Projects!

Stephen and I love us some projects. What's been on the docket has been the playroom. We're moving the boys upstairs so the downstairs area can be a true sunroom / library area. It's been an ongoing process because many things had to be done in order to move the toys up.

1st:  The toy closet

We moved everything out of this upstairs closet into our master closet. Shelving was added and boom! Toy closet. Done.

2nd:  Storage closet's up next.

I emptied everything out so we could add a shelve and organize everything back in.

Answer me this. How did ALL of this /\

Come out of this?!?! Crazy

3rd:  The pony wall

In order for the boys to be upstairs and play safely, Stephen and I needed to block off the pony wall. The kids were climbing up there and doing balance beam across the top. The other side? Clear down the stairs to the first floor. Talk about scary. Broken bones for sure from that kind of fall.

Before

Inspiration

After

Finally! The Playroom

We got everything organized, hung a swing, added hooks for dress up stuff (both pictured above) and the room is just about complete! We have plans of adding more gross motor elements as well as get a larger recliner sofa, but for now, it's done. The boys are loving all the new space!

Veteran's Day Performance

Kindergarten puts on a show for Veterans Day and invites the whole school + friends and family to watch. A got a note in Miles' backpack awhile back that said he was featured with a speaking part! I was definitely curious to see how he'd do.

His name is in the program :)

Miles is on the far right, first row next to the boy in the Eagle costume. It was a little hard to see him from where we were sitting. Thankfully, the school took photos from all angles and I got a couple cuties below.

His line is at the very end. "Thank you to all who serve!"

We saw Erin sitting in the audience real close to us and got to say hi. Halle was a little further back so I held Carson up in the crowd so he could say hi. Turns out one of the teachers caught this shot and it was featured in the grouping of photos on the school's Facebook page. ha!

Camping Crew

We've been enjoying camping season so far. The boys are loving life in the camper and we're so lucky to have such a great group to go with. It's awesome to have this other way of life to escape to when normal life gets to be a bit much. I see this being an ongoing thing for awhile - or at least I hope so!

Jellystone

We try to hit up Jellystone once a year. It's more resort style camping with a bunch of amenities. Fun for the kids, but usually really crowded. This year we went to the Guadalupe River location. We hung out in the river, played on the water slides, laser tag, jumpy pillow and playgrounds. The kids also got together with a whole group of kids from nearby RVs sites and made an epic hopscotch that went clear down the street. 

Lia's friend Reece's family was able to join which was a fun change of pace

I thought this photo was hilarious. At first glance, you think... "Oh what a cute photo of Finley!" But look again....Can you spot them all? All 7 kiddos are in this photo lol

Beginning phases of the hopscotch. All the kids got to add their own series

Miles in the front running after Todd Todd

Always a sign of a good time

Palmetto State Park

We were back in our element for this one. Basically hanging out among the trees. The weather was crisp but sunny. Gorgeous. This, by far, has been one of my favorite places we've camped.

Todd and Carson

Caught a little turtle

Scooter Train

This little squirrel was taunting Birdie. Poor Birdie.... But, as soon as Birdie went with Todd on a walk, it came down to munch on left over snacks. It hung out in the tree above where Becky, Beth and I were sitting offering us some fun entertainment. Tip: Squirrels like marshmallows

The guys took a trip with the kids out to the Shiner brewery to check things out

Meanwhile...
What we see: Us ladies scoping out the letterboxes and Geocache locations to see if we find them so we can take the kids.
What other people see:  Random women traipsing through the woods, digging around in the grass/brush with sticks.
What we're doing? Doing the things everyone says NOT to do while on nature hikes. See an empty log? Stay away - could be snakes. Nope! Flip it over! Great hiding spot for a letterbox. The total mental change is hilarious

Miles in charge of finding the next Geocache. He's following the map!

This place was so crazy. In the camping grounds, it's beautiful and shady. Covered with tons of trees. You walk down their hiking paths for a bit and enter an entirely different wilderness with all the palmetto plants. It's like you've entered into Jurassic Park where the dinosaurs roamed. Insane.

Miles found it! Score!

Carson's first Geocache find

Checkin out the loot

The coolest Geocache we found! They gave clues which led to this stump. There was nothing anywhere. Nowhere on the ground, under rocks, under leaves, on the tree. We couldn't find it. But then Becky saw this little latch.

No way! Such a cool hiding spot

This outdoor movie setup was epic

Adorable :)