Brian

Is going to make a guest appearance on this blog some day soon. He is going to tell you all about how to start jeeps and mountains on fire. Aren't you excited? I know.. the suspense is killing me too! But... now it's my turn to write about Brian. He has been busily chopping wood for our stove to keep us warm all winter long. It has been a long process. One which I haven't been as much help as previously anticipated due to a little bumpkin in the oven. Still, I help as much as I am able. Here he is in action...
Pre swing
Post swing
I am extraordinarily grateful for his willingness to do hard work for us and our house. But more than that... I am grateful for this....
When I am at school... or just about any other time he has the girl(s), he plays church songs on youtube. Lately his favorite is "Oh Lord My Redeemer." It is particularly heartwarming to come home to this or to hear Xiana singing beautiful, spiritual songs that I never taught her... all because her daddy spends time inviting the Spirit into our home.

Canning

My first canning experience was a success.... except that I had no idea how long it would take and ended up canning until 1:00 am (not a super good idea when you're pregnant and tired and your husband is off hunting). But... every surface covered with tomato juice is going to be so worth it when we have fresh tomatoes in January!

Halloween... a bit early

Playgroup had an early Halloween party so that we wouldn't have to compete with all the crazy goings on of Halloween weekend. Xiana still fits in her little bo peep costume so that's what she was. I have some friends (Kacie) that think it is cruel and unusual punishment to make your kids wear the same costume 2 years in a row. But she is the CUTEST little bo peep that ever walked the face of the earth and I couldn't resist. She was just way too darling to pass up another opportunity. Ekco bemoaned this fact saying, "hopefully someone will buy her a costume for her birthday." She didn't get it. It's not that we are incapable of having my mom make her another one... it's just why bother when this one is sooo cute?
Seriously!
This was a very organized and well attended play group party.
There were crafts... games... cupcakes....
And trick-or-treat.... kind of :)

Apple Hill

This year for apple hill, my brother and his family met us up there. I was a little sad to go without Brian as it was such fun last year, but we went any way and it was great to see the fam. Xiana loves her cousin Eva and she mothers Xiana like nobody else. They had a great time playing and eating.
and eating...
We also got our pumpkin there this year. I know I know, pretty silly to go to the pumpkin patch and leave without a pumpkin and then go to apple hill and get one, but you know...
This was a beautiful little pumpkin patch at one of my favorite orchards, Boa Vista.
A balancing act.
We REALLY tried to get all the kids to hold a pumpkin and look at the camera... alas, it was impossible.
We went for a train ride around a little pond and the conductor was so kind as to let us pay only 12 instead of 22 simply because he wanted our ones.
We went to a farming museum where Xiana tried to wrap her mind around the concept of no electricity. We explained the job of the miller and then the use of oil lamps. She might of understood a little, but she did ask why they didn't just turn on the light.
They went on a corn maze that was loud.
And ate lots of apple donuts.
And caramel apples. We even brought some home to daddy and Ekco and then I made caramel for the left over apples... my mom's recipe and it was delicious!
Brian's favorite thing last year was the fresh brussel sprouts so I brought some home for him. He promptly turned them into a microphone...
A bouquet...
And the statue of liberty. It was a great day (though I must admit I forgot how long it took....)

First day of school

To say Xiana has been eager to start preschool is pretty much the understatement of the century. Our life basically goes like this: X- mom? me- what? X- when am I gonna start my school? me- soon... next Friday X- okay. ( A few minutes later) X- but mom I really think I should start my school now. Am I gonna go on a school bus? When do I start again? But is that now? etc etc etc. This has been our life for some time now. She is OBSESSED and finally, after much organizing, meeting, and getting things together, her co-op school has begun. When I asked her what she thought she was going to learn she informed me that she was pretty sure she would learn her letters and her numbers and writing her name. I asked her if she would learn the alphabet. She scoffed at me and assured me she already knew that!
She was so happy... and so cute! I am really happy that we have been able to work this out. I think we have a WONDERFUL group of kids and moms in our group. We are all low stress, energetic, involved, and our kids get along wonderfully.
Alicia has the first month and Xiana thinks it's pretty special that she gets lots of different teachers. Now the ongoing question is: when is it gonna be at our house?
And already she's mastered the art of line making.
When we got home Xiana tried out her new-found skills of riding a bike. (I can't remember if I mentioned that she could finally ride her bike, but she can. She acts like she's been doing it all year!)
She has also discovered that while I'm painting, scraping or primering, she can easily entertain herself just like a little monkey should... by swinging on the bars of scaffolding and climbing.
She assures me continuously that she is being careful.

And that she won't fall. After all, she's a big school going girl these days, didn't you hear?

Pumpkin Patch!

A new friend of mine, and pretty stellar-add-to-your-list-of-superwoman-types girl opened a pumpkin patch this year with her family. It is highly convenient as it is directly across the street from me. Beyond that, it is amazing! It is utterly kid friendly and I swear, they have thought of everything. We started in the sandbox filled with toys and CORN KERNELS! Genius! I swear! I don't know why I never thought of such a wonderful filler for sand boxes.... it doesn't leave the sandy residue and I only found two kernels in Xiana's bed that night... very easy to clean up!
I might say that Xiana was just playing with the disgruntled look on her face, but she was, in fact, disgruntled.... little pill!
They had saddles that the kids could try their hands at lasso-ing... or just play tug of war.
Or pretend they are cowgirls from the wild west.
In this massive, beautiful, every home should have one barn they set up a creative corner, a costume corner, and story time!!! They had hay stacks set out as seats and a cute girl reading a wonderful Halloween book from a cozy little rocking chair.
Some of the parts were even a little scary :)
They had a hay maze that was the perfect size for little tots. Xiana ran out at the end screaming with pride and sheer delight, " I did it all by myself!!!"
A hay ride driven and operated by, none other than the very housewife who ran the entire show... Natalie. Plus she was oh-so-adorable to boot!
For lunch we picnicked under that pavilion and just as I was about to freak out about all the crumbs we were leaving on their nice patio....
The family dog saved the day. Plus, Natalie brought over the slop bucket for our food waste with promises of feeding the pigs.
Each child got to pick one of the small pumpkins out of the pumpkin patch and Xiana didn't hesitate to pick the perfect one.
They fed chickens...
pigs.... (which they were enthralled with)
and goats!
Then they were all tuckered out so we pulled them in wagons back to the front where they got home made suckers and honey from the bees on the farm.

It was oh so impressive. If you happen to be in the neighborhood and see the signs for Andelin's farm.... stop! It's totally worth your time!

Before you go getting all PETA on me....

Please know two things: 1: We intend to eat this bird for dinner. It is healthier than chicken from the grocery store due to it being hormone free. 2: It is hard to actually shoot and kill a chukar... so instead of judging....think of it's cage-free quality of life.
We went out for the day and had a wonderful time. I must admit... it was pretty exciting when I got one! On the way home we found a rattle snake. So Brian and his dad do what boys do best.... got out and played with it.
By the time we were heading home... this is what the sky looked like.
The girls had a blast playing with their cousins and my m-i-l and s-i-l were so kind as to watch them for us. The last time we went wood cutting, the girls gathered lots of pine cones. So I brought them with us and got glue and glitter for them to make their own masterpieces.
And they did!
Especially Ekco.... she's older, but she's also naturally artistic!