pirates and snow

Tyler has been working for 2 months on his school performance

The excitement could hardly be contained when he was cast as yellow beard

in translation he mentioned it more than once!

He gave up his recess to work on his part at school

and the last week of school before break the 4th graders presented

A Pirate Christmas

Mom failed here on the beard
we tried yellow face paint
didn't work so well
Should have tried to make a beard like good old blue beard here
Oh well
Tyler loved his costume!

That night the snow began

I woke up early to check about school

first an hour delay

than a 2 hour delay 

than SNOW DAY

so our winter break began a day early

I got up and took some pictures before the kids ran through it!

It's only about 4 inches but around here that closes the town down

MOM THERE IS SNOW!!!

she did not remember the last time it snowed

that was nearly 2 years ago and she didn't like it then

She jumped back in her bed to be warm!

that was my reaction too!

Eventually they all woke up
and I told them they should go play before it melts!

 SNOW MAN!

 it had to be a girl snowman

and the beginnings of a snow fort

They borrowed some sled from the neighbor and headed to the park
it was a great kick off to our Christmas vacation!!
I will tell you the truth and tell you how grateful I was for the boys
they took such great care of Grace 
they played with her and helped her with her snowman
it was awesome!

a very busy week

the week of Halloween was incredibly busy

ridiculous actually

how can so much fall in 1 week

we needed "homemade" pumpkin sugar cookies for preschool

it was the last thing on the sign up sheet

and it did really specify "homemade"

I even asked

so we made sugar cookies

not my favorite baked good

but these were fabulous!

she loved it

so much mama's little helper

the day after Halloween we needed the 4th grade volcano  completed and ready for eruption
so we had to complete it early in the week

 Thank you brother Jared for your help!

Also the day after H 
both A and J needed to provided desserts to be auctioned off at the camp fundraiser for church

Jared made our fabulous cheesecake which ended up going for $130
WOW!

cookies complete
seriously 
so yummy

in the mean time we made some brownies for Alex's contribution to the auction

messy girl!
we also made lots of goodies for our annual Halloween party!

So basically I cooked all week!
I keep rescuing flowers from the storms

 I love these flowers I'm totally going to miss their beauty when the frost finally comes

SO bad mom again
I didn't get all the kids in their costumes
I was taking the kids pictures when our guest arrived
oops...
so here is Alex

 Grace

If you look close Jared and Tyler are in the group picture

I meant to make them get back in their costumes the next day 
but we were just too busy
but we did a repeat in costumes this year
so you can look back at those pictures!

the boys didn't want to break up the soccer game to go trick or treating
I think that may be a sign we don't need to go anymore!?!

I didn't get any other pictures of the party
it gets so busy and confusing that I forget
we do the same thing every year

Dinner soups and finger foods
Trick or treating
then back to our house for a movie
We always watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas"

What happened with that volcano?
Major success!
the best one yet!

we survived the week with great success
I wondered there for awhile if we were going to be able to get everything done
we did!
Yeah us!

time goes so fast

these pictures are from over 2 weeks ago

i really can't believe how fast everything goes

and how I just can't seem to stay on top of it

Jared is running xcountry this year

this week he has his last meet 

3 weeks ago I took a couple kids with me and we headed to Anacortes to watch him start and finish!

 this picture is very deceiving about there heights

sorry blurry picture

I finally got 3 pillows done
they started on my front porch but the fog is making everything so wet I moved them inside!

I have the next project waiting!
I really think fabric is pretty
I must get that from my mom

Alex has figured out the air popper!

these were all from my yard
I gave them to a friend 
aren't they just happy!

this is happy too
she skips from her school to Tyler's school on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons!
it so cute!

and I was loving this birch tree
yellow leaves against a bright blue sky
since this picture all those leaves have fallen to the ground and the skies are grey from the fog
but I enjoyed it while it lasted

It amazes me 
we are so quickly moving from fall to winter here
I'm not ready
I love fall
I'm going to hang on to it as long as I can
Halloween is only 10 days away
the kids all want to repeat there costumes from last year
yeah!
my boys counted down the weekends till Christmas
only 9!
crazy!! 
time really is going too fast
SLOW DOWN PLEASE!!

signs of fall

so you know it's fall when

the dahlias are in bloom!

I make an extreme number of super yummy desserts
really butterscotch cake you've gotta try it!

like I said I make too many desserts

I made 4 cheesecakes this week

ok they weren't for us

but this is what ended up being left over

so good

the daughter insists on her annual leaf and pinecone hunt
I'm amazed she even remember what basket we used last year
we were not overly successful on our hunt
actually not many leaves have started falling
so we will be taking another leaf hunt

you have to love those beautiful colors!

my hydrangeas have started to turn their final colors
always my favorite!

remember the wreath I made
it has dried beautiful on my front porch
I will definitely need to do this every year 

and spiders take over 
not my favorite 

 the roses make one final bloom

and my Grace has started decorating for me!

the football goose is out and dressed in Wildcat colors

and there are field trips to the Library!

people get sick

and mums are in their glory!

and the leaves earn their place 
loving the turquoise and orange brightness in my window sill!

Hope everyone is loving the beauty and the changes of this season! 
I'm trying hard to notice and appreciate the beauty around me
more on that project later!