When I look back over the week...

I am always amazed by the number of events that make up our days!  Monday, I had to bring Alisa home from school.  Tuesday...both Alisa and Teddy were home.  Teddy and I ended up at the Minute Clinic for his double ear infection.  I was able to stay home the rest of the day and take care of them.  I am thankful for a job that allows me to do that!

 Alisa wanted to learn how to sew...and...make something for Junior Convention.  We decided on an easy...straight seams...bag.  "Mom, no one can have too many bags!"  We started on a "practice" one that will end up as a gift...because it is turning out very nice!

 Why does she give such an evil look?  I told her to hold it up...her first seam!

 Ironing the seams..."Why do we have to do that?"  Made me laugh...ironing is not something we do much of around here...a lost art, so to speak!

 Thursday was our K3 Serve-a-thon activity.  The preschoolers and daycare collected treats to fill a basket and a big jar of pennies (for the penny drive) to say thank you to our city's librarians.  We enjoyed a couple of stories and craft about Pete the Cat.  What a neat opportunity!  The ladies were stunned by all the goodies, pennies, and flowers.

 Friday was our Harvest Day.  Miss Farmer K singing "Old MacDonald" with the kiddos.

 I was a little pumpkin.  I really hit a brick wall with the creativity for this one.  We had gotten rid of all the flannel shirts we had...we used them for packing...and now that I think of it...they are in the storage unit (the ones we didn't cut up!) Oi!  The parents got creative and it was fun to see our little farmers, animals, fruits, and vegetables.

 We decorated pumpkin cookies...everyone had their own icing!  We got everything passed out...and two kiddos sneezed all over their stuff.  Nice!

 We counted and sorted with pumpkin seeds and foam leaves.

 We air-popped popcorn...to eat and glue.

 We read The Pumpkin Parable.  I carved a pumpkin after the story and had the kiddos tell me what to do next.  They remembered the order, just like the farmer did it.  Children are very smart...and they don't miss a thing!  I brought a candle to put inside to shine...and they giggled with delight!  We let it burn till the end of the day.  Both of us "ladies" were very ready for naptime...and the end of the day, "I told my husband that I'm so ready for a big people date!" said Miss K.  I nodded!  "I'm just ready to go home, make some coffee, light the candles, and cuddle up on the couch!"  My added blessing to those desires...my love took our family out to supper!

So...here we are to Saturday again...cold and cloudy outside, washer and dryer humming, music practice, homework, and laying around till our family activity tonight (Three Cedars Farm!)  Ashlynn is our designated sickie now.  "But, Mom, it is the weekend!  So I won't miss school.  I want Perfect Attendance again this year!"  I am thankful for a down day!  This week seemed very long and tiring...to the point of tears tiring...and I don't know what was so different!?  Maybe I'm working on sickness?  Blah!

I know...and I'm sorry!

I am not able to keep up with this blog every day these days.  I am finding that working each day from 7:45am to 3:15pm demands that I structure the remainder of my day on my duties as a wife and mother.  By the time all that is cared for...I'm too tired to sit at the computer...or Ted is working on his class!  He is getting close to the end of this big goal!!!  So here is a short recap in pictures.

 Sunday...beautiful day outside and inside!  Mari and I sang together again..."He's My Savior".  What a wonderful truth!  I'm so thankful!

 Monday morning looking from our driveway toward the pond...fog is beautiful...till you have to drive in it!

 I am mesmerized by the beautiful colors this week!  Here, Mom, the "thoomac" by our house is so pretty!

 Tuesday...sitting at another soccer game without Ted.  He was gone for three days in Ohio for meetings.

 Teddy and I came home to find Chevy obtaining fiber in his diet by means of tearing/clawin/chewing the trim in the kitchen.  I guess he did not want to be in the kitchen locked up all day again.

 The girls had their last game of the season on Tuesday night.  It was a good learning time for them.

 Wednesday...guess what day it is?!

 Thursday...working on a duet that ended in a fight.  Oi!  I had left to meet my discipleship partner when I got a call, "Mom, she is not doing it."  I told them to stop practicing for now.  "Go on to something else.  Dad will be home in awhile."  As I hung up, I had to laugh.  They had picked a song with no sharps and flats...just to see if Alisa could get it.  She hasn't learned all the fingering yet.  The song title..."Hold the Fort".

 Friday...Dinosaur Day!  Soccer game!  Overnight with friends for the kiddos!  Date night!

 Saturday...rainy and cold with beautiful colors!  A date/trip with my sweetie...I will not forget this Sweetest Day...ever!  More on that later.  A supper delivery and fellowship with friends.  Thankful for the little things today!

Mmmm...an apple pie is in the oven while everyone is tucked snuggly in bed.  The house smells good and is ready for company for dinner tomorrow.

It happened in K3...over and over and over.

 This looks like such a nice story time!  Shortly after snapping this...I had to hand Miss K a couple wet wipes...so she could wipe down after taking...once again...a full force sneeze.  Direct Hit!

 Noah's Ark re-enactment

 This week was brought to you by the letter C...

 we thought of our friends who live in Canada!  I sang along with the clip of "Oh, Canada" that Miss K played for the class.

 More fun with felt...cat...led us to the poem "The 3 Little Kittens".

 Camping Day...and parents that went over the top to supply treats for smores!

 14 little students...1 wasn't here for the day...and we are getting at least 1 more student...possibly 2.

 We also celebrated Miss K's birthday with cake! and presents!

I'm always amazed at how quickly the morning flies by...but some days...it can't go fast enough!  When little boys jump off the toilet without being cleaned up properly and tracking it all over the bathroom floor.
When the fourth child sneezes and wipes it all over their face as they reach for you.
When two little boys scream at each other because one has the car and the other one took it away because "I want it."
When one little lady refuses to stay in her seat, or on her rectangle, or in the classroom, or locks the bathroom door, or pulls off a pile of TP, or spills her drink all over the table.

We do a lot of grimacing and stern-looking and correcting and laughing.  Sometimes it can't be helped.

"Look, Miss Kari, I didn't poop on the floor today!  I pooped in the toilet like a big Power Ranger.  Do Power Rangers poop?"
"Ooopa daisy!"
"Miss K, is that your Daddy?" when Mr. B brought Miss K her forgotten lunch.
Who were Adam and Eve's sons?  "Cain and Mabel!"
Who built the Ark?  "Joah!"  We have a little boy by that name...close...rhymes with Noah.

The not-so-good-supper

I learned that once again...I should follow that little voice in my head that says, "Are you sure?  Maybe you shouldn't.  Could a day off of the use by date really matter?  Shouldn't this hold together better?  Does it smell off or am I imagining it?  I'm frying and baking, will that make it safe?  I think I should just throw it out and find a plan B."  I went ahead and added the sauce and threw it in the oven...and watch the meatballs fall apart...and it tasted yucky.  All that time...effort...money...thought...wasted!  Oi! I haven't had that bad of a dud in...so many years!!!  Lesson learned...a day past the use by date...throw it out...even if it was $6.79.

Blessings for each day of the week!

 Sunday brought another missionary family to our church.  We enjoy putting together a travel bag of goodies for the families.  When God puts an idea in your family's leader's heart and mind...follow God and your husband's prompting!  What a blessing it has been to work together as a family to pick out fun snacks, helpful travel relievers, and fun toys.  Our favorite...for the last two families with four and five little ones...the Little People Snow White and the Seven dwarves!

 Monday's clouds were fantastic!    I love this fall season and the weather patterns that go with them.

 Sitting in the quiet of the evening after our family devotions...with yummy candles burning and twinkle lights on.

 The safe arrival of a wonderful gift in answer to a desire and prayer of a certain 11 year old!

 New sheet pans to bake with...no more burned granola or cookies!  Mmmm...pumpkin bars!

 Laughter in the early morning...I looked at our bathroom counter...all the necessities of the week!  Cold medicine, coffee, beauty products, and a wrench...that Ted needed to fix the shower head that broke in the middle of his early morning shower!

 Beautiful colors...

Chinese food, conversation, coffee, and sweet sister company...

To answer Mom's question...

 I snapped these as the girls and I drove home from grocery shopping.  Yes, the colors are changing.

I couldn't take the really good pictures with the lake...too much traffic...to do it safely.  I'll try and snap some more.  Everything has had a golden hue the last week...now the red and orange are popping!

Thursday's fun

Teachers' Convention means NO SCHOOL!  However...daycare is always available.  I worked part of the day on Thursday.  We tried to do some fun things...different from school things.  We traced each child and let them "decorate themselves".  It is fun to watch how some take great care of detail...and how others...didn't care a lick to even color.  We were thankful for nice weather to be able to go outside and play!!!

 I picked up the girls...and we went out for some girlie fun!  They wanted to hit Charming Charlies...go figure!

 They are getting to be so grown up...and yet I still see them with piggy tails, binkies, and blankies when I look at them.  How quickly the time has flown by!

 We picked out some bling and then headed out to try another new frozen yogurt place.

 We gave this one a two thumbs up also!

Played at Archivers for a little while...love the make and takes!  We bought some paper to create with...but then lost our desire once we got home.  Too much shopping?

Wednesday's K3 and K4 field trip

 A wagon ride out to pick Empire apples...

 twist and pull!  Harder!  Mmmm...we got to eat one while we walked through the trees filling our bag.  I had one little buddy that I was in charge of for the morning.

 We walked till we found the "perfect little pumpkin"!

 A beautiful morning!

 A fun place for the kiddos to play!

 The cider and donuts were wonderful!  We were all grateful for naptime!  We even had some snorers during naptime...and it wasn't the teachers!