September happenings.

The pavement crew showed up the other day and we couldn't be more grateful!  We are ready for a smooth driveway without so much dust and stones!  Asphalt Repair did a great job on this hot day!!!  Every time I see work crews working hard with such messy things, I am so thankful that it's their job and not mine!  :)  Thank you guys for giving us a beautiful driveway!

 

Finished project ... Mike was in Tennessee when this crew showed up at our house and so I sent these pictures to him after they were finished. 

The kids are really going to love playing some hard basketball on this pavement!!!  (Look at those clouds and blue sky!!!)

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And now that we have pavement and not stones, Ashlyn learned how to ride her bike without training wheels!!!  This is so cool for her!  The only thing was, her bike had a flat tire.  Mike got her new tires and she is now good to ride all around the driveway!!!  Way to go girl!!!

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We had a wonderful day at our annual school sale last Saturday!!!  Ashlyn and Shakia ran in the Family Fun Run and Ashlyn was so excited!!!  She couldn't wait to run fast and hopefully earn a ribbon!!!

So here they are ready to start!

It was a fun run where they ran through obstacles!  Ashlyn loved it and kept going to the very end!

She ran through tires.

And over ramps.

Right before the finish line she went down a big tunnel!  So much fun!

And at the finished line she received her very first running ribbon!  This was a first running ribbon ever earned so far.  I hope that as she grows up, she will receive many more!!!  She really couldn't have been more proud!!!  She wears this award ALL THE TIME!!!  It's already dirty from her wearing it so much!  She has it now lying right beside her bed!  She is so happy to have received this first ribbon!
(She made a comment the weekend before when we were watching a 5K race, that she wants to earn a ribbon for herself.  Now she did.)  :)

They ran out of ribbons and because Ashlyn finished before Kia, Ashlyn got a ribbon but Shakia did not.  Not yet.  They wrote down Kia's name and hopefully she will get her ribbon given to her soon!  Great job girls!!!!!

Matthew was thrilled that we bought their class project of a camping theme basket!  We are now ready for many more tenting nights!  Ashlyn loved the face painting!

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This is a month of many "firsts" for Ashlyn!!!  She had her first dentist cleaning done!  She did great and only has two cavities to get filled.  I hope it will go as easy as her first visit!  Bravery was on her mind and she didn't shed a tear!!!

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Volleyball practise has begun and now so do the games.  Hadassah was excited about this game (she is always excited to play volleyball)!  It was Linville VS Conestoga!  Linville won one out of three!  The girls played pretty good for the first game but we are super excited to see what they can do in the next upcoming games!!!  I think they will do well after a few more hours of playing together and a little more practise!!!

The cutest little cheerleader!!!

Blocking ...

Jess going for a spike!

Serving ...

Volleyball isn't the only sport right now in our schedules.  Matthew is playing soccer.  He has practises twice a week and they had their first game last week VS Bethany Christian.  They lost but played hard.  It was a warm day causing them to sweat it out and run hard!  (I love these September skies!!!)

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This little man is in love with shoes!!!  He constantly wants to put on and off shoes.  His shoes, Ashlyn's shoes, even Mikes!!!  This particular morning, he had four different pairs on before 10 AM!

I just can't get over how cute he looks in his fall clothes!!!  He looks bigger with pants on.  The navy and golds like adorable on him!!!  He was helping me work outside yesterday in between stopping for a few rides on his toy!

Austin is 14 months old and jabbering all the time!  He says a few words and when he says a new word ... we all cheer!  "Mama, Dada, Matt, Bat, Bye-bye, Night-night, Ging (for Ginger) ... are his vocabulary!  He has eight teeth and working on another molar.  He is great on his feet now and walks great in shoes.  His blankie and nuk are still his favorite things of comfort!  His giggle is so cute!  He loves books.  He is our little Charlie and cannot, I said cannot, hold still for very long.  Church services are still a major challenge!!!  We love him so much!!!  He is our go getter!

Our September calendar is packed full of sporting events, church activities and enjoying the outdoors.  Fall weather is just around the corner so we better enjoy the last warmer days while they last!!!!

Pumpkin Scones ...

I made my first batch of pumpkin scones today!!! 

The house smells totally amazing and I'm happy how they turned out!!! 

With or without chocolate chips.

I made one batch of regular pumpkin and another batch with chocolate chips added in.  Both times I used the same recipe but just added in some chocolate chips the second time around!

Last week when I made the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I didn't make a fuss about them to Mike because I really made them for Sunday's baptism meal.  But Hadassah asked if she could take a few to Jess's house on Saturday night.  Of course I said yes.  When Mike dropped off Hadassah at Jess's house, he noticed the cookies.  He asked if he could have one and she said no.  :))))  So, on Sunday morning when Mike made his fresh cup of hot coffee I told him he can have a cookie with it.  He was all over me about not letting him know that I made them the day before.  :/

So this time I texted him to let him know that we have pumpkin scones in the house.  Just baked an hour ago.  I again really want them for a cousin gathering tomorrow but I will gladly have a taste tester tonight!!!  :)))  I hope they are as good as they smell!!!

Here's the Pinterest recipe that I used:

PUMPKIN SCONES (STARBUCKS COPYCAT)

2 1/4 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 C. packed light brown sugar
3 Tb. sugar
1/2 C. butter, cold and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 C. + 1 Tb. canned pumpkin puree, chilled (don't chill in can)
3 1/2 Tb. buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tb. honey
1 Tb. half and half

GLAZE:
1 C. powdered sugar
2 Tb. half and half, then more as needed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well blended.  Add butter and cut in with a pastry cutter.  Large pieces of butter should no longer be visible. 
In another bowl, wick together chilled pumpkin puree, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and honey.  Add it to the flour ingredients.  Stir mixture with a wooden spoon and mix well.  Dust a work surface with flour and dump the dough on top.  Pat and shape dough into an even 8-inch round.  Using a large knife, slice into 8 equal wedges.  Dust the knife with flour as needed while cutting, it will be fairly sticky.
Transfer scones to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Brush tops with 1 Tb. half and half and bake for 13 -15 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes (no longer) before spreading with glaze.

For the glaze:
In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and half and half.  Adding more half and half as needed to reach desired consistency.  It should be fairly thick not runny.  Spoon and spread mixture on the scones to evenly coat tops.  Use all of it.  Let glace set at room temperature. 

Store in an airtight container before devouring them!!!!  :)

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The windows are open and the humidity broke!  Fall is in the air and pumpkin is in the house!!! 

I must add too that since last Tuesday Austin has been a different child!!!  Those teeth broke through and he truly is our happy baby/toddler now!!!  (Do we still call them babies if they are one year old???)  He is much more patient!  Not near as demanding!  So pleasant!  We are rejoicing and hoping this stage will stay for a very, very long time!!!!!!  Thank you Jesus!!!!