Hard Day

As I sit dowm to write this, I don't even know what to say. Yesterday my sister Megan called me as Scott and I were writing our letters to Santa with the kids. I could tell when I answered she was upset by the quivering I could hear in her voice. She told me her best friend Lauren's little 3 1/2 month old nephew passed away at daycare and they think it was SIDS. I just gasped when she told me. It was her sisters first baby and my heart just ached for them. I have known Lauren for over 12 years now, and knowing how much she is hurting kills me. She was so excited for Conner to be born. Her sister was 4 weeks behind me in pregnancy, but anytime I'd see her she would talk about how excited she was for him to get here. At Megan's Bachelorette Party she was beaming with excitement from Conner's birth a mere 5 days before. She said she had seen her sister and Conner or talked to them everyday. She was constantly putting pictures of him on Facebook with adoring comments. So to think how all of that has changed so quickly is so scary and so confusing. I know God has a plan for all of us but sometimes instead of just having faith in that you just want to know why. I was complaining last night before Megan called about always having to clean up after everyone, Scott, the kids, the dog but now I just feel so selfish for feeling poor me. At least I have a family to take care of. I want so badly to make Lauren and her family feel better but there is absolutely nothing I can say or anyone else can say to take the pain away. All you can do is pray. Pray that somehow Lauren and her family will learn to find peace in all of this, know that Conner was loved so very deeply and know they will see him again one day. I don't know exactly what anyone who reads this will take away, but I hope at least some of you will slow down during this busy time of year and enjoy your families, your friends and really appreciate what this time of year is really about. Enjoy life, the innocence of it, because you never know when it's going to change. I hope my sister finds the strength and is blessed with a way to comfort her friend in her time of need. Please keep Lauren and her family in your prayers.

Graceland

We finally did it!! After living here for a year and a half we finally went on the Graceland tour. It only took my sister and mel driving from Dallas to get us to go but it was really fun. The kids were so excited their Aunt NJ was coming to visit. Mel and NJ got in late Friday night so the kids were already asleep and Leah woke up Saturday morning with the stomach flu and throwing up :( It was the saddest thing, she was so excited about them coming. Scott stayed home with her once we got her sleeping so I could go with my sister, Mel and the other 2 kids to Graceland- we already had tickets to go and that was the whole reason for the trip. Scott is such a good daddy! Graceland was packed!!!! I don't know what we would have done to get out of that house in an emergency. SOmething is wrong with my blog and I can't see any of my pics, they all show up as words so I can't write any captions, most of them are self explanatory though. If anybody knows how I can fix my blog i would greatly appreciate it :)

I LOVE FALL!!

Fall is my FAVORITE time of year!! This fall has already been an especially fun and busy one. The most exciting part of the month was our big boy's 6th Birthday!!! I cannot believe Jackson is already 6 years old! Time has FLOWN by. I always talk about what a good boy he is but it really is true. He is so sweet-natured. We had his parent-teacher conference this month and his teacher went on and on about what a good student and friend he was. He is doing GREAT in school and we couldn't be any more proud of our sweet boy. She said he always includes everyone and she has never heard him say that someone can't play with him (which she said happens all the time in Kindergarten). It just made us feel really good as parents to hear from his teacher what an amazing kid he was, we knew it already but it is still so touching to hear from someone else :)

Anyway, we had Jackson's birthday on the 6th and Scott was able to break away from work to bring cupcakes up to the school with me. Jackson was so excited to show off Lainey to his class. That night we went to Red Lobster (Jackson's choice), so he could get crab legs. That's 2 years in a row that he has chosen Red Lobster! Cracks us up! I don't think we have been there since his 5th birthday but he sure does love it! Crazy kid. That weekend we had his birthday party at Incredible Pizza wsith some of the boys from school. Unfortunately, none of our family could make it for the party so we didn't get a lot of pics with keeping track of are 3 kids and a group of 5 and 6 year old boys!!! Our little princess from the end of last month

Jackson's Kindergarten class when we brought up cupcakes

Jackson and Mrs. Geyer

Jackson was in heaven when he opened his gift and saw he got the Nintendo 3DS he had been begging for! Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa, Mamaw and Papaw for helping out with the gift!
Funny story, on his birthday I picked up his DS while he was at school and the girls were with me. I made Leah promise to keep it a surprise from Jackson. We picked up Jackson from school and he immediately started asking me what his present was, I told him a stuffed animal and Leah immediately started to giggle from the backseat. She yelled out "Yeah a stuffed animal Jackson!" Then "whispered" just as loud, "we're just kidding mom, it's a DS." Oh Leah...she kept it a surprise for a total of 3minutes.

Daddy helping his boy out with the crab

Jackson being silly

Leah opted for the norm...chicken

Jackson loving his DS!! The couple sitting behind us overheard it was his birthday and gave him $2 as he left. His face just lit up!! It was the sweetest thing!

One of the few pics from his bday party

Leah and her boyfriend Hayden

Lainey was doing her tummy time one evening and got her legs all wrapped around Chloe! It was so cute. Chloe is the most tolerant dog!

Crazy close up

The kid's last soccer game was this weekend and alothough it was fun, we are happy to have our Saturdays free again. Jackson loved soccer again this year and Leah loved practice....She did finally play in the last game of the season and really liked it, of course.

Our 3 sweet Angels all ready for their school Halloween Trunk-or Treat on Saturday. It was so much fun! They had hayrides and a pumpkin patch, the kids loved it.

I love Lainey and Leah's matching face here :)

Jackson loves his baby sister and she is pretty crazy about him, too.

Jackson and his buddy Rylee from school

I cannot believe Lainey is 3 months old now! She is still the sweetest baby! She loves to be held, taslked to and smile. She rolled over on Saturday but hasn't since. She loves bath time and of course, mommy cuddle time. We fall more and more in love with her!!

The leaves are changing in Memphis and the trees are so beautiful!! We went to the park on Saturday to enjoy the amazing weather!! Scott and the kids practiced their baseball skills and Lainey and I enjoyed watching hile walking the trails around the park.

Our little gymnast climbing on the railing

Leah's Halloween party at school

Leah's teacher Mrs. Keath gladly took Lainey off my hands so I could enjoy Leah at the party!

Trick-or-treating Monday night with Jackson's friend Donovan who lives down the street. Both his parents and baby sister went with us, it was alot of fun!

Aunt Lisa got Lainey the most adorable sparkly pink shoes when she was born and they finally fit! We love them, thanks Aunt Lisa!!

So big!!!