Swimmers by day....

Trick or Treaters by night....

Yes it is Halloween weekend, and yes we are spending it at swim-meets.

Day two begins at 8am after two evenings of sugar and parties. We are keeping our fingers crossed that tomorrow goes as well as today.

I am hoping to post some great videos and pictures from the weekend, but not tonight. This swim mama is way to tired for that.

HaPpY HaLlOwEen........

Fall Harvest = No School

The kids have been in school since August 18th with no breaks,1/2 days or 2 hour delays, that is until yesterday and today.  We spent the day doing a little arts and crafts.
We started with all our pumpkins from two weeks ago. 



Next came the scooping and cleaning.

Bella kept saying I feel so alive....

The girls worked really hard.


Especially with the slimy stuff. 

This was Gia's first experience with the messy, slimy stuff.


I took a short video of Gia when she put her hands inside the pumpkin for the first time.  She said she was enjoying it, but the looks on her face tell a different story.  


We even got fancy with paint. 


Bella really seemed to enjoy herself today.

She is not usually my art girl. 



Here a the finished projects.....
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Don't you love her serious face? We told here when she smiles she closes her eyes.  So this is her new picture taking face.  Lovely, isn't it?!

3 of the easier pumpkins we decorated. 

I love the white one.  I have been wanting to try something new this year.  It was so easy to do, and I love it.

The 3 carved ones. 

Notice the leaves and the sad looking flowers.  The weather has turned cold.  Our Indian summer is over,  I think I will need to pull out all my summer flowers up for the year.  :(

A close up of my white pumpkin.

The Lord be with You....

Gabby spent her morning training, but not the kind of training your probably thinking of.
She spent the morning at church. 



She is training to become an alter girl!


This is exciting!

She is the first person in our family to do this.

When I was her age girls weren't allowed to be alter girls. Doesn't that seem silly?  It is not like I am 60 years old.

 

She is so excited....



and I am so proud!

Fashion Farm

After three years of waiting for her turn, D3 finally got to participate in a field trip that was for her class and not one of her sisters.


 For me, this represents many things.  I have a slew of emotions.



I think I have began to realize that time just flies by full speed ahead. There has always been 24hours to a day, 7 days to a week, 12 months to a year, but why does time speed up once your past 25 years old?



In years past, I always knew there were going to be many more years of field trips, but recently I am realizing that I am now on the home front of these trips.  My babies are growing way to fast.



I have officially become the old mom. I am the mom who is now closer to 40 then 30. I am now the mom who has no babies at home. I am now the mom who is practical and sends my child to a field trip in blue jeans and a warm old sweatshirt instead of tights, and a dress!



Non the less, D3 doesn't know the difference. She loves me to the moon and back. She thinks I am the greatest. That little turkey is so stinking cute. I am enjoy my days with here. I love that she is getting older and more independent, but still wants her snuggle time with me.




We spent the morning at the Fashion Farm.  It is out in the country and fun place to look around.  Each year they pick a theme and decorate pumpkins around it.  This years theme is movie songs thru the years.  I took 95 pictures, and tried to pick my favorites to share.

Enjoy.....


Alvin and the Chipmunks....Singing Christmas don't be late.


The tin man from the Wizard of Oz's.


Mary Poppins.


Dora, Diego, and Boots

And last but not least...
My personal all time favorite of the day,cause it seriously made me laugh out loud.


Dolly Parton .... 9to5 .....
I am still laughing over this!

Every year,Fashion Farm also decorates all the presidents faces.


Here is a close up.



The day also included....
a hayride



a corn maze and hay maze


and a snack of pumpkin donuts and apple cider



but most importantly the day included time with my baby!

How did you spend your weekend?

Another beautiful and unseasonably warm fall weekend.

This is how this house of five spent the weekend.
Raking, raking and more raking

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and a little pumpkin patching!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as we did!

Surf Time...

So it is less than a month away! I can't even believe it. I will be sitting pool side, with a drink in my hand,and nothing but my female friends, my iphone and a great book in about 3 weeks! This mama/sun lover is in need of a major vacation! Watch out South West Florida, the girls are coming to town. No kids, no hubbies!

Now someone pass me a drink, cause I am not sure I can wait that long......

This makes me laugh everytime...

Evey time I see it on Facebook I admit my first reaction is to blush then giggle!  Then I finally figured out what the heck everyone was really talking about.  Now I feel like I am "in" on this super big October/pink secret. 

So for grins and giggles .....

I like it in on the bathroom wall or on the kitchen chair!

Are you shocked?  Where do you like it?

Now get your head out of the gutter ....  and join the fun!

September Recap

Since I haven't been a good blogger lately, I decided to recap the month as best as I could. It is in no particular order, but a good recap of how I have been spending my days, nights and weekends.

Gia had her 1st ever Preschool function.  It was an ice cream social to meet the teachers and see the school.  This is the newest playground equipment purchased with fund-raising money.  It has actually helped her learn her bike at home better. 


Bella is now an official swim-team member.   Grandma Marlow bought her this bag for her birthday!  She loves it, and I think if the bag gets much bigger I could put her into it.



Fall Harvest at the Elementary School.  I sold Chicken BBQ all night, but went to the classrooms to take pictures of each of the girls classes.  Love this book, it is for sure a keeper for the memory box.


Gabby's class made "flat" portraits to go along with the story "Flat Stanley".



I had the pleasure to work a fundraiser with my neighbor, to help raise money to make newborn baby kits in memory of a sister-in-law who past away suddenly last year.  You can follow that journey along here if you'd like.  It really is an amazing story of turning pain into grief.



We sold baked potatoes meals to raise money, to help continue to buy supplies needed for M.O.M.



Remember D2 losing my wedding ring?  Well the insurance check came, so I've had some fun doing a little shopping....


Do you have a favorite?



It was a tough choice to pick, but am so in ♥ with my new ring.  Now when I look down at my finger I say thank you to D2.  It was one mistake that ended up with a very happy ended.

Pizza night with our favorite family.  All 7 kids built their own pizzas. It was pure chaos and so much fun. Below are the adult pizzas.  Half veggie Half Meat, and Spicy Chicken made with Ranch sauce!  Yummy!


Painting, painting and more painting.....

Re-did the family room/kitchen eating area to yellow from teal green.  I also remade all the curtains as well.


Painted the fireplace wall black.


Still working on this project... the girls upstairs bathroom needed a major overhaul.  My father inlaw made these awesome cubbies for me to store all their girly junk.  Floors are being replace as I write as well as all the cabinets are being painted white to match the cubbies.


Swear this project is never going to end.


We are on weekend number 5!  Yes 5!!!!



Somewhere among my many drives to and from swim practice I managed to spot this. A beautiful reminder that God is so every present in our day to day lives.

 My amazing neighbor graciously reminded me of that today, when she said this...
"I have a very busy day ahead of me at work which means the day will surely go fast. I hope you all have productive days as well and that you will use your gifts to serve Him today. Love you all," ...

Loved that quote and felt the need to share it with you. It inspired me to do what I am good at, volunteering, so you guessed it, Gia and I spent a little time at the elementary school doing a few random acts of kindness. It felt productive and seemed like a great way to serve Him.

Thanks for stopping by...until next time,