TEXAS!!!!!

The first of October we went to TEXAS!!! A few weeks before we went to Chicago and dropped Jace off. He got a ride down to Texas from there with a family friend. And no Chicago doesn't get it's own post. In fact, pretty sure Chicago is number 1 on the list of places we wont go again. It's a pretty short list!
Texas- We were going to Texas because..... ANDREW CAME HOME!!!!!! My little brother Andrew served a 2 year mission for our church in North Carolina! We are so proud of him, and way excited to have him home again.
This time when we went down, we were only there for a week. It was NOT long enough! Not even close. It was hard to leave. Ryan and I love both our families so much and it's hard to not be close. We got to Texas on Friday night. We spent the weekend with the Dalton's, and of coarse had a BLAST! Ryan even got to meet a friend from high school that happen to move onto his sisters block. Unfortunately I didn't get ANY pictures of the cousins playing together! I did get one of Logan "helping" Grandma clean the floors.



I just have to say, I have the best in-laws in the world! They are so great. We always try to spend equal time with both sides and they never complain. We are usually very good at this, I think we keep it even. But this trip with all that was going on on my side, we spent more time there. And there was not ONE complaint or comment. They are wonderful! I wanted to spend more time with them, but it was wonderful to know they weren't going to be upset if it was a little lopsided this time. This is just ONE of the many things I love about the Dalton's. Seriously they are the BEST and I'm so glad to be apart of their family!
Saturday there was a carnival at my little sisters Elementary school(yes my sisters are that young!) We went and everyone had a great time. Afterward the kids NEEDED a bath! And my sisters and their friend (who's part of the family anyway!) got to give them one. This seems to be a reoccurring thing. They LOVE to all jump in Mom's huge tub and play in the water.



Logan didn't last long, but he LOVED running around naked after!



I think these were from the same day. My sister Julia has a little boy named Cooper. He is 5 months older than Logan and they are SOOOO cute together!!! Seriously! I love it. They look so much alike too. Poor Coop though, he doesn't have older sisters like Log. Log totally tackled him. It was hilarious! Anyway here's some cute pictures of these two, and Kurtis, Jessica, and Tiara.











On Sunday Jace turned 19!! So we went over and had a birthday party for him! Shawn (Ryan's little brother) was there too. He and Jace are best buds.







And Shawn threw a piece of cake on Jace. It was pretty funny!





WEDNESDAY!!! The big day. We were ALL so excited! Kurtis, Jess, and Tiara all got to get out of school at 9 and then we went up to the airport to wait for Andrew's plane. I should have gotten a picture of us. I'm sure we were a sight to see! Here's the run down of everyone there: Mom, Dad, Ryan, Me, Kaitlyn, Emily, Logan, Julia, Cody, Cooper, Jace, Shawn, Kurtis, Jessica, Tiara, and all of our posters and excitement!! Everyone kept teasing each other and jumping up and pointing when he wasn't there. So when he finally came we almost missed him! He looks so grownup now! No more baby Andrew. Crazy! Here's him leaving the airport.



I got to ride in the van with Mom, Dad, Andrew, and all the sisters!



We went out for lunch




and pretty much didn't stop partying until we left! Those 3 days are the only 3 days we will all be together for 4 years! 2 for Andrews mission and 2 more for Jace's. By the time we go back down for Christmas, Jace will be gone on his mission. We had so much fun!!! I am so proud of my brothers. They are setting such a good example for my kids. AND we got some great news while we were there. Shawn is going to serve a mission too!!! We are so proud of you three!

Apple Orchard

This was our second year going to the orchard. Last year, did not go so well. This year was great! We had a lot of fun, and the kids behaved. Kaitlyn and Emily really got the sunflower maze this year and had fun running through the maze.

We tried to get all the kids to take a picture. Em and Log flat out refused and the rest weren't too enthusiastic.



Kaitlyn with her friends Reagan and Jake




Here's the cute little swing that they took a picture on last year. This time Log was big enough to join in!




There was a cute apple tree you could take a picture with Em and Logan did this instead:




And here's Kaitlyn. There were a lot of kids, and they don't hold still, so you get what you get!





After that we went to the orchard and they showed us the apple trees and taught us a little about them. The kids favorite part was eating the apples! They loved that, especially Logan.

Projects around the house

A few months ago I got this painting at a garage sale for 50 cents! I liked the frame and had a few ideas for it.



I ended up making a bow holder. It makes it so much easier to find a cute bow to put in the girls hair!





Ryan HATED the wallpaper in the dinning room, so he took it down. On one of the walls there were 5 layers of wallpaper! It was pretty interesting to see all the different layers. Here's a picture of Logan helping Daddy take the wallpaper down, or mostly down.



I forgot to take a before of the room, but here's after the wallpaper was taken down






Jace mudded and sanded for us, and then Ryan textured the walls. For Labor Day the kids and I helped Ryan prime, and then Ryan and I painted the walls. It turned out pretty nicely! -I'll get an after up soon.