Cops Fun Run

This past Saturday was Samuel's first race. He's been excited about running and at school he has been beating his personal records for running around the track. So we ventured to the high school where he raced with all of the other first grade boys in the county in a run sponsored by the police department. Samuel had a great time and even kept running when his shoe fell off. I'm hoping he keeps up the running - he hopes I keep letting him run in his holey jeans - he says they make him run faster!

Ready to run!
And they're off. They made the starting line on the field and then around the track.
Samuel running with his shoe in hand.

Two turkeys

Samuel and Lucy each had to decorate a turkey to take to school this week...can you guess who's is who's?

Adventures of the moment

I've been home sick the past couple of days so I'm slower, not as apt to be trying to accomplish something (though there is plenty to do) and able to observe the adventures my children are having off in the yard or in some corner of the house.

On Friday I sat on the porch with Lydia while Jeremy read and wrote in his journal and the big kids played in the yard. I just had to laugh at my little story makers. I guess we were a part of a movie Samuel was making. He directed each of us on our parts to play - Daddy was running the camera and directing Lucy's character, Lucy was to do the sound effects for 3 minutes and then take over as the mean witch for 2 minutes "and not a moment more", I was to take over for the scary sound effects when Lucy had to be the witch, Samuel was the main soldier character - I'm not sure of the story line with this theatrical performance but it was comical to watch it all take place and for me to wonder what it will be like when he really does have a camera or mastery over his pen to make his wild imagination come to life on paper or on the screen. I joined in the creative process and made scary noises from the porch while the children performed their parts in the yard. Oh what fun imaginations can have with the blank canvas of a beautiful fall day and the full mind of a 6 year old hard at work.

So Saturday morning when they wanted to head outside and play I was eager to follow them and see what adventures were taking place....

Samuel was again a soldier -

And Lucy and her trusty sidekick, Lucky, entered a horse show where Lucky won first prize. She tried hard to get brother to be a Sheriff but Samuel said "I'm not in that time in history". Lucy used her lasso and loved on her horse and played and played.

Time with Daddy

I caught Lydia hanging out with Daddy Saturday morning listening to some Fernando Ortega. Daddy loves music and has passed on his love to all of his children - he's starting out early with this one...

Look what I got!

Do you want to see what I got? Come a little closer

Do you see 'em? Maybe a little bit closer...

How about now? Can you see them - they are my first two teeth! I got both of them on the bottom at the same time - WOW!

I love this growing up stuff it is so much fun!

Lydia's first two teeth have arrived. Here they are...the bottom two front teeth. They decided to come in at the same time and Lucy and Samuel are so excited for her they can't seem to keep their fingers out of her mouth because they want to feel them. She growing up and getting cuter everyday!

Cousins

This is Lydia (6 months), Cooper (2 weeks), Titus (3 months) and Mason (1 1/2 months)

Five Crazy kids!
Despite the circumstances, our time in Florida was good. The children had such a great time with all their cousins (Samuel and Lucy loved playing with Shay and Brielle). I was so glad to finally meet Mason and kiss those cheeks - and I realized how much I love 2 year old little boys - I could just put Wyatt in my pocket and take him home with me. They're a mess, they're TROUBLE, but they are so darn cute and full of energy and life...so are my three - I just love watching them grow.



This is Titus and Lydia - hillarious!

Fall leaves

We have spent the last couple of weeks enjoying the leaves and fall weather and time together. The children loved raking the leaves last week and jumping into the pile of leaves. They ran around with the rakes following behind catching a handful of leaves and then for a while I pretended to throw a ball to them and they would run down the hill and slide into the pile - so much fun!

Fun with a cousin

Aunt Kim and cousin Thomas came for a visit Sunday. The children had a great time and it was good to visit for a while - Thomas is growing up too fast!

Fall is here!

So around here I'm enjoying pumpkins with my punkins! Lucy and I made pumpkin muffins for our neighbors and teachers and classmates.


and Lydia loved sitting with the pumpkins in our front yard.

And Samuel - can't believe how grown up my biggest punkin is getting. He's loving the fall leaves and the afternoons outside! Also - I keep finding acorns and leaves all over our floor in the house - either we have squirrels in our house or my children are hording acorns and sticks inside for those cold winter days....

We went 'reverse trick-or-treating' in our neighborhood on Sunday night and took muffins to our neighbors. We haven't met many of our neighbors so it was a chance to meet them. The neighborhood is older and most of the people here have lived here for 30+ years. It was a great way to meet them. Lucy liked that we were giving out the recipe with the muffins and pointed out to all the older ladies how they could make the muffins too and eat them with their sweet tea. When one lady said "I think I'll eat them with my coffee in the morning" Lucy replied "I guess if you want to!" with an attitude like - "ok lady, whatever, but sweet tea is better"