Cucurbita

I love pumpkins.

I love to carve them, watch them grow, their color, their smell (and I am going to go a Little Forest Gump here) I love pumpkin waffles, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake & bread, Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin seeds...I am a bit of a pumpkin junkie. I buy costco cans of it..yeah, I am serious. Big costco cans.

So you can imagine I started to shake yesterday at Target when I saw two new pumpkin goodies before me.

Pumpkin pie pop tarts and pumpkin pie hershey kisses.

I slowly slid these into my cart trying to muffle my excitement.

So far I have tried the pop tarts..very good, of course.

I love Fall harvest and the return of my pumpkin friends.

Fyi- Halloween is coming, that means it is Franken Berry Cereal time of year. I slid some of that into my cart too...ahem.

Grandma Star

It has been 1 1/2 mths since mom died and the little people in the house look for her star every night. Tonight while driving home in the dark they were searching out the windows of the car for "granmas star" as Fieldy says.

He sang this song:

"Are you star?"

grandmas star?

grandmas star?

Where are you grandma star?"

to the tune of "This old man came rolling home"

Both Greta and Fieldy said their goodnights to Grandma in the driveway. We let Gret go first because she likes to talk to her alone.... then Fieldin gets his turn. He said" night night grandma" "love you grandma"

Makes my heart melt every single night.

Goodnight mom.

Quite Possibly The Rags Of A Traitor...

Are these the clothes of a traitor, or just an innocent gal who wants to run some errands on game day without being called upon to sing the WSU fight song in a good humored parking lot of people, or good natured jabs as I make my way into a store....I see the side ways glances under their lashes and the raised brows.. Yes, I lived in Pullman. Hence, I have ALOT of Cougar shirts and I am a Coug... My blood runs crimson. So I am not a traitor. I am just going incognito, but I must say I do like all the Beav fans around here, I like the conversation and the jabs.. but sometimes it is nice to melt in a little, and I cover my crimson with a little orange. I am still trying to figure out how to make both colors live in harmony....
And while on the subject of clothing... Fieldin has been carrying around a Mariners backpack, EVERYWHERE he goes for the last couple days including inside our house. The contents: A stuffed animal, shoes and some random clothes. I am not sure if he is trying to imitate Gret going to school, waiting for a natural disaster, a vacation?, or just really likes wearing his pack. I guess linus had his blanket, Fieldin has his backpack, and it is great for hiding snacks.
Also, Miss Greta announced today she still wants to be Daphne from Scooby Doo when she grows up, but she wants to solve mysteries and make fresh donuts for people. Awesome. Lucky for her, a local farmer taught her how to make donuts recently. A little donut making internship.
Have A Good One Everybody.
We are recovering from flu and watching the cougs. Which holds more misery today?

F to the L to the U.. Whickity Whack.. The Flu

Pathetic isn't it..

These two watching Dumbo, drinking juice and recovering. Fieldin actually has a very mild case at this point(knockin' on wood here).

We have one bummed little girl who was NOT happy to miss school today. We promised we would pick up her homework today for her. I also did a quick art project this morning with the two before sofa time commenced. She is much like me, not wanting to miss school. School is awesome despite its "knock a household on its bottom, full of vigor, germs"

I had my down time yesterday afternoon, filling myself with sleep and cold care tea and honey.

Today I am on the mend to care for these little ones.

Jeff hasn't been afflicted yet, and like any smart man he headed out to work quickly and promptly this morning. I don't blame you one bit, Jeff. I will leave a face mask for you outside the front door :)

And on a side note... See Fieldin's sweater. He dressed himself once again. Today was blue and red pj pants, a popeye t-shirt, and a brown and green nordic v-neck layered over the top. He came into the bathroom this morning and said "I Stylish".

Wednesday

While the little man is out wreaking havoc in the backyard, I have time to blog. He is 10 days away from turning two, which means he enjoys a lot of freedom these days. There is no need for me to helicopter over him as much any more.

We have been engrossed in the early activities and routines of an early school year and finally getting our schedule down. Today I even fit in a stroll with Fieldin to the wetland to listen to the red winged black birds after waving good bye to Gret at the bus stop. She is still loving school and that big yellow joyride of a bus.

We recently bought ourselves a Nissan cube to fill in the loss of Lil Red truck. The kids love it and Fieldin spends his mornings wanting to ride around in "fun car" so he can look out the windows. He is a sight these days, all boy, still with that white head of hair and always wearing his favorite red converse. He loves to be a helper. He keeps us on schedule in the morning..picking out our clothes, waking us up "mommy say wake up Gweta!!!!!!" and yelling "breakfast!" He stands eagerly at the door for our trip to the bus stop proudly saying"beach hat and coat mommy" and showing me his awesome outfit.... One quick chase from sister so she can give him kisses and we are out the door. As Fieldin stands in the door way he says" go go go on a adventure". He loves to be outside.

He also loves Batman which will be the theme of his birthday party this year. "Batman awesome" he says.

I hear Fieldin singing "london Bridges Falling Down and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in the backyard. Which reminds me I have A BUNCH of lady bugs to free from their "habitat"(prison...ahem) My new french book arrived yesterday and is eyeing me. I start my first class tonight and have no idea what I am getting myself in to. I'm expanding my mind, I keep telling myself. Wish me luck!

The Cat And The Hat Or Something Like That....

Today these kiddos enjoyed being read "The Cat in the Hat" and a few art projects this morning at a local bookstore. Both of them had chocolate all over their mouths from us spoiling them with hot chocolate and then the bookstore giving them cider with whip cream and peanut butter and jelly donuts.. Two words.. SUGAR RUSH!
Here is Thing 2 eating a hot chocolate.. yes I said eating. This was more like a sundae. This is what you get when you flirt with the barista..all men could learn alot from this kid...

Finding BIG pretty Fall leaves at the courthouse by the Saturday Farmers Market. Many leaves came home with us today to be dried.


Checking out the piles of pretty red leaves... wanting sooo bad to make a gigantic leaf disaster.
A nice Rainy Saturday All and All...

Another Insect Grasping For Life

Ok, there aren't many of us who can say we haven't killed a few insects in our day..either by stomping, squeezing, magnifying glass, drowning.. you know what I'm talking about. I am the most guilty, I quickly recall the caterpillar slaughter of 84'. It was Fall on a Saturday morning. Me on my Huffy, catching fuzzy wire bristle orange and black caterpillars as they made the terrifying crossing of our dead end street. Their were tons of them and my neighbor and I would compete to see how many we could catch or trap til their death(let's be honest). I decided to take my 20 some pets on a "trip" in my white basket on the front of my bike. Why I decided to take a trip down the most extremely bumpy field I could find, I dont know? (I was young, let's say that) As I sped down the field and hit bump after bump, caterpillars were flyin' to high heaven(literally) or maybe they were just jumping out of the basket as one last attempt. By the time I got to the bottom of the hill, I was devastated. My basket was full of a caterpillar massacre. The horror was washed away from my bike with an outdoor hose but not from my memory(obviously..) So I stiffened a bit when I heard Fieldin cry."mommmmy! bug on bubble mower!" this morning.

Last week it was a praying mantis named "Buddy" who was quite happy until he was fed a yellow jacket that stung him. He ate bumble bees so who new? We freed him shortly after to let him lick his wounds of pain and ego.
Today it was ladybugs which reminds me of the ladybug Greta slaughter of 2007...another story. Fieldy chased them today saying "on thumb?" as they tried to escape. They weren't stupid. They ran for the plants. Fieldin gave up and said "bye bye, I take picture" Lucky for them cameras are safer than pudgy strong fingers..

The ladybugs lived to see another day but he is out there now prepping his bug netting for what he might find tomorrow... poor, poor bugs....

One Final Vroom Around A Parking Garage

Everyone knows how much we love Jeff's little red truck. If you don't know about this truck, I am sure you have heard it without even knowing it. I am sure it can be heard all the way to the Dakota's..

Tonight we hugged it (literally) good bye as it starts a new life in a wonderful home. Greta shed some tears, Fieldin kept pulling on the door saying "Daddy, I ride home"...it was heartbreaking. The kids ADORED this truck, but probably not a much as Jeff did. Lil Red Truck gave him almost 20 years of faithful service and adventures. Lil Red truck was cool. Real cool, and Jeff had just put a new bumper sticker on him too. Sadly, it was time to part ways..and like in any break up, it wasn't him, it was us. It was time to get another vehicle that can haul the two munchkins.

I forgot my camera at home, so I wasn't able to document Lil Red for the last time but I will never forget the memory of Jeff driving the kids in Lil Red around the parking garage for one final farewell lap.

Godspeed Lil Red. We'll Miss You.

Around The House

The little man's new thing is wearing armour. He loves it. He runs around with his shield in one hand and a soup ladle in the other (his sword) His main job as knight is to chase around Maiden Greta and occasionally hit her with his ladle....
Third day of school. Morning hugs. They miss each other. If you look close, he is holding her pajama shirt that he carries around in the mornings for comfort. Then after she is safe on the bus he hands it to me... He loves waving at her good bye each day and waiting for the bus to pull up in our driveway each afternoon. He waits at the front window for her and yells "bus, mommy, bus!"

Gret's new thing, bandz. They are pretty cool. Can be used as bracelets and rubberbands and always return to their normal cool scooby doo shapes...

And more of our little Knight. As for other news, Fall is here and we love it!, my roses are still blooming, the school bus is the talk of the house, Greta says her teacher, friends and bus are the best things about school....., The sweet little red truck has found a new good home, my favorite bakery is closing...so sad, Fieldin is mastering his little three wheel motorcycle but can't turn(my poor plants!) he runs over everything in his way. Lots happening around here. Most of all we all have been thinking about my mom. We miss her. And last but not least, a lot of pulling of Thomas the Train and wearing his train conductor hat out for errands...

Day One Of Formal Education.....

So Excited to ride the bus. We went to pick her up at school but she was SOO excited to ride the bus with her friends we let her go and met her at home.
At the bell ringing ceremony. So cute.

Right before class. She was very excited.

Day one.... 13 more years to go....then college, my love! So Proud of you!

Goodbye Summer

You would never know that these pictures were taken yesterday, looking out the window today. The weather is rainy, Fall clothes were pulled out of the closets this morning and the kids were excited to see a school bus pass by our house...Summer is officially over.

Greta visited her school today but didn't actually start her first day. The excitement was all there though. She dressed all up, grabbed her backpack and school supplies and we were out the door for an interview with her teacher.
Yesterday was spent catching fish at the ocean with frisbee traps.

Chasing birds and splashing...and even though there isn't a playground on the beach we find a way to make our own...driftwood teeter-totters...

Weekend

So far the weekend has been about getting a few things done while trying to take it a little easy. A trip to the Farmers market for produce ended with me returning home with garden plants and pretty bouquets but no fruit....whoops.
The kids made themselves a rockwall train that kept them entertained for a little while. Not long enough for us to watch much of the cougs game but it wasn't really worth watching anyway... in all honesty. Poor Cougs!
The rest of our time has been focused on school shopping, finally done I think! and doing a little work around the house...and of course some dancing and jumping. Fieldin and Greta were having fun saying "ready, set, go!"