Obligitory Fall Photos!

With moving,my blog has been so neglected and yet my cute kids are still getting cuter, so I felt the need to post how we are enjoying my favorite season. So much has happened this fall and we have the pictures to prove it!
Here we are enoying Smallwood Harvest for Shelly's birthday in October...
All the kids and Grandma Shelly

Jones feeding the geese (they come so close to little fingers!)

Jones and Papa feeding the goats

Lael chillin' along for the ride

Jones tromping through the pumpkins

Josh and the kids enjoying the super-speedy cow train ride

We are pretty crazy about my nephew Zeke and were able to celebrate his FIRST birthday with him!

My Sis and Z blowing out his pumpkin cupcakes

Zeke's first sugary anything ever...

Pumpkin Carving

Nothing better than celebrating at Papa and Lala's

These last pictures are from a harvest party with dear friends...we couldn't have had more fun on a great fall day. We enjoyed a hunt for candy, apple dumplings (divine!) and even a bit of nature study. We are beyond thankful for these friendships!

My angel, princess and horse are ready to go!

Showing off their costumes...Doesn't Terri look amazing as the crazy mama who drank too much coffee?

Sweet Maia, Lael and Della-Bee

The whole crew after the candy hunt

Jones and the love of his life, Della

Renae showing off her fall find

Della and MY sweet baby girl... have you seriously EVER seen a baby this cute!

Halle and Daejah enjoy their tootsie rolls

And because you have hung in there so long, here is an hysterical photo of me circa 1967 morphed together by my husband and the great people at yearbookyourself.com. Josh had way too much fun with this! It is shockingly similar to photos of my mom when she actually had these glasses and this hairstyle (sorry,mom). Enjoy the laugh!

Living out of the Box

....is what my sweet family is doing right now. Until we get our home a bit more organized, the ol' blog is going to be pretty neglected. We love our new home and I'm enjoying all things domestic as I fill its rooms...see you all soon!

The Vote

I'm listening to NPR as I pack up the old house today...people are calling in from all over the country with their stories of voting, standing in line, talking to their neighbors. I love stories....

My story was simple. I decided to wait until this morning to cast my ballot, even though all of Washington State votes absentee. I drank my coffee and sat by the fire, Halle watched the process over my shoulder and all the kids helped me lick the envelope. We walked to the post box together and plopped in our vote. I felt a gush of American pride and civil responsibility come over me as we flipped up the flag to alert the postman of our very important outgoing mail. Is that dorky? Its the same sensation I get before every ball game as I burst out the national anthem...or when I see the fireworks on the Fourth of July...or stand to honor the color guard in our yearly parade downtown. I love this country, I love the promise it holds and I love its people and their stories. I feel priveledged to have one today.

Quiet and Living Grateful

As I write this I am sitting in my parent's home, near a wall lined with windows peeking out onto their gardens...mist has settled over our valley here and the brilliance of fall's colors seem to be a little deeper, the stain a bit more permanent and vibrant a midst the grey. I love the whispy feel of a day like this...hunkered down with a cup of coffee and books to read by the fire. Candles lit, fire blazing, the morning is blank with possibility, waiting for the richness and glory my children will bring with their questions and laughter and the occasional squabble. Life is so good.

My grandfather was known as man who counted his blessings. Each year on my birthday, I received a letter from him, typed in brown ink on his cream stationary...smelling crisp and new and prepared just for me. He would share his wisdom, his hopes and dreams for me and tell me what he experienced at that particular year in his life, his blessings and how grateful he was for all he had been given. He actually kept a list of his blessings in his wallet at all times. What a way to live...what a beautiful perspective. I want to live gratefully...I want to live quietly and soak in mornings like this.

So in honor of November and the season of Thanksgiving, I am going to keep a list of my blessings here in this place. I think I will just add a side bar and update it each day. Would you join me in this? Even just once, in your own blogs, take some time to mark your blessings and share them with us? It is my prayer that we can experience living grateful together...

Today I am so grateful for...
~this mist and the rich color outside my window
~Halle and Lael playing peacefully beside me...relishing in sisterhood
~Hazelnut Biscotti Coffeemate...(how have I never had this stuff before?)
~Family Movie Night...still talking about the new American Girl Movie this morning.
~fleece sweats and chenile blankets...all things soft really
Most importantly today...
~my amazing husband, and all the work he is doing to help me pack up the house and move into our new one. We have our first night there Wednesday!