Autumn

Our due date is November 12 and so I am sure our next post will be all about the baby.  I have actually been feeling pretty good so I won't be surprised if the baby ends up coming closer to the 20th.  Here is what we have been up to for the last few months. 

Labor Day! We went to a beach at a lake south of Kansas City and the kids had a great time in the sand and water.  It was a good sign of our San Diego trip coming up . . . We stayed out too long though in the sun and all got a little burnt. 

 

My mom came to visit us in September and we went to the zoo, a Royals baseball game, and just enjoyed her company.  I miss spending time with her and it was fun to have her all to ourselves :)  The kids love Grandma and had fun showing her their bedroom and toys and favorite places.

 

 

 

 SAN DIEGO!

We had a great time and I don't want to wait another 5 years to go back to the beach! It was heavenly.  The highlight was getting to spend time with all of David's family--my only regret was that we didn't have even more time together. 

 We got family pictures taken at the beach and right before the camera started shooting, Kate ran out and jumped in the waves.  I didn't get any pictures frame-worthy.  Oh well!

 After family pictures we went to a really cool isolated beach that had seals and dolphins swimming just out of reach.

Kate was content to just sit by me in the sand and play.  I loved it.

   

 I had been to the Mormon Battalion visitors center years ago with my family but they have since redesigned it and our kids loved it there!  It was very cool.

 Panning for gold

 We went to Sea World and enjoyed all the shows; Mason and David went on most of the rides, and we got to enjoy seeing all the aquatic animals.

A crazy story--David got stung by a sting-ray at the beach!  We learned from the lifeguard that when you get stung by a sting-ray, all you can do for it is soak the injury in hot water.  That will break down the protein-poison so you don't feel pain; otherwise, it is pretty excruciating.  Good to know.

 Right after we got back from our San Diego trip, I went to Omaha to see some friends who were traveling there for a get-together.  So good to catch up with everyone!

HALLOWEEN

I love Halloween.  This year we were battling colds and being almost 9 months pregnant, I didn't feel the usual holiday festivity; we almost didn't even go trick-or-treating.  But we did enjoy the month.

 

Trick or treating and playing games at Worlds of Fun--can you tell who is who?

We dressed up as Monsters Inc characters at our ward's trunk-or-treat (David = Sullivan, Me = Roz "I'm watching you Wazowski . . . always watching," Mason = Mike Wazowski, and Kate = "Boo").  I hung up doors on our Pilot and played the soundtrack from the movie.  There were only a handful of people that "got it" but whenever a kid said, "That's Boo's door!" it made all the effort worth it :)

 

 

We had some friends invite us to their neighborhood for REAL trick-or-treating, since there isn't a whole lot that goes on here at our townhouses.  The kids got plenty of candy that will last them for a while! 



Summer



This summer has been FABULOUS for KC--today is one of the rare days where it hit 100 degrees (unlike last summer, where it was over 100 for weeks).  In fact, I am just not going outside at all day; just staying inside with the A/C, so I thought I would update our blog with some pictures and stories.

 

Kate and Mason love hanging out with Dad after he gets home from a long day at work.

 

Blanket rides before bed!  A riot!  David jokes that Mason probably wishes it were motorcycle rides with Grandpa Harper, but blanket rides are still awesome.  

David built a fort for Mason one day in his room, and Mason went through a fort phase for weeks (he called them a "tent").  The best was that he could string his train tracks underneath and through the tunnels--he thought it was awesome :) Mason is such a good boy--he tries hard to listen to Mom and is helpful by putting his dishes in the sink after meals, cleaning up toys (after MUCH persuasion), and rarely hits or pushes Kate (even when she hits/pushes him over and over).  I love hearing him talk more and more and listen to his reasoning.  (His favorite for not doing something is that he is "too busy.")

Cheese!
Kate is our little sweetie.  Most of the time :) David jokes that when she was born, we thought she would be the angel of the family because she was such a good baby.  However, she gets into her fair share of mischief and drama.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love seeing her personality, hearing her voice, and observing her interests. It must be from having an older brother, but she loves playing trains with Mason.  She loves her blanket and her binky, and is a fabulous imitator--repeating words and following Mason's actions (including trying to jump or pretending to go potty).

We went swimming at a friend's house for an Elder's Quorum activity and David was a good sport to pull all the kids on a chain through the water--a good workout!  Coolest Dad Award.  When we were getting ready to go, I took Mason's floaters off and let him dry off . . . a few minutes later he raced back and jumped into the pool.  It was over his head and one of my friends jumped in to grab him--with her cell phone in her pocket :(

Kate recently became tall enough to ride the red airplanes at Snoopyland!  She was so happy.

I took this picture while Kate and I waited at the doctors office during a recent visit.  Kate went in for her 18 month well check (all stats between 75%-90%, so she is growing well, and she got her last round of immunizations until kindergarten--yay!), and I went in for my 28-week well check and glucose test (I think I set a record chugging the glucose liquid--the staff was shocked), and the baby looks healthy!

 I made Halloween costumes for Mason and Kate during a craft day with a friend--I am going to get to mine and David's next month :)

 

Children raising a joyful noise during lunch!  You might want earplugs . . . or just watch the first 15 seconds . . .  I am just glad whenever they get along :)

Happy Birthday David!

Man I have seriously neglected this blog for a while!  Is it pregnancy? New camera troubles? Summer fun? Don't know.  But here are a few of our family happenings of late:

DAVID'S 30th BIRTHDAY!!!

David really wants to go skydiving to celebrate 30 years.  It hasn't happened yet, but when it does we will get some pictures up.

 

 Mason helping me make some strawberry jam.

 

 

Happy Fourth of July!

 Kate was kind of cranky that evening, probably because we wouldn't let her hold a sparkler by herself.

And we've been spending lots of time at Worlds of Fun!  Love that place.

 

We also went on a trip back to UT/ID to see my brother Greg go on his LDS mission to Baltimore.  I don't think I took a single picture so I am going to have to try to get them from other people with cameras!  But we had a great time!