I am busy and a little (or maybe a lot) stressed -- so this is going to be short. The good news is that my mom is coming next Wednesday night for a vist, she will be in town until Tuesday morning-- and I am going to get a little bit of a break :)
Kids at the park:
The photo shoot on Saturday was pretty exhausting... but I think we got at least a few good shots :) We shot at 9AM -- and the weather was pretty cold (low 40's), so the kids wanted to be done pretty much as soon as we started. Piper Moore did a good job though -- and had a few tricks up her sleeve to keep them interested.
Not your typical shot -- but pretty funny :)
I am hoping maybe family pictures get easier as the kids get older... ? :)
I've been playing the single mom role WAY too much the past 4 months... I am exhausted!! Travis gets home in about an hour... and he will be gone all next week again... but hopefully this is coming to an end soon. At least he gets to spend the weekend with us this time!!
Here they are being silly -- this is one of their poses when they "show their muscles"
I also picked up an adorable homemade "sweater skirt" for Evelyn at one of the craft booths -- I will take a picture when she wears it :)
Family photos tomorrow morning... keeping my fingers crossed for happy, smiling kiddos :)Ever heard that song? Before my time -- but I have had people sing it to me before :)
Evelyn taking a break -- she was helping my parents decorate the yard with pumpkins, scarecrows, etc.
Dad with kids:
Ride on the Moo-Train at the pumpkin farm:
Playing in the cornfields:
Noah is a typical boy -- LOVED the machinery in the barn (4-wheeler, lawnmower, etc) Even now he keeps asking if he can see Papa and go for a ride on the 4-wheeler. Here he is riding on the lawnmower with my brother Gary:
We were able to go to my nephew Jacob's football game -- I went to Swan Valley HS -- so it was kinda fun to go back there to see a game :) Evelyn and Noah were excited to take this picture - Evelyn loved holding the helmet -- I think they thought Jacob was a pro-athlete or something!!
One is silver, the other gold :)
We were able to get together with Kara and her family on Friday in Saginaw. The kids played at the park together for an hour or so, and then we ended up at McDonalds for lunch and more play-time. I couldn't believe how big Kara's girls are getting!! 
It has been a busy visit so far... I will definitely have a couple more posts and pictures.
Well -- we promised a "big girl bed" -- and that is what she got :) Actually we just bought a full mattress and converted her 3-in-1 crib... but it is still BIG! Here is Evelyn after the mattress was delivered/made.
When Evelyn went to bed that night I was telling her how she has slept in the crib since she was born, how she would be all swaddled up, etc. --- she looked at me and said "but I am not a baby anymore momma". Have to admit -- it made me a little sad :(
Here is the cuddle-party today on the assembled bed. The bed is really high though (even higher than mine!!)... we might swap out her box springs for the lower profile one (I think it is 4" shorter). You can't see it, but we actually have a stepstool at the end of the bed she uses to climb into it!! We will also be adding a bedskirt (Nana is working on making one with the same fabrics that are in the window valence)
She still can't part with her baby blanket though :)
Well -- it was another successful annual Vandervort vacation. We stayed in a beautiful home, had nice weather, kids had fun, adults had fun -- what more could you ask for?
Here is Noah by the hot tub... notice the scenery in the background. Leavenworth is a beautiful setting.
Noah definitely got attached to Bob during this trip, he wouldn't leave his side -- here they are together after dinner one night (Bob swears that he didn't plan the outfit to match Noah's)
Evelyn enjoying her time at the park:
Evelyn after church on Sunday:
Family photo in downtown Leavenworth:
Here are the rest of the pictures (along with some other random Aug/Sept ones)
