Pumpkin time...

but first, I'm glad to be hauling around my youngest like this again! When I see her legs in this picture I'm amazed at how big girl she looks. She is a year and a half after all. The last time she used this wrap though was about 6 months ago and she was just smaller then.

She's my outdoor girl, always finding her way to the stroller in the garage telling me she wants to go for a walk, so when she sees me get out the wrap she drops what she is doing and comes running. It's so funny. And when she was a baby and I'd get out the Bjorn, she'd pump her arms and legs up and down in excitement. So funny. (And she really isn't naked underneath; Wouldn't that be uncomfortable!)






Anyway...

So, here we are carving pumpkins on our day off from school this week. It was a definite highlight for the kids. And me too really. I'm glad to finally be able to create memories that they will remember from year to year!

This is Matthew's face that we carved. You can't see it in this picture but at one point I found Matthew jabbing his pumpkin with a carving spoon. I had no idea what he was doing, I was just glad to see that it was a spoon and not a knife. He matter a factly informed me that his pumpkin was wearing a belt. And could I do the rest of it? Because his hand was tired. So I completed the belt which looks like the little half dome of an upside down spoon!

...and this is Ella Jane's. I absolutely adore the way she makes people. It's very cute and this little drawing just screams her name. Notice the hair on the sides.

the good stuff...according to Jim who likes to toast the seeds.

And sorry to leave you hanging with no picture of the final product! Perhaps tomorrow night before we trick or treat I'll get out there and take pictures of our new Jack-O-Lanterns.

Can you guess what we did...

We don't do this very often but when we do, the kids come running. And after it's over the room smells like shaving cream! Nice and clean. The weather is starting to turn the corner over here reminding us that winter is not far off. I already know more of these indoor activities are on the horizon...

The kids love this activity and it was the first time Sara was able to get in on it. And get in on it she did! The clean up was another story...these pictures were taken at the beginning of the play time. We were covered by the time we were done but we had fun while doing it.

Filling frames...

It's a daunting task at this house. At least for me it is. Jim? not so much. I usually have an idea of what I want to put in the frame, but when it comes right down to it, I can never decide which one to choose. I've just got too many favorites and then become too critical of the one I actually do want to frame!

As a result, I've been pouring over photographs the last week or two and here are a few (okay more than a few) I wish I could look at everyday.

It seems I have a budding photographer on my hands. Matthew took the two below of Ella Jane and my stepdad reading.

I could go on and on peeps...

You know you have sick kids when...

The thermometer constantly reads 101 or above.

The only thing getting eaten are Popsicles.

Your active 6 year old is content to stay in bed all day and drift in and out of sleep.

Your spunky 4 year old is still coughing and still has a fever and so yes, perhaps you should get that prescription filled.

When the Motrin kicks in and they start to perk up, they spend the entire morning playing with the doctor kits.

From the week...

Just a few pictures from one of our days last week. Before all of the rain came and washed away all of our chalk drawings!

"Do ducks yawn?"...

"I don't know Ella Jane, I've actually never thought about it. That's a great question honey."

Two days later...

"Do fish have a backyard?"

"mmm, I don't know Ella Jane, I guess so, they can go anywhere in this tank and it's a pretty big tank."

I just love the way her mind works.

In my 7 week absence...

from home this summer, I forgot a few things. When we got home last week I was pleasantly surprised.

I forgot that I had just painted the sunroom yellow.

I forgot that Jim had just painted our bedroom closets brown (to match our bedroom).

I forgot that we had a garbage disposal.

I forgot that our cabinets had magnets on them to keep them closed.

I forgot about the sound of the crib in the night as Sara rolls around in her sleep.

I forgot that we had so much carpet!

It was fun to come home after spending the summer with our families out in Seattle. The kids had a wonderful time with their cousins and I hope they can remember this trip when they are older. We certainly have the pictures to prove it.

My sister was married on August 29th and Ella Jane had a fabulous time being a flower girl with her cousin Leah. They were both so thrilled to finally have the chance to wear their fancy dresses. The bride was beautiful and my sisters and I had a lot of fun celebrating her (as well as everyone else of course) on her big day.

The girls and I stayed on in Seattle for the wedding while Jim and Matthew came back home to start school and work. Jim was a single dad for two weeks. He is glad that we are back.

However...

A few days after we got back, I got really sick. Like two trips to the E.R. kind of sick. Turns out I had a bacterial infection. A bad one. So, Jim was a single dad again and has been pushed to the limits. I've been homebound for the week and thankfully our neighbors have helped with rides, and caring for the kids. I should be feeling better in the next week or so.

Than Jim won't have to be a single dad anymore. :)

In the meantime, now that I've got some energy back, I've enjoyed playing with the kids and am laughing and laughing at how funny Ella Jane is these days.

** Last night Matthew had H.S. Musical blaring in his room and he and the girls were dancing. As she was leaving Matthew's room she says to me "There's a pouty going on in there". She doesn't say her "r's" so "party" sounds like "pouty". It just seemed so funny to me.

** On her first day of school this week, she got dressed and told me "I look great!". Awww, yes honey you do look great.

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And now without further ado, a few pics of the wedding; the last hurrah of our summer!