New Little Nephew!

Dallin Steven Boone is the newest member of the Miner family!

He came at 33.5 weeks and has some NICU time to figure out breathing and eating, and it's killing me to have my sister far away healing from a c-section when I can't help her, but I sure love them and I'm grateful that they're all doing well and getting better each day. Having these boys close is going to be so much fun in life but the getting them both here feels a little crazy!

Our Halloween weekend was a good time! Our neighbor Teresa threw a party for the kiddos and they had a blast there, and then we went to our church Trunk or Treat that night and Camden quickly learned the magic of the words Trick or Treat. He also held the full size Reese's candy bar close to his heart all night, so I know he appreciates the finer things. Church the next morning was pretty smooth considering the pre-Halloween festivities, but I tried to leave Camden the first time in nursery and he lasted about 4 minutes. But hey that was enough time for me to pee, which happens OFTEN these days, so it was appreciated. 

That afternoon we had a fun mini potluck with neighbors on the next street before trick-or-treating together. The boys had a blast being Spiderman and a Vampire bat, and Camden refused to put on his warm monkey costume. He refuses all jackets and coats, actually, so it was a coooooold trick-or-treating experience for him. I somehow convinced him to turn back home with me while Michael kept up with the older kids and neighbor crowd. We watched Coco together earlier that day which felt like the perfect Sunday + Halloween movie. That ending makes me cry every time.

One week to baby!

Christmas wrapped, Westin's birthday wrapped, Michael's birthday wrapped...
We're keeping things simple this year and getting things done early!

The boys loved a pumpkin patch with a hay bale maze that we went to.

It was $5 a person and not too big,
so we went the cheap and easy route by just sending Westin and Bennett in haha.
They ran all over that maze for as long as we could let them and loved peeking out at us.

Then Camden could see he was being left out and he felt brave enough to join the fun.

Picking a little pumpkin for the littlest,
since Westin and Bennett grew their own in the garden this year.

I Spy Westin

Michael bringing in a mower load of leaves freaked me out a little...
but he made it to his balcony planters without a trail :)
Camden thought it was so funny.

We're almost through this Pre-K workbook with this cutie.

I have been falling back to childhood foods that I haven't eaten in years lately.
I don't know if that's pregnancy cravings or pregnancy copings :)
But here are scones and honey butter and Navajo tacos one night straight from what I remember eating with my grandma so many times.

My dad does the sweetest thing where he picks up a couple extra copies of the paper,
then sends us the crosswords so that we can do the same crossword at the same time like a game.
I think it's so cute of him and we love doing them.

Sweet Dallin! I can't wait to meet him.

Spiderman and the Vampire bat!

This was what I got when I said "strike a pose!"
and I was nervous Westin was going to full on hit those splits

Teresa's (Minnie Mouse) annual Halloween party.
She is the sweetest neighbor ever.

This picture cracks me up.
He uses this determination for both good and evil, let me tell you.
We're working on it haha

My Trunk or Treat trunk efforts were.... minimal this year.
Who are we kidding, they're minimal every year.
I don't understand Halloween.

Sometimes I do a full on double take at this baby belly and the new circumference we keep reaching.

Some clementine coloring for our neighborhood potluck while we watched Coco.

Camden and I came home from trick or treating early and shared Tootsie Rolls and kisses by the fire. He just learned to give kisses on cheeks and thinks it's so fun to do, so it was quite the cozy trade off from the freezing walk outside we snuck away from!

 

Until next year, pumpkin porch!

 

Fall in Full Force

The trees this week are so beautiful!

Last year we had a huge snow in September. I think that froze everything so fast that the colors just didn't do what they're doing this year. I drive around in awe that we get to just look at all these colors on everyday errands. Our walk to school is crisp and so pretty, the tree in front of our house is such a bright gold that it fills the boys room with this beautiful light, and all our drives around town feel as fun as going to look at Christmas lights. It's so pretty here!

We had our last soccer Saturday. Luckily the coach was a super fun guy who Bennett totally jived with, so that kid ran and ran and ran more than any game this season. I won't say he touched the ball much more than normal... he was still pretty unaware of that :) But his happy prancing and hard work at keeping up with the crowd was adorable to watch. Westin's good friend on the team was back and they scored lots of goals together and had fun winning their last game.

We had a Mummy Dinner this week that the boys loved, watched our nephew's football game broadcast, had a primary program practice at the church, and loved watching the boys say their parts and sing their songs on Sunday.

Mornings are getting a little rougher and the boys craziness is coming inside more as it gets colder which has me nervous for winter a bit... but we're doing ok :)

Two weeks to baby!

It's getting ridiculous.

Suddenly craved an old childhood favorite treat...
toaster strudels > pop tarts.

Finally organized all sizes of boys shoes in the house for the first time ever.

Clean dresser for about 20 seconds before...

Baby Central is back in our lives :)
Please note the vaseline and gauze...
this is our fourth circumcision, and the first time we won't be running to the store for those things after the miserable appointment. We've reached professional prep mode around here right in time to retire :)

Downstairs station too, because...
I'm not looking forward to a two-level newborn experience,
but it is what it is and we'll do just fine!

Mummy Dinner night! First up, mummy dogs.
If this looks like I'm an awesome fun mom even while pregnant,
think about how much easier it is to buy hot dogs and pillsbury crescent dough than actually make dinner.
Work smarter, not harder.

And then, mummy hand pies!
I did make the filling from apples from our tree,
but bought the puff pastry dough and I don't regret it.

Eyes make everything Halloween.

We got to catch our nephew's high school football game broadcast this weekend and it was so fun to watch him!

Getting some bulk orders sent out!
This makes my heart super happy.

This tree! Bright yellow.
Now it's a beautiful burnt golden color.
Michael looks at it with both an appreciation for how beautiful it is,
and a healthy fear for when those leaves all fall down.

Headed to a little girls night with Aimee and Diane to celebrate baby boy coming,
so sweet of them and so fun to go to dinner with them.
I sent this picture to Ali and said, "my face when I realized I think this is the last time I wear maternity jeans." Those have no business existing.

Medals at soccer! Bennett kept saying, "They're so nice to give us these! They are just so nice!"

So fun having these two cuties on the same team this year. Their ages and the team breakdowns hit a sweet spot but from now on they'll mostly be on different teams.

I wish this captured the yellow tree better,
and the way it makes the house feel.
I'm just obsessed with it right now.

Pumpkin harvest!
The boys were so proud of the two pumpkins they grew.
Camden is quite happy with the spontaneous gourds, too.