Fall is my Favorite!

We have all been plugging away - so much so that it has been three months since my last update!  I have been posting a lot of pictures since I got back onto Facebook... but that's no excuse, really.

A lot of very exciting things have happened since the end of August.  Let's see...
September:
- Kicked off our Community Group - James and I are leading it!  So fun.  :)
- Had Zumba night at church.  I had so much fun, but boy, am I out of practice!
- Sang with JB and the band at our Fall Festival
- Our apartment was flooded.

Yeah, right at the end of the month, when things were going so swimmingly (ha!), our water heater had a leak from the outflow pipe early on a Monday morning.  It filled up the closet that it is located in upstairs, and began to go through the ceiling into the A/C duct that is right over our dining area.  I woke up to the sound of running water, but I thought it was the toilet - James thought it was the rain.  But it was water, flowing from the duct and vents onto our dining area floor.  There was at least an inch of water forming a mini-pond in the hallway to the kitchen, and the carpet in the living room was soaked!  Here is my illustration of what happened.  I didn't think to take pictures while it happened... I don't really want any.

Thankfully, our apartment manager came right over when we reached her, called the plumber, and took care of what she could on her end.  James had already turned the knob off, but the damage was done!  The water restoration team came in a few hours later, and set up fans, pulled up the carpet padding, and checked all of the walls and ceiling in the affected areas.

We got to move in with the Poeffels.  These amazing new friends of ours took us in immediately, no questions asked, and we had a very intensive "get-to-know-you" time over the next eleven days.  It was really great, actually.  Sometimes I kind of miss being there, honestly.  They have two girls, and they bonded with my boys so quickly.  They were squabbling like brothers and sisters by the end of our stay there.  :)  It was really bittersweet when we went home to pack for our trip!

Miles & Isabella

bffs

October
- Apartment was still being repaired
- Saw Belle & Sebastian at the Tabernacle in ATL (best show of my LIFE)
- Flew to California, thanks to the generosity of our parents!! (Deets to come in the next post)
- Came back to a wonderfully clean and put-back-together home! (I love my husband so much.  He is truly amazing)
- Got to go to the pumpkin patch at Southern Belle Farms
- Had one wild rumpus of a Halloween!

On our way to see our favorite band!

We were so close!

At Spire's with Nona

making paper hats

Back home at our playground

The guys look nice...

but I'm talking

JB & I are smiling

but what happened to the kids?

jumping pillow!

my favorite part of the farm

pumpkin patch at night 

Max from Where the Wild Things Are

King of all wild things!

My number one wild thing! 

Our jack o'lantern

November
And here we are, up to date!  I have already done a lot this month, and it's only the 11th.  I have finally exited vacation mode (dude, it's been WEEKS. I'm just lazy) and finally getting organized.  There is no time like the present though, especially with holidays and birthdays approaching!  I got to go out with best friends to dinner + IKEA - my kind of girls' night!  It was such a blast.  These women are amazing and I can't wait until the next time we get to hang out.

Oddly, only my name was spelled right.

I think our barista was hopped up on espresso

fall foliage

I got to attend the perfect country wedding last Saturday.  My dear friends Paige and Ryan were married in Perry, at The Green Bell Bed & Barn - "The Georgia Barn Wedding Venue."  It was down-home but also incredibly elegant and lovely at the same time.  I had a lot of fun despite James being unable to attend.  He was with our pastors in Texas at the Acts 29 Conference.  At any rate, it was a lovely event and I was happy to have a mini road trip with good friends, and lots of love and laughter celebrating this couple entering into Christ-centered marriage!

Sweet friends celebrating sweet friends

Now, on to the boys - they are always my favorite part of these updates!!

Miles Yo - My Lil Man

• I think his best friend is Isabella (the little gal we lived with), he always talks about her!
• He blesses me everyday
• Once he was just quietly playing by himself and was singing "Tell old/ Pharaoh/ Let My people goooooooo!"  So sweet!
• Miles loves Popeye cartoons.  But he won't eat spinach.  Not a bite.
• I love to hear him pray
• His concept of time cracks me up
• Referring to something that happened months ago:  "Yesterday, the last time we went to the pool..."
• Referring to something that happened earlier in the week:  "Last monff, when we go to the store..."
• He is such a good big brother.  He lets Jas beat him up, and keeps him safe.  They play together every day.
• Bubbas is so sensitive.  He feels deeply for people, and loves with everything.
• JB brought him a lasso from Dallas.  Miles said, "So Dad.  You got me a rope."

Jasper U - My Tiny Giant

• Dude still eats everything.  Although lately, he has tried to be more picky.  I won't let him slide though.  He has to try everything on his plate, and usually won't turn it away unless he sees cookies.
• He walks EVERYWHERE.  He is so fast, too!
• Baby-proof outlet covers are useless because he takes them out
• He is signing a lot, and talking even more!
• Signs:  milk, please, more, thank you, all done, dog, bird, airplane
• Says:  Nah!, "coo-ca" (cookie or cracker), "puh-puh-pup" (up!), Bubba, Dada, Daddy, Momma, Mommy, "wawa" (water), "Eeeeeee!" (eat), "Woaaaaaaahhhh!", "Go?", "Waahyouuu?" (Where are you?), "katikatikatikatik"(tickle tickle!), shoe, "noh" (nose), uh oh!, boom!, "nigh-naiiiii" (night-night)
• Sounds:  horse, dog, car, plane, someone falling ("Woaaaaaahhhh - TSH!"), maniacal laugh
• He loves to sit on the little couch with Miles, watching a movie, drinking his milk.
• The boy is a dancer.  I mean, he was dancing before he could walk!
• I love watching him play, and seeing his imagination at work
• He's had more separation anxiety lately, but I know that's normal.  I usually turn the corner and he's done crying.
• Jubs is always trying to chase the big kids around.  He loves his brother so much!
• When he gets tired, he just lays down.
• This kid will press every button on the DVD player, right when the movie/show is getting good! Such a stinker!

This boy is too sweet...

I'll eat you up, I love you so.