Walnuts of all things

I love how random items can cause you to recall memories that have been long forgotten. When we took the kids apple picking recently, I found a big bin of walnuts and it made me giddy. I grew up with a big walnut tree in our backyard and love them! The walnut tree was the coolest thing ever. My brothers and I loved this tree. It was such an wonderful source of entertainment. We would climb it, swing on the tire swing my grandpa made, have walnut fights (which hurt like hell) and lay under its shade.

I remember having a big sheet laid on the floor with tons of walnuts on it for us to crack. Usually around the holidays. Perfect memory.

My grandparents house was awesome. We also had a plum and apple tree. I need to get more trees for our yard. We have several but not any that produce actual food. I would love an almond tree!

                                                        ~ Love, Hugs &  Kisses ~
                                                                The B Family

B Family NFL Challenge

This year Will wanted to try a family challenge for football season. We called it the B NFL Challenge

Each of us had our favorite team and then we got to pick one more. Whomever has the best record at the end of the regular season will get a trophy. Then we will have a prize for the team owner that gets the furthest in the playoffs.

The kids really got into it.

Meli chose the Blue Kitties (Panthers) and Cheetahs (Jaguars). Anything kitties for her. She has consistently liked those two teams though.

Colin chose Jets (his favorite) and Falcons.

Will's teams are Washington Redskins and Chargers. I chose Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals. Totally accidental that I chose two bird teams. I do like birds though.

                                                        ~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~
                                                                   The B Family

On to First Grade...

It is such a big step once you are past the Kindergarten year with kids. All of the sudden they seem to grow over night. Meli seems a little younger than Colin was at the same age, but that could be due to first child. Also, Colin was a little more advanced with communication skills.

I am hoping that Meli will have a great year and will blossom after a few months of her eye therapy. We had a meeting at her school to set up a 504 plan. I think it will help out tremendously. It is just for basic classroom things that will help her out. Her learning has not been affected enough to warrant out of class assistance.

I love watching her transform into this (little) big girl. When she asks me about makeup (poor her for being stuck with a mom who does not wear a lot and knows nothing), or to help me cook, or for some art time. That is my favorite. I find myself trying a little more to wear nail polish or to put on make up. I can tell how much she likes to sit in the bathroom and watch the process.



                                                       ~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~
                                                                The B Family

The 4th Grade Change

My little goobers started school earlier this month. (I started this post the day after school started but have been slammed at work)...

 I am now a mother of a 4th grader, which sounds very different from a mother of a 3rd grader. At least in my mind. He is now at an age where I can remember what I was thinking at that age...just oh boy! Time really moves so fast as a parent. My son is talking to me about "date jackets", girls, and the horror of Trump. When did we get to girls?!? And when did he get such formed opinions?!? 

Definitely mine and Will's son. We are two very opinionated people (although I think we balance well when to share and not to). Our parenting strategy has been to express our opinions to the kids when asked but we try to discuss both sides. We will say what we believe or think, but emphasize the importance of knowing for your self and what your thoughts and beliefs are. We will also touch on the fact that some people would not agree with what we think. We do this with God and the Bible too. I explain that I choose to believe what I do, but not everyone does.  His recent discussion about Trump was prompted by a title he saw of an article about DACA. 

Gone are the days where Will and I can spell out words to each other. We are now adjusting to a child that is a great reader and has a better understanding of right and wrong. He has been reading for a few years now, but he can read the big words and understand what they mean.  Like the other day, I had him text Will while I was driving. Totally forgetting what name I have for Will in my phone.  Colin read to me what Will had texted then says, "My Lover...huh?!" Oh my. 

I was thrown off by the "date jacket" reference. In the picture he is wearing my old OSU jacket from when I was a 3rd/4th grader. I asked him to explain what a "date jacket" was. He said, "you know those jackets guys who play sports wear on dates"...A lettermen's jacket! 

I imagine that we will have some interesting times coming up. Navigating what is age appropriate and different level of understanding. Plus, all that he picks up from his schoolmates. 

A Hayride & Haunted Pumpkin Maze

Colin joined Cub Scouts a months ago and has been loving it! The pack put on a Halloween get together for the whole family. On Tuesday we went to a farm to go on flashlight lit hayride and a haunted pumpkin maze.

The hayride was fun. It was so muddy, I thought we were going to get stuck a few times. It was nice to ride through the trees. We started just when it started to get darker and by the time we got back it was totally dark. Perfect for the maze. They provided us with mini flashlights, which we only needed in the beginning. Once you got to the next section it was lit up by Jack-o-laterns. It was very neat looking! They were carved in so many different faces and pictures. Here were some of our favorites. Excuse the picture quality, I was walking while taking them. The kids were too excited for me to stop.

~ Love, Hugs &; Kisses ~ The B Family

A Fall Tradition: Pumpkin Carving

This year pumpkin carving had a somewhat bad start. The kids (well Meli) almost lost it. She was just so grumpy and probably ready for bed even before dinner. I think she may be fighting off a cold. We are very fortunate that the kids have a pretty strong immune system. It can be difficult to know right away that they have something. Meli's tale sign is her moodiness goes to a whole new level. She was crying at everything and just very easily upset (more so than normal).

She was able to pull it together (I did sing ABC's to her and gave her a pre-dinner snack) - so she was able to do one pumpkin. Our second white one has to wait.

Colin did our face design this year, Will carved, and the kids scooped. Normally, I help in that piece but I got home later from work (I was in Coos Bay that day), so I was working on dinner and pumpkin seeds!

I want to make a pumpkin pie from scratch this year - but have never done so. Hmmm....possibly.

Anyway, we had the Halloween Pandora station playing. We have been listening to it all month. There is not a lot of variety to the song choices. The kids love it though.

Their reaction when the song from Halloween came on. They have never seen the movie but it is still creepy nonetheless. 

~ Love, Hugs &; Kisses ~ The B Family

A Fall Tradition: The Pumpkin Patch

The wind & storm had started the night before

Miss Mae looking for a pumpkin

We were able to take some time off on Friday to take the kids to the pumpkin patch. We knew the storm was coming and did not want to chance a string of rainy days. Thankfully Friday morning had some sunshine breaking through the clouds. It was windy but not raining. I think the wind made it that much more fun. Meli and love windy days!

We rode the wagon pulled by a tractor this time to the pumpkin patch area. Both Colin and Meli wanted BIG pumpkins this year. I wanted a white one. Meli was sweet and found a BIG white one so that we could share it!

Colin found his!

We probably should have eaten a bigger breakfast, because towards the end Meli was hungry and grumpy. When she gets like that she stays focused on something she did not get to do (usually because she says she did not want to) or something she did wrong.  Thankfully, these meltdowns happen a lot less frequently since starting school. This time she did not want to take a picture with the pumpkin....but then she wanted to very badly...as we were leaving. Most of the pics I took were before the meltdown. She got upset when it was just her turn. So I had several with her face not visible. This was mostly due to the strong wind and was very frustrating to her.

Colin was so sweet and offered to hold her hair.

Meli starting to lose it

I told her she could have one more shot...and here it is. Perfectly sums up her mood.

...and it is lost

I love the colors of fall!

My little sweetheart!

Such different personalities

"I am so glad to live in a world where there are Octobers" - Anne of Green Gables

                                                            ~ Love, Hugs &  Kisses ~
                                                                   The B Family

Childhood Moments: Raking Leaves

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus

Raking leaves

One chore that can be so much fun is raking leaves. Although the fun can make the chore take so much longer, but it is totally worth it! Colin picked raking as one of his extra chores this month. (They have their set responsibilities - things that I do not qualify as chores because they are things that are their's. Like cleaning their room and putting their clothes away. Then they choose three chores that are things to help around the house.We have a mason jar with over-sized Popsicle sticks with chores written on them.) I am working on sewing a hanger to track these ( maybe a future post). 

I personally love leaves, so it usually ends up being a family chore. Plus, we have several trees, so poor Colin would be doing it all day.

Meli trying to sweep

It can be hard for me to let them do their task. Meli really wanted to sweep. She does not quite have the process down and it can take a long time. There are times I just want to get it done, but I know that I need to let them learn. 

Meli was having so much fun with the leaves. She tends to be a great worker in the beginning, then she is over it...but sometimes she will get motivated towards the end again. Colin is hard to get started. He will complain and be sluggish about it. Then he gets motivated when it is almost done. Wondering why everyone is leaving. 

This storm will be sure to make more leaves for us to rake! It is pouring so much right now.

Recent Hiking Pictures

During our hike

I was picture happy during our staycation with John and Susannah last week. Mostly of Meli, since Colin was still at school during the week. 

My little hummingbird and I 

Hiking buddies

Autumn at the waterfall

I need to find the picture of her when she was two

A Need for Speed

Flash for his last soccer game - I think I did fairly well

This year, both kids chose to dress up as speedy characters: Rainbow Dash (My Little Pony) and Flash. Well, I guess Colin only painted his face as the Flash for his last soccer game. For trick-or-treating and his classroom party he was actually Robin (Batman's trusty sidekick). Robin is probably fast too. He is still sticking with the superhero theme that he has done since birth practically. Only two exceptions; his first Halloween, I dressed him up as Tigger (adorable) and once when he was three he chose to be a knight. I tried to convince him to be a mad scientist, but he told me next year. It would be a perfect choice since he wants to be like eight different types of scientists.  I was glad that Meli stepped away from the princess scene this time. I am sure we will be back on it next time around. She probably only took the break because she is constantly wearing one of her princess costumes. She did ask for an Elsa dress. "Mama and Grammie can make me an Elsa dress for Christmas". Next sewing project, I guess. Actually the next one is a reading tent for both kids (Ponies and Batman) with a comfy cushion to lay on.

Will did a pumpkin for Mae

This has been a super busy week. We had some friends visiting from Virginia. It was so nice seeing them again. They were some of the first people we met while living there. I missed being around them. The kids loved having them around for Halloween. Will's band had three gigs in a row! John got to play guitar for all three gigs. It was great seeing the two play together again. They were in a band together when we lived back east. One of the gigs was at the WOW Music Hall in Eugene, which is awesome!!! They opened for a band that was recently on Queen Latifah's talk show! OMG...seriously.

Robin - we sprayed his hair black which he thought was aweseome

Colin's school party was fun. Mae and I both went to help out. The 2nd grade teachers were "rock, paper and  scissors". Very cute. Another grade was characters from Wizard of Oz. I love that they did themes. Our town had the downtown trick-or-treating on Friday. It thankfully did not rain while we were down there. I love our small town! It is so sweet all that they do for the kids. Colin and Mae had a blast!

Rainbow Dash

Saturday evening we headed to a friends house to get some trick-or-treating done. Honestly, I was a little over it since we did it the day before...but the kids love it...so of course I had fun! It was raining though. By the end it was a drizzle, which is not cool when you straightened your hair that day. I did come home with curly hair. Magic.

My dad and Michele came out to support the band

The kids loved going around the neighborhood with their friends. By the time we got home, they were ready for Charlie Brown and Jack Skeleton with Grammie, and I was ready for a night out with friends listening to Will's band. I am so proud of myself, I wore a wig!!! I cannot stand hair once it is off a head. Weird, I know. Fake or real, just cannot do it. In my 30's, I am trying to not let things hold me back. So, I cut my hair (short). I had been talking about it for years.  I also wore a wig. I got one with pigtails and very bright. I took the pigtails out and could not do it. Not sure why that made a difference, but id definitely did. Small steps.

I may have to try neon hair!

Will's band did an awesome job! It was such a fun night with friends and strangers! I hope everyone had a fantastic and safe Halloween!

My drummer hubby

Family day - Pumpkin Patch

This week was very long and busy. So, Will took today off for a family day! I was ready for Friday...Work was busy for Will, we had soccer and school conferences, and we offered to watch a friend's two girls for three days. I am tired!!! That last part had our kiddos very excited! The girls were very well-behaved, but with four kids I was exhausted. It was funny going to the store with the two youngest (Meli & Aubrey - both 4). The one that was not my child kept being mistaken for mine. She has brown, curly hair and big eyes. They were very surprised when I responded that the blonde was mine.

This morning we had a nice family breakfast. Then headed to a pumpkin patch. Meli is ecstatic about Halloween this year. Oh my! She went ballistic when I put up the decorations. She kept thanking me. She keeps saying "Halloween is soon! Then snow too!". 

We had a horse-drawn carriage take us to the patch. The kids love this part. It was Will's first time. We ended up getting a fairly big pumpkin and two smaller ones the kids picked out. We also have a few from my garden this year!! (Pictures to come).

I am so glad I have been inspired with taking pictures again. I had a good time snapping a few today.

Meli grabbed a pumpkin that may have been a little too big for her. I love her face in this picture. 

We let the kids do a maze and play on the playground before heading to a Halloween store to look at costumes. 

Colin decided on Teen Titan's version of Robin and Meli will be Rainbow Dash. Bith outfits are adorable.

Colin had his first sleepover tonight. He went to a local high school football game with a friend, then is staying the night. Meli was sad without Colin, so we headed to DQ for a little sister treat! She of course had to wear part of her costume. 

I probably should proofread this in the AM...Will and I are enjoying mimosas tonight:) 

Renewed Inspiration

Taken with my iphone

Anyone that knows me fairly well, knows that I love taking photos. Since moving back to Oregon, I have put it on the back burner. I was focused on rekindling all sorts of old hobbies that I forgot of my new found ones. 

Last week, a friend of mine wanted to go take photos. I am so glad I went. It was exactly what I needed to awaken my inner creative goddess!

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The top pictures were taken while hanging out with my friend at a place known as Turtle Pond. The pictures below are from my garden the next morning. 

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Until next time...