Fall Fun

These are kind of in reverse chronological order. So the most recent pics are from Monday...in turned out to be pumpkin day. First we made the dough for our sugar cookies, then stuck it in the fridge to chill. Then on to a run in the park. Yes, I said RUN. Like for the first time in 8 years...not really, but almost, and it definitely felt like it!

Then on to pumpkin carving. We still have a big one waiting to be cut into...maybe tomorrow. Who says you have to have your pumpkin carved in time for Halloween? Maybe we'll make it our Thanksgiving pumpkin.

Then to roll and cut the cookies. Add some orange food coloring to one batch, a little blue to half of the other batch...b/c Bo saw those real bluish-gray colored pumpkins at the pumpkin patch and said we had to make some that color too!



One mouth completely stuffed with cookie, the other laughing b/c Mommy finally let him have a cookie!

Batman sin the mask, and his pumpkin.

At Dewberry Farms, with our MOPS group. We had a blast, with the exception of it being an extremely windy day and we would often get blasted with dirt blowing through the farm. I think I was covered with a layer of grit when we got home.

We rode out to the pumpkin patch on what me and a friend deemed the "immigration bus" (basically a tractor pulling a big covered wagon). If we had shoved about 50 more people in the back, a few dogs and some chickens, and were crossing the border, we would have been spot on.

"I am the ruler of this pumpkin patch! I will strike you down with this pumpkin if you dare cross me!"

This was not at the farm. Mr. T-Rex was at the zoo (from May to end of October)! It was a neat little display, although it would have been cooler if they moved a little bit more. They did make sounds though, and one even had a nest of baby dinosaurs that moved and made squeaky baby dinosaur noises. There were signs explaining what kind of dinosaur each one was, when and where it lived, what it ate, etc. They even had a couple of spitting dinosaurs...that Bo avoided.
Because it was October, the zoo had a small pumpkin patch set up. My boys weren't too thrilled with it as you can see.

Bo riding a legless dinosaur. : )

Meeting God

B1 and I had a great conversation at breakfast this morning. (After the 10 minute long debate about having 3 snacks for school instead of just 2...and yes, I gave in and gave it to him.) We were talking about the Bible and ended up on Revelations...again.

Me: The Bible is true.

B1: But it is not real.

Me: Yes it is.

B1: It's not real, like me and you.

Me: Oh, you mean like alive, living.

B1: Yeah.

Me: No it's not....well, actually the Bible says that God's Word is living and active. It's doesn't breathe or need to eat or grow. But it's alive in a different way.

B1: (look on his face like "I don't understand".) It has an ending.

Me: Yeah. You know what happens at the end? Jesus comes back to take everybody who believes in him to heaven! That's in Revelations.

B1: Up is space.

Me: Huh?

B1: If you go up from earth, you go to space.

Me: Do you think we'll go through space to get to heaven?

B1: Yeah.

Me: I don't know. I don't think so, but we'll see.


A few moments later...

B1: I'm gonna be shy.

Me: When you meet God?

B1: Yeah.

Me: That's okay.

B1: Not a lot shy. Just a little.

Me: What are you going to tell Him?

B1: About when the hurricane came at our old house, on the old earth, and we had candles.



Man, I love that kid.

How do teenage boys show they love you?

By secretly camping out on your front lawn, of course!



It was a normal Saturday. Breakfast was done. And playtime was beginning. Then, a knock on the door...at 8:30 AM. Robert prepared himself for combat with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Instead, there were 4 teenage guys and a tent in our front yard!



These guys are part of an accountability group that Robert is leading...guys from the school, where he teaches. They decided that it would be quite comical to secretly camp out in our yard. And it was! They had pitched their tent shortly after 1 AM. We had no idea.

Got Goggles?

Who knew goggles could be so much fun outside of the pool?

Cute.

Not so cute.

"This is how I roll."

Umm...playgirl bunny? Hopefully not.

First Day of Pre-K

For the past several weeks, we have been talking to "The Boy One-der" about going to school...you know, to prepare him for something new. Well, he has been super excited. I was telling him some different rules he would probably have to follow and activities that he would probably do, and he was begging me to tell him more! So I haven't been really anxious about him being scared. I guess I was on the other side of fearing he would like it so much, he wouldn't want to be at home (especially with the possibility of homeschooling next year)!

I put an alarm clock in his room, and set it for 6:30. Sidenote: We have NOT been on the early rising side. I hear the alarm going off and go to see if it actually woke him up. He was awake, and after a minute got quickly out of bed. I went back to our bedroom for something, and upon returning down the hallway, I'm met with B1 still in his pajamas, but with his tennis shoes and bookbag on, ready to leave for school. I had to laugh to myself. "We have to eat breakfast first and get your school clothes on." "Oh, okay!"

He had a great first day. He learned some Spanish, checked out a Clifford book from the library, and played some animal game in gym. He also played legos and made a crane.

He was even more excited when I told him that he was going back to school tomorrow! Too cute.

I had mixed emotions. A little sad that I'm not going to know everything that he's done on those days. I have to rely on a 4 yr old's details of a school day. I'm not too sad, b/c of the possibility of homeschooling next year...he might be at home with me again. And I'm not too sad, b/c I'm excited about my new free time! Not super free, b/c I still have "The Daring Deuce" at home, but everybody who has more than one, knows that one is much easier than two! And with him napping, I'll be able to get some stuff done. It's probably good that he's still napping twice a day...if not, I would be really tempted to be out shopping more than I have money to spend!
So here's to my sweet boy's year at PreK and mommy's new free time!



All dressed up and on the way to PreK!


"Normal pic with brother"


Brothers saying "cheese" (this was a brand new trick for DD.)

Fresh start

Obviously, posting after baby #2 came has been few and far between. But here's to a fresh start. I'm changing a few things, updating here and there, and figuring out some things. Meanwhile, here's a pic of the birthday boy, who turned 1!

"What I DID do today" Wednesday

Recently (read since Justus was born) Wednesdays have seemed to be days when the "to do" list is oh so long and the "what I actually checked off the to-do list" list is, hmm, oh so short. I got into the habit, like many women, of falling into bed and thinking, "What in the world did I do today?". The thoughts went downhill from there and included words/phrases like failure, waste, wish I had done, should have done, do better tomorrow, etc. And oh how Satan would LOVE for me to continue this defeating self-talk and wallow in self-pity.

Watch out, Satan - I am going on the offensive! Instead of beating myself up at night, I am choosing to begin a weekly Wednesday post of "What I DID do today!" and remember that no matter what is on the list or what didn't make the list, the Lord is pleased with the things I did accomplish...especially all the little things that nobody sees.

I would LOVE it if you joined me on Wednesday nights...not to boast or brag about our accomplishments nor to fret about our lack of accomplishments, but to find encouragement and strength in remembering that we are working for the Lord Jesus Christ and He delights in us!

There are two ways to join. For you fellow bloggers, post a "What I DID do today" list on your blog, writing in a link to my blog. (As far as I understand, a list will come up under my post with the links to your lists....I think!) For those without a blog, just leave a comment with your list.




"What I DID do today"

- I got out of bed! - Halleluyer! : )
- fed both kids a nutritious breakfast and administered vitamins
- folded a load of laundry, attempting to instill some responsibility by teaching Bo how to "fold" and stack his own underwear, and match up his own socks
- stripped Bo's pee-soaked sheets and put new ones on, with a 2nd lesson in responsibility consisting of how to put a pillowcase on a pillow (which took much longer than anticipated...who would have thought that task is so difficult!)
- played cars
- played Hot Wheels
- washed and dried several loads of laundry
- fed a baby several times, gave him a bath, kept his diapers changed and made sure he got the sleep he needed
- fed us lunch and prayed for Haiti
- took a shower!!
- facebooked friends to schedule playdates
- answered several phone calls
- called both sets of parents - one to teach Bo to communicate gratitude for gifts received
- cooked a nutritious dinner for the fam
- washed up 2 days worth of dirty dishes
- killed lots of ants
- wrote and posted this to the blog! : )

Thank you, Jesus, for the health and strength to do these things today.