Since we've been home...

(I would really like it if all of you could please sing the title of this post like Kelly Clarkson's "Since you've been gone", 'cause I sure do. Thanks!)

 When we first came back to reality after our fun summer, Evan was pretty bored with me and asked to go to Grandma's a lot.

 Evan's buddy Tyson turned 3 and had the best birthday party ever!

 Everyone got to make their very own Lighting McQueen's!

 Evan loved it so much he wouldn't let it go.

So cool! And we even got to take it home.

 There was racing and a romping game of red light, green light!

 Best day ever! :)

 My Sundays usually consist of baking a trying new things; these delicious brownie bites were a recreation from my sister-in-law's wedding back in April. They were yummy, easy and so pretty!!

 Nate has been working like a mad man, because it is the end of the fiscal year. (We are now on our last week! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Evan is so tired of spending all of his days with just me, and it is still pretty hot, so we are usually stuck inside. One night, I had just had it, so Evan and I went and got a pizza for dinner and ate it a park! It made a huge difference in our moods. He is telling me "Cheese!!!" in this picture; he's really good at that. :)

 He kept saying, "Woah, woah!!" and acting like he was riding a horse. I guess that might be what you would say if you were riding a dinosaur. Who knows?

 He has just discovered his new favorite place in our front yard. He runs here as soon as we are outside and says, "Cheese, mommy!"

 Then he laughs and laughs and laughs as we play peek a boo in the tree.

 We took a few days to go visit my sister and her kids, so we could have a break from missing daddy. Evan was thrilled to push this stroller everywhere during my niece's soccer game. And I can't believe this is the only picture I took our whole time down there visiting!

 Evan has been introduced to story time at the library, and then he loves to go read books afterwards at the little kids table. One day we found this cute little book and thought of our sweet friend Millie in Indiana. We wished we could have bought it and sent it to her, but this pic will just have to do.

 Nate was in charge of getting Evan ready for church one Sunday, because I had to be to the church early. They showed up and I couldn't help but laugh at Nate's style. He made Evan look like an 80 year old man, with side parted hair and all! Still pretty stinkin' cute though.

 We went to a Labor Day barbeque with Nate's team from work, which luckily is made up of a lot of our friends from church, too. Tyson, Dexter, and Evan always have a great time "hanging" out together.

 This is Evan's favorite new stance. He will be walking somewhere and suddenly decide he needs to be on his head. He does it in the bathtub, the hallway, the store, the park, you name it. There is never any rhyme or reason to why he is doing it, but it cracks me up every time, nonetheless.

 On September 11, our patriotic town always puts on the Parade of 1000 Flags. Last year, Evan and I got to participate by helping out our cub scouts. This year, since dad was busy working on that Saturday, Evan and I decided to walk down and enjoy it. It is a touching parade, and Evan was thrilled by so many flags and sirens and policemen, etc.

 The flags are all walked to the park near our community center and planted there. It is a beautiful sight and it makes me thankful to be a member of such a unique community. Evan and I went and visited the flags several more times after the parade before they are taken down. For me, it is a wonderful way to remember.

Here is my most recent Evan, taken a couple of days ago. I just adore him.