Typical, normal day here.  We had home school, I ran to the grocery store to just get a couple of things but ended up with about six bags worth of stuff. (typical!)  I made cookies (not pleased with the recipe off the bag of chips, my cookies spread too much.  Kids don’t complain, however).  I finally roasted that pumpkin that I had meant to roast on Saturday. 

Here’s a picture of it.  I feel strange gazing at my halved, roasted pumpkin.  I think it will taste good but it does look sort of sad.  It was such a happy pumpkin (it’s the one pictured in my header) and now look at it:

I cleaned up the seeds as best as I could (they’re slippery little things!) and roasted them, too, after tossing them with melted butter and some salt.  They are good, hard to swallow down a mouthful (there’s a lot of fiber, shall we say), but tasty.  Jacob brought me the leaves earlier today while walking the dog, and the candle is one that I had bought at that outlet.  It’s “Frosted Pumpkin” scented, and very yummy.  Oh I must say a word about my roasting dish.  It’s actually one dish that divides so you can use it as a bottom and a lid, or 2 separate pans.  It’s enameled cast iron and I just bought it recently—it was originally close to 100 dollars, but I got it for 30!!!  It’s my first piece of enameled cast iron, and  I am getting SO much use out of it. I’ve done a pork tenderloin, a couple of chickens, scalloped potatoes, and now this pumpkin.  It’s easy to wash (I spray it generously with Pam before using it).  I had to laugh, though, because when I brought it home both Rich AND Jacob told me “it’s not fiestaware!!!” in shocked tones.

I went on a walk not too long ago with four of the children.  Jacob was busy typing so he stayed home.  It was a short walk, we just walked up the “dam trail” (it’s what we call it because it leads to a watershed area up in a big field beyond the house) and then down to the stream. 

This is Ethan, after taking the time to go through the tunnel under the road that the water travels through about 5 times, and then hanging upside down on the metal barrier at the entrance of the trail.  He was quite busy during the whole walk, breaking dead branches off trees, and beating things (like stumps) with them without mercy. 

Davy do brought along his new “shot gun” (caps) and also took the time to catch himself a little critter out of this puddle which, by the way, rarely dries up.  He certainly doesn’t mind getting his feet wet, does he?  And of course Caleb was quick to follow his example.  5 minutes into the walk and ALL my children had their feet wet already.

I had Ethan snap a picture of me with Grace and Caleb.  As you can see, I’m still squeezing into my normal shirt and sweater, LOL.  David had already disappeared to the stream and we all made our way down there, too, after this picture was taken.

There is still an abundance of mushrooms in the woods.

As I was standing under some evergreens, I noticed how pretty they looked with a scattering of red leaves in their branches.

Ethan found that a fallen down log was the perfect way to cross the stream.  The water was moving fast and would have been past his knees if he had slipped in.  He was a little unsure and crawled across it the first time.  Notice the foam of the water and the pretty leaf on the bottom of his foot.  He’s so funny.

But then on the way back, he felt more confident, so he walked.

This is our pond, on the side of the house, you can see the tippy top of the house in the upper right corner.

Caleb was soaked from head to toe by the time we got home.  We went in the house and I was astonished to see that my coffee order had already arrived.  We have a Keurig coffee maker and Rich has been buying K-cups at Costco that make such strong coffee it makes my teeth buzz in the morning.  Being pregnant, I really didn’t like the idea of drinking something so potent so I went online yesterday and ordered my own coffee. 
Yesterday!  And it already arrived!

I guess I got a little carried away.  Rich is sure going to have fun picking on me when he sees all this:

Hey, the hot chocolate is for the kids at least!

I’m drinking the Pumpkin Spice right now.  It’s decaf and compared to the stuff Rich has been serving me, it tastes sort of weak, but I know I’ll get used to it.  The flavor is fine, and perfect for the season.

So, Shanda’s coffee shop is open.  Any takers?

((HUGS))
~Me

One of my favorite

people in the whole wide world

is turning 6 today!

Happy Birthday, Davy-do!

Of course, you couldn’t wait to open your gifts so we did that first thing this morning.  Here is a photo of you opening your presents (that Jacob and Ethan wrapped for you!) with your brothers and sister.  You’ve been waiting for this day for about 10 months. 

You got a webkinz dog, a gumball machine, a “shot gun” (caps of course), and a lego set.

After opening gifts we all ate pancakes.

It’s going to be a wonderful day!

Good morning!  I just waved Davy-do down the road, he’s all set and gone for another day of Kindergarten.  His teacher called us last night to give us a report on how he is doing at school, and to ask us if we had any questions for her.  I got off the phone happy, and was thrilled to tell my husband that David is doing really well and even better than we expected.  All of the things I worked with him last year were not done in vain, it seems he has retained most of it–mainly, his numbers and how to write them, and recognizing the letters of the alphabet, which his teacher appreciates, and is such an encouragement to me.

I’ve been taking some family pictures for the last week or so but haven’t had time to post them on my blog so I thought that I would play catch up this morning.  Jacob and Ethan are out walking the dog (they need to wear pants and sweatshirts, now that we have these cool fall mornings).  Grace is eating her bowl of cereal and Caleb is playing (with Thomas trains, of course!).

Speaking of Caleb, here is a picture of him from Friday.  He and I had a great time, putting a scrapbook together of different pictures I have taken of him with his trains.  We went through my online photos and squealed whenever we saw a good picture.  I printed them out, and he was the happy gluer (it’s quite “exciting” to watch a 3 year old using a glue stick).  He loves his new little book.

He has also been coloring a lot, and his technique has improved so much since last month, when all his trains looked like hairy monsters by the time he had colored them.  Now he colors neat and clean, and gets upset when he “has an accident” and colors something wrong.  He actually dug a hole in one of his pictures this weekend, trying to “erase” a small mistake with his fingernail.

See how nicely he holds his crayons?  Things like that mean so much to a homeschooling mama!

As we were out and about this weekend, I noticed again how nice the lighting is inside the van, for taking photos of the kids.  I took a picture of Jacob, my oldest boy, who will be 12 in December.  His chin and upper lip is still healing from his bike wreck this summer.

Here is Jacob again, being a big help, by peeling apples for me.  He peeled a big bowl of them for our apple pie, and then a few days later he peeled some for applesauce.  He enjoys trying to make the longest peel that he can.  He’s already an expert!  I appreciate his help and am only too happy to pass off this job along to him. . . .

. . . . .and to Ethan!  Ethan is more of a reckless peeler at this time.  I need to teach him to peel around and around and not straight down like you do a carrot.  He’s peeling potatoes here, and the two boys were sitting together on the porch, talking nonstop.  That’s why I got the camera, even though I was busy in the kitchen.  I thought it was wonderful to see them working, and enjoying it.  They both had their stuffed dogs with them, Ethan’s was at his feet, and they were making up stories with them as they peeled.  What nice boys they are! 

This next one is from the day I was trying to get a photo for the first day of Fall.  Ethan took this silly one of me, and I love how Caleb managed to get in the picture, too.  Caleb loves to pick me flowers and when he brings one to me, he always says, “I picked a flower for you!” in his dear little voice.  Then, when I take it, he says, “Are you so happy?”  And I say, “Yes, I’m so happy, thank you!”  Then I usually tuck it behind my ear, as he watches with bright eyes.

Now, the rest of the pictures are from yesterday evening.  I had spent the afternoon with the children at my friend Karen’s house, and then went to Walmart afterwards.  I didn’t get home until about 5:30 and we were all so happy that Rich was already back from work.  The sun has been going down earlier now, but we had just enough sunshine left to take a nice little walk before dinner.  There was Rich and myself, and Grace and Caleb. 

This is Grace’s pile of red leaves, along with my little orange leaf that I picked up.  I also picked a zinnia from my flower garden and collected a handful of acorns. . . . .the goldenrod is the flower Caleb picked for me on our walk.

I love this next picture of Rich with his little girl.  She still looks like wee thing when Daddy has her.

This morning I will be working with the older children on some homeschool things, but I also have an ultrasound appointment at 10.  Because my Doctor and I cheated on Monday, and we already know we are having a boy, Rich decided not to go with me this morning.  Which totally stinks.  LOL  I’m tired, and not in the mood to go to my appointment alone, well, with Caleb and Grace. . . .however, this morning as I was thinking about it, I decided I better cheer up and try to make the most of it.  This just might be the last ultrasound that I ever have!  I do hope and pray that everything is going well with the baby. . . .who, by the way, does not have a name quite yet.  It’s a good thing we have some time, because Rich and I are not agreeing on any name we come up with!  The children have been calling him Peter.

Dear friends, I do hope you all have a wonderful day.  Here in New England the sun is shining and the quality of the autumn sunshine makes the trees and green things almost unreal. . .nature is glowing and so beautiful.  Rich and I both noticed the leaves that were still green on the trees last night on our walk–they almost look plastic, they are so bright and shiny and pretty.  The glory of God is displayed in such a clear way in His creation, and the world we live in truly is a delight.  I hope each of you are able to get outside at some point today.  If you look up (and see the clouds), or look down (and see a cool bug), you are sure to see SOMETHING to praise God about!

My Ethan just came in from walking the dog, to give me a “big-front-pocket- from- a- sweatshirt-full of pinecones”.  Nine big ones.

Flowers and pinecones, what nice gifts my little ones give to me!  They know me so well. . . .

It’s been a pleasure to talk the time to sit and think and write this morning, and now I really must get on with the morning!

Love, ~Shanda~

PS, the link is for a book I’ve been singing to the kids, which made me laugh so hard the other day that I cried.  We checked it out from the library.