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 Yes, that is snot.

Halloween 2013

 For years I have tried to get the kids to let me follow a theme for Halloween.  Finn never wanted to go along with the idea.  He was too interested in being a ninja, Jedi or some sort of warrior sort.  The girls always wanted to be princesses...ALWAYS.  I found the perfect combination!  

Renaissance Princesses and their brave Knights!

 I couldn't find much of a knight costume for Keegan's size so I improvised.  I found some disco-ish material at JoAnns and made a sort of vest.  The most important part was, of course, the SWORDS!  Keegan's was bent 20 seconds after I gave it to him.

9 years old!!

Finnegan beginagain is nine!! Finn...where do I start?  He loves to read, Superfudge is his book of choice but he brings home a new non-fiction book every week too. He loves learning FACTS. 

He loves Lego's, Nerf guns, all things Star Wars, green shirts and the color red. He asked for grilled cheese as his birthday dinner and can usually eat Eric under the table. 

He participates in the school book club and is interested in being on the Student Council. His teachers have a hard time convincing him to keep quiet in class, he is quite the chatty kid. 

He and I have an almost daily battle when it comes to piano. His teacher tells me again and again that he has such natural talent but boy is he STUBBORN! One day he loves learning new things and the next he is discouraged and wants to quit. I think that it really comes down to what comes easy and what he has to work for. I'm trying to help him stick with things and not give up so easily. To embrace a challenge!

Finn is extremely helpful when it comes to Keegan and Brody. The girls tend to bug him. ;0) He does tend to get distracted super easily like any 9 year old boy. It sometimes takes him 10 min to brush his teeth!

Finn is still sweet and sensitive and I hope he never looses those qualities. He shows me he loves me each time he smiles and his eyes twinkle!

Brody @ 17 months

This guy just keeps on growing!  His latest trick is "creeping" along the couch to get to the cars Keegan lines up. He has really begun babbling and was sitting with me on the couch "reading" this book to himself. 

On the scale yesterday he weighed a whopping 22.8 lbs. even though he is still a little behind developmentally, he is learning new things every single day. 

Brody is seeing the physical therapist once a week as well as a speech/cognitive therapist twice a month. I think I've been pretty lucky as a mom to have my last baby stay "little". It won't be long before he is walking and talking non-stop. 

Brody has strange sleeping habits. Mostly, he sleeps awesome but every so often he will wake up in the night inconsolable. Eric and I don't appreciate giving up our beauty rest! 

Somehow I've got to break him of the paci! The only one of my kids with that crutch!  I know that it hasn't helped the whole speech thing. 

It is so fun to see him be so proud of himself when he masters something new. Brody also has the sense of humor that all my kids have been blessed with. He loves music and peek a boo games. 

My miracle baby brings light into my life every time I see his smile!

Brody decides to crawl!

At 14 1/2 months, Brody finally decided it was time to get a move on!  One day it was four little crawls and then the next he was moving from room to room!  He has wasted no time getting into things and making messes. He has really gotten good at stealing the other kids toys if they look away for even just one second...

Brothers

Keegan and Brody are two peas in a pod these days. Brody, being the younger brother, naturally follows Keegan around trying to do what he is doing. Keegan is awesome at making Brody laugh and aside from the daily scuffle over who's matchbox cars are who's, they get along great!

Hunting season 2013

So far, hunting season has been a success for Eric. He has shot 3 deer in 4 weeks. This one was his trophy and he is actually going to have it mounted. Until he has a suitable room of his own, it will decorate the walls of his man-cave aka the basement. 

He had this buck taken to be processed and we will fill our deep freeze with venison. A few weekends ago, he made an awesome tenderloin for dinner club. I was skeptical at first but after tasting it, I changed my view of venison. He cooked it perfectly and it was tender and flavorful. 

After 2 years hunting with no deer, he has mastered the Bow and is bringing home the MEAT!  ;0)

The first deer he shot, he processed himself. As he strung it up from a tree, the kids pulled up their lawn chairs to enjoy a front row seat. Hilarious. Eric can't wait to follow tradition and teach his kids to hunt. 

Miss Neelah

Miss Neelah had a little cuddly time last night before bed. We have started a new system for rewards for good behavior. Once you fill up your punch card with 12 punches, you get to choose from a list of rewards. Neelah chose to stay up 15 min later than normal bedtime and cuddle with me on the couch. 

This girl is so thoughtful, tender and sweet!  I worry that she worries about doing things to make me happy. She is thoughtful when I am stressed and knows what to do to help me. She is quick to help with the other kids as well and for the most part is a peace maker in our family. Love her to death!