sprouts

I normally don't like to display the fact that keeping the house clean is one of my weaknesses, but I thought this was quite interesting. But things keep coming up lately and I've fallen behind on my house cleaning duties. I used this rag to clean up chia seeds (it's a grain/seed full of protein) that Samuel had spilled all over, and then threw the rag in the sink, I rinsed off dishes and sat them on top of this rag hiding it, and the dishes sat there for 2 days. I finished the dishes yesterday, and when I moved the last dish, I saw this rag underneath, with sprouts growing out of it. The kids thought it was so cool, and has inspired Joseph of what to do for his science project. They asked lots of questions and it turned out to be a fun learning experience.

Trick-or-treating

Betsy's Candy Samuel's candy

Joseph's candy

Austin's candy

By Beautiful Snow White

My other beautiful Snow White

Luke Skywalker

Soccer Ball!

Soccer Ball from the side

The kids had a blast trick-or-treating. We had two hours, and filled their buckets to overflowing. Samuel's costume was a hit, I had so many people ask to take his picture, and made comments about it. Samuel walked for the first hour, and I ended up having to carry him the second hour, boy was it awkward carrying him in that puffy soccer ball costume. I was proud of Samuel's costume and Joseph's cape since I made them both. Although I had to take 1/2 of Samuel's stuffing out, becuase it was too heavy, so he was a little lopsided. The kids had a great time, and said it was the best Halloween ever, and enjoyed organizing and trading their candy! Sorry about all the pictures, I just got a new camera, since our old one broke, and I've been a little trigger happy

Halloween Fun

Samuel riding the cow train

Joseph and Jacob riding the cow train

Samuel and our Laird friends

Betsy, Bro. Laird, and Austin riding the cow train

Racing the four-wheelers

Austin riding her four-wheeler

Mom and Sam riding the four-wheelers




Joseph riding the four-wheeler

Taking a break waiting for the cow train

Samuel and Betsy couldn't get enough of this big slide

Betsy made it down the slide

Joseph shooting the corn cannon

Samuel landing head first into a pile of sand at the bottom of a big slide, and trying to spit it out.

Joseph and Austin riding inflatable horses

Samuel had fun climbing on the logs

Samuel, Joseph and Betsy posing for pictures

Austin and her friend Carriane

Joseph feeding the sheep

Halloween was a very fun day, with a lot of activities. We went to a corn maze with our friends the Lairds. We went through the corn maze, and managed to not get lost or lose any kids. The kids had a good time, Austin collected all the maps that people had left on the ground, and Betsy collected the tops of corn stalks that had fallen off. We had fun twisting and turning, and going over a bridge too. After we got out of the corn maze their was lots of activities for the kids to do. We discovered that all the corn tops that Betsy had collected were perfect for feeding the goats and sheep. There was logs to climb on, a little maze for the toddler sized munchkin, inflatable horses, corn cannons (you actually shot tennis balls at bowling pins atop of hay bales), a cow train (this was pretty fun, the guy driving it went pretty fast, and kept swerving from side to side, and would turn so that he would almost hit the caboose car, which Betsy was in, but turn just in time. I wish you could've seen the look on Betsy's face, and the driver of the tractor would almost hit her, but unfortuneatly it was too bumpy and fast for the pictures to turn out. Samuel laughed and giggled almost the entire ride!), some bike-pedaled four- wheelers that were fun to ride around it, and a sandbox with toys in it while we ate a picinic. Everyone had a really good time.

"Me don't like that"

On Wednesday, I was riding my bike with Samuel in the back of the bike trailer like I usually do to pick up the kids from school. I had just turned the corner and felt something dragging behind me, and turned around to see the bike trailer had flipped upside down and was dragging behind me. I jumped off my bike and ran and flipped over the bike trailer. Samuel looked at me very seriously and said "Me don't like that". I kind of laughed/cried because he was so funny and I was so relieved he was fine. He was strapped in and had his helmet on so he was okay. Although the top bar of the bike trailer is broken, so I have to find a way to fix it. We've been plauged with various illnesses the past couple weeks, and it seems like somebody is always sick, although nothing serious so we're thankful for that. We're keeping busy with Soccer, Judo, Tumbling, Piano, Scouting, and lots of different activities. We're looking forward to Christmas time, since Daddy is supposed to be coming home for R & R.

Austin video for Travis

I realized that I accidently put Betsy's short video on instead of Austin's , so here is Austin's video she made for Travis

Happy Birthday Travis!

Travis' B-day is today and the kids made these videos for him. Happy Birthday Travis, we love you!!

Little Family

Mom Joseph Austin Betsy Samuel

The kids and I made these figurines out of salt dough a couple Sundays ago, and painted them to look like each one of us, and sent them to Travis, so that he could have his "family" with him in Iraq. I didn't post the picture until now, becuase I didn't want Travis to see them before his package arrived. He got his package, and everything arrived intact, except for Samuel's left arm, but hopefully he can glue it back together. We had a lot of fun making these, and it was actually our second set. The first set we made, and then as I was putting them up high on top of the cupboard, so that they would be out of reach, until the package was ready to send, I slipped and dropped them, and they broke. Although, Samuel enjoyed carrying "his Samuel" around for a little while and playing with him until it broke too much to play with anymore.