Life at full-speed

I felt like October was a whirlwind.  We've gotten to a point in our family where we have a lot of kids involved in a lot of things and they are constantly going a million directions and everyone has to come everywhere.  So we are in constant motion, running full speed through life.  But it's a happy, full, productive and exciting life.  I wouldn't trade the noise and chaos and (sometimes) insanity for anything.  And I know it's only going to get crazier and crazier, so I'm trying really hard to develop good habits and routines now so that when things get even more crazy we are ready. 

In October:

Jaxon got invited to a laser tag birthday party and Jaxon's friend let Colton participate.  Colton was thrilled!

I was asked/recruited/nominated to head up a project for the PTA making 50 super hero capes for the teachers at the school for the upcoming fundraiser.  

Colton almost dies eating his dinner almost every night.  This is a constant battle at our house.  But if I didn't see the results with Madison and Jaxon it would be a lot harder.  I feel like ages 3-6 are the worst.   Then around 6 they finally at least learn the "choke it down with water" technique.  Madison is now at the point where she eats pretty much anything and likes most of it.  But it's been a looong, hard road.  Colton is obviously still stuck in the "green things may kill me" stage.  

I got to eat lunch with the kids about every other week.  They get to alternate.  Colton loves coming with me.  He's been so silly lately in pictures though.  He definitely knows how to be funny. 

He loves his brother though!

And I love these boys!

Part of running through life full speed is that sometimes things just don't quite mesh.  One day I could only find one of Hudson's TOMS and his other sneaker was broken, so he ended up like this at football practice.  I did, however, feel blessed that at least we had one shoe for each foot and that I didn't end up with two right shoes.

I got to sneak away to the temple one morning.  I try really hard to follow the "rocks and sand" idea.  You know, where you put the rocks (or big priorities) in first and then the sand (little, less significant things) fit in around them.  The temple is definitely a rock and I try to get that on the calendar first, cause I promise it won't happen if I don't.

Have I mentioned how much Madison LOVES cheerleading?  I'm sure I have.  But it's true.  She loves it.  And I love watching her.  I've never seen her face light up so bright as it does when she cheers.  One night her squad got to go and cheer at a middle school football game.  Madison was in heaven.  Her middle school buddy's name was also Madison.  

We did our annual "BOO" for the neighbors.  This year we made little ghosts

and these yummy things. 

Colton thought running up and ringing people's doorbells in the dark was the coolest thing ever. 

And then we get into our sick spell.  October was kind of lame in the health category.  It started with everyone getting the stomach flu in San Antonio.   Then we came home and Hudson was a cranky little guy for the next 3 days.  Teething, I think. 

Then Hudson spent a ridiculous amount of time with me at the pediatrician.  First, Jaxon got bronchitis. 

Then Madison got strep. 

Then I got a sinus infection (which let's remember I had already had the stomach flu twice and another cold within the last 4 weeks). 

Then Hudson got bronchitis and I almost lost my mind.  I'm fine dealing with sick kids, but when they all get sick one after another after another and I'm sick too I just feel a little nuts.  Plus, 10-month-olds do not like breathing treatments.  At. All.   I will say, I was encouraged by one thing, Colton was the only kid who did not go on antibiotics, which is pretty much unheard of for that germ magnet.  So, that made me happy. 

Okay, enough with the germs, moving on.   Madison and Jaxon had their piano Halloween performance.  Madison was Hermoine Granger this year.  I tried to get her to be Wylde Style from the Lego movie to match the boys, but she didn't want to.   She's really into Harry Potter right now. 

The same weekend Colton had soccer snacks, which he was so excited about.  

And Madison had cheer snacks.  She also had "homecoming" and got to wear her mum.  This is a weird Texas thing that I am used to now, but I have never heard of it before.  All the boys give their dates these gigantic mums that they wear to school and to the homecoming game.  The girls make the boys garters, which are just smaller mums.  

Chris and I revived our Incredibles costumes for a fun Halloween party.  

Colton is kind of hit or miss with his naps, which is fine.  I don't feel the need to give him a nap every day.  It's kind of a catch 22.  It's good for him to have a nap, but then he keeps Jaxon up late because he's chatting with him instead of sleeping.  One day Colton evidently needed a nap though, as he fell asleep at the wheel at Kroger.

Sometimes, even though life is crazy, we get a chance to just play.  My favorite thing to do with my kids is play with them outside.  I tend to focus better when I don't have the messy house staring me in the face and the kids love being outside, so they tend to be happier.  Plus, they make a lot less messes outside.  If we could be outside playing every day we would all be happy!

Colton finally, FINALLY started speech therapy.  He has some speech issues.  I can't remember if I've covered them yet, but basically he has had numerous ear infections which most definitely made it so that he couldn't hear well during small parts of his life,  we had his throat scoped and his soft pallet doesn't close correctly sometimes, his adenoids were massive and causing issues with him being able to move his soft pallet correctly, and he has somehow started a bad habit of letting air escape when he says words with "sl-, st-, sm-, fl-" and a few others.  On top of all of that he drops syllables out of his words.  Anyway, long story short, he's hard to understand.  Last May I turned in paperwork to have him evaluated and after numerous appointments we finally got him started at the end of October.  Sheesh.  He's loved it, though!  

I let Hudson loose at the trampoline park and he loved it.  I was afraid the big kids would bounce him around too much, but he seriously loved having them bounce him all over the place.  

This is what 50 super hero capes look like.  I had two other ladies help with the sewing and painting, thankfully.  I think they turned out great!

One night at soccer practice we were arguing over who left the biggest mess at home to rush out the door.  We all took pictures to share.  I'm pretty sure I won.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but every night at 5:30 my house looks like this.  It's clean at 3, but somehow in the next 2.5 hours with friends, dinner, homework, piano practice, and overall craziness I just can never manage to get it all clean before we head out to practice.  So I come home to this every night and I can't even get started on dealing with it until the kids are in bed at 8:30.  

Every once in a while I take Hudson running by himself, without Colton.  It's awesome for two reasons 1) Hudson is obviously a lot lighter on his own.  2) Hudson doesn't talk to me.  Colton always tries to have deep conversations with me the whole run and it's super hard to push a heavy stroller and talk for 3 miles. 

One night we picked up pizza for dinner because Chris and I had a date night planned.  I had a gift card, so I sent the kids in to pick up the pizza alone.  They thought they were pretty cool stuff.  

Jaxon's football team got first in his division.  I will be honest, Jaxon had a very small part in this accomplishment.  He isn't exactly the most amazing football player.  But he loves it and I'm proud of him for trying!

Our maroon family.  So much maroon.  Or I guess Semionles call it garnet. 

Colton got his soccer trophy.  It made his life complete.  He was so thrilled to get a trophy!

Finally, we have preschool career day.  We borrowed a fireman costume from a friend.  Colton was in heaven.  It had a hose and a hat and he wore his batman boots.  Being 4 is awesome!