Halloween 2014

Here is the gang!

 We have Rylee as Elsa, Cade as a road (third time!) and super James. 

 Elsa was by far the most popular costume you saw walking around. Rylee was so excited about being Elsa and I had fun making my version. I tried to convince Cade to be something new this year but he was set on being a road again. I like them picking their costumes so we went with it again (and it was super easy!)

 We had perfect Halloween weather. Last year was raining and cold so we welcomed a cool clear night to trick or treat. Our new neighborhood is perfect for trick or treating so we just walked around the streets close by.

Then super James would not be complete without a cape and some shots flying right?
So we tossed him in the air and tried to capture it. He was a great sport. Perfect sky huh?

James Update

Here is the big guy at 5 months.

 These pictures are in the baby swing in our backyard. Just barely getting so he can sit in it. He loves it. He loves being with his family and gets very smiley. He definitely has red hair and I am loving it.

Just before he hit 6 months we tried some solids. I figured since nursing was so hard in the beginning and he has always been wimpy at sucking that he would love the spoon. And he does. He caught on right away. No gagging, no spitting it out, no shoving it in his mouth. He opens and eats like a pro. These pictures are the first time with a spoon. 

 

We pulled out the baby toys. He is just getting to where he wants to hold stuff and shove it in his mouth. The kids were pretty excited to show him his toys.

 

Here is a cute one taken on 9/28/2014

In Utah with Great Grandma Ratcliffe 10/21/2014

Here is James at 7 months. We matched so we needed a picture together. His faces are so cute.

James loves his brother and sister. He smiles at pretty much anything they do. He used to be a stellar sleeper but that wonderful habit was short lived. He can roll over from his stomach to his back but that is the extent of his movement. No scooting or crawling yet. And honestly I am OK with it since we have so many stairs to worry about!

August update

August was pretty chill. Cole has a 7 week break from work so we spent that time unpacking and working on the house. Here are the kids enjoying the new swings in the backyard.

Baby James just keeps on growing. Finally starting to get some chunk to his thighs! 

 We also finally got Rylee fixed up with a bike. She needs some help and Cade went out to help her one morning. I thought it was so cute, He is very kind and likes to help out (especially with things we feels he is good at like riding a bike.)

 We enrolled the kids in swimming lessons for the first time. Figured that was a life skill important to learn and neither Cole or I feel very qualified to teach them. So we felt this was money put to good use. Rylee was very upset that her teacher was not a girl. So she took some warming up. Cole was an all-star. He is already looking forward to lessons again next year.

We also took some time to visit family in Utah. We spent time at the Ratcliffe's cabin. We went on a family 4 wheeler ride and Cole and I also did one just us. Beautiful area. 

We also took the time to visit our friends the Bangerters. We knew them in Kansas though we have both moved away now. They are taking care of some family horses so we took the kids for rides. We had so much fun catching up with them.

After we got back Cade started 1st grade! I can't even believe it. All day school! He was pretty excited to have a lunch box and eat at school. He picked out his own first day of school outfit. He said, "Of course the superman shirt!"

And Rylee being Rylee...

July Update

Ok still updating. Here is July

We bought a house. Did you read that? We BOUGHT a house! Crazy. I still can't believe it. So fun and so scary. Scary because it was an unknown process to me plus our future plans are not set yet. But we had such a good experience, great people to work with, and we felt good about it. It has been so fun living in it! We moved in the last week of July. Everyone needs a cheesy first home picture. Here is ours.

Ninja children. They did this entirely on their own.

Over the summer Rylee took a dance class. Cutest thing ever. She of course loved it. I couldn't help but laugh and smile as I watched her. She learned lots of ballet terminology and technique which I liked. Might as well learn how to do it right from the beginning.

On the last day parents could come in and watch so this is Rylee with Cole who got to come. 

July 4th weekend we blessed James. Since so much family was close we took the opportunity to get together. Dad rented a cabin in Island Park. We hung out for a few days and then all attended the blessing. 

Cole gave a wonderful blessing to James. It was so awesome to be surrounded and supported by so much family. After the blessing we went back to our house to lunch. We also gathered everyone around and told the pioneer story of the James family, the reason behind the name James. 

Also during this month was the crazy Rexburg flood. It rained super hard on and off for about 40 min. It was done so we went outside to see the rivers of water on the road. Little did we know what an impact it had on the town. Tons of water flooded the town. A few buildings on campus were shut down, many apartments were flooded with students losing everything and needing shelter, several homes flooded with a couple having water flood the entire basement-like up to the ceiling in water. But as always in offered an opportunity for service and reflecting on being better prepared.