Pre-School...

Our school day always begins with prayer, and then we say the pledge of allegiance.

The wonderful thing is that even my youngest (2 years old) knows the pledge!

We try to keep things pretty light and fun...

Apparently, this day the letter was H.

They made H hats and wore them until they decided to take them apart...

you know, about 10 minutes later!

Lordy, Lordy...

Look Who's 40!!!

Our Harvest Party...

We don't trick or treat anymore.

We don't care if you do... we just don't.

We do attend a harvest party or we throw one ourselves...

This year, we threw our own family harvest party and had a blast.

First, we did our normal devotions...

We do this every single night.

We spend a few minutes in the word and prayer and then sing worship songs.

Then we got busy with carmel apples and...

Yummy punch with sherbert icecream in it...

and crafts and games and candy and...

Dancing!

We got down with our bad selves...

which basically means I am totally out of date...

We made paper pumpkins.

We made a family tree with leaves decorated by each member of the family.

We played bingo using candy corn!

The kids ate candy and then showed me their chocolate covered teeth.

Gross!

Basically, we just enjoyed each others company.

Everyone agreed... at the end of the night... that it was the BEST time ever!

When You're Two...

Any excuse to go outside is a good one... when you're two.

Thank you,God, for loving us enough to give us so many blessings.

Bunkbeds...

The boys are at it again.

Making bunkbeds.

The first set turned out so beautiful.

I love them...

and now, I am anxiously awaiting the second set.

Brysen enjoyed hanging out with Daddy.

He told his sisters they couldn't help because this was a boys job.

His favorite job (it kept him occupied for hours) was vacuuming up the sawdust.

It sure is helpful to have a couple of hardworking men in the house.

Using Apples...

The girls decided to make apple pie today...

why?

...because daddy loves apple pie.

I didn't do a thing to help.

They did it all by themselves.

I am very proud of them.

Yes, they are the apples from our backyard.

Yummmy... Dessert tonight will be wonderful.

Thanks wonderful daughters!

It is Officially Fall...

We spent part of the weekend picking apples.  We had so many on the ground that we figured we had better get out there and get some before they all fell to the ground... or before the snow falls...tomorrow!

Times are good when your little ones think this is a really fun activity.

My favorite thing is watching the kids concentration.

They want to pick the perfect apples.

After picking the apples, we came inside and made apple crisp.

Then we gathered around the table and enjoyed the yummy smells and tastes of Fall.

Speechless...

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the love of Christ.

It is immeasurable, unfathomable, indescribable... we just don't have the vocabulary for the awesomeness of His love.

He loves me...

With all of my faults and failures.

He...

LOVES...

 me...

That alone makes me speechless.

Just Because I Love Him...

XXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOO

5th and 6th Grade Art Projects...

Aubrey made a clay adobe.  She painted it and when it was finished it looked really cool.  Ofcourse, I missed that picture.

Sydnee was making an abstract city.  She had a lot of fun going back to the basics.

Right Now...

The only problem I see with taking a friday off from school... is that it sure does feel like saturday.

We got our grocery shopping done... and that is a huge feat around here.  Thank goodness my hubby doesn't mind coming with me because the old back is acting up now that we are into the cooler temeratures again.  If I can just baby it through for the next 3 months or so...  The last thing I want to do is end up on the floor night after night like last year.

So, now I am sitting in the big comfy chair... typing away.

Later, after the meds kick in we are heading to the library.  We have neglected that for the last couple of weeks.  It is time to replenish the stash of books.

The weather is making me feel like crawling onto one of the couches and covering up with a big warm blanket and taking a nap.  Now, anyone who knows me, know that naps are NOT my thing!  I can't stand them.  I feel like I am wasting my day, my life, my everything...  So, that is a big statement... I wish the clouds would go away.

Tonight, we are having Italian Crockpot Chicken... MMmmmmmm!!!!  So good!  You know you have a keeper when you make a meal and the entire family loves it... I mean... LOVES it.  Right now, the house smells sooooo good from the cooking meal. 

Two Birthdays... 16 years and 5 days apart...

My oldest child... ahem... turned 20 last week!

She is an amazing young lady who has a really good head on her shoulders... most of the time.

I am the parent... so ... you know...

She got some really great gifts... but who doesn't love getting money?!

... and jewelry...

... until your little brother steals your money and runs away!

Cadi asked for banana splits... so

we did cheesecake and banana splits.

Holding my baby just doesn't seem the same... as it did 20 years ago!

Our son turned 4 last week also!

He was so excited to open presents and eat cake and get on with the birthday...

His favorite gift was the cape that has superman on one side and batman on the other!

What more can a little boy ask for?

Yes, I do see the crazy hair... but it was spiked before nap time and he woke up like this...

ummmm......

I got the wrong kind of icing to write with so we wrote quickly, blew out the candles quickly and moved on to the eating!

Happy Birthday Cadi and Brysen!