I've had my Fill!

Of leaves that is. We have SO many leaves around here. This pile is one of 12 in our yard just right now! You rake a pile like this and the next day there is that much on the ground again! I am all for leaf fun, but the kids want to go "rake" leaves everyday. That is great, they do a very good job, but they always end up completely burying themselves and it takes forevah to get all the leaves out of their hair. Leaves end up all over the house ARG, I am sick of leaves!

Then we have added more fun to the mix. The girls were playing in the piles for probably 2 hours when I came out to help finish off the piles. I took one look at Bailey and about had a heart attack. Her face was completely bright red and covered in huge puffy blotches. Upon further inspection, her whole body was covered...COVERED in hives! I made her take a shower, we took some benadryl, covered her in hydrocortisone cream...nothing. The next morning was Saturday and she was a little better, but pretty quickly they swelled back up (is that correct english..swelled?) The whole weekend this went on, we even went to the doctor and they told us to just keep up the benadryl for this allergic reaction.

Monday Bay was dying to go to school and reminded me over and over that the Dr. had said she should go, but I was reluctant because she looked so awful. She went and after about an hour sure enough the nurse from school called me to pick her up. I felt like an idiot because I knew she shouldn't have gone, but the Doctor had downplayed it so much I kind of felt like I was overreacting too. Anyway the school nurse said that the other kids were all staring at Bailey and commenting so much that it was distracting. I was worried that Bailey was going to be upset from embarrassment when I got there, but no...she was relishing her new found stardom!

It took 2 more days for her hives to even subside and a couple after that for them to go away. The Doctor told us she was fine to play in the leaves again because it was probably a random reaction...but she didn't want to. Ellery however played in a different area of the yard and what do you know...HIVES! I got a phone call from the nurse, who by now thinks we are completely crazy! Thank heavens her case was much milder and lasted only a couple of days. Suffice it to say, no more leaves this season.

This is our neighbor's house, this huge pile that is almost up to a man's shoulder, was one of 7 in her yard. Crazy leaves out here in the country people!

Halloween!

Well Halloween was awesome and crazy! Matt had a wood cutting project at church and then a plot with one of his farmers, so he was out for the day. I decided to head down with the kiddos to Ft. Wayne to spend the day and go Trick or Treating with family. I am very happy that we went, it was such a great day. Of course in my hurrying to get everyone dressed, costumes packed, playpen, diapers, Halloween goodies... you know the drill~ I forgot my camera! Most of you know this would be devastating to me because I am so camera happy, so thank you to my wonderful mother-in-law for getting some pictures!

Ellery - Batwoman!

Bailey - Scary Witch!

Taitem - Kitty Cat!
She called herself a "pussy cat", funny girl

Cy - Superman

Super Cyrus!

Gus Gus - My little Froggy

Ellery wanted to be batwoman so badly, so I remembered

a costume my mom made when we were little and made her one

just like it. It was a big hit with Cyrus, so that is how he went

from a horse to Superman! Now I have to make Taite a pink

Super-Taite costume because she loved it so much!

Not lovin the costume, he didn't last very

long out in the cold either.

It was in the 40's for us-- brrrr!

Gavin as wolverine!

Lily another kitty!

I usually am not a fan of Halloween, but I will say I got into the spirit this year. It all started with an adorable decoration my Mom made me. It inspired me to actually decorate the house and the kids loved it!

Then we got a little more into it with the costumes instead of just seeing what we already had. It probably doesn't look like a very big deal, but for us it was a step up! I can't tell you how excited Ellery and Bay were to watch me sewing their costumes and trying them on along with Cy's. Then they were just so excited to get dressed up to go Trick or Treating, it was contagious.

Then Cy was cracking me up, he was bouncing down the street holding his Uncle Eddie's hand who he loves so much, just having a blast. Then every door we went to he just had this look of "I can't believe people keep giving me candy! This is amazing!" He was so adorable every time he got candy he would say "Oh, thank you!" Joyous.

I don't know, maybe I could be converted to a Halloween fan....maybe.

Carve em' up!

We LOVE to carve our pumpkins

or as Cy says "Punkins"

He really was having a good time,

just a little tired of posing for pictures I guess!
Sometimes he is all work and no play!

Now that we have 7 pumpkins to carve, we are moving on to power tools! The kids draw their face on and then daddy carves it up. I don't feel like the kiddos are missing out because their favorite part is getting the guts out anyway...go figure.

No interest for Gussy.

Some of the results. What a great time!

Punkin Patch

One of the farmers Matt sells to has an awesome pumpkin patch at his farm. There is a HUGE corn maze, cute little country store, animal petting area and lots of other fun things. He invited us out for some fun...and fun it was! Freezing...but FUN!

Cyrus is too much like Matt I guess. He didn't want to go on the path, he wanted to walk out in the corn! He just kept saying "Dis way Mama! Dis way!"

They had a blast in the maze. It was by far the coolest and HUGEST maze I have ever been in.

We had a small set back at the petting area. Bailey got a little too up close and personal with a pony and he bit her. Brutal, right on her belly. He got her pretty good and had a big scrape and bruise right away, but she was a champ about it and we moved on to find our pumpkins!

It was a great time! Even Gus Gus had fun in the cold and was pretty stoked about his pumpkin....can't you tell?

We were all tuckered out by the end. Thanks Leininger Family, you have the best pumpkin patch around!

I LOVE Fall! I LOVE Fall!

Our yard has many many MANY mature trees, so we have more leaves than I have ever seen! It is awesome. This is a daily gathering, 10 minutes later you could do this all over again! Good thing they enjoy it so much huh!

A Daddy-Daughters Day!

It was supposed to be the whole family, but when the boys weren't feeling well it quickly turned into a day out with Dad! I am so glad Mattie was so happy to spend the day with them, he always is happy for that.
After spending plenty of time at Grandpa's messing around and driving the go-cart, the girls got all dressed up in their Halloween costumes and went to the Zoo for their Halloween celebration.

Don't ask me about the green lipstick, I don't know where they got that!

The Zoo in Ft. Wayne has some really fun Halloween activities that they hold each year after the zoo is closed for the season. The kids had a blast. They went with Matt's family and it was just great!

Matt snapped this next picture off in the tunnel on the train ride. Taite wasn't expecting it and I thought her face was hilarious! She is such a cutie!

They had a great time, we'll have to go again next year. The older girls are really excited this year because they get to dress up several times and decided they wanted to go as something different each time. I think they are just lucky, we sure didn't get several days worth of candy collecting...or dressing up either! How fun though, they get so excited!

Gus

1 year....REALLY?!?! How can it be? No way this kiddo has been here that long! Maybe that is because every second with him is SO stinkin fabulous that time just flies right by!

Augustus Quentin Johnson
October 15th, 2008

9 lbs. 11 oz. 22 inches long!

My baby Gus

Now he is 24.5 lbs. and 32 1/4 inches tall!

75% for weight and 98% for his height!

Gus is so adorable, happy, giggly and OvErFLoWiNg with Energy!

He LOVES to snuggle and give kisses, but loves even more to wrestle! If you are on the floor, beware that Gus will be diving onto you at any moment, growling happily all the way! This is how we know he is 100% Johnson through and through.

He is already sassy and strong-willed. Changing his diaper is the worst thing in the world because he wiggles like crazy and HaTeS to sit still for it!

He is everywhere and into everything!

He started walking a month ago and boy can he move!

My little Gus man is all around special to me. It was such a shock to me when we found out we were pregnant with him! It was a hard pregnancy with lots of difficult situations with all the moving & separation and other stuff I have conveniently blocked out! His delivery was very difficult for me and not like the others, but I know it was all for a reason because without a doubt it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. Gus is a joy and even though we weren't expecting his arrival so soon, I am eternally grateful that he came right down to me. We all adore him!

The other day was awful. I had a very loud prompting and ran to the stairs just in time to see him at the top of the stairs. I screamed his name and ran to try and stop him and missed. It was a terrifying experience because there is a wall on one side and the other side of the staircase is open all the way down, straight down to a tile floor. When I missed his foot and could see him heading right over the edge toward a 7 1/2 foot drop, I dove head first down after him and by the grace of the Lord grabbed his jacket collar before he went over. I had him, but couldn't stop myself of course and we both fell all the way to the bottom. He was miraculously flipped around so he pretty much just got a bumpy ride on his bum in the crook of my arm the rest of the way down. I crashed at the bottom, but luckily he just landed on me.

It was the scariest experience for me because I truly thought I was going to watch my baby fall to his death head first off the edge. It wasn't a second thought that if he was going down, so was I. It was just one of those moments where you can briefly see so clearly. I love him beyond words, all of my children and am acutely aware of how blessed I am and know what a gift it is to have each one of them in my life. I am inexpressibly grateful for my family.

I am so thankful for his safety and thankful for the sweet whisperings of the Spirit. I know if I hadn't heard that prompting Gus would have gone over the side for sure.

Needless to say, the stairs problem is being remedied immediately...its a sore subject!

Just look at this face...what's not to LOVE?!

We are going to be having a party for him in a couple weeks when Mamau gets here, so look forward to cake pictures...love those!