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How can it possibly be October already? It's been awhile that I posted on this blog but we've been busy enjoying all the fall things! There is now a chill in the air mornings and evenings and it has us grabbing for those cozy sweaters, blankets and jackets! I turned on the floor heat a few times just to warm up the kitchen floor tile. The fireplace gets started most mornings as the children are getting ready to head off to school!
Austin is adjusting to school now! He was having tears every school morning for the first few weeks. He was trying to be so brave. He was fine once he had in his head that he is going to go to school and learn and have fun. He is the baby of our family and really, really likes his mom! I love this about him but sometimes you have to push the little ones to higher and braver things! Especially if it involves learning! Mrs. Matherly is doing such a great job with being his teacher and she made him a chart that when he fills up the entire chart with stickers, I would then take him for a prize. (I talked to her about this plan before she gave it to Austin). Austin was having tears during school at times too and we thought this would maybe help! He did great and the next three days in a row he had the whole chart filled up and we were off to Target for a prize! He's been doing super ever since but still asks me to pray for him and to ask Jesus to make it seem like his school day is only "1 minute". I pray for him a lot and I told him that if he makes learning fun, his days will fly right by!
He's being a champ!
Ashlyn is also really doing well in school!!!! Fourth grade has her asking so many questions, especially about the upcoming election! Miss Krieder is a super teacher as well and Ashlyn is really enjoying the way she teaches and how fun she makes it to learn! This picture brought tears to my eyes when I saw it! Here the fourth graders are having worship and lifting their hands in praise! We are so blessed to have a Christian school to send our children to and they are not required to wear masks!!!!
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The garden is dwindling down. I did plant some kale, spinach, lettuce and cabbages again but they just all grew straight up in the air and didn't produce nice lettuce at all. Maybe it was still too warm? I am now ready to call it quits in the garden anyway for this season! The herbs are still going full tilt but the tomatoes and string beans are now goners. Austin helped me pull out the last of our string beans. We've been so blessed with so many beans and we sure do love these!
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It's canning season around here! My mom came and helped me make some homemade ketchup and juice tomatoes from the garden!
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We love pumpkin season and the children couldn't wait to stop at a fun, local farm for some fall decor!!!!
We added some mums and pumpkins to the front porch!!!
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Watching Queen Esther at Sight and Sound was wonderful! This story was always amazing and a favorite of mine and that's where we got the name Hadassah from when our first baby was born! Our family really enjoyed the show and Sight and Sound do an excellent job telling it!!!! Go watch it!!!! You will be blessed!
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School sales are in season too! We attended Weavertown School Sale and as you can tell, the children had a fun time!!!! Face painting, games, prizes, candy and an auction had them busy all afternoon! And of course it is always way more fun with cousins!!!!
Matthew and Mike are hot into golf right now! They practiced and played a lot of golf together a lot this summer and it shows!!!! Matthew has upped his game big time and now beats Mike's score most of the time. He is also now taller than Mike. He is on the school golf team and is doing well! Matthew is going to Districts as a back up player but only because of COVID. Matthew played really good golf and its a bit disappointing that they are only choosing half of the players to limit the crowds. He still gets to attend but plays only if needed.
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Fall time has the best flavors and smells! Panera has a tasty Autumn Squash Soup that is my favorite!!!!
I tried a new recipe found on Pinterest called Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. We loved these!
Little Man enjoyed the cookies with a glass of milk and some Peppa Pig!
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White pumpkins are a favorite and here's the second school sale we attended! Linville had their sale last weekend and even though the auction was different from other years, we are getting really good at changing things up in 2020! Linville choose to do an online auction with theme baskets being the bulk of the sales. I put together this pumpkin tray! Auctions are so fun for me and look at the note Ashlyn wrote and set beside my phone when the online auction went live!!!! :)))
Then later that night, we gathered around a campfire at John and Kathy's for their annual Chili Supper! It's always so yummy with cornbread and great toppings! The kids loved the hot dogs and chili and then played games in the barn. Meanwhile, us adults sat around the campfire laughing and having a good time! This 50's Group is such a blast!
On Sunday, we attended church where I am teaching a ladies class through 1 Timothy. I am so happy to see that the children are enjoying the Sunday school once again!
Then in the afternoon, Mike and I attended Kate and Casey's wedding! Family weddings are fun and I love weddings with my man!!!!
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The days that Austin does not have school, I try to be intentional to spend great time with him. He asked to go to the park on Thursday to try out his new duck call! Mike took him to the hardware store the other day and he proudly chose his first duck call! He's been blowing it a lot and Ashlyn doesn't like it but it's cute!!!!
Anyway, we loaded up his small bike and went to the park on this gorgeous day! He blew his duck call but no ducks came around. Instead, he took a stroll around the park bike path. We fed some fish bread. We spied a huge bull frog on the side of the park pond. We found some acorns on the ground.
I told Austin that we will stop by another local location where there are many ducks! We pulled into King's Homestead and Austin was ready to blow that duck call!
It was so cute to see him excited about the ducks swimming around! They respond to his call! He fed the ducks and fish and it was a fun little outing! Did it take time? Yes but not all day! Did I really want to do this? It was fun and I love how children can get me out in nature and enjoy the beauty of the day instead of just being focused on my work and duties around the house! I love this Little Man!
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I mentioned how I love the flavors of fall time and so when we planned a "Sisters and Mom Day Outing" I knew we would find us some good fall foods! On Wednesday, my sisters and mom met at my house and we were off to do some shopping, eat lunch together and then be back home when the kids get off of school. I love outings like this!!!! Rachel's Crepes have the best foods, especially fall foods! Jody ordered her favorite apple crepe and Mom and I shared the pumpkin crepe after a lunch crepe! It tasted so good!
And the Pumpkin Chia from Latte Luv was very tasty!!!!
I can't get over how much Austin is growing and learning since school began! He didn't even begin with the alphabet in school yet but he is drawing and writing and coloring so much these days! Before school, he barely held a pencil. He didn't like to color pictures. The other day he asked me to write down some football teams and then he wrote them on his paper. I was so impressed! He says "it's hard work" but it was his idea and did such a great job at his letters!
It is now October and I can't wait to make more fall memories with my family! The leaves are just beginning to show their change of colors. The air is chilly and the farmers are busy harvesting the pumpkins in the fields. I love this time of year!
Happy October and have a great weekend!!!!
