Fall Family Fun

We planned a trip to the apple orchard (our favorite one!) with some friends. The day we had planned to go turned out to not be quite so fall-ish, as the temperature was about 85 degrees -- which is a bit warmer than my liking for mid-October. But we went ahead with the plan. We just wore shorts and t-shirts and flip flops rather than jeans, sweaters and boots.

We had a great time. We are so thankful for the friendship we have with this great family. Their 8 kids added to our 6, plus the 4 adults make us quite a site when we are all together!

The (good looking) kids. 14 of them, ages 4-16 :: 2 preschoolers, 2 2nd graders, a 4th grader, a 5th grader, a 6th grader, a 7th grader, 3 8th graders, 2 freshman and a junior ::

Buddies ::

Hay wagon ride to the corn maze (love his shirt!) ::

Friends ::

Helping make cider :: 

it's not easy ::

the cider press (it was super cool) ::

It was a fun fall Sunday. We also celebrated a couple birthdays (with such a big group, it's always bound to be someone's birthday) with cake and a song! I'm thinking it might very well become a tradition.

Multitude Monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

2965. No more cast for Rebekah
2966. a split chin for Jacob (and nothing worse)
2967. a great night at Art House North. Exactly what I needed :: time with Kirb, time for reflection, remembering, understanding myself even better! (thanks Brie for taking care of the troops at the last minute)
2968. the peacefulness of a sleeping child :: taking the time to be still and just stare
2969. sleeping in
2970. our Saturday morning wake up crew
2971. a safe, fun youth group retreat for Jacob
2972. Joe handling a disappointment so well
2973. a warm home on VERY cold winter days (and nights!)
2974. the return of ABOVE zero temps
2975. safe travels on nasty roads
2976. fresh, beautiful, powdery snow
2977. taxes filed! (federal anyway, the state isn't yet ready to accept our submission)
2978. encouraging news
2979. a good first week of the new "job"
2980. more creating (and the resulting happy customers are fabulous too)
2981. delivering my art to a friend who had a major role in the inspiration for the creation in the first place (I learned this week that artists can't help but create as a way to process through life :: I'd never heard it put that way before and it lined up so many things inside me. I love when that happens. Thank you, Sara, for pointing it out!)
2982. helping :: it is so true that giving is such a blessing (and the "little" things are usually bigger than the "big"things, it would seem to me!)
2983. a good section swim meet for Joe and Lydia
2984. tweeking my homemade deodorant recipe and coming up with just what I was hoping for! (even great through the workout test!)
2985. Rebekah getting back in the pool again
2986. Lydia's generous hair donation (11 inches) :: even more meaningful than Rebekah's donation earlier this fall, since we didn't yet know about my mom's cancer at that point.
2987. some good family time

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post, which all started a while back, right here on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer and an inspiration!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

2555. the warm weight of a sleepy toddler snuggled on my chest
2556. a fabulous start to the school year
 
 
2557. terrific teachers
2558. long-overdue shelf paper replacement in our most-used corner cupboard
2559. a fun, unexpected meeting while walking home from preschool {it's a long story involving meeting Sara Groves' bass player and having a nice chat}
2560. a morning in Buffalo with my mom and "the littles"
2561. a new craft
2562. the glorious blue of the sky paired with the pure white of the clouds
2563. trampoline soccer with Anna
2564. coffee delivery from jenn
2565. fresh cucumbers picked, cut and immediately packed in lunches
2566. the stillness and quiet of daybreak on a Sunday
2567. a HUGE flock of birds overhead
2568. perfect day for a trip to the orchard
 
2569. finding a really fun new park
2570. kids climbing trees
2571. post-workout shower
2572. 23 months of Sara
 
 
2573. the sound of coffee beans grinding
2574. Sunday afternoon nap
2575. laundry out on the line
2576. things crossed off the never ending to-do list
2577. a toddler jumping on the trampoline in nothing but a diaper
2578. a walk around the lake
2579. spotting "the monkey man" {the guy who walks around Como with a monkey on his shoulder} and chatting a bit. so interesting!

Alrighty, that's it's for now. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post, which all started a while back, right here on a wonderful, amazing blog that I read each day.

"One Thousand Gifts":

1716. silhouettes of birds flying through the sunset sky
1717. unhurried time with a friend
1718. wrapping up a football season {with a win, even . . . and Jacob in on a play that resulted in a touchdown, which is unexpected and extra-fun since he plays defense!}
1719. a great 4th grade concert
1720. some really wonderful one-on-one time with my oldest girl :: LOVE her!::
1721. antique stores in barns::
1722. cactus bread from the Pizza Ranch :: yum!
1723. a super fun, safe Chicago trip for Jacob {how can he be old enough to go to Chicago for 4 days without either of his parents? Crazy!}
1724. a cleaned out, ready-for-winter garage
1725. a yard all mowed, raked and ready for winter too :: trampoline down, canopy off the swingset, most toys packed up {thanks Kirb & Joe}
1726. my wonderful, wonderful husband. I appreciate him so much.
1727. a beautiful, fun family day at the Arboretum {one of our very favorite places :: nothing is more beautiful than fall, if you ask me!}::
1728. a game {or two or three} of Poohsticks::
1729. a super fun play with the 3 big girls {Mercy Watson at the Children's Theater . . . we love Mercy around here!}
1730. a good workout
1731. FINALLY Joe's front tooth fell out {it's been imminent for months now and "it's about time" is an understatement at this point}::

Alrighty, that's it's for now. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post, which all started a while back, right here on a wonderful, amazing blog that I read each day.

"One Thousand Gifts":

1693. a really fun family day::1694. the man working out next to me at the Y reading his well-loved (TONS of underlines, notes and highlights) Bible :: what a blessing! reminded me of this quote :: "A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." (Charles Spurgeon -- the guy my nephew was named after)
1695. helping at preschool::
1696. a good outcome to a stressful, potentially yucky situation involving an anxious deer nearly in an all-out panic
1697. kids walking to school on a glorious fall morning
1698. strangers telling me that I have a beautiful baby (I know being beautiful isn't the most important thing by any standards we hold, but I think she's beautiful and it's nice to have others think so too . . . and mention it!)
1699. the library
1700. Home Depot
1701. backyard fires with hot dogs and s'mores::1702. open spaces to run and play and relax
1703. sharing old stories
1704. a big van that can haul lots of kids (all ours and room for a few extras)
1705. new music to love
1706. an encouraging, fun, unexpected email (who doesn't love a surprise?)
1707. answered prayer (Quinlyn is home!)
1708. doctors and antibiotics
1709. my Bible study girls
1710. online shopping (+ free shipping)
1711. surprising people and brightening their days a bit
1712. . . . knowing that it makes a difference
1713. a beautiful full moon::1714. wrapping up fall soccer::
1715. the beauty of creation::
Alrighty, that's it's for now. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.

thrifty thursday

Well, it's opening day at the Minnesota State Fair. We LOVE the fair in our family. But, the fair is anything but "thrifty". It costs an obscene amount of money to take a family of 8 out for a day of fair fun. Gate admission went up this year, everyone wants to eat something different (and LOTS of it!), the rides multiplied by 5 ride-loving kiddos (ok, Rebekah will gone on her share, but I'm not sure she actually qualifies as "ride-loving"). So, if you want to be truly thrifty you should probably skip the fair. But, we're going! There are a few ways to save a bit while you're there though.

It's too late for this one (sorry), but you can buy advanced fair tickets. Discounted admission tickets, ride tickets and state fair coupon books are on sale at various places for the couple weeks leading up to the fair. We always get a coupon book ($4 if you pre-buy . . . and worth every penny! Even if you pay the $5 full price it's well worth it, so get one the minute you step inside the gate) and save on a few of our favorites and usually risk trying a few new coupon items too. Our kids all did the summer reading program at the library, and one of the prizes is a state fair admission ticket, so, thankfully, all the kids that are old enough to be charged admission have also earned their own ticket by reading over the summer! We buy our ride tickets in advance too and then limit the number of rides the kids go on. We're sneaky (although the older ones are catching on) and always say something like "Do you want it to be a 3 ride day or a 4 ride day?" Like it's up to them or something. We knew all along that it was a 4 ride day, but it makes them feel like they are in control a bit.

Plus, there's free stuff all over the fair if you know how to find it. Our favorite :: in the southwest corner of the food building you can get a sample of fabulous ice cream -- we'll head there straight away when we arrive. Even if it is 7:30 am. That's what the fair is for, right? One year we got free bike helmets for all the kids. The line was pretty long, but, do you know how much 4 nice quality bike helmets cost? Yup, it was worth the wait. I'm not sure if they are doing that again this year (that would be nice since now we have 6 kids and a few of them have grown out of their 2008 bike helmet), I'll have to check.

So, although we do a pretty good job of getting some decent fair deals, the fair really isn't a thrifty place. So, just throw it out the window, for the most part, for a day (or two or three, depending on how hard-core you are about the fair) and enjoy your time at "The Great Minnesota Get-Together". You'll be glad you did! And, in case you wonder, we'll be there next Wednesday, the 31st. Maybe we'll see you there.

Check out this site for helpful thrifty fair tips.

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post, which all started a while back, right here on a wonderful, amazing blog that I read each day.

"One Thousand Gifts":

1532. a great end to Rebekah summer soccer season
1533. a night out with friends -- REALLY hard laughter and not getting home 'til nearly midnight! yikes!
1534. fresh cut flowers
1535. new experiences
1536. watching kids have fun
1537. smooth camp drop-off -- and really, really excited kids
1538. a quiet(er), less busy house for the week
1539. spending some birthday gift cards
1540. crafting {I got a new sander and it's just fabulous, I love it! . . . it's possible that I missed my true calling as a carpenter -- that would be another way to be more like Jesus!}
1541. aniticiapation {I sent someone a surprise in the mail -- UPS, actually, the post office was closed -- and I'm waiting to see when it arrives and hoping she likes it!}
1542. craigslist and unexpected "small world" connections

Alrighty, that's it's for now. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.

flashback friday

some more Florida trip pictures::