October in a Nutshell

I fought off the urge to post Christmas happenings since I knew darn well that I was about two months behind. Obviously blogging has taken the back seat in my life, or better said it's in the trunk now, but I do want to post these memories for my little ones sake since Lord knows I don't have time to journal. I truly do want to but so do I desire to craft and sew and organize and decorate and make soap and oh I think you get the picture. Our days have been full and October was no exception. As I looked through the tons of photos from the month trying to choose which ones to preserve on this blog I smiled at the realization of my life at it's current state. I have been blessed with three kooky kids who love each other dearly and have so much fun living life together. I am so grateful that Maggie is reaching the age where she likes to be right in the middle of whatever it is they are doing. Although it still saddens me knowing the baby days are nearly over, I am excited for what's to come. As she gets older it is easier for us to venture out and do more big kid stuff. And there is more freedom that little babes just don't give as cute and sweet and snuggly as they might be. But regardless I'm hanging onto each and every baby moment by a thread. Not wanting to let go but knowing the fun times that are ahead when I do.


I love this picture of Fletch in his cape and sword. But more so I love that I have learned to let my boys be boys.

These two Knights wouldn't let anyone harm this little princess

Maggie LOVES... her big brothers just about as much as they love her

If you know Fletch then you know that he can't keep a serious face for long!

This is what I mean by Kooky. They are lucky I love them anyway!

Loving the freedom to allow our babe to sit in the hay as we stuff our scarecrow.

Not loving that the mosquitoes won't just leave her sweet cheeks alone!

Daddy hung an overly large tire from an old oak. This little boy thinks it's pretty cool.

What I notice and love about this picture:

Colton wearing his Halloween Knight shirt from 4 years ago. Fletcher in a Jack Sparrow vest shirt with a Zorro mask and a different gun in each hand. All while watching his big brother remove the hook from a bass.

This picture is one of those that will forever bring me back to this time in our life.

When we'd be in the middle of school and the kids would declare a dress up break time.

Then dress up would suddenly be interrupted by the urge to run out to the pond and catch a fish or two.

*in the rain*

they painted some pretty spooky skulls

and baby got to model it for everyone

I take loads and loads of photos at the pumpkin patch

Always have always will

Pumpkins just make me happy. Especially the funny looking ones.

Fletcher truly adores his baby sister. I wish I could capture it more on camera than I do.

It's so nice having another mommy always on hand and ready to step in my place

the stem sold us right away

Sometimes I catch Maggie just sitting still taking it all in. Especially as she watches her big brothers and sister play. I know she'll be so happy when she can keep up.

this man's got talent!

she looked so proud of her pumpkin

The ones who came home with us. The pumpkins too.

We went to a crazy hair party. I forgot to take photos before we left for the party so this is after we got home late that night.


The wall of ghouls. I love Maggie Mae's little bitty foot print up there.

Fletch fell asleep in the car on the ride home from the crazy hair (and eyebrow :) party so he woke up the next morning looking extra groovy ;)

yummy desserts were made by Suzanne and Katie

miss m

Have you ever seen a cuter Ninja Turtle? I didn't think so ;)

This is about as creepy as the smith family gets

Gracie and I planned out the details for this costume and made it together. When I look at this picture not only do I see a beautiful peacock, but I see beautiful memories that my daughter and I made together.

We're ready for some trick or treating followed by a very special 1st birthday the very next morn!

October Winds

October winds have picked up our growing family and carried us to the place we've been longing to be. As of October 16th, we were no longer owners of the house that we poured our lives into building just 6 and a half years ago. It was very bitter sweet. Sad to leave the house that we designed ourselves and built with our own hands. Walking away from the home that I'd birthed two of my sweet babies in was something that I dreaded but knew eventually would have to happen.

But we had been dreaming since the formation of our relationship to one day have land that we could call our own and raise our family on. When we were blessed with the news that we were growing by two feet we knew that our three bedroom home was no longer ideal to raise our family in. We prayed to God that in His timing He would work out a new living arrangement for us. I never saw it coming this fast and in fact had made peace with the fact that we'd be staying in our home for at least a few more years. But then it all happened. We now reside in a home on land with a bedroom for each pair of little feet.

We still have what's looking like several years of work to make our home the way we envision it to be but little by little we're going to make it happen.

October wound up being a whirlwind of stuffing all of our belongings into boxes combined with working tirelessly to make our new home as livable as possible. Thanks to the endless help of friends and family we were able to make it all happen. And happened it did.

We are still working on installing our kitchen sink and are most likely several weeks away from having counter tops but it'll happen. I'm just pleased as punch to have hot water and not be showering in the RV anymore which acted as our temporary home for four nights while our floors were being finished.

I'm going to end it with that so I can get on with what I really want to blog about. The birth of our sweet new precious baby girl! Man are we in love!!!

But here is an overload of pictures so I can document the busy but oh so exciting month of October that we lived.

The floors, the floors, the floors! What a nightmare they became! After the first attempt at staining failed, we had to resand and start over again. This is Josh and his dad restaining for a second time.

While the floors were being finished we camped out. We actually had a blast during these four nights of sleeping in our RV parked out back behind our house. The weather cooled off to the perfect temperature and we enjoyed relaxing nights sitting around the campfire which included smores of course! It was almost like a mini vacation from all the hard work we'd been doing. We weren't allowed to go in the house since the floors were drying and we had already moved out of our old house so there wasn't a whole lot we could do which was oh so nice!

Evening kayak outings in the pond have become a near nightly ritual. And Colton loves the freedom to ride his dirt bike as he pleases.

Once we were in the house, it didn't take long for the pets to adjust. The cats LOVE it out here. They have became indoor / outdoor kitties but they prefer to be outdoors most of the time which is a good thing. Our floors turned out extra dark and they show every little grain of fiber that lands on the floor. I just have to come to terms that it's rarely going to look clean and just get over it. Especially with all the dirt and dust out here it's just impossible to keep them looking perfect.

And our Lucy is in total heaven! She can't stay out of the pond which has made her become an outside dog exclusively. We have an outdoor storage room which is more like the size of a walk in closet connected to our house so we put a window unit in it along with her dog bed so she can go in and out to rest in the A/C as she pleases. But mostly she just roams around the yard chasing butterflies, rolls in the dirt and cools off in the pond. She could never be an indoor dog again because she's always so dirty. But she is really happy out here so I'm okay with that.

Once we moved in it felt so nice to sit down and put my feet up and just wait for this baby to arrive.

While we waited we had fun with my belly enjoying this special time of her growing in my womb.

Oh no! It's a bad... case of the punkin' pox!

Colton drew the design for the pumpkin face this year. I think he did a fantastic job!

We also had a fun mess making my belly cast. I wasn't sure if we'd find the time to do one this go around but we did and I'm glad. The kids all helped daddy with it and I just sat back and laughed most of the time. They were so funny and were taking their jobs so seriously.

The boys took turns wetting the plaster strips and handing them to daddy.

Gracie helped smooth the strips across my big ole' melon.

Now that it's dry, once I have the time I'll do the finishing process to make it nice and smooth. It really is neat to look back and see the exact shape of my belly as Maggie was resting inside.

And what a big belly it was! These next few pictures were taken about a week before she arrived.

In the days leading up to Maggie's arrival, Gracie spent much of her free time sorting through, folding and arranging the baby clothes. Thanks to generous folks who love this girl so much, she wound up getting quite the wardrobe. She's going to be one stylish baby I tell you! Why is it that my girls always wind up having the cute clothes and not I?

Once Maggie's carseat arrived, the cats tried to claim it as theirs. They were often seen taking their naps in it.

For the kids Halloween costumes their grandma Suzanne took out her magic talent bag once again this year and made these three amazing costumes. She never ceases to amaze us with her sewing abilities.

Fletcher was in a costume contest at the Greenridge Stables Halloween party which is where his aunt Katie works and it was no surprise that this little Zorro won first place!

I'm not going to lie, he's the most handsome looking Zorro I've ever seen. And he's taken ladies! He stole my heart three long years ago.

This is Katie's beautiful horse B.G.

{flashing his Tropical Smoothie gift card he won}

The other two were a werewolf and a snow princess. Suzanne has been making the Disney on Ice costumes and this white cape that Gracie is wearing is a mini version of the ones she made for the ice skaters.

At the last minute I decided not to go trick or treating with the family back to our old neighborhood. I just wasn't feeling right and knew that if I was having a hard time walking from our bedroom to the kitchen then I certainly wouldn't make it walking around the block. I felt terrible not going with them to see the joy on their faces but little did I know 12 hours later I'd be holding my baby girl...