Getting Our Fall On

The weather has taken a turn for to the cold side.  We went from 70s to low 50s seemingly overnight.  Luckily, we had plenty of fall goodness this past weekend to keep us happy.

On Friday night the kids' school put on their annual Halloween party.  This year I was able to help decorate and also made some treats.  Over two dozen owl cupcakes.  And they turned out better than I expected. Yay!

They were a hit!  Also a hit?  My kiddos. You should have seen everyone's reaction when the three Ghostbusters and their ghost walked in to the party.  It was pretty fun to watch.  And of course, my kiddos ate it up.

My crew ended up taking home the prize for The Best Group Costume.  They were in heaven!

Because I was busy all day decorating the school cafeteria for the party, and making owl cupcakes, I wasn't planning on dressing up for the party.  But, when I came downstairs in my regular clothes my kids all looked at me and said, "You're not dressing up this year?" in the most disappointed voices.  I felt like a horrible mom.  So I quickly rummaged through our costume box, threw on a wig and a skirt and went as a witch. Not one of my more inventive outfits but it made the kids happy.

Anyway, the party was a hit. The DJ was great, the games were fun, the Haunted House (put on by the 8th graders) was spookey, and the treats were yummy.  It was a great night.

The next day was spent prepping the yard for winter.  Only half of it got done (emptying pots, cutting grass, chopping kindling) and then I had to hustle Ben and Tommy off to church.  Ben's first grade teacher was getting married and she invited all of her students to the church ceremony.  Tommy was actually in the first 1st grade class she ever taught (she has only been teaching three years).  They are so lucky to have such a sweet and thoughtful teacher.  I'd never heard of a teacher inviting students to her wedding before.  And after the ceremony she called the kids up to the altar to take pictures with her and her husband.  Then afterwards she threw the kids a little party in the basement of the church, complete with cookies, popcorn, punch and goodie bags.  She is amazing, and it was a lovely wedding.

After that we came back home and changed our clothes for the pumpkin farm.  Off we went to get our annual fix of pumpkins, apples, and apple cider.

The kids love all the animals at the apple orchard/pumpkin farm.  A friendly goat even joined them on the haystack maze.  So funny.

We even managed to snag our annual fall family picture. Whew!  Glad that is over with.  It took far too many takes this year.

By the time our afternoon was over Todd and I both needed a nap.  But, lucky for us, we had a date night instead.  We saw the movie Gravity.  It was awesome.  And intense.  I'm thinking Sandra Bullock is going to be picking up quite a few nominations for her role in that one.  After the movie we went to a bar and watched the Badgers trounce their rivals.  And then we even got to try out a new restaurant we've both been wanting to go to.  It was fantastic!  If you are ever in the area I HIGHLY recommend going to The Blind Horse.  Yum! Sooooo good.  And great service too!  

It was a fabulous way to end out our busy day.  

After church on Sunday I made a vat of applesauce while Todd went to his office for a few hours.  The Packer game was watched and enjoyed and the kiddos spent All. Day. Long. playing outside.  

Overall, it was a perfect fall weekend.  Which is great because apparently this week is going to feel like winter.  Boo.

Random House

Randomness:

-I haven't posted in a while.  Part of that is because I have been busy paying attention to my attention hogs (aka- my family).  Another part of that is that I got a new computer and it has taken some time to set up. Either way, I've been gone too long, and now I have some catching up to do.

-While I've been away from the computer we managed to add to our household again.  Our hamster died so we decided to get a guinea pig.  It is the cutest pig I've ever seen.  We love him.  And because I am a glutton for punishment we also got another hamster (who we NEVER ever see so I don't really have a nice picture of him). The kids have been asking for a guinea pig for years.  Literally, years.  Joey even got a guinea pig stuffed animal for Christmas a few years ago in the hopes that it would stave off his desire for a real one for a while.  Luckily for my kids I am a huge sucker for animals.  (and daddy was out of town)

As you can see the kids are happy.  Truth be told, so am I.  He is the sweetest little pig.  I love holding him and listening to him squeak.  So cute.

-On another front, Todd has been taking each of the boys for a little one on one time up north.  Both Ben and Tommy got turns going bow hunting with Todd and sitting with him in his deer stand. Todd shot a buck when he was hunting with Tommy, and tracked it until it got too dark. When he went back the next day the entire deer had been eaten and all that was left was the antlers.  I think the bear are becoming a bit of a problem in the north woods.  Two weekends ago Joey went on his first hunt.  A youth hunt.  Unfortunately, they didn't see any deer (again, the bear are scaring them off) but a good time was had anyway.  My future hunters:

Todd went up north by himself this past weekend for a little bowhunting and destressing.  He didn't see any deer at all.  He is seriously ticked (after spending all that time putting the food plots in) about the bear (he saw them on his field camera) but all I can think of is this:


So cute.  Scary!  But cute.


-I'm thinking of changing my hair color again.  I actually like the blond, but I have not really had ONE comment on it so that is telling me something. If people are avoiding the topic that is usually a bad sign. Plus these conversations swayed me too:

Walking up to Tommy in the lunchroom at school a few of the little girls look at me and say,
"Your hair is blond!  Did you make your hair blond?"
Me: "Yep."
Girls: "Why?"
Me: "I get bored. I'm sure I'll change it again soon."
Girls: "I like it better brown.  You looked better before."
Me: "Yeah?"
One Girl: "Yeah. Or maybe I'm just used to the way you looked before."
Me: "Yeah. Sometimes we like what we are used to."
Girls: "Yeah. I like it brown."

Snuggled up on the couch with Grace:
Grace: "I think your hair should be like mine."
Me: "You mean brown?  You want me to have brown hair again?"
Grace:  "Uh-huh! I like when we have the same hair.  You should have brown hair again and then we can be the same!"

This conversation was not quite at sweet:

Tommy: "You look so old with that blond hair, mom!"
Me: "Oh yeah?"
Tommy: "Yeah.  Like, really old.  Some of the hair almost looks white.  You just look old.  Really, really old."
Me: "Um...  ummm..."

But I'm not the only one getting the shaft around here.

One night at the dinner table the boys were harping on their daddy to take them hunting again, or play catch, or something.  I can't remember.  They were basically pestering him.  Then Gracie spoke up:

Gracie:  "Be nice to daddy! He's so old!"


- Tomorrow night is the kids' school Halloween party.  It is a big hit every year.  This year the boys are gonna dress up as the three Ghostbusters and Grace is gonna be a ghost.  Is that cute or what?  Right now I am busy making a couple dozen owl cupcakes for the party too. I hope they turn out well.  Pictures to follow on both the cupcakes and the costumes.


I guess that is all the randomness I've got for now. How about you?  Any random thoughts you'd like to throw at me?

WW- Heart Melted

Tommy is the picture of patience as he listens, encourages, and helps Ben in his reading journey. What a big brother. What love.

Sweet September

Oh September, how you make us fall in love with you.

You tease us with colors and smells, and memories and feelings.

You fill our calendar with school and games and meetings, busying up every spare moment, exhausting us to our core.

Yet you beckon us to sit and enjoy the warm days. Deep breaths. Peace. Silence. Rejuvenating our spirits. Strengthening our souls. Comforting. Enveloping.

The nights cool and brisk. The sunlight fading.  Football games with field lights, evenings with a roaring fire, warm pajamas, coffee on a chilly morning.

Still the days are warm and delicious, calling us to the outdoors. Therapy for our hearts and minds.

Oh sweet September, how you make us fall in love with you...

and look forward to October's start.

Enjoying It While It Lasts

Someday, my dear children, I will have to remind you of this.  

Someday, Joey, I will remind you how mad you would get when you would come home from school to discover that dad had cut the grass without you.

Someday I will tell you boys how you used to fight over who got to cut the lawn. 
There were even arguments over who got to cut more grass.

Tears were even shed if one of you did not get enough lawn cutting time.  Time with the mower was closely monitored for fairness.

Two days after the grass had been cut you begged to cut the grass again.  Each day you'd offer to cut the still short grass.  When you finally did cut the grass again you did a careful job so that you would be the one chosen next time.

Someday I will remind you, Ben, how you cried and cried when we said that you weren't quite old enough to cut the grass yet.  To demonstrate your maturity, and to prove us wrong, you cleaned up all the grass clippings with the broom and the blower.

Never to be left out, Grace, you want in on the work as well. After deciding the brooms and blower were too big and awkward you took the dustpan and picked up the grass clippings by hand.  

Yes, I will have to remember this.  I'll take photos as proof.  I will treasure all of your enthusiasm now because I know it won't last forever.  And someday, when you are busy teenagers, I'll remind you how much you loved cutting the grass.

In The Blink Of An Eye

Sometimes life moves too quickly to enjoy it.  Days are filled up with must do's, need to's, and I don't want to's.  We get so bogged down with lists and chores that before you know it a week has gone by in a blur.

Now that we are back in to the swing of the school year I am making an effort to slow down.

Take time to smell the flowers.  Bring my life back into focus. Take a deep breath.

I want to enjoy this luscious fall. The smells, the sounds, the sights.  And yes, the activities. Enjoy my family. Enjoy myself.

Life goes by too quickly as it is.  I don't have time for rushing. I want to savor.




(The above pictures are of a white-lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moth that I have been trying to capture for weeks.  The beautiful little thing moves so quickly {it's wings as fast as a hummingbird's} it is difficult to catch.  Luckily, I have many of them in my backyard and they don't seem to mind my camera- or my hand being held underneath them, they have such fuzzy bodies!  Beautiful creatures.  Love them.)

My Shadow

It doesn't take long before it begins.  

I am on my early morning run.  It is hovering just over 80 degrees, heavy on the humidity.  My legs feel strong.  My shoulders are loose.  I take deep, even breaths. As I take off down my street I almost feel like I do in my reoccurring dream, lightening fast, strong, ready to fly.  

I settle into my music and the clutter filling up my day falls away.  I watch two squirrels running across the road, fighting as they go.  A cardinal dashes by me and I dodge a wasp heading right for my leg. I watch the construction crew working on the house down the street, and the man watering his lawn, and the dog who watches me.

I check my pace at the mile marker and I'm impressed.  Faster than I normally go.  And in this heat. Nice.

Then it begins.  "You're running much faster. You are going to tire sooner. You are probably getting tired already. You are not built for speed. You're going to have to walk soon. See how hard you are puffing now?" My brain is working overtime to get my body to stop.  

I spot my negative trend and try to turn it around. I even out my breathing again and make sure to keep the same pace I had on the first mile. I tune back into my music and run on. 

"Brave" comes on my iPod and I feel my pace quicken even more. I think about how I want my children be brave. Attack life head on with wild abandon. Live without fears holding them back. Put everything they've got into what they want. I want that for them. And for me.

"The wind is really picking up now. That always wears you out. This is a big hill coming up, maybe after that you'll have to walk.  You haven't had enough water for this heat and you don't want to get a migraine." My brain warns.

I physically shake my head to snap these negatives loose. Why is it that I can be everyone else's cheerleader but my own?

I feel myself begin to tire.  I feel sluggish.  Knowing my brain is winning this battle I run through my checklist.  

My legs still feel strong. My shoulders are loose. My breathing is even. My back feels good. I'm okay. I can do this. 

"You're not tired. You're doing great! You are getting stronger. You can do this!" I chant to myself.

Before my brain can interrupt I catch my shadow out of the corner of my eye. 

"Is that me?" my brain asks. "Is that what I look like?" 

My shadow doesn't look tired. My shadow looks strong. My shadow looks powerful. My shadow looks brave. My shadow looks fast and free. My shadow looks like me.  

I put my head down and barrel through. I can do it. Faster and longer than I have before.

I get out of my head, turn off my brain, and just go.

I can be brave too.