Did You Know...

Did you know that grocery bags are an excellent emergency clothing source? I didn't either until my kiddos discovered it for me. Of course an adult would need a jumbo sized bag.

Giant Noodles

We had stuffed shells for dinner the other night and Ben had a lot of fun with one of the noodles that was broken and unstuffable. He was so focused on the noodle and getting its placement just right that this is not a glamour shot.

Otter

December 5th we were driving and saw an otter in Gillette Pond. I have never seen an otter in the wild so it was quite a privilege. I realize the photo isn't great, but still, that little bump does indeed document that we saw an otter.

For Posterity

Sophie lost another tooth. Here is her toothless grin recorded for posterity!

Pot Pies

On December 1st I thought I would make everyone feel special by making pot pies.

I remember when I was younger my dad came home with a bunch of mini pot pies and it just made me feel special and individual..."this pot pie is all mine."

Anyway...here they are

As I said on Facebook...Nothing says I love you like personalized,individualized, chicken pot pies!

I am not sure if any of you remember, but when I first started knitting I would inadvertently make a lace stitch in every project. I never meant or tried to, but somehow they always made it in there anyway.

Well now I am at a skill level that I can actually make a lace stitch when I want to...according to pattern.

Here is my very first mitten. Apparently some day I will be a great cable knitter, because I made a great cable stitch (actually a whole row of them) in the thumb.

Someday this will be a great skill to have, but for now it doesn't make for a very comfortable mitten. I guess I am just a woman ahead of her time.

I'll Slip You Some in Your Pie

If you find an unusual white substance in your pie, don't worry it is just crushed ginger Altoids because I ran out of ginger while making the pie.

And for the record, between no ginger and forgetting the eggs...no it was not a success.

Splash Time

We had some crazy plans to stay in a hotel with a pool during Thanksgiving Break, but we just had so much going on and that plan would have taken two whole days.

So instead we took the kids to IROC in Newport. They have a kiddie pool with lots of toys and fountain things. They also had a lap pool for Aaron and I. And the best thing...the therapy pool. It was like a giant warm bath.

There will not be any photos of Aaron and I at the pool, but the kids were willing subjects.

A Visit From a Good Friend

November 24th our good friend Lois Nichols came to visit our home. She used to live in Vermont and we would bring the missionaries to her home once a month, and she would feed us delicious meals. We grew to love her dearly and miss her immensely! It was so nice to have her here!

Cummings Thanksgiving

I realize that for some of you this will not be as interesting as for others. I add this mostly for the Cummings family members who were not able to make it to Thanksgiving.

After dinner we all took a walk to the cemetery.

Some sought enlightenment in the labyrinth that is in the gravel pit.

Here is the animated version.

Gram found a pretty ground cover.









We mingled, took family photos and learned about family history in the Cummings Family Cemetery

Beauty surrounded us on all sides.

The kids found an army water storage unit, and all had to investigate.

A highlight of the walk was when Poudre (Pooter) found a headless rabbit and all three dogs were VERY excited to have a turn with it.

And finally a view of the Hump!

Life Jackets

We found some great deals on life vests, and they arrived on Tuesday. Fortunately Friday we finalize a deal on a canoe we found on Criagslist, making the vests a much more relevant purchase.

I finally have a new photo. I guess I have been a little camera shy.

Today Sophie and Ben where tending to their "baby," Jacob. They had him all nestled away in a laundry basket.

Looks pretty comfy if you ask me.

Fall Concert

Last night Sophie and Ben had their Fall concert. The music teacher does an excellent job of integrating not only songs, but instruments and acting. Last night the concert was a reenactment of a book, In the Forest by Marie Hall. In it a little boy with a paper hat and a new horn goes for a walk in the forest and encounters animals who eventually want to play hide and seek with him. When he opens his eyes it isn't the animals looking for him, it is his dad.

So for the concert, Sophie narrated the story

This is before she is reading. She is nervous, the gym was full!
Ben was the little boy with the horn.

The trumpet was quite moist by the end of the evening.
And Aaron was the dad coming after his son.

Not a good photo...sorry
The sound quality in the gym is horrendous, but I thought I would do some video too.



As I watched the three of them out there on the floor with Jacob on my lap keeping me humble (that is the nice way of saying it,) I was full to bursting with love for my family. Some people have careers, others have vacation spots, but the thing in this world that brings me the most joy and fulfillment is my family.

Raccoon Kooba

We sometime call Jacob Kooba Koala, but recently I began calling him Raccoon Kooba because of a fall he took.

He was running and dove onto the bean bag which is right at window sill level of the big bay window in the living room.

I had actually noticed that and live in fear that someone would whack their head on it.

Little did I know that this time, my fears were actually rational.

Sophie's Sick

October 28th I caught Sophie and Aaron being snuggly, but by the time I got back with the camera they were on to me and were being silly instead.

Sophie has been sick since Saturday night (Nov 7th) The Dr thinks it is swine flu. She has had a fever for 4 1/2 days now. I just made the call and I am bringing her in this morning. I just hate seeing her sick.

Sunrise 10/27/2009

Dryer Lint Bugs

Does anyone know what these bugs are? We call them dryer lint bugs because that is what they look like. They come out on warm fall days. They are often thick enough that we don't play outside because we inhale them and they get stuck in our hair. They are so fragile that if you try to remove them they squish. Every time I ask people when they are at our house they say, "Oh! I thought it was dryer lint!"

Milkweed

Halloween

I figure Halloween isn't quite one week ago so I am doing really well by getting this on here already!

The Monday before Halloween we carved pumpkins for Family Home Evening. We give the kids a marker, they draw their own design, then we score the design into the pumpkin because some of the marker usually comes off while we are getting the guts out. Then once they are cleaned out we carve the face out.

This year the eyes cried when I scored them. If you look close you can see the tears running down Ben's pumpkins face. It make hacking into them a little difficult!

Here are the finished products, Aaron, Lauren, Sophie, Ben and Jacob

And here are the kiddos in their costumes. HAPPY WEEK AFTER HALLOWEEN!

Applesauce

A little backtrack here...October 19th Aaron and I canned applesauce. I think we did 51 quarts. A friend asked me if we eat that much applesauce in a year, to which I replied, "we will this year!"

I find this photo immensely satisfying even though the drawer is open.

Sophie

Sophie, at the ripe old age of seven, is the only one in her class to not have lost a tooth. For us adults it is clear that she has an advantage in the long run for healthy teeth, but for a seven year old it is very difficult to be the only one of anything.

Happily on October 25th, Sophie lost her first tooth!

See the hole?

Surveying the damage.

"Oh good, I can still whistle!"

More evidence of the hole.