November is Here!

Welcome, November!

Things have slowed down a bit for us here.  We've given up on fall, it seems like Mother Nature has winter in mind.  Its been rainy and cold and even snowy!  Before the snow, we spent 2 weekends back helping our friends the Sebrights spread the remaining dirt around their back yard in preparation for new grass next spring.  We also raked leaves and burned them.  It was a lot of hours Friday night, Saturday all day and even Sunday after noon, but fun with friends.

Sunday evening I accompanied Kathy to a Lakeshore Roller Derby end of season party.  While I was just along for the company and to watch the team give and receive awards, it was exciting to see Kathy take home 3!  I was surprised to be awarded my own in thanks for the time spent traveling, supporting the team with the fan base and photography, and I was very honored.

Our activities have been more indoor.  The recent time change has messed with our kids a bit this round, so it's been a bit more sleepy and moody around here too!

 There have been plenty of fun moments too.  Elam, always the sponge, has taken to helping clean Barb's cage..

Early last week, we got measurable snow that stayed for nearly the whole week, and got added to a few times as well.  The kids sure loved this!  They couldn't wait to get outside and play, and spent several afternoons making the most of the white stuff without hills.

 Last week was also Daddy's birthday.  The girls decorated the living room that morning and could hardly wait for it to be time for him to open his gifts.  After his favorite meal of steak and mashed potatoes, it was finally time!

 Then, instead of cake, we had mini apple crisps that Tierney helped me make.

The snow started to melt toward the end of the week, which meant mud and mess, so the kids set to playing in the basement on Friday with their friends, and had quite a fun time!

 Sunday was a special service at church led by the kids.  Ezri and Alora along with friends from their class and the youth class did motions and sang with the band for the songs.

 They also played a part in a skit with their friends.

They really enjoyed themselves!

Happy Halloween

Last week brought us all sorts of weather!  We started out the week enjoying warmer temperatures and used that weather to rake up a round of leaves.  Ezri worked her little butt off helping me clear leaves and earned quite a bit in commission for all of her work.

The kids had a great time playing outside in the beautiful fall weather.

We got around to picking out our pumpkins and Tuesday evening we set to carving them.  The kids  had  a great time getting messy and digging in, all full of chatter about their plans for the faces.

The final products turned out cute!

After they were all carved up, we took them outside and lit candles in them and then stepped back to enjoy the view.

We found ourselves watching snow fall on Wednesday morning!

Later that afternoon, the kids and I headed to Grandville for some Halloween fun at Grandma's office.  There, our kids, along with other children and grandchildren of of the office employees, went from office to office, loading up on all sorts of candy and goodies.

That night, we returned home to frost the cookies that we had baked the day before, Halloween shapes, of course.

Thursday brought Halloween, and more cold, icky weather.  It was windy, wet and very cold as we set out for the Trick-or-Treating.  First stop: the farm for the good candy from Aunt Nancy, Great Grandma and Uncle Fred.

Then we returned home to prepare for an evening of neighborhood Trick-or-Treating.

Due to the weather, we loaded all the kids in the back of Kathy's car and then we slowly made our way down our street, stopping first at Pamaw's.

After bouncing back and forth down our street (about 8 houses), the kids were cold and miserable and ready to be done.  We drove over to a church in town so the kids could play some games and get candy in a warmer environment.

When we finished there, we headed to the gas station for full size candy bars, the bakery for donuts, and the old hardware for some candy and a fun picture.

Then, because we were all cold and sick of it, we gave up way earlier than ever before and just went home to eat warm soup and let the kids sort through candy and make trades, which they did with much excitement.

After all the excitement, Elam was wore out and crashed on my lap once our friends had gone home and the girls had all been tucked in.

It seems winter is trying to make it's appearance way sooner than we are all ready for this year, brr!  So long October, November here we come!