Three!

McCrae had us worried for a couple of months...we were afraid he was going to be a "threenager." He spent quite a bit of time each day in time-out, and I hired Mara to help out a couple of times a week so that we could have a little time apart. Well, I am so happy to say, that it was just a phase and he has become the cutest three-year-old I've ever known.

He was the ultimate CHAMP at potty training. Conner told him that he could go in the drain outside at the bottom of the stairs. McCrae thought that was awesome and he was hooked. He learned quite a bit about his body too, and likes to point out body parts on every animal he sees.

"Look Mom, this cow has tessicles!"

He loves his sisters so much and they think he is pretty great as well (ESPECIALLY Hannah. When McCrae is in the room, she can't focus on anything but him. The other day he was hopping down the stairs and she could NOT stop giggling). What lucky girls they are to have such an entertaining brother.

We were able to take McCrae to the Philadelphia Temple open house. He loved seeing angel Moroni and running around on the grass atop the visitors center. My favorite part of the evening, however, was sitting in the Celestial room with McCrae and Conner. It was so peaceful and I was so overcome with the Spirit, I became very emotional thinking that the temple is as close to Heaven as we can possibly be while here on Earth. I was wishing the girls were with us too! What a comfort it is to know that we WILL be with our families forever. There is no greater blessing. We are excited to have a temple so close and are anxious to get back as soon as we can.

If I would let him play in the mud and dig for "wormies" all day, he would!

He loves dinosaurs more than anything and has perfected the T-Rex ROAR. His birthday included dinosaur presents and a T-Rex cake and he couldn't have been happier.

We had to practice for a few days, but he learned how to hold up three fingers just in time for his big day.

His next greatest obsession is the farm. We are lucky to have so many little farms and orchards close by. I always want to remember how he talks to the animals. His voice is the cutest!

Lewes Beach, Delaware. The beach is where this boy belongs.

Our first experience at the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival. This lizard only cost us about fifty dollars...but can you put a price on that face?

And lastly, McCrae started preschool this Fall and, so far, he is loving it. For some reason, I want to cry every time I look at it this picture-I feel like he looks apprehensive and curious, yet knows that its going to be fun (all of the same emotions I was experiencing). He met Mrs. Belton at the door, gave me a hug and walked right in. I was so proud of him...and then I bawled once I got to the car. What a special little boy he is. I only hope that, as he grows older, he will stay the sweet boy he is, love others, and come to know what a special child of God he is. We sure feel lucky that Heavenly Father has allowed us to raise him here on Earth.

Newport

We were more than excited to arrive in Newport Beach. It was fun to introduce the twins to Conner's family for the first time. And it was nice to meet the new babies that we missed out on too. Sue had Maren shortly after we moved to Pennsylvania, and Danielle had Heath just a few weeks after the girls were born.

McCrae LOVED taking trips to the donut shop and then down the pier to see the fish do their fishy dance...if only he knew they wouldn't be "dancing" for much longer...

The twins didn't LOVE sleeping on the sand, but they were good sports.

Conner left me (on our anniversary) by myself with the kids, so that he could go to a baseball game...we made the most of it and ordered pizza, took a stroll down the boardwalk, and bought McCrae an alligator to play with on the beach. He threw it in the water the next day and it sunk like a rock. BUT we said a prayer and asked Heavenly Father to help us find it and, to this day, McCrae says "it will show up because Jesus is going to help us find it."

Caught them discovering one another for the first time...and I almost cried.

Great-Grandma Carol

Balboa Pier.

Grandma Carol's 6 new grandbabies born within one month of eachother.

And the rest of the greats...

Sugar donut every day.

The highlight of the trip was catching sandcrabs. Daddy caught the most, and the biggest one of all!

The sun wore us out!

It was a different trip with 3 kids under 3...we didn't get a lot of time to ourselves...but WE DID IT, and it's a tradition that we hope continues for years to come. We are so grateful to Grandma Carol, and Craig and Jerrie for making it possible each year. 

Our journey home took much longer than expected. Our flight home was delayed, then changed to another airport...We almost made home without another glitch. Then, just as we were about to land in Philadelphia, we were rerouted to Harrisburg due to poor weather conditions. They were going to BUS us back to Philadelphia, but we opted to rent a car, grab a burger at Wendy's, and drive the 2 hours home. It was the most expensive Wendy's trip we've ever made, but it was totally worth it. And I should mention, the kids were ANGELS.

Until next year.