Grandma and Grandpa Visit

We are still recovering from a great visit from Grandma and Grandpa Porter. We love having them here and our fun-filled 10 days went way too fast.

K couldn't wait to share a rootbeer with Grandpa.

G&G got to see both K in action at Tae Kwon Do and C at ballet.

One beautiful afternoon we had a picnic and hike in our local State Park.

It's definitely the time of year to collect leaves!

Matt was able to take one day off during his busy budget season to go to Fort Ticonderoga. It is by far my favorite fort that I have ever been to.

Grandpa graciously made a leaf pile for the kiddos to jump in.

L even got in on the action. I thought he would be freaked out about it but actually he loved it, as long as his brother wasn't trying to tackle him.

Grandpa finally got to enjoy the firepit that he made for us a couple of years ago.

Besides all of the fun stuff we did we managed to get both Grandma and Grandpa sick. I'm sorry that we shared our colds! Please come back soon!

He Makes His Mom Proud

The motto of K's school is to be respectful, responsible and caring citizens (or something like that) and at the beginning of the month K was recognized as a student who exemplifies those qualities. 

I am so proud. :-)

3rd Child

A couple of weeks ago my best friend, Jessica, and I had a text conversation that still makes me giggle today. I sent her this picture with the caption "3rd child."

(no babies were harmed or left unattended in the taking of this photograph)

... and she sent me this picture back with the caption "1st child."

(no babies touched the cold tile floor in the taking of this photograph)

It really makes me laugh because I can remember very clearly being a parent for the first time and doing the exact same type of thing. I remember worrying about each phase and worrying if it was happening the way it was supposed to in the timing it was supposed to, and also was I supporting him in the way that was needed to master that phase without hovering too much?!?!? 

Then with the 2nd child I think I was just so overwhelmed with having a 2 year old and an infant that honestly I don't really remember much of CC being an infant.

Now with the 3rd child I feel more relaxed as a parent and I have been able to enjoy L's baby stages more. Not because I have it all figured out, because I don't, but because I know it will all be okay. It's a good feeling. :-)

A size comparison

It makes me laugh that at 9 months L is the same size and weight as K was at 1 year!! 

9 months old

My Model

A few weeks ago C had the opportunity to be a model for a clothing designer with an Etsy shop, Allie Gray. She got the "gig" because the woman who took our family pictures, Sarah with Moments Defined Photography, loved working with C so much and she was taking the pictures for Allie Gray. C had a great time, and I just LOVE how the pictures turned out. I am SO sad that she is moving back to AZ at the end of the year. But I'm grateful to have so many great pictures from her of both our family and my C-bug.

Color Me Rad

A few weeks ago we did something SUPER fun as a family. Can you guess what it was?

We wore white shirts and colorful sunglasses and bandanas ...

... L didn't totally love it.

... but the big kids thought it was totally RAD ...

.. we "ran" a 5K!! 

It was the Color Me Rad 5K, where they throw and spray different colors on you as you walk/run.

Super Dad helped the kids along when they got tired ... sometimes at the same time.

It was seriously a BLAST! With 4 adults and 7 kids all 6 and under we still walked it in under an hour.

I love this picture of their heads.

We had a totally RAD time!

Thanks for going with us Wildings!

It's definitely going to be a yearly thing for us from now on. We might even do some training for it next year. :-)