~October Hunting~

Jared went hunting two different times with two different friends and then Gregg took Jordan and Jared two times... all with nothing to show for their time.

This guy is in his happy place! He could do this 24/7 365!

Doesn't this look like a magazine photo!!?!?

After not seeing anything in the fields, they checked the woods for squirrel.  Thankfully they didn't find any!

This is at a local farm.  They graciously allow us to go target shoot and sight in the guns.

~Rails to Trails~

One of my favorite outdoor activities is a good long bike ride!  Gregg called me one morning from work and said he was coming home early to take everyone on a bike ride.  Then he said something about being sorry he was messing up my day☺

Half of me doesn't like my schedule messed with... half of me loves the adventure. 

Adventure won out.  

It was a beautiful day!  I got the kids to quickly finish the "most important" subjects and started packing a lunch.  We parked at a different spot this time.

Kiersten does a great job plodding along!

The older boys ride ahead.  We occasionally we see all their bikes by the side of the trail.  Adventure is out there!  Some trail off the trail called to them.  It normally has something to do with water.

When they finally came back to the trail they were telling me the different things they were able to find... and how many times Nathan fell in the creek!  Anyway, they were describing some strange seed.  Jared knows his mama... he brought a seed back for me♥  Creation just amazes me!

We enjoyed our day out!

Of course, we were all starving when we got back!  We decided to try a new place to eat.  Friends told us about this diner in Lititz.  A great place!  Huge portions and really good food.  We tried burgers, clam strips, crab cakes, cheese steaks, chicken dinner and chicken fingers.  They have a big menu! We can't wait to go back! 

~Fantastic Saturday~

I've been interested in Sign Language for many years.  I don't exactly remember when I first saw it, but I know as a child I saw Bill Rice preach and they Signed.  Later, I thought about going to a college that had a big Sign Language ministry.  While I was working and before kids, I tried to take a class but it was cancelled.  I taught all my children simple Signs as babies because I couldn't stand their whining and loved that they could communicate without me having to guess at their needs.

Our church has a ministry to the deaf in our community. We currently have two couples that come to services.   Several families and some individuals have been taking Sign Language classes at church for the last few months.  I gave my kids the choice of either continuing their Spanish or taking Sign Language instead.  They all chose Sign Language. We have been putting in a lot of hours of practice.

We have learned over 600 words in a just a few months!

I have gotten really attached to the one deaf couple.  He is hard of hearing so he helps me (meaning he corrects me!) and she is so fun.

Anyway, Jordan and I went to a "Fantastic Saturday" event.  It is an all day activity including fun, food, services and more fun.  I learned so much about the deaf culture in one short day.  I got more of a desire to work with the deaf!  The man pictured is Allen Snare.  He is deaf.  He is an evangelist to the deaf.  If you ever want to "see" a sermon... WOW! this is the guy you want to see!  Thankfully there were interpreters for us that don't know enough Sign to follow everything he said.

We had a great day and can't wait for another opportunity!

~Corn Maze~

Our October teen activity was to a local Corn Maze.  It has been many years since I went to one of those!  This one was an after dark maze.  We (my group of girls) spent half our time wandering around and the other half following the map and clues.  The guys raced through, but we had more fun I think:-)

Our girls... we used to have way more girls... most of these young ladies will be moving on soon. that makes me sad :-(

What a crazy group of guys.  They crack me up!

I was prepared for snow... it wasn't that cold, but I was ready just in case!  Kristi and I are holding our corn bouquets!

~October Miscellaneous~

Some of the little things we fit into October...

I took Nathan and Kiersten to a local street fair.  I picked up one of my teenage friends to lend an extra hand.  People are very strange!  Anyway, I really liked the building that had the art work and photographs!  The kids and I just might enter something next year.

This was at our local grocery store... my grocery buddies

The kids pulled Monopoly out of the closet.  We haven't played games all summer... I guess it is that time of year!

Someone gave Nathan a big bin of Lego's.  He has been obsessed with them and they are all over the house!  Lego's is another thing we haven't done all summer. 

Gregg found some vintage story books and bought them for me.  I love the pictures! The stories are filled with character building and scripture!

The whole family went to hear Dr Joseph Hirt.  It was a library program about an Auschwitz survivor.  We have learned much about this time period in history, but it makes a HUGE difference when you hear someone that was actually there talk about it!  Wow! He not only survived, he has made a wonderful life and has a great sense of humor.

Flannel shirt and flip flops crunching in the fall leaves!  We had a few beautiful fall days!!!

Always up for some fun :-)

We found this little guy in the street by our house.  We really enjoyed watching him.  Most turtles we find are shy but this guy kept walking around.   Kiersten did ask if he could walk out of his shell.

~Some Guy Tractor Kinda Thing~

Gregg had taken a Friday in October off work to go to a race.  The trouble was, it was supposed to rain.  In the midst of changing plans, friends invited us to a steam engine/tractor pull event.

It was a beautiful day to be outside.

Kiersten and I took some time off from looking at all the tractors to sit on a bench people watch :-)

The kids enjoyed looking around. We even got our first try of chocolate covered bacon.  I wasn't impressed.

The event was smaller than we thought, but it worked out nice. I left early to attend a ladies dinner and the teens in the group left a little later to attend teen night at church.  Everyone else stayed until the rain came.

~September Wrap-up~

I feel strange wrapping up September in the middle of November, but that is life.

I got some really fantabuliously beautiful flowers from Lovie.

Jordan made cake bombs!  Wow... really good stuff!

My first pumpkin spice of the season!

We doggie-sat Tinker Bell for a week.  Kiersten really liked watching her. Poor old thing was so slow and her back legs kept giving out.

The kids helped clean cars and do a little car maintenance for some special ladies at church.

We also started school this month.  It was a crazy month... as usual.

~Playtime~

Jordan had volleyball practice at a local park.  I decided it make it a play time for Nathan and Kiersten.  They don't get to the park very often.

I'm always glad when I take the extra time to play.

~In Memory~

My Grandmother passed away the end of August.  We got together with family to celebrate her life at a Memorial Service.  She was cremated and will be place with my grandfather in Arlington as soon as they have an opening.  She will be missed, but she was ready to go.

We were trying to get some family photos and it seems like wedding and funerals are always times photos are taken.  Everyone is dressed up and there are lots of extra cameras around to catch a moment when no one is blinking.

A friend at church tried to take one but either Nathan or Aaron or Gregg were all wrong.

We tried again outside the church and I thought this was as good as it was going to get.

The pastor talked about the many things Gram did during her "dash" - you know, the things represented by the dash between your date of birth and date of passing. If God created you, it seems reasonable that he has a plan for you... an eternal plan. Don't waste your dash!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Gram... it was taken on her 80th birthday.  Here are some other things I don't want to forget about Gram...

Gram's favorite color was red... she loved crossword puzzles, cardinals, snowmen, and cardinals with snowmen... her favorite game was Yahtzee... she had the BEST belly laugh (snort included)... She never learned to drive but traveled all over... she made beautiful knit and crochet items... holiday decorations were plentiful and bright... she never lost her New England accent... she loved her family and they loved her...

~Applesauce~

I did not get around to planting a vegetable garden this year.  I did, however, really want to make applesauce.  I would have never gotten around to buying the apples... thankfully, friends of ours had a whole trailer of apples to share.

They smelled and looked so good!

I had the kids working in shifts... from big to little, they had to take turns!

These were two of my cutest helpers :-)

This guy would make sure no apple touched the floor.  He like them raw, cooked, hot, mushy... it didn't matter!