Night In

A night home alone with Jacob.

Detective Pikachu on loan from the Library.

Half the allotted weekly grocery budget spent on dinner.

Its going to be a great night.

Rag Time

 The fairs are over.  School is back in session.  

Pumpkins have been bought. 

It is time for the Halloween crafts to begin!

Pre-planning

I planted this Black Eyed Susan this year and was WOW-ed at how great it took off.

 My hostas, however, have been looking worse and worse each year.  I'm not sure if its a bug infestation or too much sun.  Either way, I'm pre-planning for next year and have 50 bulbs bought and ready for Fall planting!

Helping

"Let us do good to everyone"

Galations 6:10

Yesterday someone asked for a favor and I was able to help out.  It was a simple task to fill, but that small 'yes' for me was a huge weight lifted for someone else.  It was a great reminder that we are here to help each other, what it means to show up in person, and that Facebook 'Likes' are not near as rewarding as words of gratitude straight from the heart.

Complaint Department

Sometimes you open your mouth and your parents come out.

Case in point:  

I said to the kids "You're going to eat what I make and like it.  Its not easy cooking for you guys every day."

However, I was not prepared for the response of:

"Then let us cook dinner."

Excitement

I had the wonderful job of spending $1,000 of grant money on brand new books for the school library.  Box upon box has arrived and they smell wonderful.  Now its time to crack open their wonderfully tight spines and get them ready for the check-out.  Ooh, the excitement of new adventures waiting to be read.  I love this part of my job!

First Fall Festivities

Our day started off as most Saturdays and Sundays do these days..... SOCCER!!  The only difference today was Jacob getting a chance to play offense for a change.   

We had a good lead over the opposing team so the coach decided to switch up players positions.  Jacob, who is normally on defense, quickly learned he is not conditioned to play striker and having to run the entire game.  He enjoyed it though and discovered he has a lot of training to do if he wants to advance to a different position.

After a confidence-boosting win, I thought we need a surprise treat of donuts from the local fruit farm.  Plus, I was ready to taste the first gallon of apple cider for the year.

On the way, we passed a farm that had pumpkins for $2.  I wasn't expecting them to be anything big or worth buying more than one, but I was wrong!

Every pumpkin was inspected for size, shape, potential carving features, awesome stems, and who its eventual owner would be.  

Every.  Single.  Pumpkin.... was inspected.....

We eventually made it out of there with our festive loot and are officially ready for Autumn to start!

Overload

Just as stores are on holiday overload - Summer stuff being clearanced out, Fall/Halloween on full display, Thanksgiving and Christmas starting to be set up - so is my craft room.

Finishing up the last of the Easter decorations so I can start the new Halloween decorations all while listening to Christmas music.

Upgrade

For almost 2 years we have been assembling and selling Sauder's units.  During this time, we updated our 17 year old end tables and went a little more streamlined with our TV stand.  And finally, FINALLY, it was time to update my 35+ year old dresser!

My dresser served my parents well, made it through my siblings and I just fine, but it was showing its age in design and broken drawers.  

This upgrade was a long time coming and it feels good.

Age Old Question

I ran into an acquaintance the other day who, upon discovering that all three children were now in school, asked me the age old, slightly infuriating, question..

What do you do with all your free time now? 

Since school started 3.5 weeks ago, I have only had one day - correction - one school day, meaning only 7.5 hours to do something of my own choosing.  Even then things like laundry, dishes, recycling, surface cleaning the house is intertwined as I move about.  On all the other days, if I do find I have 30 minutes of "free time", I quickly change my clothes and head out to the park to get some exercising in.  In fact, tonights exercising only happened in the short span between dropping kids off to church and having to pick them back up.   

I know, or hope, that schedules will calm down as the school year progresses and maybe I'll find more 'me' time.  But as a stay-at-home-mom, it is my job to keep everything running smoothly.  From holidays to cleaning to bills to sports to daily schedules the weight is mine.  I have no problem bearing it as long as my Keurig is working, but please, don't confuse a quieter house with having more free time.  I am just able to move faster and get more done in a day now.  

Figment

One little spark, of inspiration.

Is at the heart, of all creation.

Right at the start, of everything that's new.

One little spark, lights up for you.

We all have sparks, imaginations.

That's how our minds, create creations.

For they can make, our wildest dreams come true.

Those magic sparks, in me and you.

Up and Down

The school year is gearing up.

The Fair season is winding down.  

We are hoping for a financially awesome year as being able to book our Disney vacation relies on how well the fair season did.

Belated

My mom's birthday always falls during Fair season.  I usually make it a point to go visit for a while on her birthday but bigger family celebrations - like a front porch BBQ - have to be fit in when there is time.    

Somehow, in all the last minute planning, we forgot to bring a candle for the cake.  No biggie.  In a pinch, use a toothpick.  I'm sure it has no effect on the wish.

Happy 73rd Birthday, Mom.

Traveling

Today's soccer match took us to Liberty Benton.  Although the game did not end so well for our team, we as a family decided to make the best of the day.  

While in the area, we stopped into Van Buren State Park.  We've driven by it numerous times in our travels down I-75 and Jim would always talk about camping adventures there as a kid.  It was about time to see what all the fuss was about.   

As is normally the case, the campground has changed. However, this change is drastic to the point of the campground being relocated.  One of the few locations that remained the same from Jim's childhood days was a place him and his brother would go to throw rocks....

My mama's heart was not doing so well as three of us were in flip flops trying to maneuver over the ties and stones and down a steep slope. 

In their younger years, Jim and his brother would set up pop cans at the bottom of the dam and then climb up to the railroad tracks to throw rocks down at their target.  Pure and simple fun for kids back in the day, ya know?    

This view made my heart stop in terror....

This view made my heart stop in awe of God's beauty....

After taking this picture, I turned and slowly started walking back the way we came, looking for rocks that need to be painted.  Somewhere, maybe in my subconsciousness, I heard a noise and looked up.  The railroad signal in front of me was blaring red, something I had not noticed before.  I immediately turned around and what to my wondering eyes should appear?  But a train barreling down the tracks at us!!!  At that moment 'Fried Green Tomatoes' played through my head scene by scene and I might have panicked in getting everyone away from that area.  Once we were all safe, Jim claims that of all the years doing this as a kid, he never remembers a train going through.  Maybe Jim should stick to story telling and not sight seeing.

Dual Purpose

I have a hunch that with soccer games being scheduled until October 27th it might get a bit chilly outside.  Time to make ourselves a school color blanket for warmth.  And when its wrestling season we have the perfect way to save seats and our rumps on those bleachers.  

Go Big Red!!

Excitement

We officially have a band student this year!  

With much excitement and enthusiasm, Bree decided to take up the clarinet in the band.  And with even more excitement and enthusiasm, she came running home with paperwork to sign up for 3-4 shifts at the (music booster's) donut booth during the County Fair!!!   I'm just hoping she can keep up this excitement and enthusiasm when it come to actually practicing the instrument!

Prisoner

Fair time is done (for me) which officially makes it glorious, glorious FALL in this house!   In fact, this morning I got dressed in a cozy sweater, dug out my slippers, AND applied make-up just to take the kids to school all in celebration of the best season dawning.  However, there is one teeny-tiny yet massive thing I very much dislike about this time of year.

I become a prisoner in my house!!

Outside Every. Single. Door.  And window. are these beasts!!

In fact, my front door has TWO major webs with their owners blocking my way out.  Can you spot them both? 

I clean them off, do a weird ninja dance just in case they have jumped on me and am now covered with these 8-legged creatures, leading me to drop the broom and run inside, and randomly spending the rest of the day slapping my head - my arms - my sides due to phantom spider crawling feelings.  At least I don't have to decorate for Halloween.

Working Hard for the Money

Junior Fair Day - 

An extra day off school that you can..

A.) Have a chance to work in the family business learning how to interact with a wide variety of people, how to speak clearly and thank people who buy your product, and work on money skills no longer taught in schools.

Or....

B.) Use the day to sit around and eat loads of fair food while playing slots.

Elephant Ears

I love Elephant Ears.

Love.  Love. Love. Love. LOVE THEM!!!

I love them so much that I choose to not get them because eating one only makes me want to eat another and another and another.   So today for the first time in roughly 12 years I got me an elephant ear.... and dang it was good. 

Delivery

Pizza was a rarity when I was growing up.  Or at least it felt that way.  I have fond memories of ordering pizza on a Friday night while listening to the local football game on INTV and I still remember what we'd get on the 'My Three Sons' deal from Tiny's Pizza.  Even though this Italian food is regularly in the meal rotation, my children do still get excited about it.  But the rarity in this house is also the one thing my kids long for...

Delivery.