"It's Beginning to Look a lot Like....Fall" (except for the Florida temperature!)

As for what's been going on this week...well, we visited the pumpking patch last weekend and had a blast of a time! We picked out our family pumpkin plus two additional "baby" pumpkins for the kids. We also got involved in a hay fight before we left which was fun. Avonlea was so worn out by the time we got home, we skipped her bath and reading books and she went straight to bed. It's weird how every year I'm always so excited about the holiday seasons and somehow this year, it's taking a little more effort (construction and all). I stayed up late baking pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread the other night. The house smelled good and I was beginning to get into the spirit. Then we went out to get our pumpkin which was fun. It's sitting on a slab of cement outside our front door amongst the 2x4s, tarps, roof shingles and other building supplies, but it's there! I'm going grocery shopping this afternoon so maybe I'll pick up one of those wonderful smelling cinnamin brooms from Publix. (Love those things!) Rob, the kids and I are heading to Hudsader Farms this weekend. We've never been and my good friend Sarah told us about it and we've been dying to go for over a year now. They're having their annual Pumpkin Festival this weekend and next so it should be fun.

As for other things going on...

MOPS/Bible study has started up again at church and I'm really enjoying being back and talking with my girly friends. We've been getting into some interesting discussions in Bible study and I always look forward to listening to what others have to say on certain topics. It's amazing that as mothers, we're all going through such similar things in our lives and it's so wonderful to get together and share advice.

Rob and I have decided to get more involved at church by singing in the Christmas production and I have committed to teaching our three-year-old Sunday school class every Sunday at 9:00a.m. I used to teach preschool (3s) for two years at two different schhols while I was still in college so hopefully those skills of managing a room of 15-20 three-year-olds will come in handy beginning in November. There are so many needs in our church (and in all churches) that I feel strongly about volunteering as a stay-at-home-mom. These are all things I wish I had time for when I was teaching middle school, but never had the time or energy to help out. Now I definately feel called to volunteer more and I enjoy it, really I do.

The kids are keeping me on my toes each day. Lately, Avonlea has begun a defiant stage and has been a little bossy. She will say things like, "Mommy, stop singing!" Well, we'll be nipping this in the bud quite quickly. Her new favorite phrase is "Mommy is the boss". She has said "Daddy is the boss" as well. :)

I'm trying to decide whether or not to begin the potty training phase again. I was going to wait until construction was over, but lately no one is even showing up to work so I feel like I'm wasting days that I could be potty training her. My pediatrician said that girls begin potty training between 2-2 and 1/2 and boys between 2 and 1/2 to 3 years of age. She's showing lots of signs except the fact that she doesn't care if she needs a diper changing. She'd go all day with a dirty diaper and not care. That's the one big factor that's still throwing my off. I always thing to myself, "Will this be the last package of diapers I'll ever have to buy for her?" We have about 8 left and I'm still debating. Any potty training advice would be great!

Construction is still chugging along. The electricians have been here all week (except for today) moving around and adding lighting for the house. They like to listen the 80s music and sing really loud and obnoxiously! It's pretty funny and I've cought myself laughing outloud at them (not on purpose), which I hope they didn't take personally. They're funny guys. There is DUST EVERYWHERE and by that I don't mean large quanities, but little bits in places I didn't know existed and I just can't keep the house clean enough. The hallway closet has become our pantry and place we keep dishes, silverware and paper products. Our bedroom has become the "everything room" and Lincoln's bedroom has become the "media center" for Playstation, tv, movies, etc.

We've been hanging out outside a lot more and unfortunately, Avonlea got stung by a wasp yesterday. She was pretty upset for roughly 30 mins., but the swelling went down immediately when we put frozen blueberries on it (her pinky finger). She wouldn't take Benadryl, but that didn't matter since the swelling had already subsided.

I'm very excited that I have BOTH my children napping at the same time today (that's why I have time to blog). I had them on a schedule where this was normal, but once construction began, it threw them off. The construction guys can get really loud and although Avonlea usually sleeps through the noise, Lincoln will not. He also isn't at the age of just sitting anywhere and being happy anymore. He likes to be entertained and hence, that is why I don't blog as often. Today, there was no one that showed up to work on the house so although I'm upset that nothing is being done, I have a few hours to myself to get much needed laundry folded, the blog updated and the cleaning up of the kitchen done before my angels awake.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and for all you moms out there, visit Familyfun.com for neat recipes, craft ideas and more. I've gotten a TON of great ideas from here and I know you'll love it too!