Everything Between Fall and Christmas

In trying to catch up with everything I've realized that we do an enormous amount of activities, far too much to really document.  At the same the kiddos love looking back and remembering so you'll forgive me if I just chuck up photos and clips for the last few months.  

The kiddos loved their gifts of a koala, wombat, platypus, and kangaroo from my trip to Australia.  The particularly loved the 'fairy bread' that was explained to me.

Coop continues to be a weekly source of enjoyment for everyone.  One week a mom brought a bone box from Fish and Game which included pelts of different animals that the kids were facinated with.

Halloween was completed by the prescence of a memaid, scout with matches and a real entomologist.  Bubby was Mr. Funny Bones

Still more coop pictures.  This was our caravan to the near by park where we played with a parachute, balls and bubbles.

After our coop halloween party the kids decided to see if they could crush a fellow friend under all the bean bags.

We attended a Rebels and Redcoats re-enactment at the Pioneer park museum.  It was incredbly  well done with actors to play the parts of important people in history.  The costuming was wonderful as well as the way they engaged the kids.  Bud particularly loved playing a ball game and everyone loved panning for gold.

Watching the battle being re-enacted.  The gunshots were a bit startling for everyone.

We've begun attending another large group's weekly park days.  Once a month they hold a big combined one with snacks you can purchase, like caramel apples or hot chocolate.  Kiddo seem to enjoy it a lot and we've brought other friends to come and share the good times with.

Isaac and Keila have taken up archery.  Its been good for both of them as it become another exercise they can practice.  They also enjoy seeing their friends and visiting between shots.

 Bug's coop experiment where she carefully layered sugar water of differing densities.  She was rather proud her work turned out so nicely.

 More coop experiments outside.

We had a trip to Vegas and had to stopped off to see friends.   My old roommate and her kiddos always manage to pick up where we left off as if no distance exists between us. Good friends are always that way.

The Xmas party for our Down Syndrome family.  Bubby is much more engaged than he has been in the past and we were surprised to see him interact with the volunteers and give eye contact and hellos and thank yous.

One of our archery tournaments took us to Tucson.  Prior to going we read a little about the Mexican Cession and how the Spanish had set up missions in the south to establish the territory.  One of the larger settlements built the gorgeous San Xavier del Bac which is still a working catholic mission.  It is the oldest European structure in the state of AZ and the artwork and restoration of it is a reflections the people's dedication to their faith and their home.  The children were wonderfully respectful and reverent during the tour.  We took time to learn more about the Catholic beliefs and ceremonies and the sacrifices made by those who established such missions.

While in Tucson we had to visit with friends that date back to our New Mexico days.  Their kids have grown so much but are still as gracious as ever and keep our kiddos happy for hours.  Bug-love wants to adopt their youngest as a sister and the two of them disappeared to play the entire time we were there.  The Law family RULES!

Post tournament fun of ice cream.

So many memories and so little time to document them all well but I hope these few little blurbs will bring back the good times when my children look back.  We are so blessed!

Pumpkin's birthday!

Our little sassafras of a pumpkin has turned four on us!  In so many ways she seems so much older than her age, from her eye rolling and, "Mama ... seriously?!" to her helpful ways around the house and her strong desire to do school work.

She's a royal as royalty comes and often feels the need to 'oversee' work and give her approval.  This has it's plus and minus side.  She's thorough in her job but if you don't do things according to expectations she'll be sure to tell you, no matter your age!  She loves princesses, Elsa and Anna are her current favorites and pictures must always be taken with them.   She also loves any Disney music and will carefully retell the part of the story that the music is from.   The other day Keila was helping her shower and i walked in to hear them declare loudly, "I am Leora of Montierth, you will board my boat and restore the heart of Tafiti!"

She's definitely a charmer.  She loves to give hugs and will freely do so to anyone she deems safe.  There's an elderly couple I see about once a month.  Her husband isn't doing so well in health and because of hearing loss doesn't often interact.  When I show up with my Pumpkin his eyes light up and she runs over to give a hug and chatters incomprehensibly to him.  He smiles and nods and she sings him a song or does a little dance.  It warms my heart to see how she brightens someone's day.  

We were just coming back from our DC trip and had planned on doing her usual 'bunny-clouds-rainbows-flowers and butterfly' cake.  Big sister had to give her the bright idea of a Paw Patrol cake, something she had never considered.  She was hooked and I was left scrambling to make something out of fondant.  As you can see my cake topper looks a little stoned! 

Dinner out as usual with just Kent and I.  We had friends come over to help us eat cake and she even got a present from Ms. Mary, our respite worker who she's adopted as her personal playmate and grandma!

She's such a lively little soul, making friends everywhere we go.  Here she is at a homeschool park day playing with pretend in a rocket for hours and hopping in line to make a carmel apple with very little help from anyone. That independence is such a blessing to me as I'm often tending to Bubby.  She's grown use to it, either seeking help from big brother or sister or doing it all on her own.  In that way she's grown far more confident than her peers.

With homeschooling she expects to be included.  She takes pride in practicing her 'writing' and playing with letters and numbers.  She's bright and eager which makes her wonderful to include in any new games we try and teach Bubby.  Often we hear her cheering him on to 'write one more letter, just like me!' and clapping loudly when he does so.  I think as the years go by she will continue to push him to achieve more simply by being herself.  I'm sure she'd like to be a big sister with how she interacts with all the little ones, and yet in many ways she has always been in relation to Eli.

She's such a doll and we love having her a part of our family.  I wonder where all her spunk and spirit will take us in the coming years.  Happy Birthday my pumpkin love!  We're so grateful you're a part of our family.