Wow-it has been a long since I've written a new post! Let's see if I can update on our last couple of weeks.
*My mom came for a visit Oct. 1-6th, so that was fun.
She spent lots of time holding Ellie and
spending time with Gracie & Katie as well. She will be back with my dad & grandmother for Christmas, so we're looking forward to that.
*While Mom was here, we got to visit Gracie's classroom for her 6 week awards. We are proud of Gracie for doing so well and it was fun for me to get to participate in "Friendship Circle" where they compliment their classmates and tell jokes, etc. at the end of each school day. It was also convenient that Mom was here to watch Katie & Ellie for me to go to our Parent/Teacher Conference.
*We are really enjoying seeing Chris's cousin, Ashley, lately.
She recently got married to a man who lives here in our same town. They are actually living apart right now due to job situations and he should be moving to San Antonio, but we not-so-secretly hope that something will cause them to end up living here full time instead! They had a small wedding, so they had a reception here a few weeks ago that we were able to attend, and then last weekend they joined us for a picnic & small fishing trip. It's so nice to see family, and Ashley has always been one of my favorites because she is so sweet!
*I am enjoying being part of a Bible Study on Thursday mornings. We've only had it twice, but I've enjoyed both times. It's a small group of around 6 of us and the ages of the ladies range. I really like spending time with and learning from "more mature" ladies, so I'm glad to have been asked to participate. We are studying Philippians. I actually have some "homework" that I need to do now that I think about it. Katie & Ellie come right along with me and Katie enjoys playing with her friend Emily during the study. We have been spending playtime with Emily & her mommy, Kerri, lately and this is a friendship I'm thankful to be developing.
*I've also been asked to participate in an online Bible Study with some friends, studying Colossians. I hate to admit that I'm quite behind on this, but I do enjoy what I've completed so far and plan to get caught up eventually!
*I went to a Moms in Touch prayer group last week, too. It was a small group but went pretty well. It was a bit different from what I was used to, but it was good. I'm glad the group exists.
*We are excited that my brother & niece are coming to visit at the end of this next week! It will be a short visit, but we'll be glad to see them. I know we'll hear lots & lots of giggling. We have plans to eat at a restaurant my brother has eaten at before when he was in Houston and really liked and also have plans to visit a pumpkin patch/corn maze. We'll stay busy, and I'm sure it will go way too fast, but it will be fun!
*Gracie is still enjoying school and doing well. We all enjoy walking to school each day, especially now that it's cool in the mornings (still not midday though) and with gas the way it is, I sure like not wasting it sitting in carline, although it is getting better-Chris paid $2.92 today! She is getting a bit sassier as she gets older, but is still a sweet girl who is a wonderful big sister to Katie & Ellie. She does get frustrated with Katie, but I suppose that's to be expected. They still spend lots of time together having fun-especially playing in the backyard together. She had a friend from school & the neighborhood come over last week for a short playdate, and they had fun playing together. She is enjoying her classes at church and got to go on a fun outing a couple of weeks ago where they did a service project and then also played 'glow in the dark 3-D mini golf' and ate pizza & ice cream, too.
*I am trying to savor this last year that Katie is home all day with me. I am finding myself already in a bit of a panic when I think of sending her to Kindergarten next year! I'm such a sentimental fool, and I miss Gracie when she's gone so I know I'll miss Katie, too. I'm glad I'll have my sweet Ellie home with me for awhile longer! I know some moms express dismay when school's out, but I like it! I enjoy having time away sometimes, but I generally like having my family all together! Katie is tons of fun and is constantly making us laugh. She is just hilarious and will bust out with
the most random, funniest things. She is so smart too! I am amazed at her sometimes! I was pointing to letters the other day to see if she knew them. She was telling me the letters, but apparently that was a bit boring to her so she started telling me the sound THEN the letter! We didn't go through the whole alphabet, but suffice it to say I'm not worried about her academically other than that I hope she'll be like Gracie and will enjoy school even if what is being taught at the moment is something she might already know. Hopefully, she'll be self disciplined & self motivated enough to take her knowledge to the next level and take advantage of opportunities to improve upon what she already knows. She is really such a sweetie and such fun. I worry sometimes that people who don't spend consistent time with her don't see that. Maybe they only see the part of her that is a bit impulsive and a bit crazy and a bit stubborn. If they'd take the time to really sit & talk to her they would see how wonderful she is! She's not the perfectly compliant child all the time, but she's wonderful! Of course, I am her mother.........
*Ellie Roo, or Ellie Belly, or Ellie Belles (all affectionate nicknames) is doing great! We did start her on reflux medicine this week due to her frequent spitting up incidents & choking on them. (Jennifer-are you excited about this?) She is 12 lbs. 14 oz. at 3 1/2 months. Gracie was only 16 lbs. at a year! She is such fun and smiles & smiles! She also has started laughing & "talks" a lot. So cute! She's started sitting in her high chair some while we e
at and other times during the day. She's also started going to Bible Class. They say she does well! :)
*Chris likes his job and has joined a 'vanpool' that gets him home MUCH earlier and with much less stress than when he was driving himself. He is enjoying football season.
*I've been clipping coupons and checking the sales ads for the grocery stores and trying to take advantage of the bargains that are out there. We've also been trying not to eat out as much. With the prices of things going up & up, we need to cut back. I like feeling like I got a bargain, so I guess that's kind of fun. It really is amazing to see how much money is wasted sometimes just because of "picking something up" to eat for dinner or just throwing things in the grocery cart rather than paying attention to what is really needed and what might be on sale and what I might have a coupon for. Anyway......
*Halloween is coming up. Gracie wants to be Pippi Longstocking. I'm not sure what Katie will be. Ellie will probably wear a Halloween bib or a shirt that says, "This IS my costume" that my mom got her. I'm not a huge Halloween person, so we will most likely throw something together for G's Pippi costume and dig through the dress up box for Katie. I think there is something at church the weekend before Halloween and a few things in the community Halloween night. I'm not sure exactly what we'll do. We're tentatively planning to go to New Mexico to see Chris's family for Thanksgiving.
*I hope everyone is having a good Fall!
