Happy, happy! Joy, joy!

Hello, Everyone!

Our Jesse finally came home! He's actually been home for a week now. I thought he might be home Thursday night at the earliest, but last Wednesday night, around 11:30, I  get a text from him saying there was a package at the front door. Of course I ran to the front door and there he was! We were both very happy to see each other. My dad nicknamed him Sasquatch and I would have to say Jesse reminded me of him at that point! After he brought all his gear in, the whole house smelled like a campfire.

He has lots of good stories to tell and made some good memories. It was everything he was hoping for. He's got lots of great pictures, too.

This was a typical night at camp.

He went with his 2 best friends and they spent 2-1/2 weeks camping and hiking the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee. They got to experience some great things, like this:

And this...

But then there were days like this one, where they had to hike 14 miles, uphill, in the rain.

But they eventually got to this...

I'm pretty sure it was worth all the trouble. 

While he was gone, we were busy doing this:

This is how we spent the first day of fall...

 Of course there were boo-boo's involved...

And this is what happens when Colton tries to style Ava's hair...

But we did spend some time being productive and made a new window treatment. Notice the beautiful model...

Mimi and Mr. David treated us to Gulf World where we got to pet the sting-rays and see all sorts of cool creatures...

They even let us take 2 of them home with us...

It's life back to normal now. We're all healed up from the boo-boo's and sniffles and ready for Halloween. 

Love,

Sunshine

Sick, sick, sick

Well, tis' the season for the sniffles! Colton was sick two weeks ago with major congestion. He missed half a week of school. Of course, I thought it was just a little cold so I didn't take him to the doctor until Thursday. Bad Momma! I felt terrible when the doctor told me he had bronchitis. So we all stayed home Friday and had a good day playing, laying around and watching t.v. 

Then, last week I start with a little congestion and a cough.No big deal. But it's all gone down hill from there! Ava's got it too now. Thankfully not as bad though. Medicine doesn't seem to help much. I resolved to go to the doctor if I'm not better by tomorrow. 

But then....

Colton woke me up at 4 o'clock in the morning Monday complaining that his ear was hurting. I gave him so Tylenol and sent him back to bed. Haven't heard another word about it. Until this morning when his teacher calls (she probably has me on speed dial by now) and says he's complaining about his ear. I learned my lesson from his previous illness. When he says he's sick, he his. So off to the doctor we all go. We're gonna get our money's worth today! A 3-for-1 special! 

I'm going to venture to say that when Jesse hears about all this, he'll have a list of things I should have been doing this whole time. Hind sight is 20/20. 

On a good note...
JESSE'S COMING HOME!!!! I'm super excited. He's been almost three weeks now. He should be back by Friday or Saturday. We haven't talked much because he doesn't get good signal up there in the Smokey Mountains, but this trip has been everything he wanted it to be. He and his two best friends are hiking and camping on the Appalachian trail in Tennessee. It was sort of a back to nature and know thyself trip. They all start out the day together and then go at their own pace and meet at a certain campsite that evening. Of course it's the perfect time of year to go, too. 

We've definitely missed him being gone. But the babies like riding in his truck! I asked them earlier this week if we should start driving the jeep again and the both shouted, "No!" But we'll have to give the truck up eventually. Easy enough trade for me:) 

When I tell people that I would be all alone for an entire week, they all say, "Oooh. Isn't that nice?" Not really. I love my family and miss them and don't like to stay in a big old house all alone. It's lonely. I would much rather have two fighting babies than to spend and entire week alone. It's so quiet. 

Oh, I had big plans, too, for all the things I was going to get done that one week I didn't have babies or Jesse. Ha! That was a joke. I think I got one thing checked off my list of 10 things. It's amazing how much time a person can actually waste doing absolutely nothing. But I wasn't doing nothing. I just wasn't doing what I had planned. Surprise! I have come to realize that I have a hard time staying home. Maybe because there wasn't a reason to stay home? 

Anyway, that's about all there is for now. You know all the latest and greatest. Hope everyone stays healthy this winter!

Love,

Sunshine