Video: Kids Reading 5 Little Pumpkins

We are getting ready for Halloween today and doing alot of baking!

Have a safe fun Halloween tomorrow! 

Knife Skills

 Greta carved her own pumpkin again this year. She is holding her Cinderella pumpkin.

 Chompers is a very curious cat so he spent most of his time in the garage to stay out of trouble.

 Fieldin's pumpkin

 We only finished three tonight. I think Jeff is going to carve a Cougar one too.

Mine is the Scooby Doo one on the left and the Right one is Greta's Hello Kitty witch.



Them

 When did these little turkey's grow up to be such big kids:)

Another Patch and A Look Around The Yard

 Today Miss Greta had a field trip to a pumpkin patch. Luckily this pumpkin is needed at school til next Friday because we are running out of space for them. Here is Greta and her best friend trying to decide on their pumpkins. Parents couldn't help carry them. They had to be able to lift and carry their own pumpkin to the bus. No rolling allowed :)

 Miss Belle and a pumpkin.

 Now for views of the yard in October. Here is Greta's easter Lilly. The original bloomed in April but I guess it reseeded.. Can they do that? because this beauty popped up a couple months ago and bloomed today. Another plant is sprouting up in front of it, and we are starting to wonder if it will bloom in December at this rate...

 A very grumpy frog sleeping in one of my rose blooms. They love sleeping in my roses.

 freedom!!! Our poor kitty only gets supervised trips to the backyard.. too many owls and coyotes outside for him to be an outdoor cat.

 My hibiscus is still blooming each day.

 A view of the front porch. There are a bunch more pumpkins stuck on the other side. Greta added a piece of indian corn from the field trip today somewhere in the mix.

 These flowers grew from seed in early summer but all of a sudden are back and growing like crazy. there are sprouts growing out of the rocks everywhere. I had no idea these could or would return this year.

And my window box. The lavender smells so good and the flowers are coming back from old seed as well. There is a toy praying mantis hiding in their somewhere. 

Random

What's Happening Around here?

Fieldy has an ear infection, he went up another shoe size(11's!), outgrowing his pants, and is being pretty darn funny. Today he sang me a song in Target while I pushed him around called "Greta Sweetheart" He *almost* got the high notes. He is also toilet training and doing awesome..luckily the kid takes a bribe and bribes name is M&M.

I do my first volunteer day at Gret's school tomorrow. She is excited to introduce me to the class. She says I need to go by Mrs. B three... at least it rhymes.

We got an Albany Boo treat left for us so tonight it is our turn to give others a boo treat. rah ha ha!

We all are getting much needed hair cuts today.. whew.

I feel good. It has been a tough two years on and off for me. I am feeling more like myself these days, which is a good thing.

I am having a bit of a husky/cougar rivalry trick month with a neighbor which has been fun and allowed me to be sneaky. I am holding their painted Washington pumpkin hostage at the moment.. I have big plans for it.. big plans.

Greta is really into mileage club at school. After they run a certain number of laps they get a foot charm to add to their necklace. Greta's been running everyday and wore her necklace to school, with five feet hanging on it. She looked a little bit rapper with her bling. She told me her clothes are too fancy for her now..she needs running clothes. Yesterday when I dropped her off at school she said" I'll be coming home with another foot today mommy, you just wait!" Her goal is to get seven charms because then she says she can trade them in for a BIG foot charm.. way to go gret!

That's about it. Happy Thursday!



Fall Arts & Crafts

 The lanterns, Greta and I made a couple years ago but I finally found a place for them in the kitchen. Only problem is Chomps likes to jump up and knock the hanging bats off the bottom of the lanterns... then we have some spooky black branches with fun little halloween ornaments hanging. The cardboard tree that used to hold them didn't survive the move so this works for now.  

 Making caramel apples!

 Cutting out pumpkins and attaching them to popsicle sticks. We put on a "five little pumpkins" play for Jeff.

 Finished goodness... lots of caramel, sprinkles and fresh hazelnuts.

 This was a fun project from a kit. I love the hanging spiders and they are too high for Chomps! Ha Ha!

Making lantern jars to tied them over until pumpkin carving. We used painting tape to cut out words like BOO!  and face pieces and then painted all over jars and tape. After it was dry we pulled the tape off and Ta Da! Greta asked" will the light illuminate through the jar? "... when I was six I think "shine" was the extent of my vocabulary. :)

Our Watch Cat

Chompers is a good cat with a sweet temper. He HATES it when Fieldin cries, he gets upset and restless. He likes to protect the kids and he loves them very much.

Lately, Fieldin has been waking in the middle of the night and then he starts to cry. No matter where Chompers is in the house, he bolts to Fieldin's room where he curls up on his pillow,  pats his hair or head and gives him nuzzles to comfort him. Once Fieldin falls back to sleep he stays there usually through the night until Fieldin wakes up in the morning...watching over him.

This picture is what they look like every night.. I had to use flash which they weren't happy about but I had to tell this story with a picture. Fieldin will tell me in the morning, "Chompers cat was on my pillow two times last night".

Very sweet..Thank you watch cat. 

Views From My Sewing Machine

 I spent Thursday afternoon doing some sewing/mending after Greta got home from school. Here is a shot of my always messy table.

And the other view.. a tired Fieldin and Chompers. Miss Greta was singing and dancing to Schoolhouse Rocks! in a butterfly skirt I had just finished for her. I ended up getting one more skirt made before dinner.. Been spending more and more time at the sewing machine. I've missed sewing and need to take a lesson or two to improve. The machine was my mom's and I love using it. Sometimes when I am cussing at my sewing I know she is probably looking down on me with a grin. 

Random

 having fun with the chalkboard.. I outlined Fieldin for fun. He said the outline was a big boy like him. He kept looking at it and giggling & saying"It's a Fieldin!!!"

 Thinking about Pullman lately. It has been about two years since we left. I always enjoyed Pullman in the Fall. Thinking it is time to make a visit this November and say "Heellloooo"

My Sick Little Fellow. He doesn't mind too much, mama lets him watch Little Einsteins and more tv than usual. Besides that he loooves puzzles so he has extra time to do them. There are puzzles all over the floor.



Simmer Down Frog

Fieldin is sick and has a fever.

So of course I am making a soup and a pumpkin pie.

I make a "Sick Greta Soup" but they are different kids, different likes, so I am attempting a "Sick Fieldy Soup" So far it has purple and yukon potatoes, little pepe pasta, carrots, lots of tomatoes, peas and corn, mushrooms and broth. All the things he likes. I hope it turns out. I don't have a recipe, I never do. I just throw stuff into the pot. 70% of the time it works. I guess that's pretty good odds.

......But it is hard to concentrate with an over zealous frog making all kinds of racket outside. Simmer down frog. I love living by a wetland and hearing frogs but this frog is LOUD and a little off key.

Even the cat is annoyed. Time to turn up some tunes.

Hope you all are having a happy AND healthy Wednesday!



Foam Pumpkins

The kids made these foam pumpkins last Saturday. They loved them and put them in a windowsill.. Sadly, Chompers kitty liked them too....The kids were good about it luckily.

Decorating with a kitten will be interesting this year. Any suggestions?

I just asked Greta what we should have for dinner. Nothing sounds good tonight. She said "cereal. If you don't know what to eat for a meal you should always eat cereal."

You are going to be a great mommy someday Greta.

A Little Charlie Brown Cloud

Since Mr. Fieldin is still in his terrible twos I have noticed he has a little Charlie Brown cloud following him around some days. It is hard to be a little guy in a big world.

Fieldin, as your mama, I promise to always be the Linus to your Charlie Brown when you are having a tough time.(even when you become old and grey)

Love you little fellow. Out of all the Fieldin Crewe's in the world. You are the Fieldin Crewe-iest... and that is a pretty awesome thing.



You Can Now Officially Draw On The Wall

Here is the official memo, don't lose it... It is ok to write on the wall. Notice I didn't make it plural so just one wall... the "Hub" wall that is in the middle of everything. It is prime real estate people, right next to the trash can, the pantry, garage door and the fridge. We are having fun with it. I wanted an even bigger chalk wall in my dreams but I had to be realistic. We also added cork trim to the top to display creations from the resident artists, instead of having them taped all over the walls.

 I filled two plastic cups with the EXACT SAME number of pieces and colors of chalk. Good thing I did because they compared. HA HA you two. One step ahead of you..no reason to argue!

 Here is Fieldin making a "gigantic pumpkin"

 This is what it looks like most the time. Bright colors everywhere. At the moment it is covered in drawings of colored fall leaves and one of Fieldins pumpkins. I loove it so much I can't erase it.. this may be a problem!

I am looking forward to years of these little treasures waiting for me. This one says"punken by Greta"

Overall it was easy and I was worried about the dust and mess a little but it hasn't been bad at all.

Update On The Hoedown Going On Outside On The Porch

We are getting there :) 

Pumpkin Patch

(Fieldin sliding down a hay slide in a sack)

 There are too many Pumpkin patches to choose from around here, so I guess each year we will try out a new one. Today the kids had fun going down slides, going through a dark maze and (getting lost with mommy..ahem) in a traditional maze. They rode a tractor hay ride, checked out some GIANT pumpkins and searched for their own. It was a fun time.

 Me and my girl in the giant pumpkin patch

 helping me find a dark orange pumpkin, we also found a white and light green that I love

 helping Fieldy with his pumpkin

 Greta found this awesome heart pumpkin..another item to add to our "found heart in nature" collection

 hayride

 superfast slide...they loved this.

 Their findings

Indoor hay slide.

I looove Fall... and what else do I love WSU football. We finally broke down and added FSN to our package so tonight I get to watch the Cougs play! GOOOOOO COOOOOUUUGS!



Video: After School Dancing

First off, my apologies Future Fieldin. I know you won't appreciate that I posted a video of you just in your diaper.. but lets be honest here.. you don't like pants.

We have been a bit under the weather here and decorating for Halloween. The front porch is looking more Kevin Bacon in Footloose having your prom in a barn hoedown than Halloween... But we are working on it.... I am hoping pumpkins make all the difference. In the meantime if any neighbors out there want to slide on their cowboy boots and and go Footloose on our front porch I promise to not watch or ask questions.  

The Big Boy Is Now Three

This Little Mister is now 3!!!!

 He wanted to go bowling, he ate pizza and then ice cream at Hazel Nut Hill. he ate lots of Bday treats and opened his presents, which when asked what he got, he said $2000... He really got a plane, blocks, tool kit, puzzles, Batman stuff, a car garage and some other stuff.

 So this was one of the little bundt cakes he made yesterday. He did great at blowing out his candle.

 And of course we got out the birthday train for breakfast.

Happy Birthday sweet boy! We all love you so. I can not believe you are three years old. We are so lucky it has been three years of health, love, laughter and a wonderful life with you. I have cherished these past years so much, watching you and your sister grow into the wonderful children you are.

Happy Birthday to you, Fieldy Pooh! Cha Cha Cha!

and to Miss Belle... Happy half Bday.