Took a number of tries, but can't get much better than this for a Christmas picture!

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Jackpot

Girls dragged me out this morning to get their toy for exchanging the rest of their Halloween candy.  We hit the jackpot at Marshall's with two awesome costumes.  I'd eyed the heart one for Penny earlier this month, and for $5--it came with a set of wings, a wand, and a headband, whoo hoo!  I'm thinking cute valentine outfit, or maybe even Halloween next year if it holds up-maybe a little bow and arrow and she can be cupid...  Jane tried on three fantabulous dresses and opted for the gold and red one.  It was $7.50, I can't even remotely touch fabric for that, much less all the trim.  It's got a hoop!  She was pretty much over the moon, most of our dress up stuff has gotten too small for her, and she LOVES long things.  We took a few pictures outside, since it was so nice out.  Had to come in before they started to roll in the leaves and poke each other with sticks, though.

Happy Halloween Birthday!

Mike got to celebrate a little bit today.  We often relocate it to another day as it's pretty crazy with the kiddos and trick-o-treating.  We went to French Laundry for his free breakfast, and he got steak and eggs, so that's got to count for something!  Hope to get a chance to go out for dinner at some point in November.  Picked up the house, pushed leaves around the property (cause they're finally falling with the frost), and got ready for the evening.  Had a great dinner with some friends, and we all headed out with all the kiddos.  Nice night trick-o-treating chilly, but not cold, and especially great since we started the day with 50% rain in the forecast.

Birthday visit

 Jen's family met us at Spicers for some brisk playing and cider 'n donuts. Girls had a blast running around with their cousins, and it was a beautiful fall morning.  Headed back to the house so Penny could grab a nap, and Debbie and Dave brought pizza over to celebrate Mike & Jen's birthday.  Kids had fun, it's been awhile since we've all gotten together. 


On to Halloween crazyness!

Pumpkin time...

We went to the pumpkin patch and got a few good ones, and some cute gourds for the kitchen as well.  Girls wanted to carve today, and it was nice outside, so we went for it.  Hopefully a week early is okay!  Penny was very excited about the top coming on and off.  Jane dug in, but I still got to do most of the de-seeding.  Mike even tried to pass his off on me-nice try buddy.  He's working on outside stuff, cleaning out the barn, and a bunch of other things at once.

Sew Liberated Cape

I wasn't sure if I really needed to get a pattern for capes for the girls costumes, but I decided to go ahead and buy the Sew Liberated kids book.  I'm so glad I did. Jane's cape turned out fantastic.  I love the hood so much, and I don't think I would ever have come up with the pointy shape of it on my own.  It's reversible to a fuzzy black, and the shiny stars fabric is awesome.  I'm actually going to have to get more and make Penny's out of that, I bought fabric before I bought the pattern, and I just don't have quite enough for Penny's to make it quite right.  I also hacked up an old black dress of mine, and it's working pretty well as Jane's witch dress.  Successful trip to K'zoo, chance to hang out with Mom a bit before she leaves, and Mike got some work stuff done and helped Dad get some wood cut.

Fall fun

 Started off the day with the requisite visit to Spicers for donuts.  It was beautiful but rapidly got crazy there, since it was a weekend.  Came home and the girls rode bikes and had some fun outside.  Dad and Mike got the woodstove up on the hearth, it's huge (compared to the other one), but kind of cool looking.  I think it doesn't really match the brick very well, but will be a good fit whenever we get around to redoing the living room.  Hoping for a warm winter, regardless.  Mom's off to Albuquerque to hang out with Torsten (and Baird and Amy, I guess-haha); we're going to miss her!!!

Easter Island installation

 Mom and Dad and Gram Nomi came for the weekend.  Dad and Mike worked on installing the new (that's been in the garage for a year) woodstove. Girls played with the grandmas, and I roped Gram Nomi into making apple pie.  Mom and Dad brought some corn cobs, and while I thought the girls would just lay them by the bird watching area, it was apparently great fun to pull the kernels off instead.

Over our house...

Mike was going to be home late, so the girls and I decided pizza was in order.  Jane saw this hot air balloon on our way out, and it was still in the area on our way back home.  I headed up past Spicers thinking we could see it better, and then headed towards our house, thinking it was over the elementary school.  I didn't have my camera, so stopped home first...and then we realized it was right overhead!  Got the girls out of the car quick, and we waved (and they waved back).  Jane asked me about 10 times if that was the coolest thing I'd ever seen, she was pretty excited.

'Nother vette

But this one is a z06...which probably means I don't want to know.

Spicer's

Fall's here...bring on the orchard, cider, and donuts.

Nice new play area...I know we'll be here lots over the next few months!

Excitement

Girls were super excited to see Daddy's 'new car for a week'.





He got to drive the white camaro around, and we got a couple of rides. Girls scream and giggle for more speed.


We did take it for a car wash...but apparently Penny thinks that is torture chamber. She was seriously freaked out. Whoops.




Jane also made some lovely art work today....or at least signed it. Mmm hmm.

Torsten!

Jane arranged some of Grandpa's peppers into bouquet. Torsten thought they'd be a good photo prop. He's the cutest lil guy. We had a wonderful time hanging out at Mom and Dad's house with him and Baird. Two years since I've seen my brother, whew, that's a long time. Hoping we'll get to see Torsten a bit more frequently. Jane would pretty much adopt him (if she could be the one to carry him and hold him all the time!); Penny was a little bit less enthused about her Momma holding another baby.

Mini-Golfing Grandma

I remember going mini-golfing with Grandma Nomi frequently as a kid. Jane enjoyed it when we went earlier this summer, so we picked Grandma up and headed over to the putt-putt on Westnedge. Little windy and chilly, but I guess it's September! Penny took a nap on the way over, but she was still kind of out of it. She hit a few, but I carried her for most of the course. Jane got another hole-in-one this time, too. Grandma tried to be serious about it all, but it's pretty hard with a 5 and a 2 year old in tow! Penny woke up enough to want to play everyone's ball on the last hole where it disappears. Dinner, dropped Grandma off, and headed back to the house. Mom and Dad had gone to get Baird off the train in Illinois, and we got to meet Torsten-the cutest little boy ever!

Zombie Scooper

Apparently it's the summer of accumulating tractors...and tractor accessories. I've dubbed this one the zombie scooper; Mike always has a grand master plan for the property--and a back-up plan for 'in case we're ever attacked by zombies'.

Hey-the government approves: CDC Zombie Apocalypse.

Summer's over?

We hit the Indian Springs Spray Zone for one last taste of summer; it's closing soon. Girls had fun and it was a great playdate.

Mike and the girls are trying to keep up with the garden. There are tons of little cherry tomatoes... Penny still isn't really discerning the difference between the green ones and the red ones, though.

Tractor #3

Hopefully it's the final one. Hehee.













(No, really, it better be the last one).

For parts...or maybe the other one is for parts now? All I know is that 3 tractors should equal a snow free drive this winter, right?

Summer Faire

Heavenly Scent Herb Farm Summer Faire is always fun. This was our second year attending, and fun to have cousins along this time as well! Four little fairy girlies flitting all over. There was a random bunny when we first walked in; I don't know if he's supposed to be there or not! He looked like a pretty domestic breed. It was beautiful day, a perfect end to summer. We finished the visit with a little lunch, including the peach soup that Jane loved last year, and the curry chicken salad that I need to try to make at home, even if it's just for me!

Garden Pickles

Our garden is starting to produce some stuff, which is pretty fun. We've got a pretty good haul of cucumbers, so we're making pickles! I'm trying a fermented recipe, so it should be interesting, but they already smell pretty good.

Diggin' more

Mike kept busy while we were in K'zoo....trenches everywhere!

Lake Michigan

Dragged myself out of bed early so we could all go over to Lake Michigan this morning. Girls had a blast running after the birds, playing in the sand, digging for water, and watching the fog roll in. Jane dragged Grandpa Mike out for a swim; it was too cold for me! She had fun with the crazy waves til one knocked her pretty good. Penny was shivering after about 2 minutes, as usual. It was super pretty out there, and nice to basically have the beach to ourselves. We had perfect timing, and made it back through Paw Paw for some super healthy hotdogs and chili-cheese fries and root beer before a huge rainstorm hit!

Latch on...

I haven't done a ton to be involved with our local LLL, but I did decide to participate in the Big Latch On today as part of World Breastfeeding Week. Kind of cool to be around all these other nursing mom's.



We did some mini-golf after wards as part of their fundraiser. The girls and I dropped Mike off at the house, and then we're off to K'zoo. The girls were pretty interested in Grandma Sandee's loom and weaving project. Spent a little time outside feeding the horse and the cat herd, as usual.