fun hobbies and a scary mask

I spent a good part of my time going through my pictures on my computer yesterday. Figuring out which ones to print and getting them on a CD so I can bring them in.

I am feeling the urge to start scrapbooking again... slowly making my way from outdoors to in. But not quite because there are beautiful sunny days out there yet. I am excited to get my pic's all in order and into scrap books, though.

And yesterday evening I actually took out my cross stitching to work on! Something I haven't done all summer. I am working on a large quilt and hopefully will post pictures of it soon... I am almost done.

I may even post pictures of my scrapbooking when I get some pages completed.

Well, that's it for now. I guess I should get back to my kiddo's and my kitchen.

I plan to bake some "Pumpkin" goodies today and have a picnic in the park ... a good day for soaking up the sunshine.

Have a blessed day!

The boys are into crafts,too, lately... lots of snippets of paper, tape, scissors and pencils crayons are strewn about the house.

Good times... ;)

A Fishing Trip and a ... Caterpiller?

Went down to the river yesterday afternoon so that the boys could try out thier new fishing rod. Hmmm, Decisions, Decisions.
Daddy helping them with the bait.
Allan gets to try, too. Didn't catch anything but still smiles all around. A beautiful afternoon.

On our way back up the path, Jayden found this ...

Caterpiller?

We're not too sure what it's called.

Do any of ya'll know?

If not, there's always the internet! :)

...What else? Fall!

Decorated my hutch for the season this morning. Doesn't look near as nice on camera... I couldn't seem to get the lighting right.

But what do you think?

I love the warm colors after all the white and bright I had for spring/summer.

This is the centerpiece on my mantle. I love this wreath with the 3 wick candle in the middle... so cozy.
And just in case your interested, here are some past scrapbook pages I have done featuring...

What else? Fall!

I did the above page when I just started out scrap booking about 12 years ago. The girl in the picture is me.

Ain't I sweet?!

Sweet Dreams

So when I went to check on my two oldest this evening before going to bed this is what I saw when I opened the door and turned on the light:Now the sweet thing about this is that they are together in Marcus' little single bed. They really do have their own beds but I guess they decided that this was better.

I love that they love each other so much.

I wonder what Grand and Amazing Adventure they are experiencing in Dreamland...

I can just imagine.

Dream on, my boys, Dream Big.

Hard at Work... Hard at Play

"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as Autumn sunshine
by staying in the house...
so I spend almost all my daylight hours
in the open air."

After lunch we did a quick read together of "Charlotte's Web" and a couple of Math pages and then outside we went to rake the leaves. The quote above rings very true for me as I have a strange and dreadful feeling that winter is creeping up behind me and will surprise me all to soon.
I have a crazy urge to be outside doing dances and twirls in the last remains of this years warm weather. Anyone relate? ...Or is it just me?
Perhaps I am too concerned about it. Perhaps there are many warm days coming yet this year.
I sure hope so.

And where was Allan during all this fun?

Snug in his bed for a nap of course. I'm not ready for him to give that up anytime soon! :)

What's your favorite Autumn activity?

Autumn Splendor

In honor of autumn's beginning yesterday...
A few shots from around my yard. I'm gonna miss this big ol' tree when we move in a couple months. It has not failed to put on such a show every autumn for the past 4 years that we've been living here.
Brightness on green. I love watching the leaves flutter to the ground in a gust of wind.
A single tiny flower I found growing in my garden... a pleasant surprise of pink amongst all this orange and red and yellow.

Calandula blooming... sunshine reflecting sunshine.
Another Calandula... I definetly want to do these again next year. I love that they are still blooming when many of my other plants have already died down for the year.
And marigold... very, very bright and cheerful as well.
And another piece of that giant tree that I love.

Happy Autumn! :)

"Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!
Say to God, "how awesome are your deeds!"
Psalm 66:1,2,3a

My "young man"

My first born, Jayden (6), was pretending to get married last week when he discovered this shirt in the box of clothes I was going through. :)

He insisted that I take a picture of him. Isn't he handsome?

**********

Our memory verse for this week and my prayer for my sons:

"He is like a tree planted by

streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers."

Psalm 1:3

Indian Summer

Experiencing very warm days (~30 celsius) this past week.

Cool mornings with icy barefeet as I hang out my laundry but hot afternoon with crisp warm clothing, from sunshine and wind, coming in armloads off the line.

I love this time of year. It seems to have come upon us so suddenly this season. I feel like we hardly had a summer at all. Already the leaves are turning orange and yellow and red and fluttering to the ground.

And I am ambitious to do my fall cleaning and organizing. I completed half my house yesterday and hope to finish the other half today.

Then its outside to tidy up the garden and rake leaves. Perfect picture oppertunities!

I love the bright colors in fall nature pictures.Hope to do more of this this season... walking with my "men" in the coulees.
....And campfires in the evening with marmallows roasting and melting in mouths.

What are your favorite things about "Indian Summer"?

Have a beautiful autumn day! :)

Commiting to memory...

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord

and on this law he meditates day and night."

Psalm 1:2

Reading Together

Lots of this going on with the new Sonlight Curriculum.... Love it.

Also love memorizing Scripture with them. Our verse for this week:

"Blessed is the man who does not walk

in the council of the wicked,

or stand in the way of sinners,

or sit in the seat of mockers."

Psalm 1:1

My boys (Jayden 6 and Marcus 4) had it memorized completely after I read it to them 4 times. I am so impressed that I wish I had started this a couple of years ago.

Oh well, better late than never. :) I am memorizing right along with them and I think that will help them to keep being excited about it.... they're realizing that I am learning as well.