November = Blur

So that was a quick month! November was less hectic than October but we managed to still stay pretty busy. I had no less than 17 photography mini sessions to edit with a deadline of November 16th, so I was a busy bee editing. I so wish this could just be my full time job! It's not that I don't enjoy my current job, I really do I just wish it would allow me more time with my family and more time on photography which I love! Maybe someday.
Anyhoo, once I wrapped that up it was time for birthday 38. Which just seems like the wrong number. I had to consult my phone for verification. Yep. 38. How? When? Ugh. I just need to be grateful for another year on earth but ouch, this one stings a bit. Moving on!
We lost my dear sweet Grandma Louise on November 19th. She had been in pretty poor health with pneumonia. I will miss her so much. I didn't get to see her as much recently, but I did start going to see her every Monday on my lunch break a few weeks back since she's five minutes from my new job. Then the week before she died she was in the hospital with pneumonia, I took the twins to see her and she seems in good spirits just tough for her the breathe. I wish I would've known it was the last time I would see her. About 15 minutes after we got there she started getting a breathing treatment and the twins were restless. It was going to take a while so we left, I wish we would've stayed to talk more.

With Erin.

 With Audrey.

And then after the funeral we had Thanksgiving 3 days later. I was very thankful to have as long with her as I did. And so very thankful for all the blessing in my life. 

And She's Done It!

 Erin has stopped sucking her thumb. It's been five days and she is doing so well! The past six months we've been trying to get her to stop but only in the last few weeks were we super serious. I've been trying everything, bribery, vinegar on her thumb, band aids on her thumb, more bribery. Finally last Saturday she just stopped. I promised her Shopkins which she loves and in the past she would get her new toy and then go right back to sucking her thumb. But she stopped. Just like that! I think she was ready. That or she was pretty dang sick of me always talking about it.
I can tell sleeping has been rough for her, especially falling asleep, she's always up in her room way later than when I put her to bed. Hopefully this won't last too long and she'll be back to sleeping good in the next few weeks.

 I'm SO proud of her! And she's proud of herself, a few times per day she'll ask me to feel her thumb to show me it's dry, she loves that I tell her I'm proud of my big girl!
(Crazily enough, it does make me a bit sad, I won't be seeing scenes like this anymore, they were pretty adorable thumbsuckers together).

Evan Plays Soccer

Evan asked repeatedly to play soccer this year. It's the first sport he's actually asked to play without us suggesting it. I knew that Todd would have to work during the games on Saturday but I signed him up anyway. I figured if I couldn't handle all four by myself for an hour out every Saturday then I have bigger problems. And it worked out fine, friends and family came to help and until his final game last weekend the weather was great. Luckily some wonderful friends were able to watch the other kids so Evan could get pictures and play his double header last weekend.
He really enjoyed playing, at this point and at his age, if he doesn't love to play we won't be signing him up but I have a feeling he'll want to play next year.

Halloween 2015

 A group photo of these crazies was impossible. This was as close as we got :)

 I love love love that she wanted to be a firefighter.

 Sad Firefighter.

 "But Erin, we have candy!"

Panama City Beach 2015

Such an adventure! When we booked this trip almost 6 months ago we knew we were nuts. 13 hours in a car with 4 kids 6 and under? Sure, why not!
We decided to leave at 4am so we could just pull the kids out of bed, throw them in the van and hopefully the kids would sleep a few hours before we would need to stop. They slept until Alabama! We were thrilled to get about 5 hours before we had to make the first stop. We stopped at a McDonalds, ate breakfast, changed diapers and stretched our legs. Our next stop was around lunch time in this tiny little restaurant called the Tin Top Cafe. It was as Southern as they come! Sweet people and good home cooking. I was pretty fried at this point though and just wanted to get to Florida. I had bought both the bigger kids a whole lot of cheap toys, games, puzzles and things at the Dollar Tree and it all kept them busy for the entire drive! We didn't turn the dvd player on once!
Towards the end of the journey Todd climbed in the back to break up the babies boredom.

 After 12 hours and 40 minutes we pulled into our condo and I was SO EXCITED!!! The E's threw on their suits and we went straight to the beach! Wes and Audrey weren't sure what to think at first but they quickly adapted and began playing in the sand.

With the sun quickly setting we made our way back to the condo to unpack and Todd went to the grocery to stock up for our week. The sunset that night was beautiful and I knew the week was going to be great. Not a break by any means but a week to make fun memories and have new experiences.

So this is the part in the post I post a billion pictures!!!
Our daily beach life was pretty routine, I am SOOOO glad we took our baby corral. Otherwise, we would've been chasing babies in opposite directions all week.

By the end of the week we were able to leave them out a lot more but it was nice to have somewhere to put someone if they kept wanting to run away.
The weather all week was perfect, 79 and sunny each day.

One morning we all went down to the beach so I could try and get some family pictures. I took the trouble of hauling my tripod down so by God I was trying to get a family shot. I was so happy it worked out!

If I could only move here and take pictures here every day! The light, the ocean, everything is so beautiful!

 Not exactly what I was going for in this one. Funny though :)

We decided to take the E's on a pirate cruise one day. But also decided it would just be too tough with the babies. So I stayed at the condo while the babies napped and Todd took them. They had a blast!

 I watched from the balcony. Sad I wasn't there but also glad I wasn't trying to wrangle 2 crazy twins on a ship that didn't allow strollers.

Other than that we didn't really do anything except beaching and swimming. Which is fine by me!

I was able to get some shots at sunset one night and they might be some of my favorite shots of all time.

 I looooove this one.

The trip home wasn't quite as easy as the drive down. Everyone was still good but we broke the drive up and stayed overnight in Decatur, Alabama, about 6 hours from home. We were pretty ready to be home and the hotel room was teeny. The babies didn't really have much to do other than play with the phone and jump on the bed.
The next morning no one wanted to get up. It was pretty cute considering they are usually such early risers.

 Of course Erin was up. Erin is always up :)

All in all the trip was really great. Exhausting but great. We can't wait to go back next year.