September

I did an itty bitty bit of writing this year. I started a novel and got at least half way down one page. Wow.

Doug took the girls back-to school shopping at the start of September, and took pictures of shoe sizes in preparation for the big event.

This is the Cramer home. We got to go there to swim with Adam and Lauren Cramer and their family. It was so much. This is a really a dream location. How amazing would it be to come home to that every day?

Here's Rex the turtle. He has grown, which is nice, but I don't ever see him eating his food any more.

The girls laid out their school clothes for the big day.

There they are at the bus stop!

I took the boys for a bike ride to Woodard Bay to distract me from missing the kids.

A typical art project event

I got to go to the temple one Saturday morning in September, and I celebrated the fact by pretending to kiss the statue of the man who is with his wife and child. When I went to Pat and Erica and Dave and Ruth's weddings with my parents as a fifth grader, I kissed the guy statue at this exact temple while we were waiting fro the bride and groom to come out of the temple.

We spent so much time getting cars examined during the fall. On this particular day, I think my tires were getting rotated. To kill time, we discovered a Japanese garden ad did a stroller ride to the library.

Kids at Les Schwab

We had a lot of drama in September because Corban kept crying at LA Fitness and the workers kept calling me back to the Kids/ Club. Their policy is a aprrently a "five minute cry" policy, which is terrible. I talked to the manager of the kids club and sent this letter to the powers that be. Together, we figured out how to comfort Corban and help the Kid's CLub be a better place for him. I still bring a blanket and paci for him every time we go, but I don't get called back there anymore, which is heavenly.

Kayla and Dave came for a brief trip in September and we made peach pies--one for us and one for Doug's facility. It was so heavenly! I still have pie crust and the gel if I want to make more peach pie.

My bike riding buddies! We had some good bike rides before i decided it was too cold and rainy to go out. Maybe I'll get brave and take the boys again.

Another bad news event in September--Corban was doing what I thought was wheezing on a Sunday night, so I took him to the ER. I was worried that we'd have to wait there for six hours like other people said they were doing, but he was a top priority because it related to breathing. He was seen relatively soon and the nurse on duty said his lungs were fine, he wasn't wheezing, and he had a sinus infection--which Marshall later told me isn't even possible for babies. That experience cost us something like $900, which is so frustrating. I want to have a nurse or doctor in the family or ward to help me through these crises. His breathing is still wheezy sounding to me when he has colds, and he has had a LOT of colds.

Kids were so excited to go see this movie at the school! They were initially excited about school and hopeful that it would be wonderful. It just hasn't been. Brooklyn has been fine, but Lucy hasn't made good friends and neither has Isaac. I have been so disappointed for them. I tried to get them into South Bay when we moved here, but we had no luck, and I'm not sure if I should petition for it again this February.

This is one of my favorite places, Woodard Bay. I love the train tracks in the middle of the water, the seals resting on floating rafts by there, and the smooth sandy beach. The salty sea air and peace there are just awesome.

We went to the zoo in September and had a great time.

I'll add more pictures to September later, but this is the kiddos playing at the playground where Lucy practiced soccer. Isaac played lacrosse, the girls both played soccer, and we were at practices an awful lot.

And our cutie before making a huge mess, I'm sure. The boy loves Honey Bunches of Oats, and he often dumps his bowl and bib on the ground when he is done with them.

Cutie ready for church. I'm sure the coco puffs helped him feel extra reverent.

Lucy playing for the Dragons. I loved her team and the coach and his wife, Joe and Joy. The girls are great and the parents are really fun. Only drawback? The girls didn't win very many games.

We scored a double rainbow, so I texted it to my neighbors.

Doug's picture at his facility. I think he replaced it.

Isaac playing lacrosse. It was really fun watching him play.