falling behind

so, i've been terrible at blogging. not because we haven't been doing anything fun, but because i've been having a hard time finding the time to sit down and JUST DO IT. it's not that i have a jam packed schedule or anything, i just feel like i don't have a lot of time to myself, and when i do find the time i'm trying to do something super productive around the house while the kids aren't under my feet, run, or take a nap. the blog has definitely been neglected, which is pretty sad because i don't keep a journal or anything, so this is my family record so to speak. so, i'm gonna try and play catch-up here and give a glimpse of the fun/noteworthy things we've been up to this fall, before it turns to winter and i'm one more season behind.

toward the end of the summer lauren started really climbing!

we went on our annual camping trip to washington park in anacortes. this year we brought along the yorks. we had a blast. we played at the beach. played at the park. cooked over a fire. made yummy s'mores. the kids watched a movie out of the back of our car. we enjoyed a beautiful sunset. we had adventures in the forest. and we even had some very friendly visitors.

we took the girls to larabee state park early one saturday morning at low tide so we could check out the starfish. brooklin thought they were pretty cool but wouldn't touch them. both girls enjoyed climbing on the rocks.

this year we decided to visit stoney ridge farm and check out the pumpkin patch.  while there, we also fed chickens, went for a "hayride" and devoured some really tasty cider donuts.

the girls being rewarded for being so brave when they got their flu vaccinations.  brooklin is so nice to share with her sister!

i totally chopped my hair!  i was tired of it and ready for a change.  yes, i miss it, but it's hair.  it'll grow back, and i'll probably get sick of it again.

our annual pumpkin carving party.  ellie and lo were so cute playing together on the floor.  everyone's pumpkins turned out great and we enjoyed some excellent food! 

this year for halloween the girls and i dressed up as kitties and i made scotty be a mouse.  i thought it was quite fitting.  before heading to the trunk-or-treat at the church we had dinner at billy mchales with the yorks, and the kids ate free because they were dressed in their costumes.  i wish i had got a picture of jackson and ryan in their adorable costumes.  hopefully shanna will post them (hint hint).  after the trunk-or-treat we took brooklin for real trick-or-treating in our neighborhood.  she had a blast!  and to end the night grandma and grandpa had krispy kremes and cider waiting for us.

scott and i celebrated our 7th anniversary this november.  wow!  can't believe it's already been 7 years.  we went to the temple and then stayed the night in a hotel while scott's mom and step dad watched the girls.  we had a great time and we look forward to many many more years together!  i had to get some pictures of the fall leaves because they were breathtaking.  just like the day we got married.

i had another birthday.  blah blah blah.  yes, i'm to the point already where i'd rather not talk about getting older.  but my wonderful husband made me feel special by celebrating my birth all weekend long.  we went out to dinner friday night and he had my name put on the birthday train at billy mchales.  saturday night we had our close friends over for some cake.  and then sunday, my actual birthday, we celebrated with my family.  one year older (definitely) and wiser too (maybe).

 

scott and i got a new memory foam mattress so we sent our old pillow top out with a bang.  the girls and i jumped around on it for quite some time.

this year we went to doug's restaurant for thanksgiving.  it felt really odd to not be up in the morning helping to prepare the usual thanksgiving day feast.  but it was nice and relaxing.  we had a wonderful turkey dinner and it was great to be able to enjoy it with doug.  brooklin was a huge fan of the gravy.  she ate that for dessert instead of pumpkin pie or chocolate mousse.  she's so silly sometimes.

lauren also learned how to walk this fall, right before turning 11 months old.  so, scotty's prediction was right, she was walking at 10 months.  she still prefers to crawl because for right now it's faster, but i'm sure soon enough she'll be walking all the time.

 well, that about wraps up what we've been up to this fall.  ahhh... it feels so good to finally have it all recorded, even if it was the shortened version.  it's done!  now i can start blogging what we've been up to this month, and hopefully i won't get so far behind again.  once a procrastinator always a procrastinator?