Everyone Lovin on Caroline

Caroline, poor girl, was sick off and on the ENTIRE month. That nasty cold with green snotty congestion and crazy disgusting sneezes. She had a rough time, but made the best of it. Thankfully, there were plenty of willing hands to hold her or try to make her smile. And succeed they did! Check out these grins! (What the picture can't reveal is the delightful, squealing 'screaming' that always accompanied her play time in the evenings! She gets really excited and worked up! So funny!)

It was really special to be able to capture some Caroline and Uncle Bryce moments. We managed to time it just right and be in Twin Falls for his last Sunday before leaving on a mission to Iowa. He really has grown into a wonderful young man and we know he'll be an amazing missionary. I suppose, in fact, that he already is! He's been in the field for a couple weeks now... Too bad Caroline was having one of her "I'm-not-feeling-well-and-don't-expect-me-to-smile-when-I'm-miserable" moments.

Special moments with Uncle Collin, Aunt Rachelle, and Aunt Elise

can you tell she doesn't feel well?

She officially entered the 'grabby' stage this month. Glasses, hair, lips, clothing...beware. This girl has a vice grip! (funny story bout that: Gwen has learned when sitting next to Caroline in the double stroller to lean to the outside---otherwise Caroline always finds her hair and PULLS!!!)

Watch out Grandpa, Gotcha!

Her development this month? Well she hit and surpassed the 5 month milestone, has made her first real attempts at solids (and depending on her mood likes her rice cereal), is rolling from front to back and back to front freely, finally successfully sleeps on her back, and has a hilarious 'courtesy' laugh when you tickle her-- sometimes it sounds like an old man

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig.

We're HOME!!!!(I'll spare you the details about how we came home at 3:30 am to literally hundreds of dead fruit flies in our fridge and I subsequently had to empty the whole thing...just in CASE their excuse for being there was that we'd lost power to the unit somewhere along the way...one doesn't take chances with mayo)

Well, I am sooo excited to share a TON of photos with you guys from our past month! I'll drizzle them out over the next couple of days. As I have time. I'm on a declutter-cleaning-organizing spree which demands attention until completion. I can't exactly just leave a project unfinished. It is messy. So I'm taking it room by room and piling everything in the living room for giving away. I'm THRILLED that so many things have found good homes already! It makes the 'separation anxiety' a ton easier.

But what I know you REALLY want to hear about is how these girls are doing:

This one is 5 1/2 months now, can you believe it?

And this one is looking forward to her 3rd birthday in a little more than a month.

Both have really grown up this trip, so stay tuned for all the evidence!

I'm a Big Girl Now--my first Storybird book

In case any of you were curious, it was Storybird.com This illustration is by Pascal Campion.

you'll have to check it out! Here's my one and only story: http://storybird.com/books/im-a-big-girl-now-daddy/

Please read this and comment if you can help...

Folks, a couple of years ago, one of YOU posted something on your blog about a website that stocked TONS of illustrations from unpublished artists. You could browse their work and pair individual images with text to create a one of a kind children's book. I remember visiting the site and loving the quality of art (not just cheesy stock art)-- there were some AMAZING paintings. I especially loved one artist who had lots of images of family relationships. One of a child walking with dad in a brilliant fall forest. Can ANYONE help me out? What is this site?