Our Week-this post is all over the place!

**Most important** Emma has been taking a step here or there since her birthday. This week, we have seen her take 4-5 steps several times. If I can be quick, I will take a video clip and post it. She is just getting so big!!!

This week flew by. Really. It's Friday night and I feel like it should be Tuesday. We stuck close to home this week except for our "must-do's" like a MOPS steering meeting and MDO, etc for Connell. I was playing "catch-up on life" this week. I managed to get current on this blog, and jump into several other not-so-fun projects around here that I have been putting off for a long time. For example: Taking inventory of the out-of-control pile of catalogs. This doesn't even include all the magazines I am so far behind in reading. I have a hard time throwing out catalogs. There are some that are automatically trashed, but then some, I just occasionally like to flip through, and I always keep them "just in case." Well, I am going with a new system. Look through them when they come in the mail, tear out any pages of interest and put in my handy little file folder from the dollar section at Target. Periodically go thru file folder so it doesn't become overloaded. We'll see. :)
I didn't take pictures of my other projects, but they pretty much all involve clutter, paper and junk mail. But a lot of which needs to be sorted through and shredded. I am afraid that certain "housekeeping" items have fallen through the cracks since I became a stay-at-home Mom over THREE years ago.
On to other things that are more appealing to my many (haha) blog readers!

Emma was being a big girl and taking bites with her fork. Connell felt like he wanted to be on the movie too :) He then took over the camera and captured this adorable "close up" of his baby sister. Doesn't she look thrilled? I was so busy blogging that I really failed to take any pictures the rest of the week until today. Oops. I was helping out a friend today and we had her little boy Clayton over to play. Here are the boys being artistic.

Tim gets off work at noon on Fridays and today Uncle Kelly came (he lives about 45 minutes away) and met Daddy for a round of golf. When they were finished we all went to eat. Normally Connell has to remain in his seat after he is done eating, but it's the end of the week, I am tired, and he was being really sweet to Emma. I had my little camera with me and I am so glad I could capture this sweetness...

Emma gave Connell about 18 kisses.

Afterwards, Connell wanted to go to Barnes and Noble because he wanted Emma to play with the trains with him. This was her first time to get to do this, and she was quite happy about it. Note - I am aware that she needs some shoes. It's on my list. :)

While I was there, I picked up "Childwise." Hopefully, it will serve us well as "Babywise" and "Toddlerwise" did. And so it is added to my pile of books that I am trying to read.
There is one missing...the busy mom's guide to organization. It's on location in my bonus room, the site of a major de-cluttering project. Aside from one little romance book in there, most of these are about being a mom/parenting. I KNOW that there is no book with all the answers. But I do believe that there are some great books written by intelligent people with our same values system offering tips and tricks for this journey we are on to raise our kids. I (we) need all the help we can get. This 3 year old stuff is tricky.

Enjoy the weekend! I am looking forward to getting out and about by myself for a bit and doing some fall decor shopping. I got my stuff out of the attic and I am in need of a few new things. It's been hard to think pumpkins/leaves since it's been in the UPPER 90s all week, but we are expecting some true FALL weather next week and I am sooooooo ready.