Meagan Poppins!

This is Meagan Wanschura -- She is awesome. And I get to have her come help me every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Brad made an executive decision that we were going to hire a person to come help me the two mornings a week that Atticus goes to preschool. This way I only need to take Thea Belle with me to drop him off and pick him up. And I am able to get groceries each week without cutting into our family time. And I can schedule any of the kids' doctor appointments for when she is here. And I can get random errands accomplished during business hours. I get to take some time with Lincoln or Dietrich just on their own. And sometimes I get to even do something on my own -- like visit my friends or stop at a fabric store or buy a Christmas gift. And if I am having a very difficult stretch dealing with the kids, just having another person here is so good. Not only is Meagan completely "even keeled" personality-wise but she is also kind and thoughtful (she regularly does the dishes in the sink when there's a break in the action or I have taken one of the boys with me to do an activity and she also regularly gets all the lunch plates ready while I go pick up Atticus!).I love that Meagan loves my boys and is insanely "game" for anything Dietrich wants to play -- even if he requests the same thing 500 times in a row. And she will hold Lincoln or chase him or change one of his uniquely nasty diapers with no fanfare at all. She comes 15 minutes early every time and jumps right in getting shoes or putting Thea's clothes on or just being there so I can have 5 minutes to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. I love that she loves Christ. I love that she has this quiet sense of humor like my brother Aaron that catches you off guard. I love that she is the youngest of 4 kids with 3 older brothers who she adores. I love that she loves her mom. Meagan is studying journalism and photography and is a long-time friend of one of the girls we taught Sunday school to at our old church. We are so thankful God had us find her.

Dietrich & Lincoln

Dietrich & Lincoln looking good at H& M

Dietrich requested these three photos and then checked to make sure they were up to his standards. One day last week Dietrich did not fall asleep for his afternoon nap (a strange occurrence) and I decided I would get out some alphabet flash cards. I've done alphabet puzzles with him off and on and we read alphabet books together with his brothers but I've never really sat down and worked with him on his letters. It's been one of my goals for him for this school year so I decided I'd better see where he was at and what we needed to work on. I was expecting 4 or 5 letters, maybe. We sat down and he gave me 17 letters on the first time without pausing to think. Then we did it again and he got 21. Then he was done and wanted to play cars. We did. I was so so amazed and proud of him. And encouraged that these kids pick up so much just by being around their siblings and having books read all over the place. Hurray!

This is a pillow case packed with his blankie, a book, and some underwear -- He and Atticus were going to visit Grandma Nancy. The awesome mask is from Isaac Miller's birthday party. Dietrich wears this mask for part of every day.

Lincoln loves this hat. Isn't it perfect for him?

 

Bekah the Rainbow-Headed Seamstress

My sister made (she did a lovely sewing job!) her own interpretation of an Alice in Wonderland costume for Halloween this year -- replete with an amulet of "Drink Me" and an "Eat Me" biscuit for a necklace. Oh yes, and a White Rabbit friend.

I made her do this pose...

I am thankful that she stops by "on the fly" every week or so sometimes just to say "Hi" sometimes to stay for dinner. Glad that she loves her church (Hope Community downtown) and her room-mates and seems so happy. I'm also glad we have a little space from each other so I don't worry about her as much and so I don't see the state of her bedroom. (-:

The Two Littlest Ones

So hard to get a photo of me with my kids...and also a tip from me: never cut yourself bangs after 6 pm. Really -- Thanks, Mom, for this genetic defect.

Boo!

This year Atticus wanted the boys to be ghosts like in the Charlie Brown Halloween special. It was a fun challenge to figure out how to get the sheets to stay on their heads with the holes lined up right for their eyes. (I ended up making felt "bonnets" that tied under their chins with attached masks.) I ran out of fabric for Lincoln so he ended up dressing up as a pirate (from the costume stash). We meet so many neighbors trick or treating just down both sides of our one block -- I love that. This ghost is Dietrich.

Atticus the ghost

 

Lincoln helped me hand out candy while Brad took the older two kids up a couple blocks to see their friend Peter from church. Lincoln had so much fun seeing all the kids come up to our door and putting the candy in buckets.

Giving some of his own candy to his sister -- he tried putting a package of Whoppers in her mouth right after this.

Bat garland I made with Atticus. Idea from the MADE blog.

Little pumpkins from Grandma Nancy & Grandpa Tom; Big Pumpkin from my mom & dad's garden. Thank you!

Dark Fashion

Do you think my husband is distracted? Last week he showed up for a day-long business meeting (a number of hours away) dressed like this. He discovered his mistake when he got out of the car. At the end of the day the owner (a woman) of the building project looked down at his shoes and asked, "Did you do that on purpose? A fashion statement?" Brad said, "I hoped no one would notice." The owner replied, "It was the first thing I saw when I met you this morning." This sort of thing happens when you dress in the dark trying not to wake any of the kids up before you leave for work. Oh dear. So funny.

Some Slices of October

Fun in the leaves with our neighbor girl, Melissa...

Creative music makers...

Daddy-Daughter Time

Thanks, Atticus...oh well, Thea's sneezing anyway...but Brad is a cutie

Thea naps wherever...

Yep -- more angst

Haircuts & Attitudes

Aunt Bekah comes to visit and love on her nephews & niece

Outfit from Great-Grandma Trellis, Great Aunt Caryl

Shoes from our neighbors the Deems

The ladybug costume my mom lovingly made Thea Belle!