Well goodness. It's been a while. I'll think I'll just get all caught up in one quick post. :)

First, there was Halloween!

Wallace only had underwear on...and in my moment of brilliance I thought I'd just have him hold the pumpkin so no one would be able to tell. Now it just looks like he was naked.  "/ — Wallace only had underwear on...and in my moment of brilliance I thought I'd just have him hold the pumpkin so no one would be able to tell. Now it just looks like he was naked. "/

This was the year of homemade costumes. I didn't really manage to get a great photo of Meredith in her costume, but here's one from her school parade.

It's a little tough to tell, but she was a jellyfish!

Anna was a spider.  She needed this costume for a school play, and ended up really liking it! — Anna was a spider. She needed this costume for a school play, and ended up really liking it!

And hommie was a backhoe!  He actually needed this for school as well, and oh my gosh, was he excited to use the lights for trick or treating!! — And hommie was a backhoe! He actually needed this for school as well, and oh my gosh, was he excited to use the lights for trick or treating!!

Then I saw this scary dude right outside the dogs' kennel one afternoon when Josh was out of town (of course!). The first rattlesnake I've seen at our place since we moved out here.  I just sort of panicked and ran in and out of the house a few… — Then I saw this scary dude right outside the dogs' kennel one afternoon when Josh was out of town (of course!). The first rattlesnake I've seen at our place since we moved out here. I just sort of panicked and ran in and out of the house a few times trying to come up with a plan to save the dogs if it decided to actually go into the kennel. Then about the fourth time I ran out of the house, it was gone and the dogs were calm again. "/ I was such a grown-up about it.

I got to take the cheer team photos this year and was super excited to rent a 14mm lens for it!

LOVE this one of her!  :) — LOVE this one of her! :)

Meredith didn't want to be left out of the cheer photo fun.

Their coach found this super cute idea for a team photo!  :) — Their coach found this super cute idea for a team photo! :)

We went to soooooo many soccer games!

Anna got more and more awesome as the season went on!

And Meredith....found other ways to have fun while we were there.  Pretty sure I won't sign her up again until she's at least 5. — And Meredith....found other ways to have fun while we were there. Pretty sure I won't sign her up again until she's at least 5.

At least James was playing too, so we got to have lots of fun with our friends this season.  I miss our Wednesday evening McDonalds dinners after practice. — At least James was playing too, so we got to have lots of fun with our friends this season. I miss our Wednesday evening McDonalds dinners after practice.

The football team that Anna cheered for made the Superbowl and won!  It was the WINDIEST game ever! — The football team that Anna cheered for made the Superbowl and won! It was the WINDIEST game ever!

And then it was time for the annual trip to Canton for shopping fun at the trade days. This year Wallace got to come along! He got a bit caught up in the whirlwind of shopping and toys and hats and turkey legs, etc...and didn't really understand what had happened when the money ran out... That was just the biggest bummer for him. I think he'll have a better understanding of it all next year, and I'm sure he'll want to go back. I didn't get any shopping pics of him with my fancy camera, but we got some fun ones at the camp site. He really enjoyed camping out!

And of course Anna is all about smores and camping and shopping too!

I let Sarah's girls play with my camera, and they got some pretty cool photos. Lots of pictures of the campfire, and some pretty cool ones of everyone sitting around it too!

I'm not even kidding.  There were like a hundred photos of the campfire on the camera when I got home. — I'm not even kidding. There were like a hundred photos of the campfire on the camera when I got home.

I really like the photos kids take!

I took Wallace on the longest hike ever when Anna and everyone else went shopping for the second day.  I'm pretty sure we got a little lost, but my fitbit registered over 10K steps before 10AM! — I took Wallace on the longest hike ever when Anna and everyone else went shopping for the second day. I'm pretty sure we got a little lost, but my fitbit registered over 10K steps before 10AM!

And then we had the freak MASSIVE snowfall here in south Texas! The same day that Meredith had her tonsils out. "/ We ended up letting her go play in it with Anna and Wallace when it was falling that night. And I almost held back and didn't let them go out in it the next morning because of the tonsil thing. What a mistake that would have been. I got some cute pictures of them! And they may never see snow here again. Oh, and then their principal let them all go out and play in the snow even more at school! It was just THAT awesome!

There's almost always a marker smudge on this kid's face.

Good thing I got snow pictures when we had it...because there was seriously no snow in Colorado when we went on the ski trip!

Wallace was in a little school play.  He got to wear his new hat he picked up in Canton!  And this is the day I realized that my son is a bit on the small side....  lol — Wallace was in a little school play. He got to wear his new hat he picked up in Canton! And this is the day I realized that my son is a bit on the small side.... lol

Wallace had a pretty nice shiner for Christmas photos...  This kid and his facial injuries... — Wallace had a pretty nice shiner for Christmas photos... This kid and his facial injuries...

Not long after we finished opening presents we left for the ski trip. Unfortunately, Josh managed to get the flu...on the way there. Well, I guess he already had it, but about halfway through the second day of the drive he started going downhill super fast. After just about 2 more hours he couldn't even drive anymore. We'd taken two vehicles! I was so glad I brought along a buddy to help with the kids! I had no idea how much I would need her! She helped me schlep kids and equipment up and down the mountain for four days. I'd have been doomed without her! I owe you one Kailey!

This about sums up the ski trip.  Not very snowy....  Somehow there was just barely enough up on the mountain for skiing and snowboarding, but there was also a lot of ice and tree tops and rocks sticking up through the snow on the runs.&nb… — This about sums up the ski trip. Not very snowy.... Somehow there was just barely enough up on the mountain for skiing and snowboarding, but there was also a lot of ice and tree tops and rocks sticking up through the snow on the runs. We literally didn't see snow falling from the sky until we got quite a ways back into Texas! It was so weird.

"Stop taking photos and let us get in the hot tub!!!!"

And just like that we're all caught up!