September 2016

September was a fun month with beautiful, hot weather most of the month so we were able to enjoy a lot of outside time this month!

The first day of the month was the Grand Event at Dawson's school where they celebrate grandparents and anyone grand in the students' lives.  We started with the Dawson showing us a few things in his classroom-his seat, his iPad, etc.  He loves to show off what he does at school.  This year Grandad, Nana, Lolly, Carter, Nora Kate, Clayton, and I all got to attend!  After seeing his classroom we all get to eat lunch with him in the cafeteria.  He loves having so many people come eat with him! (It was the day of Tennessee's first home game (it was an odd game-Thursday evening?!), so we were all decked out in our orange.

That evening John and Pop attended the Tennessee game.  Dad had gotten some great seats for the first game of the season, and he took John with him to the game.  Here are a few pictures they took at the game.

They were SO close!

No month is complete without at least one visit to Dollywood...

Now Nora Kate is big enough to ride the sky rider too...she has no fear when it comes to rides!  That's my girl!!!

She does look little though as the ride is taking them up and dropping them!

Carter was SO THRILLED to finally be tall enough to ride the bumper cars...this was a big, big deal!!!!  Now he tells NK, "one day you'll be big enough like me, Nora Kate!"

My big boys are in the green car at the front of the kid coaster and John and Nora Kate are in the yellow car.  They all love this kid coaster! It is pretty fun.

Clayton's always such a happy camper at Dollywood...and everywhere really.

Dollywood selfie with the brown eyed family members.

After we left Dollywood we did a little shopping in Pigeon Forge...Nora Kate could spend HOURS in Claires!

She got this whistle at Dollywood.  I said, "Nora Kate, don't blow that whistle because it will scare Clayton and make him cry."  She disobeyed and blew the whistle a foot away from her baby brother....he laughed!  I guess it takes more than that to scare the 4th born child.

September also meant time to start making baby food for Clayton.  I have made 100% of the baby food for Dawson, Carter, and Nora Kate, and I have intentions of doing the same for Clayton.  These are sweet potatoes and yellow squash to start out.

He's big enough for his walker now too!

Why is he growing up so fast?!

But look at the joy on that face his first time in his walker.

I just loved this picture Carter drew for me of "happy birds, a sun, and lots of flowers in pots with Carter letters on them."

We went to Gym Bugs a couple of times this month.  Always a fun time....Carter was excited to hold Clayton on his lap for a minute at Gym Bugs.

Even though Nora Kate turned 3 last month in August, her check up was in September.  She is so funny about going to the doctor...she loves it!  Sometimes she will beg to go to the doctor when nothing is wrong...seriously I don't get it!  But she was so excited, she picked out "a fancy dress" to wear and was bouncing around all morning with excitement...you would have thought we were going somewhere fun.  Here she is holding up 3 fingers for her "3 year check up."

This month for some reason, Carter started telling me he didn't want to go to school sometimes.  (He only goes 2 days 3 hours each day, so it's not that long...so I made him keep going.)  I tried to do a few things to make him want to go.  This particular morning we were running early, I got him laughing taking "silly selfies" which he loves making funny faces...I felt better getting to see him smile before school.  Love this sweet boy!  I hope he will get happier about school soon.

Grandparents day was this month.  We made these fall scenes on burlap covered canvases to give the grandparents.  Dawson's handprint was the farmer, Carter's was the pumpkin, Nora Kate's was the owl, and Clayton's made the acorn. 

As with tradition, John and Grandad take the kids to the fair every September.  We made a rule a long time ago that you have to be 3 to go.  Nora Kate talked for months leading up to it that she was going to get to go this year!  She did great and had lots of fun...actually they all three did.  It was hot, but they did lots of rides, cotton candy and other fair foods, seeing animals...etc! They had lots to tell me and Clayton when they got home. 

Carter got to being his first sport this month, SOCCER!

He was so excited!  This picture was when he was getting ready for practice...

Can you tell he's excited..caught him mid-jump!

Of course, I had to label a few things for him.

We always love eating lunch at Dawson's school. He gets to pick a friend and sit with his friend and his guest(s).  This time he picked Alexa...love these sweet friends!

One morning outside having breakfast on the patio we happened to see a hummingbird which was odd because we don't have a feeder.  The kids thought it was so, so neat! So their Lolly gave them a hummingbird feeder, and we have seen SO MANY hummingbirds! It's amazing!

One Saturday Lolly and I took the kids to a festival in Friendsville.  There were games, inflatables, and these barrel cars...they loved it all!

While we were at the festival John got to go to another football game...this time with his dad and he sat in the skybox.  Such a neat view from the skybox.

This just made me laugh.  We were playing in the water on the driveway and Dawson put on his lifejacket...in 1ft deep water! Hah!

Clayton continues to be our sweet, happy baby.  So easy going and ALWAYS smiling!

Lots and lots of soccer this month.  Carter is AWESOME at soccer.  I know I'm bragging on my own child, but I have been so amazed at how quickly he's picked it up.  He understands defense, the concept of the game, isn't afraid to get in there and get the ball...so proud of this boy!  And most importantly, he's enjoying it!

Another trip to Gym Bugs.  This guy was stretching on a little mat and looking at all the décor on the ceiling!

While Carter and Nora Kate jumped!

Early, early one Saturday morning John went fishing with one of his co-workers on his boat and took Dawson and Carter! They still talk about Mr. Nick's boat and what fun it was! These boys love fishing.

We enjoyed making s'mores at the firepit out back this month too.

The boys insisted on making me a s'more, and who am I to tell them no?! (haha!)  When they gave this one to me, Clayton was smiling and smiling like he thought he was getting some...sorry, Mr. Baby...you're too little!

Carter talking to one of his soccer buddies on the side of the field.