrapping Up October

After church one day, they all climbed on me and Michael snagged this shot. I like it. A sign we needed to move Cali out of the bassinet
Halloween-y

The boys got hand me downs from their dad and for the past month have slept in these long sleeved shirts. Having fun on the first night.

Out to lunch with some friends for Tamiels birthday.
Cali, my baby.
Love this bumbo given to me by Rachelle. Cali gnawing on an apple and loving it. Just getting into real food.
The kids had fun dragging little Coco around on a blanket.



I love her folded hands, just chillin and enjoying the view.

Starting to sit up on her own at 6.5 months.
I was the Mystery Reader in Tyler's 3rd grade class. I gave 5 clues about myself and the class had to guess. Tyler said he knew it was me at clue #1.
Here were my 5 clues:
1. My favorite books to read when I was in 3rd grade was Boxcar Children (I told Tyler that a year ago, I thought for sure he wouldn't remember).
2. I was born in Texas
3. I like to watch Wipeout with my family
4. I have 4 children and my oldest is in this class (I was hiding in the hall and I heard the class yell out, "Tyler's mom!")
5. I am a photographer
It was so much fun to participate in the classroom like that.

Alyssa has been loving sidewalk chalk (often with our neighbor, Violet-3) and this day, I had set out a hot oven rack the day before in the garage. It was chilled and she saw it as a fun thing to trace/draw lines in between. She gets totally messy when she plays with chalk.
Nice pattern, huh?

Cali enjoying a plum
I love how she grasps onto Michael's fingers and would pull them close to feed her if they started inching away.