This is at one of our favorite parks. They have a "digging adventure" site filled with tons (no, literally I think it was a couple tons) of this river rock pebble.... stuff (something like that) from Alaska. You have to dig quite a bit to discover hidden artifacts (obviously remakes) from one of the native Floridian Indian Tribes. Miles and Eli both love it. The park provides a bunch of Tonka digging trucks and we usually bring a shovel and a bucket.

Miles is really into robots lately. There is an episode of Sesame Street where they have "helper" robots who help clean up and do other tasks. Miles loves to pretend to be one. John did this one night when I was at YW

Sunday Conversations.....

This morning John and Miles were down stairs. I was up in bed taking a nap. Miles asked John if he could have chocolate milk. John said, "let's go ask mom." Miles said, " mom just says no."

When we were driving home from church today I was sitting in the back seat with the boys and from out of no where Miles said, "Mom, you're pretty.... your arm is pretty, your shirt is pretty and your hair is pretty." This was of course right after he poked me in the eye for the tenth time. Maybe he could sense I was getting frustrated with him.

And last, in his bed time prayer tonight we were saying our thank yous....thank you for Jesus, Mom, Dad, Miles....and then we got to Eli. He didn't say thank you for Eli, he said, "Eli not break my track or play with my trains!"

This is for all our fans out there.....both of you.

Sorry I've dropped the ball in updates. We have a ton of pictures on our camera that we need to download still, so this will be just a quick update on what's been going on..........

Eli- loves to clap and does it all the time, after every song either being sung by mom or on the radio. He waves bye-bye and blows kisses. He's standing on his own and takes steps when he's holding onto things. He loves to feed himself and will only eat baby food when he's really hungry or you sneak it in his mouth in between bites. His favorite things to eat are pizza, bananas, popsicles, cheerios, and he really enjoyed the meat loaf I made last night. He's not sleeping through the night yet but is getting better. He's still as sweet and content as ever unless you take something away he really wants. Then he only screams for a minute. I love my little Eli. I can't believe he's 11 months old already.

Miles: He still cracks me up!!! He is so creative in his play lately, it amazes me and I'm grateful I get to witness the wonder and magic. He started pre-school today (that's why I'm able to do this update). It's more like an organized play group once a week with three other mom's, four kids total. We each take a week so we only host it once a month and we do very basic themes...letters, colors, shapes, animals etc..... I think Miles will really like it. He also LOVES swimming. We figured out a system where he can swim all by himself. He wears a life vest and those little arm floaties and off he goes, all around the pool. It's really nice because we have a play group every Fri and it's always at someone's swimming pool. I've been reluctant to take both boys by myself but now we'll be going every week (that is until the weather turns bad and they close the pools.....oh wait....we're in Naples, that won't happen until.......:)

Wendy: I'm still trying to get a regular work out routine down. I'm getting better but not there yet. My sister is coming in Dec and we're going to run to the beach (I can't remember if it's 6 or 7 miles) so I'd better get working!I'm enjoying my calling in YW. It's nice to have all the girls back now that summer is over and school has started. I'm really starting to feel settled and really enjoying Naples. I've stared reading again. Over the summer I finished the Twilight series (for the second time, don't ask me why) and Pride and Prejudice. I'm now reading a book called the Poisonwood Bible, a story told by the wife and four daughters of an evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959 during Congo's fight for Independence from Belgium. I've only read the first few pages but it seems really interesting and can't wait to dive into it.

John: Is really getting into his groove....seminary from 5:50-6:40 then head to the beach for a swim. Come home, take a shower, get ready, eat breakfast and ride his bike to school. He's taking five classes and is on the moot court board. I don't know how he maintains such a rigorous schedule that offers so little time for anything else.......down time, fun stuff, being sick etc. He's awesome, Go John go!!!!!

Well that's all for now. I'd better start cleaning before it's time to get Miles. I have one hour. If you saw my house you'd know it would take a miracle!!!!!!