September

Kaylee cooked up a nice dinner for date night for Jake and I. Addi joined us.

She made chicken, mashed potatoes, carrotsm green beans and a dessert. It was all delicous.

Sunday walk around the temple and Emma wanted to hold Addi.

This was the only yeas the baby blanket would work for my age so I had to do it.

I made myself the Ultimate smore's cake, so good!

We also went to dinner at Zupas.

At 6 months old Addi was 12lbs 14oz. 24.4 inches. She's a tiny little thing. She started sitting up and can scoot across the floor.

Her naps are finally getting longer- from 30-40 min to 1-2 hours which is so much better!!

First time swinging and loved it.

Flowers for her wall. She moved into her own room. The crib had been in my room but in an effort to get us all sleeping better we kicked her out. Brooke was supposed to share but decided she didn't want to. Brooke and Emma switched bedrooms and Emma was excited to share but that quickly went away as she woke up baby and baby woke up her. She's been sleeping downstairs or in Austin's room ever since.

Addi is starting to eat more foods and loves it.

Scooting to her friends.

We added another teenager to the house! Brooke turned 13! She wanted her favorite Chick fil A for dinner so we got take out (the restaurant) was still closed for inside dinning due to covid). Brooke showed her new teenage emotions but completly flipping out they got our order wrong. At least the French Silk pie was good and made her happy. 

Brooke was on the 7th grade A -Volleyball team. She really enjoyed it and had a game on her birthday.

Addi started daycare mid September and did pretty well. They have an app and website so I see updates all day. She didn't nap well (it's bright and loud), but did fine with me leaving and liked her teacher/caregiver. She got sick a few weeks after starting with a fever and just didn't feel well. Seemed like she had a cold every other week for the first 6 months of daycare as she adjusted to all the germs!

 

August

The Helmstar Group had client appreciation night at the zoo. Jake had to stay at the front and greet clients but the rest of us explored the zoo and ate the free snacks.

Addi enjoyed her first time at the zoo.

Addi at 5 months rolls all over. She doesn't stay on her back. She tried her first real foods of oatmeal and avocado. She loves bath time.

She loves bouncing in this thing.

We love to play in the Boise rive.  Addi was not a fan of the cold water.

She is pretty good at napping on the go. Makes it possible to go out and play.

Jump Creek hike.

Austin really loves this hike because it is so short and ends with a waterfall.

I'd been wanting to ride the greenbelt but my kids never want to, it's also hard to do with Addi. For our anniversary date Jake and I went to ride it after dinner. 

First day of 9th, 7th, 4th, and 2nd grade! Crazy start to the school year because of COVID, Masks optional (I made the kids wear masks) to masks required because of high covid numbers to optional again,

We had our back to school feast the first day of school and set some more goals.

Grandma and Grandpa were in town to join us.

They also got to go to Kaylee's first cross country meet of the season.

 

July

The month of July started out out with girls camp. We went up for Bishop's night.

It was Stake Girls camp - Addi was quite the celebrity with all these girls.

The Bishops all competed in competitions like keeping balloons in the air, and stuffing marshmallows in their mouths. 

After the activity we had dinner and then a devotional with everyone before splitting into wards for testimony meeting. It was fun being with the girls up a camp. 

We spent the night at a hotel in Cascade and enjoyed a little vacation with Austin, Emma, and Addi. We did a little walk along the river and then played at the lake.

It was a good thing we didn't have Kaylee and Brooke with us because the hotel was pretty small.

We played at Cascade lake. The water was cold but the weather was fantastic. It had been miserably hot most of the week (the poor girls at girls camp had to sweat it out) but it was more mild for the weekend.

Addi got some beach time in the shade.

Addi was not a fan of the cold water on her toes.

4th of July Sunday

I introduced the kids to smoke bombs. They weren't as exciting as Austin imagined when he heard smoke bomb.

We bought a few fireworks since we knew we wouldn't all be able to go see the big city fireworks display.

We've since learned that our neighbors buy a lot of fireworks so in the future we won't worry about buying our own.

The kids payed for half of their season passes at Roaring Springs. Our friends the Partridges also got them and said they would take our kids every time they went- only problem is they didn't! I had to take the kids every time they went and pay to sit at the side of the pool with a baby.

The kids had a good time and enjoyed getting out of the house but it was hot and sweaty for me and Addi.

The temples were closed for quite a while with Covid, and then when they opened it was only for those getting sealed our first time endowment. Finally in the summer it opened for everyone- by appointment. It's nice to go back but not quite as easy with a baby.

At 4 months old Addi mastered rolling onto her stomach. That became her new favorite way to sleep.

Mid July we went camping as a family at Sagehen. We opted to just camp one night since we didn't know how Addi would do.

Unfortunately we have to bring just as much stuff for one night as you do for multiple nights. We crammed in all the supplies for 7 people in our van. Getting out in nature makes all the work worth it.

We spent a lot of time down  by the water and found lots of baby frogs!

The kids spent a long time catching frogs and playing together.

Addi got to just hang out with mom and dad.

The favorite part of very camping trip  is always the campfire.

Addi had a hard time going to sleep since she was overtired but once she was asleep she stayed in her bed until  5:30 when she got cold and came in bed with me.

We hiked our favorite Nature Trail.

We stopped at the Sweet water spring in Sweetwater, Idaho on the way home.

Had to start putting Addi's hair in a ponytail to keep her hair out of her eyes.

My BFF from childhood stayed the night on their way to Oregon.  It was fun to see her and her family.

I planted zinnia seeds and they grew so well! I loved being able to cut flowers and bring them in my house.

Addi's first braid!

The end of July we went to Bear Lake to spend time with the Williams family. Everyone was able to meet at the cabin and we got a few hours at the lake before a thunderstorm hit. We saw the dark clouds coming at us from all directions.

The kids had a great time.

There's always a lot of game playing at the cabin.

We had an early birthday party for Oma.

Cousin Conner was blessed.

These two got to meet for the first time. Despite being older, Addi was definitely smaller.