Catching Up - September

 So I am finally back in the swing of things (hopefully), so I am catching up from my 2 month lapse. In September Liliana came back from visiting home and stayed with us for a few weeks until school started again at BYU-Idaho. We helped her find some things to do like cleaning, babysitting, and making tortillas to earn money for school. The kids and I enjoyed having her back with us again!!

 We had a couple crazy days where we were making tortillas all day long. We made 14 dozen for one event alone!!

 And as one last summer fling before school started, we went to Bear World with the Potters and ended up being joined by our other friends, the Miles, once we arrived. All the kids had a blast!!

 Then my big guy started school! It is still hard for me to believe I have a kindergartner!! But it is true and he is loving it!!

 This is him on his first day of school. He went right in to his classroom, no fear or worries and got right to work coloring his rocket ship.

 This is Sam with his Spanish teacher, Mrs. Garrido. Sam is participating in the language immersion program at his school and all of us have been enjoying it!

 This was when we went to pick Sam up after the first day of school. This little girl misses her big brother ALOT while he is at kindergarten!!

 September also means canning - and lots of it!! We did the usual peaches, pears, applesauce, etc. But this year our new thing to try was making our own pickles. They have turned out quite yummy, too! I think it will be added to the list for future canning seasons!!

 I was asked to make my first wedding cake!! It was a little nerve-wracking to do my first, but I think this one was the perfect project because it was someone I don't see all the time and she wanted it very plain and simple. It was a challenge simply because I didn't have alot to go on. I talked with the bride over the phone and I had really nothing to go on, but overall I think it turned out nice and I was told by the bride's sister (which is how we got connected) that it was exactly what she had wanted (I REALLY hope this was true!)

 And it isn't September without the State Fair! This year we were joined by our friends, the Southwicks, who now live in Meridian, Idaho. These are our friends from the good old college days.

 We each have 3 kids and our kids are all around the same ages, so it was a great time had by all. Until we lost their oldest that is. Thankfully he was found soon and without being traumatized (all he could talk about was the policeman), but we definitely don't EVER want to go through that again!

 Caught Mark smiling in his sleep during church.

 Saying goodbye to Sam as he gets on the bus for school. We have all been adjusting to the earlier schedule.

 We went over to the Potter's for some reason (probably to can or something) and we let the kids make their own Flubber.

And a quick snapshot of Mark in his favorite place in one of my favorite outfits on him :)