The Colors of Fall

Four eager artists, a handful of washable markers and four little pumpkins are the makings of fall colors around here. The best part is that the markers wash right off (the pumpkins and the artists) and we can color the same canvases all season.  I'm loving that!

Sophia

Finn

Noah

Cohen

Thursday's Truth

Jesus replied, "What is impossible for men is possible with God." 

Luke 18:27

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Horsin' around with Daddy

With Mommy out of the house shopping with a friend, it was due time for a little mano y mano y mano y mano y chica time.  The absolutely perfect weather gave way to lots of outdoor activities.  After hanging out in the backyard re-organizing the "rock garden", we headed for the neighborhood park and trails.  After a few rounds on the slide, we decided to see if the horses were enjoying the fall temps as much as we were.  I guess they were feeling frisky too because they were all out in the pasture and right up to the fence.  Surprisingly, the kids were not at all frightened of these big, beautiful creatures.  Finn especially loved the horses and has to be the biggest animal lover of the crew.  They couldn't get enough of petting the horses and "neighing" at them.  After that we strolled down the dirt trail really just doing nothing.  I truly cherish these "one-on one" moments with the kids as they see the beauty in all the little and ordinary things around us.

Noah & Cohen

Finn

Sophia

Finn, Noah, Sophia & Cohen

Noah

Sophia

Cohen

Finn

Thursday's Truth

It seems like my mind is constantly in a fog.  There are lots of distractions around here and I am constantly being pulled in many different ways.  

Sophia will follow me around saying "Mommy, hair?" "Mommy, hair?" "Mommy, hair?"  She'll persist for an hour just for me to look down to see that all she wants is for me to put her little pigtails back in for her.  

Cohen will walk around the house and request over and over "Up.....up.....up....up..." to see if I'll give in and finally pick him up. Which will then create a domino effect of three more little ones insisting, "Mommy, up..."  

Finn likes to ask to go outside and then once he's outside he likes to ask to come back inside. It's to see if I'll pay attention to him and open and shut the door for him for as long as he sees fit. 

Noah's new one is "Mommy, look! or "Mommy, watch!" No matter if he's just sitting on the couch or about to go down the slide - he wants to see if I'll look his way - all eyes on him.  

I've gotten really good at tuning out the requests so I don't start a domino effect and so I can try to stay on course and get my next task done.  The problem with this is that I've started to tune out that one clear voice who should be directing my path throughout the day.  God, the Holy Spirit, my BFF; I'm sad to say that voice has been giving very clear instructions lately and I've simply been ignoring it and going on to the next item on my checklist. 

The God who has given me the miracles that these four little ones are, the God who provides in abundance for our family of six on just one income, the same God who created this entire universe. How could I just ignore what He is asking of me? How did I make His plan so insignificant and my pursuit for order and pleasure so much better? I let my mind get clouded by everything around me.  I fill my schedule with meaningless tasks and activities that leave me too tired and worn out to do what He's asking. I get in a hurry and forget to really listen and I justify that there's always tomorrow. I don't want that to be my life. As our pastor often says, God's plan is not always easier but always so much better than our own plans. I've got to choose who it is I am living for and then learn to listen to that clear yet quiet voice in order to live it out.

You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes. 

Deuteronomy 10:20 & 21

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Too Sweet!

With Texas's first cold front of the season, we were feeling frisky to check out the Scarecrow Festival in Chapell Hill.  We made so many memories today and are beginning to realize how grown up our babies are becoming.  We loaded them up in one wagon (yes, all four in one wagon) and navigated the crowds. Halfway through, we ditched the wagon next to a fence and were walking and holding hands with the kids wandering the festival grounds on foot. Not once did they try to bail on us, run or touch any of the tempting merchandise at just an arm's length from them. 

We hunted down the petting zoo which we were bummed to find was $3 per child to enter. With only $10 in cash on us, we ignored the dirty looks and let them pet all of the animals on the outside of the fence for free.  This included the sassy pony who must've been kicked out for bad behavior. We let the kids pet her during which she whinnied so loud it about knocked Sophia over!  That marked the end of the free exhibit for our little family.

After meandering through the fairgrounds with such a well behaved bunch we thought it was appropriate to reward them (and ourselves) with sugar. We had $10 burning a hole in our pocket. So we stood in a line one dozen deep for a Texas sized bag of some killer kettle corn - $7.  

Right next door they were dishing up some massive cotton candy cones - $3 - perfect! It was worth every penny as the crowd was entertained by the squealing delight of our four two year olds trying cotton candy for the first time. Finn, who is a little guy that likes to put everything in his mouth just to see what it tastes like, feels or does once it's in there was going crazy for it! It was too sweet for words - check it out yourself!

Too Sweet! from Mari Goerlich on Vimeo.

Tailgates N More

Chris, Mari, Conor, Gen, Joe, Suz

Texas is known for an abundance of trucks so when it's football season, there's no better place to tailgate.  With the help of a few brave souls to watch the kiddos, we were able to travel up I-45 to spend the weekend with some dear friends and fellow quad parents - Joe and Suz Steece and Conor and Gen McNulty.  Joe and Suz hosted us and hunted down tickets to the A&M game at Jerry's World.  The light rain couldn't stop us from having a blast out there!

Suz (The Hostess With The Mostest) & Mari

Suz, Mari & Gen

After the game (3rd quarter actually), we met up with some more friends and fellow quad parents, the Gerwers to show the McNultys (who came all the way from California) how we roll in Texas.  There's no better place to do this than at Billy Bob's Honky Tonk.  This place is massive!  It has 2 dance floors for some good ol' 2-steppin', pool tables, a BBQ restaurant and a bull riding arena.  You won't fit in here if you don't use the entire bottle of starch on your jeans - it's the real deal! 

Some Photo Booth Fun

Casey, Mari, Suz & Gen

Proud Quad Papas

Robbie, Joe, Chris & Conor

We worked up quite an appetite on the dance floor so we checked into the Waffle House.  This place quickly became Conor's favorite restaurant and might just be the reason he moves here.  

The Waffle House Meal

We had a great time and truly appreciate being able to get away and spend time with such wonderful friends.  Be sure that we weren't the only ones who had a blast - the kids played hard too. Here's a slideshow that Alaine put together of some of the highlights from her weekend with the Goerlich Gang, it's precious!

Busy, Wet Day from Alaine Schlechte on Vimeo.

Thursday's Truth

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4: 4 - 7

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