Trick or Treating

My Buzzing Bumblebees

Sunday Morning Family Time

Puzzles
Books
Pajamas
Tea
Pandora

A few hours of our morning I don't want to forget.

Pumpkin Party

A New Day

The house is clean. The sun is shinning. I am down to one happy child (the other happy one went to preschool). I have a moment to breathe. Today is Friday.

Bumblebees (and a little whining)

This week has definitely had it's ups and downs. It was hard coming back to "normal" after our five day weekend. The weather wasn't cooperating much either which didn't help matters. I found myself, on more then one occasion, feeling a little overwhelmed. Sometimes I was able to handle the feeling gracefully. Other times I was not.

In any case, tomorrow is Friday, and also the beginning of another long weekend for us (no work/school on Monday). Besides the fact that I am so ready for the weekend, we also have a lot of fun things planned... a Halloween party with Katie and Kris, a lot of family time, a bonfire, and Halloween of course. I am very much looking forward to it.



In other news, I think Jackson and Grace have finally decided upon their Halloween costumes. It has changed many times over the last few weeks. As of three days ago, they were set on butterflies. But then they spent three days being butterflies (costumes and all) and have now outgrown that. So... bumblebees is what we seemed to have settled on.



We'll see if it sticks.

Dinner

Made with our friends.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 or 2 onions
3 or 4 tomatoes
1 lb of cooked and chopped chicken breasts
1 tsp of cumin
1 heaping) tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
6 corn tortilla shells cut in fourths
shredded Cheddar cheese

Saute onions with 1/4 cup of water until soft. Add tomatoes, chicken, broth, cumin, chili powder, oregano and salt. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Poor half of chicken mixture into 9x11 baking dish. Add tortilla shells and then cheese. Add rest of chicken mixture and another layer of tortilla shells. Bake at 350 covered for 25 to 30 minutes. Add another layer of cheese and bake for another 5 minutes. Delicious.

Rain

(Finally. A real reason to use her new umbrella.)

Reading and Loving

A Real Good One

This weekend was the perfect mix of away time and family time... of work and play. I learned so much on Saturday... my head is still spinning from it. It's hard to say which class was my favorite, I think maybe the beekeeping one since I really didn't know anything about beekeeping yet. But I am also really excited to put into practice all I learned in the biointensive gardening class as well as the composting one.

This morning we got up and did some Sunday swimming and went out to lunch together. This afternoon I made a quadruple batch of pumpkin muffins (trying to make enough so they last longer then two days). And as an added bonus, Katie and Kris popped in for a surprise.

Yup, it was a good one.

Three Days Off... Day 3

Today we...



~ tried really hard to fly a kite



~ worked on getting the gardens ready for next spring (found a horse farm on craigslist giving away free bags of manure)



~ checked on our latest crops



~ did some art



~ rode horses

~ this morning we also went and visited Great Great Aunt Lorry and met Daddy for lunch

This weekend I'm off to here to learn about beekeeping and composting... among many other things. Can't wait.

Morning Snuggles

Three Days Off... Day II

Today we...

~ continued to unorganize (ahem, I mean organize) the art room... seriously it just keeps getting worse (don't let this picture fool you, I took it at the beginning of my cleaning... the mess has multiplied).

~ lulled around in our jammies for along time

~ took load of stuff to the thrift store to give away and came home with new load of stuff

~ had a few moments of "ahh yes, this part of staying home all day... how could I so easily forget" (this being the moments of trying to parent a cranky, overtired, or just plain moody 2 or 4 year old)

~ made pizzas together (using tortilla shells... very easy and fun)

~ enjoyed more of some of our new fall books (I especially love the art in that last one)

~ ate half of the pumpkin muffins we made yesterday

Three Days Off... Ready Go

Today we...

~were outside in the garden by 8:00 picking the rest of the pumpkins

~baked those pumpkins

~and made pumpkin muffins

~made this soup (and had requests for seconds and thirds)

~heard a "we sure are making a mess out here" just like the good ol' days

~and yes, made many messes

~started organizing the art room (inspired by my dear friend) which at the moment just appears to be another mess

~played outside

~hung the Halloween lights

~read books

~enjoyed every single moment of being home with all of my heart

Weekend Reading

Hats

Today was day 89 of really, really beautiful fall days. I can't believe we are this late into October and only now just bringing out the hats. While I guess it is not exactly fall weather, I am not complaining. It has been so wonderful (especially during this transition we are still adjusting to) to let these two be outside as much as possible.




This morning, as I finished getting ready for work, I watched as they played happily on the porch, running in momentarily to grab something only to head right back out. For some reason watching them go in and out of the house like that (I think they were gathering leaves and rocks for "soup" and kept coming in for the right cooking utensils) gave me such satisfaction. It reminded me so much of how our days use to be... where moments would just naturally unfold, with very little planning or scheduling. I am still missing that sense of freedom a bit I guess.

So for all the beautiful days (and all the ones hopefully yet to come), where the doors can be open, and the ease of getting outside is as simple as finding your shoes and hat, I am especially grateful.

One More

Okay just one more post about school clothes... only because this little corduroy jumper is one of my favorite finds. It was originally from here- my favorite store to pretend shop at (where I dog ear pages and draw circles around cute outfits as though I'll be placing my order at any moment).



But I actually purchased it here- my favorite store to do my real shopping at. I think I paid $5. Such a good find.



That little glimmer in her eyes there is the signal that the photo shoot is about to end.



Unless I'm in the mood to run.
Which I wasn't.
But it's okay, the dress still looks cute from here.

For the Birds

Birthday Dinner

Autumn Weekend