.more october goodness.

I decided I was done looking at those pregnancy tests at the top of my page, so I'm updating with more of our October adventures.

Last week we made it up to the zoo with Lucas and Emory...or course we didn't realize we planned it for the Friday of UEA weekend, but I suggested we get there as soon as the zoo opened to avoid the crowds, so we fared well enough before 11.  Finn was busy and running like a crazy goose with Emory   looking at the animals, while Meg whined and whined in her stroller (who can blame her, it was her nap time).  Finn was able to ride the carousel again, and loved it.  After the zoo we had a nice, albeit a bit brisk, lunch up Millcreek.  Even though most of the leaves had already fallen it was still a beautiful day.  I tried to get some good pictures of the day, but it was impossible as I had my hands full with busy tired kids.
Speaking of pictures, we took family pictures the next day, and it was pretty much the most painful experience.  If you don't know this, miss Meg is a bit of a stoic personality, and we couldn't buy a smile from her.  Finn is just a busy 2 year old who doesn't do real smiles very often (he prefers the super cheesy, eyes closed grins).  Surprisingly, we got a few good family pictures, and several great ones of Finn.  Meg on the other hand only had about 2 decent photos *sigh* oh well.  We now have some new photos of the family and kids to put up...until next year I suppose.
This week we have a busy docket of Halloween festivities, including the ward carnival that we had on Wednesday.  I finished the kids costumes just in time, and had decided that Roy and I would be costume-less this year.  Roy surprised me by coming home with costumes for us.  I chose the smaller child-sized hot dog, and Roy is a pickle this year....leave it to Roy.  The pickle paid off though, as we won one of the family costume prizes.

 Meg...our drooly owl...she popped out her second bottom tooth a month after the first one.

 Daddy the pickle and the owl

 My little minion, and Lilly bug as thing 1 showing their stuff in the parade.  These were the only pictures that Finn would let me get of him.

 Finn especially loved the doughnut eating booth

He even did it with no hands
We had a good time, even if Finn gets completely shell shocked in big crowds and lines of people.  He is very much an introvert like his daddy.
Today we have Meg's 9 month appointment (even though she is nearly 10 months), and scary movie night with Jo Jo.  And tomorrow is the big family Halloween bash...should be lots of fun, and keep us plenty busy!

.a little fall & other BIG things.

October has been a slow month on the ol' blog, but that in no way reflects what has been going on.  First things first, and it's a bit of a doozie-

Yes...big...BiG...BIG surprise (I can't emphasize that enough), baby #3 is on the way due sometime around May 6th.  Don't ask me if I'm excited, because I'm not there yet, and probably wont be for awhile.  The timing seems like it couldn't be any worse, but all I can say is this little one must need to be here, and there is some peace in that.  We thought we would have a little more time to save enough for a house before we were totally busting at the seams, but it will have to wait for a bit longer.   It will probably be the last little Hoffman, and I'm ok with that...especially with being sick, tired, and sore during pregnancy.  I have a lot of mixed emotions about the whole thing that I won't bother getting into, but it's definitely going to be an adventure.

As far as my favorite time of year goes, October has been such a breath of fresh air amidst all the emotional turbulence.  We have been watching the orange gourds in the garden grow and grow with much anticipation.  Unfortunately, someone decided to recently come in and take all eight bulbous pumpkins for their own.  So we will be making a trip to the local patch to procure some new ones this week.

Sunday we celebrated Roy's release from Young Men's president with an afternoon drive up the canyon, a feat we could never have done before as he was usually occupied on Sunday's until later in the evening.  The mountains were cool and damp with low hanging clouds, which made the fall colors seem even more vibrant.

 Finn was more then happy to be climbing up and over all the rocks.

 I love FALL!

Yes, we took a picture with a huge granite rock behind us...good call.

Other fun things we have managed to fit in these past few weeks.
-taking advantage of a free invite to another pumpkin patch, and enjoying a family hayride.
-seeing lots of tractors
-digging through grain for candy...non chocolate of course
-seeing a real life fire truck when we went to grandma Caroline's for conference

little boy heaven

-lots of good walks to feed the ducks (and thanks to good friends for taking Finn while she walks her dog)

Other things that we will be doing before the end of the month...a zoo trip with cousins, lunch up Mill creek to collect leaves, pumpkin carving, scary movie night & dinner, family Halloween party, Ward Halloween Carnival, and of course trick or treating.  It's going to be a full month even if this momma is sick and exhausted all day.

.9.

I often wonder if I'm the only that thinks time is FLYING by way too fast.  I went back and read your birth story Meg, and it feels like it was such a short time ago.  But here we are at 9 months, and you have grown so much!  This past month you have mastered your crawl and get around quite quickly.  It scares me sometimes when I turn around in the kitchen, and you have silently crawled up right behind me.  Besides crawling, you love to pull yourself to standing on anything that is within arms length (i.e. couches, piano bench, train table, any person sitting or lying on the ground).  You have even started taking very timid steps around these objects, so I don't imagine it will be too long before you are walking in some form or another.
You have the sweetest little jabbers that just melt our hears, and makes brother laugh.  You have really latched onto Dadadadadad, and say it quite often with loud excitement.  It mirrors your love of daddy I guess because he's the one, besides Finn, that gets you the most excited.  I have to assume because he feeds your adrenaline need.  You especially love to be put on the couch and roll off over and over again.  It doesn't matter if you go head, feet, or back first, it all brings contented giggles and big smiles.  Another favorite game is clapping your hands, and the other day you discovered that if you slap your thighs you get a similar clapping sound.  Just try and imagine you giving your sweet thigh rolls a giggly slap...we both got a smile out of your discovery!
Mommy just wants to kiss on your sweet baby skin all day.  There is something completely irresistible about baby skin...how it feels and smells is absolutely the sweetest thing in the world.
Besides growing, eating, and sleeping, we just love being around our sweet little girl.  You make us all so incredibly happy, and we LOVE you!

 doing what you like to do best lately...standing like a big kid!

 just take in those thighs...all sweetness

 clapping with mommy

 what?!?

you were very interested in the camera this time around, and had to give the strap a little taste.