Muddy Buddies--Partners in Grime!

This past Sunday my dad and I competed in the Muddy buddy race in Miami. If you have never heard of it, I'll explain how it works. You and a partner take turns riding a bike and running. One person starts off running and one riding. After the first mile, the person riding gets to the obstacle first and drops their bike, completes the obstacle, and begins running the next mile. The runner reaches the 1st obstacle, completes it, and begins riding the next mile to the next obstacle. You continue "relaying" for approx. 6 miles. Our obstacles were a rock climbing wall, a low crawl under some nets, balance beams, and an inflatable slide. You meet up with your buddy at the end and have to complete the final obstacle together...the giant mudpit, through which you must crawl on your belly. We had a blast! Can't wait til next years!!!!

The mud pit!

Ready for the big race


Rethinking the race at this point

Me trying to cheat a little by lifting up the flags so my face wouldn't get so gross

The community shower

My Little Piggies

For Halloween this year, my girls dressed up as the three little pigs. We went to Josiah's parent's church in Plant City for a Fall Festival and ended up ton of candy.

Esther's School's Sports-a-thon

It was a hot, sunny day in October....we ran...and ran...and ran! I was due, according to my training schedule, to run four miles that day, but I think I ran more. We had an hour to see how many laps we could run. Esther ran 52 laps! I was really proud of her!

A Pork Pig out

With having my grandmother and two aunts in town, my dad decided to have us all over for one of his pork rib pig-outs. He cooks them all day in this contraption outside and they are nothing short of DIVINE! The kids love them too!

I'm not quite sure the horsey (Devin) can breathe!

Hannah's 3rd Birthday Party

Hannah's birthday party ended up being a hit! We had a great turn out with three great-grandparents, two sets of grandparents, parents, friends, a great auntie from Michigan, cousins, aunts, uncles, and a surrogate grandmother. It was so loud...perfect for 3 year old fun!

Daddy showing off his juggling abilities he learned in Equador when he was 13.

Great Aunt Diana and Lydia

Aunt Grace, Joy, and Mommy



Esther, Hannah, Kate, & another Hannah

Esther, Hannah, and Cousin Sammy

This is Gunna Take A While

Well, I have been gone a lot and this has definitely thrown my usual routine into an even more crazy spin. Two weeks ago my mom and I went on a cruise to Grand Cayman and Mexico. It was great getting away, just us girls. I don't think I've done that since I had Esther. Here are some pics of Esther's gym meet from September. She was so proud that she got all 9's and above!

The Guys 4-Peat and a little update.

Yes! My hubby's soccer won state the other night for the fourth year in a row and are currently in Tennessee at Nationals. Here is a picture of our crazy family after the game. We all painted our faces and wore the school's colors.

I am actually enjoying having Josiah gone for a few days. You wouldn't believe the things I can accomplish between the hours of 8pm and 2 am after the kids are asleep. My mom and painted an accent wall in both my living room and dining room. I have to say that they look exceptional!

My dad came over today bearing another wonderful gift...3 window sills!!! Only 2 bare ones to go! If you have ever visited our house, you would know that there are still a few "cosmetic" things that are still uncompleted. Now I can check this one off the list. PTL!

I have been catching up on a little couponing, cleaning deep-down dirt, and am about to embark on a few sewing projects. I am going to my dining room curtains this evening to make them hang on a traditional curtain rod. And, my diaper bag needs a new zipper. This should be interesting, as I am not a very experienced seamstress and have never sewn a zipper in my life.

Tomorrow and Friday I have a babysitter during the day and plan to shovel out under the kids playset and lay down mulch. It is such a pain to have to mow under so I figure this will save me the hassle and it should look a little "cleaner" out there without have tall weeds needing to be weed-whipped all the time. I also have plans to clean out the attic and run 3 and 4 miles those days.

Josiah will be back sometime early Saturday morning and my mom and I are leaving out of Tampa on a 5 day cruise. I am having a really hard time being excited about the vacation, as I feel very guilty leaving my hubby with the kids the whole time. I know they will be fine and I have help to watch the little ones when Josiah's at work, but I can't stop feeling bad about all the extra work my absence is causing everyone. I need to pray about it some more.

Esther, Hannah, and Lydia are all doing great! I moved Esther into a new class at gymnastics and she is doing much better. She has been struggling the last few months with staying focused, so this change has been really good for her. Hannah is learning new things everyday and can't wait to go to school next fall. She asks everyday when daddy and sister leaves if she can go too. We do some school work everyday at home and she really looks forward to our time together. Lydia is full of all kinds of new tricks these days. She loves to clap and wave. She will usally combine the two talents with a clap, clap followed by a wave, wave. She also gave me her first high-five today. It was awesome! We went to the doctor for Lydia's 9 month check-up the other day and got a little bit of a sad report, though. Her frenulum (the little piece of skin the goes between the upper lip and attaches above the front teeth) is very low and thick. We are being advised to see an ENT doctor in a few months and she will probably have to have it clipped. :(

Whew! That's about all that's new with us!