35 Years Young

I celebrated my 35th birthday on October 27th.  That sounds a bit old, but most days, that's about what I feel.  I'm not one to hang onto my youth too much anyways (youth is overrated, and only appears supersweet when you are armchair quarterbacking, in my opinion).  James and I celebrated with dinner at Tucano's Brazilian Grill (free dinner for the birthday girl, woo hoo).  On begins the march to 36 next year...

Harvest Party

I love the autumn, but it certainly is a busy time of year, so it was wonderful that the kids' Nana and cousin planned and hosted a party for all of the kids and their cousins.  The littler ones (and the older ones, although of course they have to be a little weird about it because they are teenagers) had an absolute blast.  The weather was Idaho perfect - sunny and warm with plenty of leaves on the ground (which is something we don't have, because we only have a small plum tree and a small locust tree in our yard).  

All the grandkids, except for the youngest (including her, the 10 kids ranged from 14 years old down to 1)

Allegra's the best kid to be willing to play with the younger kids

Cecily

Elinor is a ham

Colin

Ian

More Elinor

Party Games

Bobbing for Apples

Doughnut eating contest

Gotta post a goofy picture of the teenager

Twister!

October Odds N Ends

September was a bad picture month - the only pictures we took, apparently, were of the first days of school.  We did mildly better in October, so here are some random pictures from the first half of the month (since I can barely remember what happened way back then anyways).

The little girls love their Build A Bears and the piano

Elinor is also a huge Littlest Pet Shop fan - the messes the girls can make with those is epic

We had loads of fresh apples from the orchard, which meant lots of lots of homemade applesauce, yum!

Allegra, Ian, Colin, and Cecily with one of the 4 year old teachers at Shepherd of the Valley, Mrs. DuVall.  They've all had her, and Elinor will make five, once she's in her class next year.  The preschool has been such a blessing to our family.

One of the best parts of being a teacher, for sure!

Fresh Starts and New Stuff

I love the beginning of a new school year.  I remember the whole process well from my own childhood.  We would do our shopping in early August and put our stuff on layaway for the month.  It was so fun to pick out a few new clothes (I vividly remember a pair of super cool black penny loafers from Walmart, and, even earlier, a neon shirt that said NOT! across the front from Shopko) and get all of that fresh, clean schoolish stuff.  And then the night before the first day I wouldn't be able to sleep because I was so excited (I loved school, what can I say).  My kids really seem to share the excitement level with me.  This was the first year that I had all six kids have a first day of school.  Hero started her final year of Junior High (she's called a freshman, because she's in 9th grade, although she won't move into a true high school until next year), Allegra is in 6th grade (but she goes to an advanced math class at West Junior High in the morning, so she rides the bus with Hero and then comes back to her elementary school around 9:30), Ian started 4th grade, Colin's in 1st grade (with Mrs. Smith, who taught Hero in Kindergarten, which is kind of fun), Cecily's in Shepherd of the Valley Preschool's 4 year olds class (Mrs. DuVall has taught Allegra, Ian, and Colin too), and Elle started preschool as well in the 3 year old class.  The two little girls go just two mornings a week, but it just worked out perfectly because I volunteer at the elementary school one of those mornings, and the other morning is the weekly ladies' Bible Study.  It's hard to believe that we're already coming up to the halfway point of the school year, but, still, here's their shining first-day-of-school faces.

Aloha & Mahalo

I've finally come to the end of our Hawaii pictures.  It's funny that it seems like you've got your camera around your neck permanently while you are on vacation, and then once you get home you look at your pictures and wish you had more.  It's a trip that will never be forgotten, ever.  I pray that we might be so fortunate as to go back one day.  Of course it's not Mom's resting place anymore than a hole in the ground would be, but there is something comforting to those of us left behind to have that connection to the place where you said a final, earthly goodbye.  What better spot for a beautiful soul than a beautiful sunset ocean.

Hawaii - Part 7

Due to an approaching tropical storm, our plans to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center had to be scrapped, so we filled one day with a hike up to Makapu'u Point lighthouse.  I highly recommend it - it's an easy 1 hour or so hike on a paved path and it's very scenic and kid-friendly.  Some of my favorite pictures from our trip were from our hike.  God sure knocked nature out of the park when he created the Hawaiian islands, didn't He?

Elinor and Daddy

Grandpa and Daddy with all the kids

Mama and Miss Elle

There's a beautiful grey and white bird in the tree with a brilliant red head that we saw for most of our hike back down

Merry Christmas!

I have to interrupt my behindedness (not a word, but probably should be in my life) to shout Merry Christmas!  We're in the thick of the season, so well-wishes are long overdue.  We've been busy with lots of activities, as always, and I will share them, but I wanted to put my virtual Merry Christmas out there first.

Pictures from our church Christmas brunch and Sunday School program 12/15/13

Colin

The best photo of all the children I could find

Elinor loves to get her picture taken

Ian

Cecily

Dad - festive in a holly tie that was not of his own choosing

Cecily and Elinor singing Away in a Manger

Cecily

Allegra reciting Mary's Magnificat

Colin'sin the dark brown and blue in the first row, and Ian's in the second rowwith a striped white and blue tunic

Allegra as Mary