Some Shots from November

We take every warm day we can get!

Look who can finally tie her own shoes!

A fall art project; when dry, they peeled off the blue painters tape and revealed a white outline of trees

Spending an afternoon at one of our favorite places: the arboretum

Bridgette has always been able to hold her own as the youngest!

Pioneer Day at our co-op:

A super fun date with my oldest girl to play games and drink hot cocoa

I love this pic of these sister friends!

a bit of rock and mineral study for science

Kaye K and Big Daddy came for Thanksgiving!  We introduced them to Dude Perfect, which in this photo looks to be more amusing for the grandparents than it was for the kids.  But our kids think it's great, and we all loved hearing Big Daddy laugh at the videos!

Kaye K doing her thing with the kids at the piano

Shopping for, and preparing our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  Having Mom and Dad, who work for Smaritan's Purse, with us made the tradition extra special

Sharing the arboretum with Mom and Dad.  Look at Kaye K up in the tree!

Not even a bonsai tree exhibit could distract from the football score.  I tease, but I actually love that they all enjoy sports so much together.

Riding bikes and walking around Lake Artemesia on an unusually warm day.

Our friend, who works for the FBI, hooked us up with a tour of the FBI building!  

One Night of Camping

We'd planned two nights of camping, but 100% rain forecast changed our plans.  Ryan and I decided it was worth it, even if only for one night, and it ended up being one of those "magical memories" we made as a family.  A seemingly short 24-hour span of fun, cooperation, laughing, story-telling, and foraging for sticks to keep the fire alive because it was COLD!

I probably get way too excited about setting up everyone's beds in the tent!

A GREAT climbing tree!

Ryan slept in his neck warmer and stocking cap, and he was the warmest of anyone when we all woke up to frigid temps.  No one wanted to get out of their sleeping bags.  And by no one, I mean just the adults!

Red-head selfie!

October in Review

The girls played on the same soccer team this fall.  It was Bridgette's first time to play and she did great!

We enjoyed an evening with Uncle Tim while he was in town!

Making music together 

 A joint effort in learning my recipe for chocolate chip cookies

We had an unusually warm day.  Our girls and their neighbor friends decided it was the perfect opportunity to set up their first lemonade stand. 

Cheers!  A complete success for these sweet friends. 

A field trip to the Museum of the American Indian to learn more about the Cherokee Trail of Tears.

A highlight of the month was a special surprise from G-Daddy and Grammy Deb!  The kids had no idea they were coming!  We were grateful they made us their final stop in a New England tour.

Trying out a new frisbee game with G-Daddy

Happy Birthday Ryan!! 

 A fun Sunday afternoon outing to an apple orchard with friends from our church small group

She was committed to getting the good apples way up high!

Ryan came up with creative way to rig the ladder so I could paint the stairwell!

We hosted friends for Halloween, joining for dinner and then sending the kids out to trick-or-treat with the dads while the moms passed out candy.  Bridgette as "Dorothy" with her friend, "Toto". =)

Dorothy, Wendy (from the fast food restaurant!), and Boba Fett

Gretchen was a bit disgruntled that everyone thought she was also dressed up as Dorothy, but the mounds of candy made up for the initial disappointment!

The aftermath of candy trading in our living room!