Happy Halloween

Having 3 young children, Halloween is a pretty big deal around here. And I have to say that since I had my little guy...I simply just cant seem to keep up. I don't know if its the whole parent to kid ratio being off balance now, or trying to keep track of 2 school aged children's schedules in addition to a toddlers busy life, or just that I'm slower than I used to be.

I think it was about 4 pm this afternoon when I realized that I had better get all the kids costumes together and make sure that everything was gonna work out. Trick or treating was still 2 hours away...but I knew that the time would go by quickly. I mean, it wasn't just costumes that I had to deal with....there were also sleepover arrangements, dinner to be made, and wait...I hear the phone, but where is it exactly...I thought for sure I set it on the counter....still ringing away, but the fact that my 2 year old is now running around with no bottoms on and hollering that he did in fact decide to take his diaper off and that he wanted me to know that he pushed his sleeves back all by himself so that he could wash his hands, well, that took precedence over the ringing phone.

So, in addition to replacing the bottoms on the rear end of my child, I also managed to get all my things together and set on the counter.



And from those things I managed to make this. Well, yeah, I made him too, but what I was referring to this particular time was just the costume.



We haven't even begun and hes decided he needs a break.



You will notice that there are only 2 kids in the picture. Sigh. This is what happens when your daughter is 12....its way cooler to go out with your friends....Really, tho. It was a very hard decision for her to make.....but in the end...friends won out.



The grim reaper doing a jig.



After about an hour and a half, the adults, I mean kids, were ready to head back towards the house. G had already found the prime spot of the night and was enjoying a sucker while he had a relaxing ride back to home base.



The weather was fantastically fabulous for a night of trick or treating. No coats were necessary which is a huge thing. Luckily, we made it home just in time. Frosty just wasn't cut out for these long, warm nights.



After all the candy was sorted and the little one was tucked safely in bed....Polar fleece was calling my name....ahhhhh...cozy.



Happy Halloween everyone!

Yayyy! Im so glad to see you!

I hope everyone was able to find their way okay. I really suck at giving directions. Mainly because I get lost half the time myself. Please jot me a note to let me know that you made it....I look forward to seeing all of you at my new place!

4th Annual Pumpkin Carving Party

Yep, thats right. This is our 4th year at hosting our pumpkin carving party, And we're still going strong! I think this was maybe our largest turn out yet at about 35 folks...including kids of all ages.


Of course, you cant have a Halloween party without decorations.



A couple hours before the guests arrived my ma and the kids locked themselves in the garage and made everything all spooky like.



Theres G again with his signature...Oh my goodness...and the clapping.



Everyone brought a dish to share. I made a few desserts that seemed to hit the spot.



This one in particular seemed to be quite popular. (Thanks for keeping me company Angie, while I waited for this thing to cool earlier!)



The way this all works is that you bring a dish to share and also your own stash of pumpkins. I have all the carving tools and patterns, if you so choose to use them. Most of the time everyone just wings it and ends up with some pretty great jack o lanterns. We all eat, laugh, hang out, and then carve, carve, carve.



There are times when you just have to be a little taller. I can so relate to that. I am not above using a chair to make my life easier. Its so refreshing to me to see that the kiddos arent either. Altho...Im sure they wont have to use a chair every year....I on the the other hand....lets just say that a stool is a great sidekick to have.



If I were to take a poll this evening Im pretty sure that it would come back saying that scooping out the pumpkins is everyones least favorite part. In fact, I think K would be the delegated spokesperson for that. She had a lot to say here....Whats that, hunny? Huh? You need help? No time, no time...I have to take more pictures....youre doing a great job tho. Really.



J was nearly the LAST one done. He really put alot of thought into his carving. Im sure it didnt help that his pumpkin had a rind that was like 6 inches thick...he was just sawing and carving....carving and sawing. Determination....thats always a great thing to have.



The party began at 6 and I think it was almost 9 before we got to engage in the lighting ceremony.....it wasnt nearly as fancy as that one that they did for the Olympics with the whole zip line thing...but it turned out quite nice, if I do say so myself. Quite nice.



So, now the house is settled down with night time noises...sleeping kids, dryers drying, and dishwashers running. I really need to clean the garage I say to myself. There is pumpkin goo and pumpkin seeds aplenty out there....pumpkin tools that need washed, tablecovers to be taken off, floors that needs to be swept.....but alas, this is what was calling me....


warm, flannel jammies....and the nice cozy couch.....with my feet on the sweet, little ottoman......all that other stuff? It will still be there in the morning.

A chicken visit

We went to Mim's house yesterday to celebrate her oldest sons birthday. Of course, before the official festivities began we had to get our chicken fix.

They were all very happy to see us. Can't you tell?


G was so happy that he was clapping. Here he was saying, "oh my goodness".



They were all in the chicken tractor when we arrived. And I had to resort to finding extra feed off the ground until Mim said that I could get more feed from the bucket....then S went and got me a big ol cup full. G was totally enthralled with the idea of feeding them.


He loved it. He couldnt get enough of it. So much so that he ended up IN the chicken tractor. A kid after my own heart, I say. Good thing I brought extra clothes.....



This is a family affair.


This is Rooster. He and I are long time friends. I think maybe he remembered our last visit where I tried to show him that the grass IS in fact greener on the other side. He came up to get a closer look...and to have a snack all by himself!



He didnt even get upset with me when I had to turn my attention from him to yell at my kids.....



No, G, you may not climb up that hill by yourself....you must wait for your brother to come back down and get you.



K and I managed to sneak in and pick up a couple. Look how sweet. If I had a place to keep them here at home....Mim may have been short a couple chickens.


Im just sayin.

Journeys

As many of you may (or may not) know I have a thing for "The Farm Life". Yep, I do. I also have a thing for the animals that make up "The Farm Life". Yep, I do.

Over the past several years my attraction to life on the farm has grown more and more each day. And just when I thought I had gotten to the point where I had it all under control it actually intensified. Im pretty sure this happened when I started blogging and began to read different farm blogs. It heightened even more when I began to make friends with the authors behind those blogs. In a sense, the blogs gave me the inside look that I was craving. The ins and outs of what life on a farm has to offer. And for that I am very thankful. So very thankful to all of you out there that have a farm, big or small, near or far, many animals or just a few, that allow others to see inside and get a chance to experience it, if only thru the pictures and the words of your blog.

As much as that desire has been there to have a life on the farm...it has yet to come to fruition. And even tho I feel like my journey to attain my life on the farm began quite some time ago there has not been much tangible progress thus far. In saying that, I have decided I will take a step in becoming that much closer to where I would like to be. A step that to many may seem like something quite small, but to me it is a simple way to feel like I have made some progress. A step that lets me know that my dream of a farm life really IS possible. And that no matter how long it may take me to get there....I just have to keep on believing.

When I began blogging there really wasnt any set meaning behind it all. I just wanted to have a way to keep track of things that happened in my life...memories, I guess. I thought maybe I would take some pictures, write a few things down and be done with it. I mean, I wanted to maintain it and write in it consistently, but it wasnt really headed in any specific direction. I sorta threw a title on there that encompassed my everyday life and that was that. Now, almost 2 years later I feel like I know what direction I would like my blog to go. Heck, maybe this whole time it was staring me right in the face, but I was too busy looking to see it.

I am changing the title of my blog. Everything else will stay the same...you wont have to change the address(if everything goes well)! I hope that you guys will hang out with me as my journey unfolds. I would really like that. Im hoping for a lot of fun times, but I also realize there may be some of those crappy ones along the way, too. It wouldnt be a real journey if there werent some of both, right?

Hanging out with friends

The kids had a day off from school today. I dont know about your kids, but for mine that clearly means that a sleepover is required. So, last nite K had a friend over and they had some playing outside time, some computer time, some music time,some doing each other's hair time, some, well, okay, A LOT...of eating snacks time....

As the evening progressed and things began to wind down for the night I happened to stumble across K with an armful of stuff. What have we here?, I ask. She had a desk lamp and 3 of my duvet covers. As well as a gameboy, a couple books and an IPod. Im thinking, okaaaaay...as I look at her quite curiously. Do you mind if I use these sheets?, she says. Ummmm...no, not at all. But theyre not sheets. Theyre actually duvet covers. Did you need them to actually be sheets?, I ask. No, she says. And off she heads to her room downstairs. I was actually quite sleepy last nite, so I turned in for the nite right after I saw K carry all the stuff down to her room.

This morning, I happened to be downstairs looking for something and I decided to take a peek into her room and see what was up. I had my ideas of what I would find, but seeing it for real was just pure nostalgia. Do you guys remember doing this?


I very much remember building these types of forts with my friends and leaving them up for days at a time. Crawling into them via the secret passageway and having all kinds of cool things in there to do. Sort of like my own little place.

So, of course I had to look it over and see the craftsmanship. Was it sturdy? Did she anchor all the corners well enough?



How many chairs did she have to use to help hold the roof up?


What kinda stuff is in here to keep you busy?





She went one step futher than I ever thought to do. She actually took the mattress off of her bed and placed it on the floor so that while sleeping in there she would actually be comfortable. What a great idea. I always just tossed and turned on the cold, hard floor. Okay, maybe I had a few blankets thrown down there to help, but I NEVER would have moved my mattress....shes a genius.


Upon seeing the cozy mattress right there just waiting for someone to flop down on it....I had to enter the fort and try it out. Fuzzy blankets and all. I wonder why she isnt using her matching pillowcases I say to myself as I lay back and take it all in.

Looking up at the fort ceiling and chuckling to myself. These were the days, I say outloud. Amazing how such a little fort can have provide such huge amounts of fun.

Lookin for pumpkins

We made our way to the local pumpkin patch today. This also happens to be the apple orchard that I have spoken of in previous posts. The kids are always anxious to go and search for the perfect pumpkin so that we have them ready for our annual pumpkin carving party. Friends and family come over and we spend all night eating, visiting, and carving pumpkins....doesnt get much better than that!

This trip began like every other. J is always excited to pull the wagon.


Then he ditches it just upon first sight of an orange orb. See him? Im pretty sure this is where the wagon got dropped.



There is a lot of walking and looking...looking and walking. If you put your foot on a pumpkin, its a sure sign that it may be THE one. Im not sure what that means, exactly, but it never fails...they find a prospective pumpkin...and BAM. The foot gets set upon it. Then they have to call out to each other for inspection and possible approval.



These? Just thought they looked nice. Made me think back to the days before I had 3 kids.... when things were much more full and symmetrical.



Here we go...a man on a mission. Look at that determination. The importance of each step.


Doh! Im okay. Im good. Did anybody see that? Just pick yourself up and keep on walking. Like it never even happened.



Looks like hes found a good one.


He lifts it up and gets it in the wagon. Perfect. One down. Two to go.



Now, let me tell you the rules of the perfect pumpkin. 1. You must detach the pumpkin from the vine by yourself. 2. You must be able to carry the pumpkin from its resting spot to the wagon(wherever that may be) totally on your own. 3. You then must decide if you will be able to carve and decorate said pumpkin without the help of mom and dad. (That answer is always yes and then later, at the party, it seems to quickly turn to no)

Foot on the pumpkin. Assessing.....




Going in for the lift.



She has it! And into the wagon.



Now see here....hes trying to be a little tricky. He has his foot on a pumpkin, but not the one that he ends up choosing. Is that a legal move?



Here we are discussing if that move has now just disqualified that pumpkin all together ....this is very serious business.



Its been decide that its all good. The pumpkin is still in the race. But we are laughing so hard at this point...we are unsure if it will make it to the wagon.



Here we go....moving...moving...tongue hanging out is required for extra ooommpphh.



Into the wagon it goes. Now we have 3!



This is where we said to show us how much you all love your pumpkin......G took that quite literally. And began to kiss the dirty squash. A little dirt never hurt anyone.



Rolling back to the counter to pay. She says she wonders how she got to pull it when it was all full....



All tuckered out...needs a little boost from dad. Keeps losing his boots, tho. Cousin Becca is there to help. She's a pretty good boot keeper.