Alice is 9 months!

This happy little one is nine months old today! She's been crawling for the last month; which means nothing is safe anymore. She has found her way all around the house. My sweeping and vacuuming efforts have doubled thanks to her desire to put everything in her mouth. She's also started to stand up more in the last few weeks. We haven't found a food that Alice hates yet, she's also eating more table food with us, and tried a sippy cup for the first time today. However she's not nursing as well as she used to. She likes to say baba, dada, and mama. She will give smiles to family, but she gets a cute skeptical face when someone new is about and wants a smile. She still gives her best laughs for Peter. Peter and Kendal love her so much. They're still learning that some play is to much, and seem to think she needs to be hauled around everywhere, but she doesn't mind most of the time, and thinks they're a hoot. I wish I could say she's sleeping through the night consistently, but we've only had a handful of good night's lately.
Things I want to remember about Alice at nine months. - her sweet chunky cheeks and legs - her general curiosity to explore - her sweet girly babble - the way she claps for joy -  her face when it lights up for family (especially me ; )
We love you sweetheart!
At nine months Alice is 19 lb 10 oz and 29 in. long!

Beginning of October

 We had a good conference weekend. Sunday we decided the kids could earn their Halloween costume light sabers by listening to conference and keeping track of what they heard. So every time they heard specific words or topics they put coins in a jar. I have to say this is the most they've ever paid attention to conference! Such wonderful inspiration, I can't wait to go back and glean more from the messages.

I love these next shots of the kids. I dubbed it "My kids devouring their books" (literally and figuratively). Kendal has been doing so well reading, and is on track to crush her AR goal. Peter is doing well learning site words and has been able to read some easy stories. He also loves to pour over the library books and books in his room. He takes his time taking in each picture and has started to read the easy words and sound out words on the pages. Alice likes to eat books, and flap them about. She doesn't sit still as much to be read to anymore so we read while she roams or plays nearby.  

We had a couple of days off for fall break. We went down to Logan for a few days. Casey worked with my dad on Friday and enjoyed an Aggie football game on Saturday. The rest of us got to enjoy family time and cousin time. We were able to visit Nana Friday. Alice was all over discovering things. Friday night the kids had a movie night watching Charlie Brown. Saturday morning the kids got to go with Casey and Grandpa to the shop to ride the four wheeler and then to Home depot for the kids build activity. Grandpa spoiled them and filled their new tool boxes with awesome tools. They've loved playing with them and Peter is set on building something asap!

The kids' light sabers arrived this past week and the kids have been so excited. I'm putting together a Rey, Yoda, and baby BB8 costumes. (The kids took the box the toys came in and went on an "adventure"!) Halloween can't come soon enough for Kendal and Pete, but I need all the time I can get to pull off their costumes.

 Peter completed his soccer season this past week. While his team may have not been the most focused they had fun. Peter loved playing soccer. There were definitely moments of games where he wasn't into it, but overall he was out there, getting in the thick of things, playing around with teammates, and enjoying the game. He scored a few goals this season and when he was in the mood played a great game of soccer.

Yesterday we got to go out to Raft River for the afternoon. The kids got to ride in the beet truck with grandpa for a while. They played with cousins back at Grandma's and picked out pumpkins to take home!