August via iPhone

We attempted to pick out stain. Ironically, someone else picked from the same stain choices and blogged about it (thank you!). Their picture looks so much darker than our samples stained samples though! We still haven't picked a color. 

We took the kids to the pool and jungle Joe was in full effect. Such a good dad.

We made our own half-sour pickles. They turned out to be full sour pickles, but were yummy nonetheless. On a side note, I really need to learn more about canning and jarring. You know, in my spare time.

I was pregnant and had fun exchanging belly pics with my sister, who is 10 weeks behind me, and my friend Katie who is also 10 weeks behind me. They are due within a few days of one another. Fun stuff.  I think this was at 31 or 32 weeks...

The babies started kissing each other without us asking them to show each other love. So sweet.

My kids have become obsessed with pizza, which we make at home once per week, this was a particularly ridiculous batch of hawaiian pizza which didn't last long enough for me to photograph.

A teddy bear and a cell phone. Girlfriend is all set.

The R's continue to be food snobs. The only grilled cheese they'll eat is this tomato and pesto concoction that I shared previously. It is seriously so good. I don't blame them for turning up their noses at American cheese and wheat bread.

Ryan moved up a size in diapers (to a 5) and realized that he can now fit his hand down the back of his diaper to scratch his own ass. This has quite obvious, not for the faint of heart, implications.

We took lots of trips up to the house to check on progress and even let the kids run amuck a few times. Our bathtub is their favorite hangout.

I managed to find a dress to wear to a wedding in September. Joe is the best man. I'll be 37 weeks pregnant. Sounds like a lot of fun. At least my dress is pretty :)

I saved the kids first school arts and crafts project. This is monumental for me, as I am not a keeper of things memory related. In fact, I once tried to throw out the kids' hospital bracelets. Joe almost had a stroke. Anyway, how ridiculously cute is this lobster? I can't take it.

We dined al fresco often. The weather was gorgeous and I love being able to hose things down (literally) post meal. This was hands down the best dinner of the summer. Homemade meatball pizza (I even made the meatballs and the dough from scratch) for the twinkies. These artichokes and this tomato and eggplant salad for the adults. The key is making a balsamic reduction for the stack. There are no words. If this was my last meal I'd die happy.

The kids' obsession with Bubble Guppies began and Saturday mornings are spent like this, while Daddy and I sit in the kitchen and drink hot cups of coffee. Life is good.

Joe gave Ryan a lesson is mowing lawns. Reese had no interest in mowing the lawn, but didn't want to be left out of the backpack fun, so halfway through he switched kids. While she could have cared less, Joe was happy to lighten his load (literally) by several pounds for the last leg of his lawn tour.

My babies stopped looking like babies. I'm pretty sure this happened overnight.

The lights for the new house arrived. Christmas in August. Super excited.

I tried to break the kids of their paci habit cold turkey one day. Ryan found a rogue paci and when I took it from him so commenced a tantrum of epic proportions. While he was running from me he tripped over his own two feet and smacked his forehead on the windowsill in our living room. It look like he ate the windowsill American History X curb-style at first and I almost fainted. Of course, I immediately gave him a pacifier to help him calm down. FAIL.

Lola's crib came in and I accidentally picked out her crib skirt fabric and then found sheets that matched perfectly the very next day, also by accident. Now I just have to find time to sew it all up. But this calmed my nesting instinct for now.

We took the kids down to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome for a flight show. Ryan is obsessed with planes ("shoopas") and he was particularly obsessed with the orange and white one on the right. Until it took off. It was LOUD and it had a smoke display. And the kid is now kind of terrified of planes. As in he runs into my arms if we're outside and one goes by. Who knew? Reese, on the other hand, now thinks planes are awesome.

I met up with a girlfriend for dinner and Joe sent me this picture at bedtime. Apparently they were holding hands while drinking their milk. Diva baby has to lie in the glider while sipping these days. She's too much.

The twins and I ran one too many errands together. Thankfully Target had some cool fedoras that helped us get through the store with nary a meltdown. I firmly believe that all stores should have a clearance hat section by the entrance.