Pumpkin Party!

We had a Pumpkin Party last night! I *baked* lasagna and Nancy brought over Garlic bread and a cake! Gwyneth was checking out Grandma Nancy's new "pet"!
After supper, we carved the pumpkins that the kids got at Grandpa and Grandma's Farm! John drew about 8 different options for eyes, and then the boys would choose which one they wanted, then noses, etc. This way the kids got to "draw" their own faces! John helped them out cutting them. While they were doing this, I sat and picked out the seeds, put some oil and salt on them and roasted them! Yum. Everyone LOVED them!

The boys with their buddies on the front porch.
ooooooooooooooh. Scary!

Haydn's is the left, Hutch's the right

No Photo Evidence!

Last weekend we had a really good time-but we have no pictures to prove it!! Sometimes I feel that our family needs a "break" from the camera, and I guess last weekend was it. Here is a rundown of what we did
Friday night: Had our weekly "popcorn party". This involves either a game or movie, low lights, and lots and lots of popcorn!! Everyone wears pajamas and we have a great time. We don't limit ourselves to one night of the weekend, just that it has to happen sometime in the weekend. The movie this time was Veggie Tales-LarryBoy and the Bad Apple. A very good pick.

Saturday: Haydn had a football game in which we nearly froze to death! They did a great job, and I think that they won. We ate lunch at McDonalds with Grandpa Larry and Grandma Shirley, in which you saw pictures of Ronald (taken with my mom's phone!) Boys went with Papa and Nana, Gwyneth with us.

Saturday night: boys went to church Harvest Party and then spent the night with Nana and Papa/We went to Doug and Samara's for a OSU football party. Boo. Hiss. (they lost, if you don't keep up) We did have a great time hanging out with everyone, AND I got to play Guitar Hero vs. Garrett!

Sunday: Church and then Trey's Birthday party at McDonald's!! We had a fun time, and afterwards hung out in the playland until about 3:30 with Jackie and Ryanne's families. I got a kick out of Luke's Air Hockey skills!! We decided that we need to just meet up there on a regular basis instead of going to someone's house!! (Let McDonald's do the cleaning!)

Looking for some good times this weekend, too! Did you notice something missing (hint: trick-or-treat) Well, Rockford does it on actual Halloween night......ooooh! So, check back for those pictures. I promise I will take them!

Oh, and please pray for Ethel, our pastor's wife. She has a collapsed lung and is in the hospital trying to get it figured out. Thank you!

Thank goodness for Re-takes!

We cracked up at this picture!!!!!

John said, "Should we just keep these? What if the re-takes aren't any better?" Well, they can't be any worse!!!!

Fortunately, Haydn's turned out well!

Hangin' with Ronnie McD

After Haydn's flag football game today, we went to McDonald's with mom and dad. Ronald McDonald was there, and the boys got to get pictures and autographs!! Hutch didn't want anything to do with him at first, but then finally warmed up to the idea.
I like how he looks about ready to run away!

Random pictures

John's mom brought a CD over the other day with pictures that she has recently taken. Here are some cute ones that I liked.

Haydn, being a big helper with his little sis

If Hutch doesn't want his picture taken... good luck!!

This is in our front yard, at the beginning of September

This is in my mom's yard at the beginning of October

First Annual Fall Fling!

My mom and dad had over 50 Van Wert City School students come to a Field Trip at their farm yesterday! One of the activities they did was go on a pumpkin ride. They rode a wagon out to a field where my mom and dad had scattered a whole bunch of pumpkins. They got to go out and choose which pumpkin they wanted to have. Anyway, my dad thought that the grandkids would like to do the same thing last night (and he was right!) The whole family was there, MINUS Caleb because he is in DC right now! We ended the evening with a Weenie Roast and lots and lots of Hot Chocolate! We had a great time- actually such a great time that I decided, on my own, that it would be called the Fall Fling, and, this was the first annual!!!

Waiting in anticipation for the pumpkin ride! Even Gwyneth got to ride (we scooted her away from the edge, though, and had an adult supervising for the actual ride!!

John, announcing something to everyone!
The kids choosing the perfect pumpkin!

After we ate, we all just hung out at the fire for awhile.

For seats around the bonfire, mom and dad put big planks between straw bales. One of them was really long, and therefore, bouncy!!! Everyone had fun bouncing!

I thought I'd take a picture of each kid, in age order. Obviously, our oldest is missing!

Lainey, age 7

Elliott, age 7

Haydn, age 6

Hutch, age 3

Camdyn, age 14 months

Gwyneth, age 8 months

We had a great time!! We love ~The Barn~

Looking forward to next year's!! (hint hint Mom)

What have we been up to?

Wow! Time flies when you're having fun. I'm not going to be able to catch-up traditional style, so we'll try something a little different....

*We finally broke down and bought a Wii! This has, in fact, taken up a big portion of our time! My favorite part so far has been making Miis of everyone in our extended families-both sides. It just cracks me up how much you can make those little people really look like someone! There are certain Miis who look especially like the real person. These are-Haydn, Hutch, my mom, my dad, John, Alyssa, and James! It's also fun to watch Haydn actually beat John in some sports (:

*Haydn had a dentist appt, and has to have one tooth pulled (because there is a cavity around the filling) with a space-saver put in, and another cavity fixed, with possibly a pulpectomy (kinda like a baby root canal). Sheesh-you'd think that he either doesn't have good hygiene (he does), or we don't have routine dental care (we do). Bad genes, I guess.

*Hutch has been really into being a fireman, lately! He has even gone to the point of asking me to put his folder in his fire-trailer (a.k.a. his bookbag!) He also loves to play "Rachel Ray". This involves me making supper, and him pulling a chair into the kitchen and watching me pretend that I am Rachel Ray. His preschool teachers even mentioned that he plays it with Play Doh at school! ha.

*I was in charge of a Women's Day Retreat for church at the Granary. This place totally ROCKS, if you ever have the chance to go-go! We had the theme "Cheep"er Nesting- Cooking, Cleaning, and Cosmetics for less-with style. The day went off without a hitch. There was so much collaboration and I think that everyone had a great time! (I am glad that the planning part is over! I was a little nervous as to how it would turn out, but it did!)

*John and Nancy took the boys to the Apple Festival while I was there. They were oh-so-sweet as to bring me back The most delicious apple dumpling I have ever sunk my teeth into. Yum-o!

*Haydn has been doing a great job in Flag Football! He got 3 touchdowns in 2 games, and his team beat an undefeated team last week! He does such a great job, and I love watching him!

*Gwyneth is officially ALL OVER THE PLACE! She is getting so big, and ornery! She is starting to really cry when mommy leaves! Neither of the boys were like that. I hope that she'll get over it. Hopefully she isn't one of those kids I'm going to have to peel off my leg while she is crying the first day of preschool. I don't think I could do that!

*John went on the last dirtbike riding trip of the season with a bunch of guys. He had a super time at Wayne National Forest. He said that he didn't even fall! (I don't really let him tell me stories-I just let him go and pray that he doesn't get hurt!)

*John got a new (to us) car yesterday! Our escort was a good car to us, but it had over 160,000 miles on it! It was time for us to move on, but not before we took some pictures with it! John now has a 2007 Ford Fusion that is Dark Metallic Blue. He love love loves it!! It is his new grown-up car!

*And, Brian T. had surgery today to remove some more lymph nodes. Please keep him and his family in prayer at this time.

Have a super rest-of-the week!!! Enjoy the gorgeous leaves before they are all gone! I think we may try to get our annual fall pictures this weekend, if the weather cooperates!

Happy (Belated) Anniversary Mom & Dad!

My mom and dad celebrated their 35th Wedding Anniversary yesterday!! I consider myself blessed, because I grew up with a perfect model of what a marriage should be. My mom and dad have been a wonderful example of a strong Christian marriage, and, as a "child", I am very grateful! Because of their steadfast love for each other, I have beautiful and wonderful childhood memories, even though we may not have had the biggest and best of everything. Thanks, mom and dad- and Congratulations!! Love you!

Pictures by the Lake

On Saturday, we decided to go to Grand Lake and have a picnic. (well-we got Burger King and headed there!) It was a beautiful day, and I thought I'd take the kids' pictures by the water. Wow-it was quite painful, trying to make them look AWAY from the water, and not fall in! I thought they turned out well, though. I only had to take a million!

Please Pray

Our dear friend, Brian Taylor has been diagnosed with Melanoma that has spread to a lymph node in his armpit. He had a tumor bigger than a golf ball removed this week. Our hearts are heavy.

Look what Gwyneth can do!

Gwyneth has been pulling herself up to standing for about a week!! She loves to practice this new trick as much as possible-and has even bonked her head a few times. Look out world, here she comes!

Sweet Morning Surprise

This morning, Haydn crawled into bed with me when John woke up. When my alarm went off a few minutes later, I started to push snooze (Not me?!!!) Haydn said that he wanted to get up to give me a "beginning of the month surprise" (I didn't even realize it was the beginning of the month)-and he didn't want me to come out of the bedroom until he said so! I asked him if it was something dangerous(hey, you know my kids!). He assured me it wasn't! As I got out of bed, I heard clanking in the kitchen and dining room. He came in and asked me if it was okay if he put toast in the toaster. He said he knew how to do it, but just wanted to make sure that it was okay before doing it (: I said ok. He finally came in with the candle lighter and asked me if I would light a candle. He revealed his surprise.. Breakfast by candlelight. How sweet. He even folded the napkins into triangles! The bowls were for applesauce, and he said that the plates were for pancakes, but he wasn't sure how to make those. I opted instead for the usual toad-in-the-road. This kid thought of everything. He even sat the cordless phone on the table beside my seat, just in case the phone rang, we wouldn't be interrupted by me having to get up and get it!!!!
I think he will make a good husband someday!! Thank you Haydn, you made the start of my day very sweet!