Peruvians in Paris and Fall Fun!

How do you like that doubly alliterative title?... Is alliterative a word?

We were SO blessed to have Tara and the kids come to Paris for a few days.  In fact, just writing this and looking at the pictures makes me REALLY miss you Tara!  We had 6 kids 4 and under in our house for a couple of days and it was wonderful!

Here's a sampling of some of our fun...

When they left we had to fill up our time so I wouldn't be sad they were gone.  I had lots of requests to play Pretty, Pretty Princess.  My girls love this game... Me? Not so much, but who cares about my opinion anyway.  Pretty, Pretty Princess it is. :)

Someone found my eyeshadow while I was trying to get a few more minutes of sleep one morning.

Family Retreat with PawPaw

Knocking down trees was a hit while we were out hiking.

Brute strength is what I think of when I think of Avery. :)

Train ride

Fall fun in the backyard.

Yes, I'm blogging about October in December...

... I'm a trendsetter like that. :)

And since I'm that far behind, let's not waste time mincing words.  This is our October in pictures.

My kids were dressed up as characters from Charlotte's Web.  Avery came up with the idea and Landry jumped right in.  Here's Wilbur the pig.

You can see Charlotte the spider there on the left.  Thanks to everyone who came to Avery's birthday!

And finally Templeton the rat... yes, she really wanted to be a rat.

Cousin Kase's visit

A couple of weeks ago Tara and Kase came in from Peru for a few days.  One of Tara's best friends was getting married so we packed up our bags and headed for my parents' house... we weren't missing any time we could have with Kase!  I've only seen him one other time since he has been born and he was significantly smaller then! :)

The two youngest McWilliams grandkids

A favorite past time at my parents house leaves my girls looking like they've been in a coal mine... Can you guess what they've been doing?...

... So the trampoline is a little old and apparently "sheds" on my children.  Landry is especially skilled at getting herself covered in it.  Lots of fun though.

I wanted to take a picture of Landry's face after she jumped, but she would only give me this face.

This was her about half a second later... you think she can turn that pout on and off at a whim?

Avery of course had to get in on the action.  This is her "very silly face".

We also went to see my Nanny that weekend.  It was her and Papaw's anniversary.  A bittersweet visit for sure... God blessed us with laughter along with the tears and we are reminded that He is the great Comforter and Healer of broken hearts.  

Landry loves Little Grandma.  She still remembers her coming to stay with us last April.

Nanny and Mallory

I love this picture of Kase.  He had obviously enjoyed some sweet treat (I think a fudgescicle) moments before.

And I'll end with my Blue-Eyed Girl... So sweet... And she's calling me now so I'll end it here.

Mostly Mallory

Things are going well with three at our house.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind a little more sleep, but overall it's not bad.  Mallory has surprised me and has started smiling.  Really she started smiling just after she turned 3 weeks old, but I didn't take it seriously since that was way earlier than my other two girls.  It's for real though... apparently the girl is happy.

Here she is starting to be amused...

And into the full blown smile.

I tried to catch her in her middle of the road smile, but couldn't quite get it.  Here she is cooing though... that sound is sooooo soft and sweet.

First bath.  

Well, really it's not her first bath, but it's the first bath I have pictures of so we're calling it the first bath.  I won't remember that it's not the first 10 years from now.

This was going to be an all Mallory post, but I couldn't resist.  Landry was wiped out the other day and apparently fell asleep to the sound of the vacuum cleaner.

Here are Mallory's 1 month pictures with her giraffe.  Her dress is one of mine from when I was a baby.  My mom was in town that day so it made it kind of fun... a little deja vu for her.

The big girls were there to congratulate her on making it one whole month.  They were incredibly proud of her.  They celebrated with doughnuts that morning (there is some clear evidence of that left on Avery's face).

Well, that's all for now.  Stay cool.