San Angelo and halloween

Highlights from our trip... We went to two of Seth's football games (they won the second one!), and did some thrift shopping...which I love! I think that's one of those things that I get too busy for (it does take time to rummage through and find those treasures!) but still enjoy when I get the chance. Reminds me of my high school days of searching for vintage t-shirts and bell bottoms!
The kids had a great time at the fall festival and chili cook-off at my parents church...we all did! The highlight was getting to see Malachi...he's so much fun and absolutely adorable! I still can't believe those big eyes of his!
Then back at home just in time to hand out tracks and candy to our neighborhood kids.
I just can hardly believe its November! Thanksgiving here we come!

Piano Makeover

Ingredients:
* 1 piano (preferably one in good condition inside but in need of some TLC outside)

* 1 electric sander

* 1 amazing husband (preferably your own...and preferably one who knows how to use the above mentioned sander)

* 1 quart of tinted primer

* 1 Quart of satin enamel paint

* various wood appliqués to beautify your worn out and possibly plain piano

* 2 (or more) enthralled children to cheer you on and "help" you paint

* 1 weekend with nothing better to do...well the desire to fix up your piano has to at least outweigh your never ending to-do list...enough to spend a weekend on it


(I'm having trouble getting the picture order right on my blogger app which is why we are going from the after to the before shots...)

The finished product.....

Comal County Fair

The County fair was a couple of weeks ago and it was so much fun...the kids absolutely loved every minute of it! We decided to participate in the exhibits this year at and I'm so glad we did! Emma's nativity (complete with cave and all!) won 1st place and her rag doll won 3rd. Alex made cinnamon pumpkin muffins that got 1st place. The best part was the reaction of the kids toward each other as we ran from building to building to see if we had placed. (btw, i think all the kids got ribbons of some kind...which is awesome...I mean how could you not reward all those kiddos for their effort!). Anyways, they were very proud of each other and rejoiced at the others accomplishment as much as their own - if not more... A very happy family moment for sure. ;). The rides and the animals were exciting too, but I think they will always treasure their ribbons, and forever love the fair because of them.

Summer Vacation...Mustang Island

Our Trip to Mustang Island in September was nothing short of amazing. I absolutely love being in the midst of such beauty...God is so good...I mean, He did not have to give us beaches and mountains oceans and everything in between. This year the water was the clearest we've seen it in a long time. Just beautiful. We simply reveled in the beauty, and being together...and having nothing to do but just be!

Since school had already started, we only got to have Grandpa and Seth for a few days but Grandma got to stay for the whole week...oh and since school had started, we basically had Port Royal and our little section of beach to ourselves...so. Much. Fun. Can't wait to go back. :). We praise Jesus for the blessing of this much awaited and badly needed vacation!

Homeschooling and Horses

Welcome to our schoolroom!   I finally took my dear husband's advice and moved all of our homeschooling things upstairs.  I have to give him credit...he was so right!  It is so nice to have everything in one place, and less distraction for me and for the kids.  We started August 1st, and had the BEST first day of school!  I was in tears over how well it went...only by the grace of God!  The kids are thriving in their new space.  I think they really needed that sense of "we're in school now - this is not play time"  They are doing so well and learning so much already.  

Which brings me to another thing that I'm super excited about for this year...Adventures in My Father's 

World - our curriculum for this year.  So far we are loving it!  Alex is doing parts of the My Father's World 1st grade curriculum - mostly just math and reading, and joining in Adventures for history, Bible and science.  

 A lady at church asked Emma what her favorite subject was, and she said "Clay!"  We don't really talk about subjects, and I realized that the kids think more in terms of "work boxes", so it made since that she would say Clay, since that's her favorite work box.  :)

Emma had her first horse back riding lesson on Friday.  It was amazing!  I am so thankful that she's getting to do this.  It is going to be so good for her, and she absolutely LOVES it!  She's our animal loving nature girl, and this is so her element!  She did great...so natural with the horses, and just wants to do anything with them...clean poop, brush them, hose them down - anything!  The horse's name is Pancho...what a great experience!  Hopefully I'll get more pictures up soon...

More Summer fun and Birthdays!

 Meet PJ!   The newest addition to our family...Emma is in LOVE with her bird!

Our day trip/mini vacation to Port Royal

                                                 

Emma had her 8th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese this year.  She was so excited about the ticket blaster (that's pretty much THE reason she wanted to have her party there  - you can only "experience" the ticket blaster if you have a CEC birthday!)  It was a ton of fun...she hasn't had a party in a couple of years, so this was a special treat.  ...Although I think my favorite special birthday thing for her was our mother daughter weekend trip last year...hoping for another one of those...maybe next year!   Notice my attempt at making Chuck E Cheese less cheesy...I tried...  :)

Alex wanted a Wii party...so perfect for him!  He absolutely loved it!  Mike set up the projector and darkened the windows upstairs, which was the perfect atmosphere for the party.  The boys played a HUGE game of Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and New Mario Bros.  It was great...and I attempted to make some Mario star cookies, and cupcakes...Alex was so excited about all of it...so cute to watch him!  I cannot believe he is 6!  Both the kids were so sweet and fun at their parties....it just could not have gone better!
Oh yes...a word of advice to those who might consider using icing gel on the cookies that they slaved for hours on...DON'T!  It will NOT dry!  Wish I had known that before I designated the bigger cookies a "take home"!  Oh well...the kids still loved them.