October fun

Some pics from a very full October:

visit to the dahlia farm down the road

monthly Altar Society meeting (this time I had all 5 kids
with me...and they were great!)

"field trip" to Costco (ok, I am stretching it)
(but they did learn how they get the sauce
on the pizzas--cool machine thingy)

high school football game

my 37th birthday

friend's birthday party

finally got her new camera!

James too (made out of lego bricks) 

annual beach trip to Lincoln City

grandma and grandpa came to visit and do what they do best

grandpa was very interested in the flower stand
once he found out Bunny made over $50 selling
flowers and pumpkins

applesauce made from a friend's apples

learning the Thriller dance!

1st Annual St. Matthew International Fall Festival

planting spring bulbs

As you can imagine, each one of these pictures has a story behind it :o) and dozens of other pictures to go with it.  As time permits, I may elaborate on an event...or not...we'll see.  Time keeps marching forward, and with it comes more adventures.  Never a dull (or quiet) moment in our family!

5 Little Pumpkins

photos taken at "Uncle Shane's Giant Pumpkin Patch"

Uncle Shane's Giant Pumpkin Patch

Uncle Shane grows the biggest pumpkins in his field!!!  He grows them for the joy of it, and to share the pumpkins with all the family.  We had a great time at his Harvest Party earlier this month:

*The pumpkin really weighed 177#, but I missed the
photo op so Marcus got on the scale.  I took a
 picture of his weight--which was close enough.  :o)

Feast of St. Francis

If you remember, one of my NYRs (New Years Resolutions)* was to celebrate feast days with the kids.  I recall writing "this will be easy!"...hmmm...ok, maybe not so much.  It is October and St. Francis is our first saint we are really celebrating.   So I doubt I will reach my goal of 9, but oh well, a few is better than none!

Mrs. N was gone this particular Friday, so we did school
in the dining room all together (the young ones at least)

St. Francis coloring pages

goldfish crackers (St. Francis loved animals
and all of Creation)

playing with stuffed animals (ok, they would've done that anyway)

howling like wolves

enjoying God's creations

dining room centerpiece (this stayed up all week)

We also read books on St. Francis, studied art (as in, art history and symbolism), and watched a few YouTube videos.  A great success; the kids loved it all.

On Saturday, Fr. Peter had a blessing of animals!  What a
beautiful day for it too.  I took the 4 older kids, and Daisy of course.

* Other NYRs are going very well.  Maybe I'll do an update post sometime soon.  We've had great new recipes, I've enjoyed not one but TWO new personal hobbies, and I've read some good books.  Not so great on sewing but I'll make up ground this coming week (sewing for Halloween).

A lotta pinata fun

A pinata at Emmett's birthday party!!!

a bunch of crazy kids

Sedric LOVED the pinata!

It was hard to restrain him after his turn was done.

Looking none too happy about being in
Fr. Juan's arms.... 

Candy time!

The best part: Seddy could hit the broken pinata ALL he wanted!

Happy Birthday Emmett!!

Sally

This is what I saw out my window the other morning: 

(look on the frisbee in the pool)

 The kids found "Sally" the day before, while playing in the woods.  Gemma just loved her!  The first thing she did the next morning was go play with Sally.

Sally looks a little nervous in this picture.

Gem was sad when the older kids released her back to her home.  But now they can go hunting for her...fun!