Living with boys

This is what happens when Abby goes to a friends house to play! It all starts out very innocently.....Daddy and Noah throwing the football back and forth in the backyard. But it evolves into all boys wrestling in the living room. What's a mommy to do????? Take pictures, of course!!! I wish you could hear the laughing and happy screaming that was going on at the same time. I love my family.

Ketchup or Relish

In my son's 3rd grade class, they have something every Friday called "Ketchup or Relish". If they have kept current with all their assignments and have had good behavior, they go to one of the 3rd grade classrooms and have fun....which they call "relish". If they haven't kept up with their assignments, turned in papers late no matter what the reason, had less than ideal behavior, they stay in the "ketchup" classroom....not participating in the fun activities.

Since I have fallen SO behind on my blog, I have put myself in "ketchup". Although giving myself time to blog and share pictures is pretty much "relish" for me. Anyway, I'm sharing some pictures from the last couple months. Enjoy!

Halloween 2009

If you can't tell, this is Joey dressed up as a ninja -- I guess he's supposed to be Snake Eyes (?) from GI Joe. I just know that it was less than $9 for the costume!

Sweet little Eli as a puppy dog. Awwww!!!!

This is Noah as a Clone Trooper. Again, less than $9 for the costume!

Abby is a candy corn witch. Such an adorable costume that my mom got from a friend of hers at her garage sale! Yay for moms who shop garage sales!!!!

We went to our church for their annual Pumpkin Patch. They had everything and anything you could imagine for a Halloween alternative. Eli is playing one of the preschool games and had so much fun!

Abby playing some games.

Joey playing some of the games.

Outside they had a petting zoo set up. Here's Eli petting one of the goats. They also had bunnies, a donkey and a baby donkey, goats, chickens (I believe), and the highlight was a small camel! They also had a hayride which was pulled by horses, a glow room, cookies to decorate, crafts to do, a jumper to jump in, a maze to get lost in, trick or treating rooms in the basement for kids to get TONS of candy, and food set up in the activity center. Who wants to come with us next year???

Abby's 8th birthday party

Obviously, the girls wanted to do each other's hair and especially use the pink color spray! They did that while rockin' out to music and basking in the glow of a disco ball.

"Happy Birthday to you (cha cha cha), Happy Birthday to you (cha cha cha), Happy Birthday dear Abby (cha cha cha), Happy Birthday to you (cha cha cha, hi-ya, Scooby Doo on channel 2, more on channel 4, Frankenstein on channel 9, old lady on channel 80, Honey Hive on channel 5, Scooby Doo as a new hairdo, not too big, not too small, Scooby has a bowling ball.)" It's the absolute L.O.N.G.E.S.T. birthday song I've ever heard......and did I mention how LOUD it is too???

Did she get them all out???? YES she did! Yay, Abby!

A bunch of hip hop birthday celebrating girls.

Now a normal picture....well as normal as one can be with hair like that!

Hope you've enjoyed a little bit of my "ketchup post".

Leaf jumping!

We had the most gorgeous fall day here in Minnesota on Saturday! We spent most of the day outside raking up leaves, jumping in the piles, sucking the leaves up with our leaf vacuum, mowing the lawn......then the 2 older boys went on a "secret mission" with our neighbor and her son. Little did they know it was to the compost pile with all of our leaves and her leaves! She treated them to Dairy Queen for all their great work. It was an awesome family work day in beautiful weather!

Laundry redefined

I have always hated doing laundry. I've envied those women who find such fulfillment in washing, drying, folding, and putting away laundry. I have tried to like it with no success.....but within the last week my attitude has changed.

Today I am catching up on my laundry with such a different attitude. Last week my Bible study group was talking about how we can continue to "glorify God in the mundane things we do" (example: household chores). There were 2 things that changed my heart......

1. When I have piles of laundry to do, I can thank Jesus for healthy children that are in OUR HOME instead of making their home in a hospital room.

2. Everytime I bring dirty laundry to the washing machine, it's symbolic of how we bring our dirty lives to Jesus to be cleaned. What an amazing thing to be reminded of EVERYTIME I do laundry. I might even start doing some everyday. What a concept!

October or December????

Is it really October 12 today? It FEELS and LOOKS more like December 12! Did we all sleep through Halloween and Thanksgiving??? My goodness! But don't take my word for it.....the proof is in the pictures.

Here are Abby and Joey waiting for the bus in our driveway this morning. Notice the little snowman right next to and a bit behind Abby??? It's just WRONG for October!

The front of our house!

One of the trees in our front yard. I must admit, the snow is beautiful hanging from the trees like that. It truly looks like a winter wonderland.

How bizarre to see our beautiful tree with red and orange leaves covered with snow!

Regardless, I am thankful that my family is together and that we are warm in our house. We have come to expect the unexpected living in Minnesota --- the Frozen Tundra!!!

Mudd Lake event

Last night (Friday) I had a new experience. I met many blogging friends who are now real life friends! This was all thanks to Jennifer (MckMama) whose little boy, Stellan, I have asked you all to pray for on a couple different occassions. We all met at Mudd Lake Furniture in Watertown which is a gorgeous place! It was like walking into a group of people you knew from reading their blogs and could finally put a face to the name.

This is Jennifer and me (VERY unflattering of me....but that's ok). It truly felt as though we were long-lost friends who finally had a chance to get together and chat. Thank you, Jennifer, for putting such an awesome evening of fun and fellowship together. I can't wait for the next time!

I found this BEAUTIFUL piece of furniture there.....but couldn't get it because of finances. Oh well....someday it will find itself a wonderful home in my dining room. Someday.....

Happy 1st day of school, Daddy!!!

Special breakfasts for the 1st day of school have become a tradition at our house. So, since today is the 1st day of school for Daddy, the kids insisted we have a special breakfast. We didn't tell Jeff exactly what we were having but we told him not to get up until the kids came to get him. Here's a look at what he saw when he came downstairs.....

We made a special 1st day of school banner that was simply 4 pieces of computer paper taped together and hung on the wall. But each of the kids got to decorate 1 piece of paper. Joey decorated the piece that said "Happy", Noah decorated the piece that said "1st day of', Abby decorated the piece saying "School", and Eli decorated the piece saying "Daddy". Jeff loved every minute of it!