Fire

A blazing car

plus lots of fireman

plus checking out the inside of a fire truck

plus dressing up like a fireman

including gloves

and hat

= one VERY happy boy!!

Uncle Jack!

Lacey and Tanner's uncle is a firefighter and they live just a few minutes away.  So Tanner, in particular, LOVES his Uncle Jack!  Once a year his fire house hosts an "open house" of sorts where they set fire to old cars, houses, etc and then let the kids watch as they put them out.  They also let you go inside their firetrucks, dress up, etc.  Right down Tanner's ally!  We were so sad when we realized that this year it fell during the weekend we would be in Chicago for Maret's wedding.  But, alas the weather was on our side.  Mother Nature intervened and poured rain here all weekend, so this even was rescheduled for this past weekend!  Yeah for us!

Trunk or Treat

Each year, our ward (church congregation) puts on a Trunk or Treat.  This year, we had a chili cook-off dinner that preceded the "Trunk" or treating where all the kids go out to the parking lot and trick or treat at each car trunk, most of which are decorated.  It's always a big hit with the kids!

This year, we brought Dorothy with us

and a Ninja

a flamingo..... 

(side note - I actually spent some big bucks this year on a super cute flamingo costume I ordered off Etsy at the end of September.  Sadly, it didn't arrive in time for the Trunk or Treat, so we had to go with Plan B!)

And the cutest ladybug I ever did see!

Three Quarters

I had to document that on her 9-month birthday, she is still loving that thumb.... and still waking up inside her little cradle.  I have NEVER kept any of my other kids in a cradle anywhere near this long. She just seems so content and cozy in it, that I just haven't been in a big rush.  But, I am starting to make the transition and my mother-in-law will be happy to know that I put her to bed tonight (9 months and 2 days) in her crib :)

My attempt at getting a picture with her next to the "9 Months" sign.  I gave up after multiple attempts of her immediately grabbing it, crumpling it and eating it :)

Oh, my little Ella Bella Boo.  You are the sweetest little thing ever.  You have long, wild crazy hair and big beautiful blue eyes.  In addition to your thumb, you love your bottle, applesauce (all sorts of flavors) and yogurt.  You love to sit up and play with toys and then you fall over and just roll around all over the place.  And you still love to be held.  But you're getting a lot more "squirmy."  You sleep so well at night (thank you!!) and take two naps every day.  You love it when we tickle your tummy and you laugh and laugh.  And whenever I come in to get you out of your crib, you look at me and a big smile comes over your face and you thrash your legs and arms in excitement at the anticipation of being picked up and held.  You love your mama, but you are more than willing to go to anyone who wants to hold you.  You LOVE to be held - you aren't overly picky about who is doing the holding.  And that has endeared you to many.  Happy 9 Months, baby girl!  

Addendum:  It is Monday the 28th, 3 days after her 9 month mark and I just got home from her wellness check.  She was 16# 13oz, which moved her up to the 25th%ile for weight, her biggest wt jump since she was born.  I stopped nursing a month ago and wasn't producing much for the couple months before that, so the doctor thought that was the main reason for the growth spurt.  Still sad I'm not nursing, but glad the girl is finally getting enough to eat :)  She is 27 1/4" tall (50th %ile) and head circumference was 45 cm.  And she got her flu shot.  I got mine a week or so ago and Lacey and Tanner get theirs tomorrow, so I'm crossing my fingers for a flu-free winter!

Pumpkins

So fun that the kids are at an age where they love to go to Pumpkin Patches and pick our their own pumpkins!

The pumpkin patch we went to had a section that was $20 "for all you can carry."  I'd say we (well, I suppose I should give the credit to Dave!) did quite well!

Speaking of giving credit..... I will take the credit for carving out this pumpkin (Tanner wanted to carve it the SECOND we got home!) But....

I have to give the credit back to Dave again for everything else in terms of creating our festively haunted porch :)

Discovery

Port Discovery is a great children's museum by the Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore.  Because I don't love driving into downtown Baltimore and because admission is $14/person ($70 for our family), we don't go there very often.  In fact, it has been three years.  I know this because I distinctly remember going RIGHT after Riley was born (I seriously think she was a week or two old) and, that little crazy girl turns 3 next week.  BUT.... PD was having a family night, sponsored by Target, for $2/person.  I couldn't pass it up.

Yes, only two of my kid-lets are pictured.  That is because Dave thought it would be a lot more fun for everyone involved if he stayed home with the younger two and I just took the older two.

You may notice that right about here is where my camera battery died and I had to use my cell phone camera, which has a totally crappy camera.  Sorry, dad.  I know you hate that word :)

One of the highlights of the evening was "Water Works" where the kids got to put themselves inside a bubble.

We actually all really enjoyed the Egyptian exhibit.  The kids are using these microscope type machines to see fossils inside the rocks. 

And they got to go inside a coffin with a mummy.  It took awhile to convince Lacey to do it, but Tanner did it like 3 times!

They also got to look inside mummies and see the skeletons

Going across the Nile River on a hand-pulled raft

Learning about hieroglyphics and making a cartouche.

Love and Marriage....... Chicago Style!

The Chicago Temple where, as of Saturday, October 12th, all 3 Mitchell girls have been married!

There are very few reasons I would pull my kids out of 4 days of school, pile them all in to a car at 6:00am and drive for 750 miles EACH WAY (that's over 24 hours of R/T driving folks, with 4 kids ranging in age of baby - 6!).  But my beautiful sister getting married is definitely one of them!  At the age of 34, she met her man, and we are all so happy for them!!

Riley and Lacey were flower girls

Anxiously awaiting the bride and groom 

Lacey drinking, what we all called, a "Walker Water" while waiting outside the temple.  The Bride and Groom provided bottled water for all the guests while waiting that were labeled with their names and wedding date.  

Ella's first wedding!

They better come out soon... Riley is done waiting! (and for the record, those are my shoes in the back ground - Maret's colors were silver, navy and purple, so I figured it was a good excuse to get some purple shoes!)

Yeah!  The happy couple emerges!

Mr. and Mrs. Walker!

The beautiful bride

Lacey, Tanner and Riley admiring the bride

So happy my cousin Brynne and her family were able to make it out!

Following the wedding, we all headed into the city and up to the 95th floor of the Hancock building for the reception.  Peter is an artist.  So, using the themes of Art and Chicago, we were each greeted with a famous piece of art work that hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago.  Each painting was different and they chose a painting that was unique to each person.  For example, mine was a painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir with fruit (I'm a dietitian).

Dave's was a painting by Manet of a Spanish bull ring (he served his mission in Spain), etc.  And under the name was a famous Chicago landmark that coordinated with a table.

Table Comiskey!  Aren't her center pieces gorgeous?!

They also had a table set up with pictures of them and also of their favorite chocolate and of taffy in their wedding colors.

We all enjoyed getting drinks from the bar and eating hors d'vours while we waited for the couple to arrive and dinner to begin.

And we all enjoyed the spectacular views of the city that you get from the 95th floor!

My niece Reagan and Peter's niece Camille became fast friends!

By far the fanciest meal my kids have ever been to!

Love this baby girl!

The "head" table

With Cousin Brynne

And one of the highlights of the wedding was when my cousin Wes (at the piano) and my cousin's husband Tim (beside Maret) surprised Maret by serenading her with a cheesy love song (a bit of an inside joke) and asking her to join in.  For your own entertainment, you can see it here....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2orCcFMOvwE&feature=youtu.be

I love this picture of Lacey and Tanner looking adoringly at the happy couple

Family pic with the beautiful Chicago skyline in the background.  Love this city!

And just wanted to document our personalized gift bags filled with "Walker waters", a Chicago postcard (each bag had a different scene of Chicago with a personalized message on the back), CD, Chicago brochure and yummy chocolate!

"All you need is love.  But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."  - Charles Schulz.  Truer words have never been spoken!

And to top it off, each guest was given a hand-signed sketch of Chicago that Peter drew.

What a fabulous weekend!  So, so happy for my beautiful "little" sister and Peter.  So good to see so many wonderful friends and family members.  All 4 of the Cardall siblings (my mom her siblings) were there.  Nine of the 16 cousins were there.  And my entire family was together for the very first time since long before the addition of Sophie (14 months) and Ella (8 months) were born.  Congratulations, Maret and Peter!  So glad we could be there to celebrate with you.  And in case you are wondering...... 1500 miles in a car with 4 very young children is not for the faint of heart!  But yes, it was worth it.  So, so worth it.  Love you, Boom!