Moose's 2 year Photoshoot Date

Moose must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed.  We got a late start, because he was busy throwing a tantrum about what shirt to wear, among other things.

We went to a nearby park and looked at the water, played in the woods, climbed on the curvy tree trunk, and explored.  By the end of that, Moose was in a better mood and I had a COUPLE of good pictures (but admittedly it's much easier the older they get...two year olds aren't an easy shot!).

Moose LOVES his backpack!

These pictures have crummy lines on them (which has something to do with how the light was hitting the camera, I guess...it's happened before).  I'm sad, because I like both of them.  Any tips on how to fix it?

After the pictures we went to "Ice Cream" but really we went to Skinny Dip frozen yogurt...which I had never had and which I LOVED and am already thinking of reasons to go again.

The older girls were both at school.  A special THANK YOU to Aunt Diana who babysat the babies!

This is my fave...but I don't know why--his face isn't even showing.

 

 

Playing Catch-Up

The problem with not blogging for a while is that I get so behind that when I do blog again I feel like I only can gloss over things.  Much of the random day-to-day things (that I want to remember later) get lost in the paring down. 

 

So here is a sad, little, glossed-over catch up post of things that have happened in the past month or so.

At the start of August we had several family reunions and family visits with the "Fox" side of the family.  It was so fun to see family that don't live nearby...and it had me wishing that they DID live nearby.  I loved seeing all of the cousins playing together!

Fox's sister Katie and her family stayed with us (visiting from Hong Kong).
Here are the four big girls watching a show on a laptop.

My kids soaked up all of the Grandma and Grandpa time.  I'm pretty lucky to have good in-law family.

 

 

Story time with Uncle Mike.

 



Grandma got her workout...Moose is no light fellow.

 



 

After all of the visiting and commotion ended, and the bulk of service from church friends was done, I was met with the reality that my home is all-crazy, all-the-time.  I became the tired, grumpy mama that I always am after having a baby.  I thought I'd get by without being like that this time...but all of the extra help had given me a false sense of my own competency.  Oh well, at least my kids are used to it!  (I'm very grateful for all of that help in the beginning, and I do still have some help...which honestly is the only way that I'm able to get through some days!)

 

The older three kids spent a couple of days up visiting Grandma and Grandpa N, which was very relaxing and quiet for me.  Mr. Fox and I even went out to dinner for an anniversary date...about two months late (because the babies were born on our anniversary).

 

At the start of this month I resumed doing my layout work...which kicked up the level of crazy to a new high.  But we made it through, and I think it'll get easier from here on out.  I've been very blessed to have a job that I enjoy, that helps me to continually learn new things and develope talents, and that I can do from home and while being a mom to five kids.  Sometimes it's a real juggling act though.

We also started school, but I'll do a separate post for that.

 

Sometimes you need to be fancy.
And have fancy stuffed animals.

 

I love it when my kids play together nicely! 
Costumes are a bonus happiness.