Pumpkin Carving

You can't have Halloween without Jack-o-lanterns.  My dad and I have a serious love for pumpkin carving.  We have a lot of fun carving them, when he actually lets me do the carving.  :) The girls always talk about using a pattern to carve their pumpkin but always end up drawing it themselves.

I am so glad that my girls are not squeamish about the pumpkin "guts".

This year we let both girls do most of the carving themselves.  We have lots of those little saws from the kits.  I don't think I'm ready to hand them a knife for this yet.

Hannah wanted a basic jack-o-lantern face this year.

Kaitlyn wanted a ghost.  It turned out really cute.  It looks like a pac-man ghost.

Happy Halloween! 

Pumpkin Love

This is probably my favorite time of year.  The weather is changing, the light is changing, and everything is beginning its winter slowdown.  Fall on the east coast is lovely.  I grew up in the desert southwest and while I love it there, cacti do change colors in the fall.  The leaves are just starting to change for us here and soon I will be cussing the same said leaves because I have to rake them all up.  But for now we are looking forward to Halloween.  I love Halloween.  I remember the excitement of picking out a costume, carving jack-o-lanterns, trick or treating, helping hand out candy and my mom's popcorn balls.  I don't even have to think hard to remember that smell.  I've only made them once and I still am reminded to this day of the burns my husband sustained while helping me.  Oops!  Our girls love Halloween too.  They love the decorations, getting to wear a costume, of course candy, and our yearly trip to the pumpkin patch for this year's jack-o-lanterns.  On Sunday after church we headed out to get our pumpkins. We have gone to the same pumpkin patch for the last 3 or 4 years and its a lot of fun.

Kaitlyn loves the little pumpkins but always settles on a big one.

Hannah does not make decisions quickly for anything.  She wants the perfect one.

There are lots of fun decorations around the pumpkin patch along with Halloween decorations to purchase, gourds and all the interesting looking pumpkins, hayrides and refreshments.  

 The girls and I loved these funny guys.  Their eyes light up and they play their banjos. That song you just started singing in your head, yep that's the one they play.  Hilarious!

Another successful day of pumpkin picking.

Apple Picking Time

This past weekend we packed up early and headed out of town to the mountains.  It was a much needed break from the craziness that is home.  October always seems to be so busy and this was the little bit of sanity that we all needed.  I learn new things everyday about being a mom and an adult for that matter.  I have learned over the last couple of years that the only way I can give all of myself to my husband and girls is to go out of town.  I don't think "stay cations" work well for me.  I love being at home but even if we are all here trying to relax I am thinking of all the things that need to be done or I should be doing.  Sunday was a great day for apple picking.  It was rather busy but the weather was great and we all had a great time.

Our first stop is always at the barn for apple cider donuts.  The are so warm, melty and delicious.

After the donuts we grab our bags and map to go pick our apples.  

Last year we went apple picking earlier in the month so the apples were low enough to stand and grab.  This year our picking looked like this...

Jef held the girls up so they could pick and I may have climbed a tree or two. Shhhh. 

We had a lot of fun and I now have lots of apple for apple butter, apple sauce, apple pie, and anything else apple.  I'm so glad we got to go and can't wait for next year's trip.

I sure do love these 3.

Lost

Last week was a really tough week for me and the family.  We had to say goodbye to the sweetest dog that God ever made.  My sweet, sweet Lexi was almost 15 and was my everyday companion.  She went everywhere with me and stuck by me through every move and every deployment.  I miss her so much it hurts.  I know the pain will lessen everyday but right now it is still very raw.  I miss talking to her and seeing her happy face and wagging tail when I come home from taking the girls places or grocery shopping.  She is missed everyday and will always be remembered.