Costumes! Finished Products!!

I don't know what my problem is.  I can never go low key with costumes... last year was the closest I ever got.  And it's not like my kids throw fits or beg.  *sigh*  I guess my imagination just runs wild and I get too excited, and go overboard.  Stephen sighs a lot, but is, overall, understanding and patient.

Clyde was easy-peasy.  He wanted to be Captain America.  I was really afraid it wouldn't fit...he's so tall and most costumes run short.  But it was perfect!  So glad he hasn't grown out of wanting to dress like a superhero!  He was a rockin Cap!!

Iris was a wee bit more difficult.  She spotted Anna's coronation day dress and let me know right away that this was the ONE.  I did the whole sizing chart and everything, but it came to us super big.  I had to do alterations...bring in the sides of the dress and add ribbons over her shoulder just to keep it on.  It was still too long, but she made due.  And she was GORGEOUS!!

Lucy was the tricky one this year.  She decided to be Elsa in her ice dress.  We looked online, but it's hard to find disney princess dresses for someone her age.  Also, she wasn't sure she cared for how they looked, so I was all "oh, I'll just make you one, pick out whatever fabric you like" as though it was going to be SO easy.  It was NOT.  You saw my first version of it where we trick-or-treated at Dad's, but I had to do a number of alterations on it before I could let her play in it or be in public in it.  And it made her look SO grown up.  I mean, that dress is one thing on an animated person, but quite another on a real live girl.  BUT she loved it, so it was worth it!! I wish I had taken more pics of her, I feel that these two don't do her justice.  She was LOVELY.

Here's our hair designer.  She came over specifically to help with hair because she's the BEST AUNT EVER!

 All ready for the costume party!!

Boo at the Zoo

Well not really.  We didn't go at night, and we didn't dress in costumes, but we did enjoy some of the halloween decor, the animals and, as always, our time with Nena!

Another Fall Festival

We dropped in on another local fall festival and got to experience a little bit of yesteryear.

Making of sorghum

Clyde intensely wanted to look at this abandoned hammered dulcimer and got way too close to it in the opinion of his musician Mommy.  But as I shooed him away from it, its owner came over and invited us all closer and gave us a beautiful demonstration.

They all liked the looms, especially Lu.

I really want some of these for whenever I finally paint my kitchen!!

This lady and her friends gave Lucy a thorough demonstration on the many ways to spin alpaca wool into yarn.

We gave each of the kids a bit of money.  Lucy bought raw alpaca wool (then Nena got her a drop spindle in her stocking) , Clyde bought a slingshot and boomerang, and Iris bought a bow and arrow.

Had a great time!!  Adore local festivals!!

Birthday 34 at Home

The kids always insist on throwing Stephen and I birthday parties at home with just us.  It's really sweet.  So even though we celebrated my actual b-day at Dad's, they still threw me a party.

They made me spaghetti.  And everyone acquiesced to playing Taboo!  My favorite game which no one ever wants to play :)

Then Stephen gave me a card, which made me tear up a bit, it contained a couple gift cards and a sweet little ring I showed him.  Iris is quite emotionally fragile... she cries when things are sweet, romantic, sad, happy....whatever...you get the idea.  You can see it in the pic.

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 Clyde picked out the cool hedgehog bag!  Which I LOVE!!  Iris is still recovering from the sweetness of Daddy's card.

Lucy bought me a pretty white bird ornament which I hung as a decoration until time to put it on the Christmas tree.

Clyde got me Yankee candle melters.  A couple scents he knew I loved and a couple new scents to try.

Iris got me a cute little frame and a surprise melter scent.

Then we had coconut cake!!  Because Stephen is just awesome :)  Lu had vegan chocolate cake and was delighted.

It may appear in my blog as though my mom doesn't celebrate my birthday, but that is my fault.  Every year, she takes me out to eat and buys me clothes or something else awesome!  This  year it was home decor THAT I JUST LOVE  :)   But since it's just the two of us and we wear ourselves out, I seem to never think to take a picture :(  But it was awesome..a fun time with Mom!!  Just like every year!!

Celebrating at Dad's

 My actual birthday was spent at Dad and Janet's house and we had a great time!

But I also knew it would be the only time in October that we would physically be there and the kids THRIVE on Grandmom's trick-or-treat-through-the-house tradition, so I spent most of the day doing this...

in case you can't tell, that's me frantically sewing an Elsa dress!  I didn't get a lot of last minute alterations done, but I got it put together enough for her to wear it around the house.

While I was sewing, Dad and Clyde became twinsies!

As soon as I got relatively done sewing, we threw all the sewing stuff into a corner and sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!  Yay!!  I love my birthday, even when it's spent sewing!

Here we are with my card and present...which I managed to save for 2 months before breaking down and buying cool stuff.   PART of, thank-you-very-much!  I spent part on Christmas decor :)  Which I"ve never had much of before!

Here I am with Sherry Berry and her handmade card and present (gift card and phone cover)!

Iris decided that she had to give me two presents!  One at Grandad's ( a porcelain baby Jesus she painted ) on my ACTUAL birthday and one at home with her brother and sister.  This one's love language is gifts!

After my party, the kids dressed up.  After several attempts at spraying Lucy's hair platinum, Grandmom sprinkled it with baby powder and bam!  White hair!

Trick-or-treat!

Funny side note, every time they got to Dad, he made them sing Happy Birthday to me again :)

When Tragedy Looms

Tragedy threatens my church family.  A little boy named Schaeffer, the precious 5 year old son of a wonderful couple that we've known for years, is in a coma and is going through tests to see if he has any brain activity.  This came on his parents so suddenly...so shockingly.

Those of us who know them, but don't feel like we're close enough to invade their grief and time with their son, while they are already surrounded by their most beloved family and friends have instead stayed put and just prayed...and cried...and prayed....and cried...and prayed SO HARD and cried SO HARD.  Why can't we shoulder some of their suffering?  Why can't we fix it?  We want to so badly!  We want God to miraculously heal Schaeffer and give him back to his Mom and Dad.  We don't want them to have a hole in their hearts.  We want their family to be intact and whole.  We want his brothers to never know a day without him until they're all old and gray.  We want this desperately. 

This is all so familiar to me, though I was never there.  Before I was born, my parents went through a terribly similar tragedy.  I always hate the very idea of the incredible pain they went through.  I did not have to experience it...and yet in some ways I did.  There's always been a missing brother in my life.  One I've always missed and wondered about.  I've also often wondered what it was like for my parents, older sister, and grandparents to go through what they did.  I've often pictured it in my brain and even dreamt I was there.  It was enough to scare me every time I was pregnant.  What was I doing exposing myself to the possibility of such fear, and the possibly of such pain and loss?

If Jesus wept when Lazarus died, and mourned when his cousin, John, was killed, I don't think God will condemn me for saying that this just sucks.  I hate it.  I despise death.  I despise the threat of death.  Especially when it comes for our children.

Who am I to have a healthy, gangly 11 year old boy?  What did I ever do right?  Nothing.  I've got to start being grateful for every day with each child.  Purposefully.  Not only do I have no guarantee of another day with my children, they have no guarantee of another day with their parents, or siblings, or their own health.  Am I teaching them to trust in God, or am I just a parent who is of this world and not of my heavenly home?  Will I have prepared them for loss or just given them earthly happiness?  Am I prepared for loss myself?

Lord help our friends.  They are our family in YOU!  Please grant them a miracle!  No matter what, I pray that You will have mercy on them!  Have mercy on them, Father!  Have mercy on us all!  We do not want to say goodbye!

Tractor Festival

Due to my rather long, mostly successful, but still in progress recovery from panic disorder and my long but mostly successful, but still in progress adjustment to medication, I'm going to need you to travel back in time with me to October.  I'm trying my best to keep my blog chronological ;)

We went to my Dad's for his town's annual tractor festival!

The barrel train did not disappoint, as usual, it gets bigger and cooler every year.  They have a spoooky tunnel they drive it through too.  Just glad my 12 year old hadn't decided she was too big for it :)

Potato sack races!!  I really had to coerce Iris to be in it, which I wouldn't have done, but she was looking rather wistful, I didn't want her to regret later not having done it.  She ended up winning 3rd place, as did my Clydie.  Lucy was right in 3rd place and was the ONLY girl, but ended up tripping, bless her heart and managed to fracture her sweet thumb.  But they all had fun doing it!  I was proud of Lu, I know she was a bit out of her comfort zone, racing with a bunch of boys in her age group.

Grandparents and grandkids making stairsteps :)

Having fun being Bigfoot.

The kids section was HUGE and so much fun this year.  I know I'm putting tons of pictures in this entry, but I weeded out a ton!!

The only cow Lucy will ever milk!

You can always rest on Sherry's willing lap when your lightheaded kicks in!!

At least until Mom and Dad buy absurdly huge snowcones to counter said lightheadedness!

Much fun!!  As always!!