Halloween Pictures

We had the kids all decked out in some Halloween themed attire today for church and stopped by a nearby park to take a few pictures on our way home. They will probably be wearing Halloween holiday garb for the entire week.























And after our hike last week I searched through the Craigslist ads and found a baby carrier pack hoping to make this weekends hike a little more successful. I personally felt the hike was more enjoyable with Reid in the carrier pack rather than the jog stroller, but not sure that our pack mule aka Wes felt the same about it. :)














If we all "rocked out" like Addy every morning we would all probably get a great start to our day! Oh and having hot pink cowgirl boots on helps!




In conjunction with parent/teacher conferences the girls school holds a book fair and to reward the girls for the OUTSTANDING reports we received from their teachers we let them each pick out a book, Levi too! I loved their choices...Jaidyn, Judy Moody Girl Detective (Jaidyn has her own "Spy" club so this is fitting), Addy a Barbie Princess book and Levi a Disney Cars book.

One Tiny Starfish

Nikki from One Tiny Starfish is having a raffle for several great gift cards in efforts to raise funds for the educational progress of Andrielis in the Dominican Republic. Nikki continually raises funds in order to help send these kids to school so that they can better their lives. A few dollars will give you a chance to win a great gift card, but more importantly will help give a young girl an opportunity. And if you have never had a chance to read Nikki's blog find some time to do so and prepare to be inspired.

Oh and she also designed my blog header (and I seriously need to get it updated, but still trying to get a good family picture), so if you want your blog jazzed up a bit visit the "Blogs for a Cause" badge on my sidebar. A portion of her blog design proceeds fund her various charity work.

Pumpkins, Leaves, & Scarecrows

We just can't get enough of this gorgeous weather! My inside the house "To Do" list continues to grow, but I keep pushing it aside or hiding it under my computer desk stack of papers to continue to get outside with the kids and enjoy. I am going with the out of sight, out of mind concept. Friday night we enjoyed super loaded nachos and a great hometown football game with friends. Saturday morning each of the kids had a soccer game. Levi even scored 3 goals!! And 1 more if you count the one he scored in the other teams goal. Last week he scored his first goal ever and I think it really clicked that getting the ball in the net is the entire idea of the game. Nana came on Saturday for the day and we also got to enjoy her company at Campbell's Pumpkin Patch. The kids really enjoyed the magic show and the pony rides. After church on Sunday we packed up snacks and water bottles and took a drive to Busiek State Park to spend the afternoon hiking trails. While we chose the 3.2 mile "easy terrain" trail the terrain wasn't all super easy with the running stroller. Poor Reid was getting ROCKED! So Wes or I carried him much of the way while the other pushed the stroller up the rocky hills. And I am so proud of the kids as they walked the entire way...and with the exception of Addy complaining in the first 1/2 mile about how tired she already was there really wasn't any complaining. It might have helped that we promised they could have a soda at dinner (rare treat) as Levi will do anything for a Diet Coke.


Jaidyn on the field ready to start the game.

Jaidyn with one of her best friends from school.

Watching the soccer games.

Soccer games must have really worn them out. Will we ever get the the Pumpkin Patch?


Corn maze!

Front row seats waiting for the magic show to start.


The kids with Marty the Magician!

Jaidyn practicing tricks with her newly acquired magic wand.

Addy Upside down!

An afternoon Snooooozzzzeee!

Not sure what it was about the train ride but Levi refused to ride it and Jaidyn rode it 3 times...once in the very first car, the middle and in the caboose.


So instead of a train ride, Levi climbed hay bales.

The kids enjoyed their pony ride and while there wasn't the tiniest of a gallop in this pony's step, Jaidyn was rocking back and forth on like it was and Addy had her make believe lasso out circling it above her head. And after the many loops that this pony made, I can't say that I blame him. Levi wasn't sure at first that he wanted to do a pony ride, but with Wes promising he would walk right beside him he agreed to try it. I think he had the image of the bucking bulls and broncs that he has seen on tv in his head and wants nothing to do with that.








The sun was beaming down on the cute photo opportunity background so we made up our own. Nana snagged the stand-up scarecrow and a pumpkin to add to the wagon of mums.


I am not sure attempting a 3.1 mile trail hike in Busiek State Park with four kids 6 and under is considered adventurous or just plain stupid.

After seeing this sign, Jaidyn starts off down the trail tapping two sticks together (from Disney's Parent Trap movie with Lindsey Lohan) trying to scare away the bears. I can't say that I agree, but at the end of the hike the kids were disappointed to not see any bears. So they said next time maybe we should follow the yellow marked trail because that's where all the bears would be.

Addy's already lolly-gagging behind and complaining how tired she is and we just got started.

This was an approximate 10 foot boulder that we pretended to be a mini mountain. We three girls made it to the top!!


Reid has it made! Lucky little guy!

They were such serious hikers with their walking sticks.


Last weekend we attended our church parish picnic and the kids were entertained for hours with bounce houses, carnival games, water balloon tosses and yummy food.








And just some moments from home...


Levi was playing on the computer wearing his 3D glasses he got at the movie theater.

What a big boy sitting in his chair at the table. Reid wants to be a part of everything!


Reid isn't crawling or even attempting to crawl but instead just scoots around the kitchen and living room floors on his booty. Not sure how he managed to maneuver himself underneath the chair stools but he did.


Jaidyn and Addy had their army camo themed "Big Event" at school on Friday to celebrate the end of the 1st quarter. Jaidyn chose to get a mustache and goatee at the face painting station. Why?? She told me that she wants to be an artist when she grows up and it would be something an artist would have...I think she must have recently studied Vincent Van Gogh. Ha!


Jaidyn and Addy's class pictures of "Big Event".


I love that our cul de sac seems to be the gathering place for the neighborhood kids after school. On this particular day there were lots of great Lego creations taking place on our front porch.

~ My Grandma ~

My grandma left this world early yesterday morning...another beautiful child of God being welcomed home to eternity in Heaven and being reunited with loved ones gone before her. We all love her so much and will miss her deeply.



My Grandma…

raised 4 children for a good portion of their lives on her own, under difficult times and in a difficult and unimaginable situation. All four have beaten the odds and are outstanding individuals who are caring, giving and have become wonderful parents, aunts and uncles and even grandparents themselves.

for years, gave a smiling face to the community of Owensville as she was the first thing customers would see as they entered the doors of Wal-mart. I remember the surprise visit my kids and I did and the initial look on her face (perhaps confused) as we got a double glance before she realized who we were.

always had an extra batch of her signature frozen Chocolate Chip cookies tucked away in the freezer in one of her green or yellow Tupperware containers as her grand kids easily demolished the ones she had placed out on the kitchen table. We were never sent home without a baggie full. And once I married Wes, she always packed a few extras in the bag for him…which always seemed to have disappeared before he had a chance to eat them, but I made him always remember to tell her how good they were so she would keep sending extras with us.

gladly attended her grand children’s most important life events – graduations, weddings, baby showers.

truly believed in the magic of Christmas as her eyes would light up equally as bright as my kids when the nursing home Santa resident made his appearance. She somehow always managed to come away with a Candy Cane too.

was great at stockpiling. She had a huge stash of holiday napkins, plates & cups. I loved when she passed some of them off as I didn’t care to use Christmas themed plates in April as it just meant an easy dinner clean-up. I’m fairly sure I have inherited both she and my mom’s frugal ways. I’m thinking she would be pretty proud of the stockpile I have going in my pantry.

had a blue retro vinyl chair in the family room that we were constantly getting in trouble with. That chair could spin at great speed and rock better than any rocking horse. And not only did the chair become our fair ride but we used it as a ladder to reach the earth globe she had sitting on top the glass shelf. That globe had great spinning action too. She was always on us to stop as she just knew we were going to break both the chair and globe. And I am pretty sure both of them survived the days of her mischievous grandchildren.

was the master of baking Lemon Meringue and Banana Cream pies. I am sure they were a “first to go” at the many bake sales and church events she provided them for. And if you have never had the opportunity of having a slice, well then you truly missed out as it was just heavenly.


My most recent favorite memory that I will forever cherish is Grandma on the dance floor in her wheel chair dancing with her kids at my cousins wedding. At that moment in my mind, time stood still…she in her pretty outfit, her perfectly manicured nails and her smile showing her contentment with life.

A beautiful woman with a huge heart has left our world. Grandma, we will miss you always but you will remain in our hearts till one day we meet again.