October 2011...

Fall, leaves, vibrant colors, soups, boots, and pumpkin patches. Those are just a few words that were in the month of October. We love the fall in our little small town. The leaves (just in our mountains outside our back windows) are so gorgeous! The reds, yellows and browns are just stunning. It seems to make you hug longer and stay outside just a bit longer because you know the cold, cold air is coming soon. 

Girls, you continue to be just little sweet chocolate chip pumpkin muffins! (we love those muffins but not as much as we love you two). You LOVE to play outside and so we are outside pretty much every afternoon just playing with chalk, our dinosaur, bubbles, running up and down our hill, checking out bugs on the driveway and laughing the whole time. 

BELLE, our sweet secondborn:

You are 11 months old. You are about to be a 1 year old and I can't say I have a baby anymore. You are just a bazillion handfuls of joy and energy. You are pretty fearless and so courageous. You LOVE your mom right now and seem pretty attached (shh...i totally don't mind!). You are eating great and crawling faster and faster. You smile so big and then you can also show emotions on the other end of the spectrum quite fiercely. You want to just be around Lulu and want to walk and run with her so bad. You are rocking to try and walk and I know it will come soon. You love chewing on books and tearing pages, which has resulted in any non-hard back books being put in the basement for now. When you eat you move all your limbs...hands, arms, feet, legs. It's like you are communicating through your movemements. It's awesome. Oh, goodness, we need to start a bit of sign language with you...

LULU, our precious firstborn:  

You are 23 months old. Holy cow, you are almost 2...slow down time, slow down time! You are the best big sister. You always want to check on Belle. You want to hug her every night before you go to your cribs, you want to kiss her in the morning before anything else. We see how the Lord has such purpose for your spirit in being the oldest. You are warming up to new people so sweetly. We are very protective of both of you but with Granny and Pa you were priceless and you have renamed my parents to Nana and Poppy (instead of Papa D). You ask about Mimi, Papa, Nana and Poppy at least every hour. You are still napping 2 times a day...when you become a mom you will know this is a bit crazy. I am ready to lose that 2 hours of time any day but you just keep sleeping during it and still napping in the afternoon...so my sweet girl, when you are ready to go to 1 nap a day you just let mommy know. You are saying all kinds of words...teet you (thank you), elmo (more on this in November), animal noises (cow, dog, cat, sheep, bird) and you are so smart. You say Noah when we come to his page in your storybook Bible and you LOVE hippos. 

October was filled with new energy as Shay was dreaming of some ideas for camp and just some dreams. He was traveling a bit and the girls and I stayed home. Shay and I went to the Arkansas/Auburn game which was so much fun. Shay's grandparents came through on their way to Texas and the girls were Razorback Cheerleaders for our Pumpkin Patch Dinner. Here's the month in pictures...

Go Hogs and Pumpkins, 

the robbins' nest

that smile and itty bitty snaggle teeth. 

hello sweetness.

look, mom.

Go Hogs Go! We won! Wooo Pig Sooie! Thanks Mom and Dad for the day!

He's a Razorback fan by marriage...but really is the more passionate one now! 

heart the childlike joy in her face. lulu you are so much fun! (girls, i promise it was warm this day)

mom, my fingers are yummy. 

our awesome Institute students over for our weekly family night with them. They are such awesome guys and have blessed us tons this year! (this was "man meat" night, we have like 28 pounds of meat)

Lulu = obsessed with reading. Belle = obsessed with anything Lulu does. 

love you sweet girl! you won't be getting a phone till you are 16 years old, just fyi. 

our little razorback cheerleader! our friend Melissa would be so proud! 

Belle, looke more like a preppy golfer for Arkansas but she was a cheerleader in voice! Melissa, maybe Bennett and Belle will be at Arkansas together! I can dream....

She was very apprehensive (cautious like her mommy) but she saw Viv go and she was set. 

obsessed with these 2 munchkins. can they stay this little forever...please Lord! 

Shay's Ironman from September. Somehow I forgot to blog this, I think. Susan and Rob came to cheer on Shay even in the pouring rain...I mean pouring!!!! Belle was covered by plastic bags but had proper ventilation, promise! 

Lulu and Belle both were so great this day. It was a bit crazy but we wouldn't have missed cheering on Daddy! 

Faithful, helpful friends! Jennifer, you know you are a best friend when you help me change a diaper in mid air. Love you!

Lee Farley and Shay finished close to each other! We were such proud wives!