Around here lately: October 2020 edition

Claire is just the sweetest girl, and I love her so so so much.

I'm just living the time of my life- just reading and relaxing.

Looks like Mr. Bruce is up to something.

This is a festive lunch!

Praying after reading Colossians 1:15-17 (He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together) during family devotions
Thank you for holding everything together.

While watching How to Train Your Dragon for the first time
I am LOVING this!

That sounds she makes is so beautiful!
Hallie cooing

Brynna scrunched Lily's heart!

We're hosting Thanksgiving. It's a big job. My favorite part is the feast part.

This is kinda fun like camping.
Said during a power outage. We've never taken her *actual* camping.

Daddy, I thought you were going to make the caramel sauce because you make frozen yogurt and salsa.

Family hug! Charge!

Claire has lost several teeth over the past few months, and she has written the sweetest notes to the Tooth Fairy:

"You are nise Tooth Fairy"

You are nice, Tooth Fairy.

"Fairy: Was it to much to get under the pilo? tell me. Claire."

Fairy: Was it too much to get under the pillow? Tell me. Claire

"Fariy: is is it crazy you are here agen? Surprising Claire"

Fairy: Isn't it crazy you are here again? Surprising! Claire

"Thank you so much tooth fair. Can I pay you bake?"

Thank you so much, Tooth Fairy. Can I pay you back?

September 2020: a recap

 I'm going to be playing catch-up for a loooong time. Sorry about that. Four kids is a lot of kids. Hope you enjoy!

Much of September is a blur in my memory, so I'm thankful for phones that can take pictures easily and for family members who snap pictures when I'm not right there. What a time to be alive!

Obviously, we didn't have a baby in September, as we had her in August, instead. However, this still popped up on my phone, right on time:

I'm really grateful I didn't end up having to have a 12:30 Caesarean- you have to fast the whole time prior to your surgery!

Brad carried on with his studies. As you can see, he and his colleagues are just very very smart:

One of our friends from church (who is also in his track), posted this on Instagram, and I was SO tickled! Brad is the guy in the middle of the left column.

We had some new neighbors move in next door, and they have a cat. Who hung out on our back porch one afternoon, much to Lily's delight:

Watching the cat's every move

Brad and I needed to go to the bank, and he wore this into downtown Chapel Hill:

In case that means nothing to you, that's like wearing head-to-toe orange and blue into Tuscaloosa. He says he didn't realize it until I pointed it out. I'll let you decide if he should be believed.

My friend, Krista, sent the girls the most perfect shirts for our ever-expanding girl gang:

Who run the world?

GIRLS!

Our neighbor was making macarons for her son's wedding and whipped up a box for us, as well!

We celebrated my dad's and Amiee's birthdays while they were with us, and this was Lily, making sure the cake stayed right where it was supposed to:

Or maybe she was just planning her attack...

Here's what I did with much of my time:

I tried to make sure to do plenty of this, too (as well as with the other two):

Please note the ever-present heating pad for the post-op recovery process. #sofancy

And Amiee, as always, did a great job grabbing pictures of things that she'd knew I'd want:

Given that it's 2020 and everything is out of sorts, it was a great month.

Merry Christmas!

 

A very (belated) Merry Christmas from all of us to you!

Brynnie chats: September 2020 edition

Brynn is talking up a storm now and is just as funny and sassy as everyone else. Enjoy!

Applesauce!! Dahn- dahn-dahn!!
Said in a menacing tone

Watch Diapers!
What she decided to call the Pixar short, Piper

Mamamoni : Macaroni

My toot!
Owning up to her actions

'scuse me, Triangle!
To my legs, which were bent, forming an angle

Don't ty, Mommy. Don't ty.
Don't cry

I so cozy.

Need donuts.
Don't we all?

Text from Amiee:
Brynn just came and said "Hi girlfriend!" to Hallie 😂😂

Baby button : baby belly button

Brynn: Where the garuls?
Erin: The what?
Brynn: Garuls!
Erin: ??
Brynn: (exasperated) LILY! CLAIRE!!
Erin: Oh... The girls.

Don't fall down bump ya head.
To the doll she was attempting to balance

You hurting? What's wrong? 
She a sweet, concerned soul

Check this out!
I don't know where she gets this stuff...

Tomato head : Mr. Potato Head

Just eat the bee-do!
Just eat the burrito! (her injunction to me to distract me when I was asking her if she had pooped in her diaper)

It's 2 o'park! It's 11 eight!
Trying to tell time like the big girls

Toof hurting. Take it out?
Tooth hurting. Take it out? 
Her thoughts when Claire was having loose tooth drama

'Escuers Down Under...co-op?
This semester, because of our homeschool co-op's COVID precautions, we haven't been able to easily take Brynna on co-op days, and as a result, she's ended up getting to watch more movies than usual on Fridays. The Rescuers became a favorite choice.

Erin: Sit down, Brynnie, and rest your tummy.
Brynna: Let me dance!

LILY-ISMS: September 2020 edition

Guys, this girl keeps us in absolute stitches. She's a MESS!

Her nostrils are pushing down on me.
Putting fingers kinda up Hallie's nose...

Trumpkin jumped onto Hallie. Then I shooed her off by kicking my hand and keeping Hallie from being SMUSHED!

I like her holding my finger. That means we'll make friends.
When Hallie was holding finger

She's leaning me down.
Slumping over while holding Hallie

You gotta be brave in there, Claire! I be-ed brave every day in there!
When Claire wanted to crack the door during rest time and was told no

I can speak Kitty English, too. Aqua-nay, botty-bot.

You had some sneakers that sneaked away!
When she and Brynnie sneaked away

I am the chief trainer of dogs. And we will drag you over there tomorrow.
Referring to Lola and Cody (neighbor dogs) and going to their house

This babysitting is a crowd!
Referring to all the stuffed animals she had watching over Hallie

I CAN'T go to sleep! I'll have dragon dreams!!

The cars are having a lot of emotion.
Car stickers she was putting on Poppy's birthday card

Aren't her toes just adorable?
To Poppy about Hallie's feet

Poppy, you're the BEST monster! I wish you could live here all the time. 

Amiee: Lily, you're so funny.
Lily: and I have crazy hair... and I'm the best kisser!
Kissed Amiee's shoulder

Amiee: Whatcha doing, Lil?
Lily: Just looking at the beautiful rain.

Lily: The British are coming!
Amiee: What are the British going to do when they get here?
Lily: They're going to adore us!

God and Jesus are better than Trumpkin.
A true concession from Lily.

I'm glad you have a perfect baby that we can hold.
To me, about Hallie

Unhappy with Claire's bossing
No! You're not the government!

I miss Mater, our best car.
While watching Cars 3

Her cheeks are so cute! They're so plump!

WE MUST PROTECT THE CHEESE!
While playing pretend

Lily being a kitty...
I'm a good kitty to booties (small pause) with booboos.

Amiee: Lily, why are you in time out?
Lily: I just kept avragating.
Aggravating

I need to 'splain!
Explain

Here's my new baby pumpkin. I adore her.

My pumpkin only likes to eat garlic. It gives her blood vessels in her tummy.

Did the powers go off?
Electricity went out

Amiee: I like your tutu, Lily.
Lily: Because it's green and perfect?

While praying
I want to tell you about Mommy.

Asking how her co-op class went:
My teacher said, "Get back in your seat, Sweetie."

Lily: Nana, your kisses are in my heart. And you are in my heart, too. When you're gone, will you stay in my heart?
Nana: Of course! And you'll be in my heart.
Lily: Good! Because you are pretty old...

Why is this happening?
When she caught adults watching a movie without her after her bedtime

That was my dream ... to be a helper to my big sister Claire. That was my dream while I was in Mommy's tummy

Jesus is beside us when we do our sins and sit in time out.
Immediately followed by unrelated comment:
That's pinkish purple! My heart's beeping

I'm a clever girl.

Mommy, let's pretend that your headache is a migraine.
Wanting to go stay with Amiee in her room, rather than staying with me. She thought upgrading my headache to a migraine would get me to send her to a different room.

Hearing me say stop it:
Stop in the name of the law.

CLAIRE! LOOK AT HER SHOES!
Amiee's leopard shoes

It's the greatest supper a grandmother can make!
When my mom made breakfast for supper

I go where Bo goes. Because I like her.

Hey Bo, do you like my prize-winning car?

Your royal baby is coming!
Announcing Brynn, post-nap

My lunch is cancelled.
Because Brynn playing at Lily's lunch spot

My favorite guys are Jesus and God. Because they can do miracles.

Marker-phone : microphone

Where's Nana? The pretty girl?

I want to hold it in my sweet little arms!
Neighbors' cat on our back porch

Am I really reponsible to go to sleep?

She's a turtle because Myrtle goes with Turtle.
*puts hands on knees to be on the turtle's level on the couch* and said "Good girl." 

My eyes are about to break because I'm so sad.

I saw Brynnie tracks leading, leading upstairs to Mommy.

And, because she's our fifth child, here are some Trumpkin shots for your enjoyment:

What a gal.