Where's Waldo?

{Fall Festival @ Bountyland Baptist Church}

13.1 & Kiko

Today was a busy day for the Clark Clan.  Busy.

It started with the me + my three littles leaving the house by 8am so we could be at Fluor Field in Greenville by 9am.  Actually it was about a quarter after 8 b/c we can't seem to get out the door on time anymore.  There's something about my dear sweet third child that has completely thrown me out of whack.

So we didn't get into the stadium until 9:30.  I just knew Bobby had already finished his half marathon and that we'd missed cheering for him.  Thankfully we arrived and had a good fifteen minutes to get our posters up and ready before Bobby finished.

We were planning to go directly to a cook-out after the race was over (someone from Bobby's work was hosting it) but the kids really wanted to go to the Greenville Zoo to see Kiko.  Okay, I really  wanted to go the zoo too.
The Greenville Zoo has two giraffes on loan for their breeding program. So Hannah and I have been glued to Earthcam these past couple of weeks in anticipation of seeing this adorable baby giraffe being born to Autumn and Walter.  Kiko was born early last Tuesday morning and the kids have been begging on a daily basis to go visit him.  You would think he was a member of our family or something!

...finally...

...Autumn (the mommy)...

So we went to see Kiko & Autumn, glimpsed at the rest of the animals, then we headed to the cook-out. 

We got home around 5pm and had an early dinner, early baths and have settled the kids into bed.  They've completely passed out from sheer exhaustion of a fun filled day.  And now, dear friends, my own bed is calling my name.  I will post more zoo pictures soon.

{October}

October has arrived and brought a myriad of wonderful things with it...

• We completed our first month of school for the year.
• Wonderful fall weather which means...
• open windows!
• A promotion of sorts for Bobby @ work.
• The Oktoberfest (this weekend).
• And sweet baby Amos turning three months old!

Hannah has really been enjoying her schoolwork for this year.  I decided to use My Father's World first grade curriculum instead of piecing it all together like I did last year.  I love that we're covering a wide variety of topics this year:  science (which is basically experiments and outdoor exploration), math, language arts, scripture memorization, geography (starting with Israel) and history (starting with creation).  I also love that the science & math are so easy and already prepared for me.  I am terrible at math & science.  Give me literature & history!! 

                                                                    Sammy is doing kindergarten work and I'm basically following the curriculum I pieced together last year for Hannah.  He's working hard at writing his letters and is getting better with each passing day.  He's getting really excited for Upward Basketball which starts next month.  He's been talking about it for months now.

I am loving this fall weather!  If you know me, you know I'm not a summer person.  I love cold weather, sweaters, fires, hot chocolate and snow.  It's been nice having the windows open and letting in all of that fresh crisp air.

Sammy w/a sleeping Amos.

Sweet little Amos is now three months old.  His little personality is emerging more and more with each passing day.  He smiles & coos the most first thing in the morning.  He's going to be a morning person which is the complete opposite from the rest of us.
He has switched from loving the swing to hating it & from hating the bouncer to loving it.  Amos loves swiping at and often grabbing the butterflies that dangle from the bouncer.  He's learned to kick his feet to make those same butterflies jingle.  Clever little fellow.
He also started laughing this month.  My sister was holding him and talking to him.  All of a sudden he laughed - which scared him and made him cry!  Now the kids & I spend all of our free time trying to make him laugh.
Our little fellow will be ready for solid foods when 4 months rolls by.  Bobby holds Amos while we're eating supper and he stares at our food the entire time.  Sometimes he'll open his mouth as Bobby is lifting his fork.  The kids are excited for this new milestone since we bought the Baby Bullet. 

I am loving this season of our life and I'm looking forward to the many milestones Amos will be hitting over the next few months!

--Exploration Day @ Oconee State Park--

Corn Maze

Last weekend we had the opportunity to visit a corn maze with the youth in our church.  I had never been to a corn maze so I was really excited.  It was a local one... Little Cane Creek Corn Maze on Hwy 11.  (I didn't realize we had one so close by!)

We broke into groups once we got there and our little family stayed together.  I think Hannah & Samuel could have skipped the maze altogether and just played on the hay slide the entire time.  Amos slept in the carrier strapped to Bobby and woke up right when we found the exit.  Just in time for him to have a complete blow out diaper wise.  

There was also a "spider web" and a miniature maze for kids made with hay bales.  They also sell candy apples, refreshments and pumpkins.  Definitely worth visiting if you have a free afternoon.

...Amos on his first church trip...

 ...Amos strapped in and ready to go!...

 ...sweet Gracie L. ...

 ...the three amigos...

 ...I took a picture of this map to help us navigate the maze.  Yeah right!  Plus the battery in my camera died 10 minutes into the maze...

 ...on our way...

 ...such sweetness!!...

 ...the kids loved the "hay slide"...

 ...I love the look on Sammy's face in this picture...

Domestic Diva

Hannah certainly gives new meaning to the phrase Domestic Diva...