Friday, October 31, 2014

Pumpkin Goo!

Halloween week is always a pretty fun week....
 
A cool treat while the boys are away!
 
 
It's pumpkin carving week!
 

All setup!
 
The kids picked out their own pumpkins
and their own designs for Daddy to carve
(although Mommy helped find easier designs...)
 
Very excited and ready to help!
 
Christopher was a little more hands-on!
 
Michael does NOT like pumpkin goo
so he kept a fair distance away
and let brother empty out his pumpkin, too.
 
Christopher was more than happy to help!!
 
 

He was up to his armpit in his tall pumpkin!
 
Pumpkin goo!!!!!!!
 

Daddy was pretty fast at carving!
Finished products.....
 
Dragon

Batman Bat
 
 
They definitely had FUN!
 
Lots of superpowers here...
 
 
We kept one pumpkin uncarved
to leave out in November...
and eventually COOK!
 
Already looking forward to pumpkin pancakes!!
 
Pumpkins on the porch
 
So thankful for fun  memories with Daddy!

More Halloween week pictures soon!
 
<>< Stacy

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Camping again!

This weekend, Casey and Michael are gone
camping with Michael's Trail Life troop!
 
Trail Life USA Troop 2331
 
If you aren't familiar with Trail Life USA, it's a fairly new
Christian adventure, character, & leadership program.
 
Trail Life recently acquired their first property,
Camp Aiken, right outside of Greenville, South Carolina! 
 
This is a pretty exciting step for Trail Life...
and even cooler that it is so close to home!
 
Michael was VERY excited to head out!
 
Super excited about his pack! 
(See the stuffed animal?)


"Pack-to-pack"
 
Despite our limited phone conversations,
it seems like they are having a blast!
 
The first time Casey took Michael and a friend camping,
it rained so much they had to head home early.
 
Seems like the weather has been great this weekend!
I can't wait to hear all about it!
 
In the meantime...
I get to hang out with these cuties!
 
Checking out the pumpkins... "my pumpkins, my pumpkins"
 
She loves getting special attention from Mommy!
 
Heartbreaker -- with sticks and a lovey!
 
Christopher has been surprisingly
good despite his lack of big playmate!
 
 
Christopher put on this spider shirt
this morning and it was waaaay too small,
so we passed it on to Elizabeth!
 
She makes it cute :)
 




"I am WILD!"
 
 
Christopher, Elizabeth, and I have been visiting
(and eating with) family a lot this weekend.
I captured this beautiful image of the sky
in my parents' neighborhood!
 
Look at those clouds!!!
 
 
And let's not forget about baby #4.
She is very active in the evenings!
 
We will be seeing her again
on ultrasound this Monday!
 
and a little peek at our Monday last week...
 
Beautiful weather,
lunch outside,
playing outside,
and nature journaling.
 
Blue skies!
 
Such a big girl   :)
 
He's really getting into photo bombing with funny faces!
 
 
The kids begged me to do nature journaling that day!
They found items in the yard that God had created,
drew them, discussed them, and labeled them.
 
I was very proud of Christopher's handwriting.  :) 
 
Nature journaling
 
 
 Our family will be re-united tomorrow
and we will continue to enjoy these
beautiful Fall days!
 
<>< Stacy

Friday, October 24, 2014

Apple Picking 2014!

Today was a beautiful day for our
yearly family apple picking trip!
 
We've been going apple picking ever since I was a little girl.
Check out last year's trip here!  )
 
Now that our family has grown to
3 households and 12 people in 2 cities,
it takes a little more planning
to make it all happen!
 
Luckily, both weather and children
cooperated to make it a perfect day!
 

The kids were VERY excited....
all smiles before we left!
 
 
Elizabeth was very excited about wearing her brothers' old boots...
She kept saying "My boots, my boots!!"


Soooooooo ready to pick apples!


"Let's go, guys!!!"
 

A lot of orchards are already picked clean,
so we tried out a new orchard this year...
Justus Orchard.
  
The apple trees were a little smaller,
but it was a very quaint little orchard!

We were able to get some Mutsu,
Arkansas Black, and Pink Lady apples,
(not to mention the fresh donuts,
cider, and our own little picnic!)
 
Justus Orchard
 
 
Here goes the photo overload!
So many great memories!
 
 
Starting the day with yummy, yummy donuts!
 
Lizzy loved the donuts, too!

Cousins!
 
Ready to climb trees!
 
I told Christopher he was big enough
to climb the trees this year....
He was SO excited!!!
 
Up, up in an apple tree!
 
Elizabeth was a hoot!
She kept tripping over the fallen apples,
and dropping the clean apples we gave her.
 
She definitely enjoyed walking around and exploring.
Not to mention her favorite alphabet song starts with,
"Apple, apple, a a a... Apple, apple, a a a"
so she had no trouble telling us about the apples!
 
Check out the binoculars!!! 

Enjoying some apples!
 
24 Weeks pregnant with baby #4! 
 
Pick apples, eat apple, repeat!
 
Everybody's having fun!


Snack time!
 
Me and my bro and sis!
 


Lookin' good together!
 

Is he really 6 years old?

Sweet cousins hugging!
 
Daddy and Steven, the pro apple pickers!
 
"helping" pull the wagon... all by herself, of course
 
We'll be a family of 6 next year!
 
Cousins holding hands...on their way to our picnic!
 
The weather really was perfect -
cool, but warmed by the sun!
 
And look at that sky!
 
Fun in the sun!
 
I just  L O V E  these 3 little smiles!
 
My back was acting up a bit, so I sat down
while the boys ran ahead to see a horse.
 
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
 
 
I was fighting a migraine and sciatica today,
but it couldn't have been more worth it!
 
We are learning a hymn at Co-op that seems
quite appropriate for a beautiful day like today.
 
This is My Father's World
(verse 1)
 
This is my Father's world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
 
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought,
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hands the wonders wrought.
 
 
I am thankful for my family and beautiful moments such as these!
 
<>< Stacy