A Day in the Life...

(Did I really just say that?)

Yesterday we went to my cousin Krista's mission farewell.  Afterward, we went to Penny's for lunch.  As I looked around, I realized that all but one of my mom's siblings (a total of 7 kids) were there, as well as many of their families.  Plus other extended family.  It was really cool to see how much extended family we have, and there were still many missing. A few days ago Tim's mom asked me how many cousins I had and I guessed fifty.  It seems so normal to me but it's super foreign to Tim's family.  Our family reunions on Tim's side include us, Tim's brother Steve and his family, and Tim's parents.  He doesn't have aunts or uncles or cousins.  A few estranged that live in Canada but nobody here and involved.  So he gets overwhelmed at our family functions, when I say things like, "This is my grandma's twin's daughter's daughter." Yesterday when I was at Penny's I realized how incredible it really is.  I am blessed ...

I think the dress up clothes we got them for Christmas last year is the one thing still going strong almost a year later.  The girls dress up every day and it's usually frilly.    Kind of sad she still fits in this!!  A sweet lady gave us this ridiculously large carousel horse.  I think if they didn't love it so much I'd probably have said no.  ;)

we do girly things, like crafts.  Tonight Copper made spiders all by herself.  She even made pom-pom mouths because "spiders should be happy."  I made the wreath and she spidered it up.  The more the better, right?  The trouble with Halloween crafts the second week of September is that now we'll talk about it for the next six weeks...

Remember that time Tim could died at work and had to hang 50+ feet in the air until a crane could reach him?  Well it was a rough time.  So the girls and I made a sign about how much we love him.  Copper and Kota colored the crap out of it.  Micah looked on and then ate food off the floor.  Pretty typical.  Needless to say, it was a hit.  Apparently it's not coming off the wall until Copper goes to college.  Tim's words, not mine.   Remember the two days that Copper wore socks on her hands while eating and sleeping and playing? Remember when Kota cried, literally, and yelped "Help me, help me!" when I buckled her in her carseat?  Not so funny. Remember how beautiful these girls are?  Even at 6:30 in the morning? Remember when Micah put herself in Lisa's dog's cage and shut the door?  And layed down all comfy cozy? Remember when Micah sported sunglasses every time she could find any? ...

Cops started preschool this past week after counting down many, many, many weeks and days and hours.  She picked out a new dress and asked for her hair to be "cute but not take too long."  Tim and I were both home that morning and thought it'd be fun to take her and pick her up her first day.  She threw a crying meltdown when we got to Lisa's to drop off Micah and Kota.  It took a LONG time to finally understand the blubbering sobs of "I want to stay here and have Lisa take me."  I'm pretty sure it came down to knowing that Ethan also goes to school and they ride in the van together to be dropped off.  So I was okay not taking her.  Ten minutes after her complete crying fit she showed all smiles for her picture to be taken.  I admit I was a bit annoyed.  Happy, though, that she loves school so much.

Dakota calls Copper "Boo."  I think because Copper has played hide-and-seek with her for a long time and jumps out saying, "Boo!"  Plus, I think the phonetics of Copper are too hard for her.  It's really cute to see her wave and say, "Hi, Boo" and "Hey!  There's Boo!"  Kota is talking up a storm.  She says everything.  Mostly, "Hey, ma!"  an "Hi, ma..."  loudly.  Her favorite game might be duck-duck-goose; she thinks it's a great time to run and chase.  And smack everyone on the head or the face.  She's animated and makes herself known wherever she's at.  She's quite loveable. Micah loves shoes and hats.  She's always sportin g accessories- necklaces hanging off her hands, sunglasses, you name it.  She is stylin.  And she's still a mess.  Her face is always full of peanut butter or something else sticky and hard to get out.  She talks when she needs to and even her voice is petite and soft....