Note to self:

This is why we should NOT give Jackson Dimetapp before bed.

It's after 2:30 am and I have been dragged down stairs by a very excited little boy who I've been trying to get to go back to sleep for 2 hours...

At least I don't have to drive to Utah tonight since that was his first plan! He's now (semi-)quietly watching Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. Here's hoping we can both doze off soon!

I am so tired!

**UPDATE** Next movie on the list was Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, but then I insisted he go to bed after that. It was 4:30 am after all! He screamed and cried like I had just cut off his arms (although I'm sure I didn't because he kept hitting me with those arms.) He of course woke up the family in the process. I sent Kobe to sleep with Greg since I didn't know how long Jackson would be screaming. As soon as I laid down in bed with him he started giggling and giggling. ?! Within a few minutes we were both sound asleep. But I was up at 7 to get Jillie out the door- and had to wake up Jackson around 9 to take Kobe to school who'd missed the bus thanks to my falling back asleep! Here's hoping for nap today :)

Pumpkin Picking in Pictures

I took the kids to the farm across the street from our neighborhood to pick out their Halloween pumpkins. We spent $20 for 4- 2 of which were so big I couldn't lift them myself.

Can you guess who took the longest to pick his pumpkin?

52 Blessings Project: Week #37

Changing of the Seasons

I don't have a favorite season. I like them all- I think I kind of need them all. My favorite times of the year are when the seasons change. Last Tuesday I decided to take myself on a field trip while Jack Jack was at preschool. I went on a little nature drive with my camera to capture some of the early fall colors. I'm not a great photographer, but I find it enjoyable. Mostly it was great to be out in the peaceful quiet of nature. There was just enough breeze that the leaves were falling all around me- just beautiful!

(I'm putting a bunch of photos on here for myself, but I made them as small as I could- click on them if you're really interested to see NY Fall. Note to self: One of these days I need to learn how to make those photo grids on Take Out Photo)

This time of year many homes around town have pumpkins for sale right out in their front yards. Just leave the money is the coffee can!

Other interesting sights- an actual flower bed, a home under construction, but yet they have already decorated for fall with pumpkins and corn stalks by the driveway, and Holly- when you're ready to move here I found you a little cabin in the woods...

While it was nice to be alone, after I picked up Jackson, we had a little fun together at Chestnut Ridge park. There are incredible views up on the sledding hill...

In this picture you can see the Buffalo Bills stadium (where the big white dome roof is), downtown Buffalo, and along the horizon, Niagara Falls, Canada

We also saw an artist painting a picture of this end of the lodge with it's vine covered brick and curved tree trunks. What a nice way to spend a beautiful fall day.

What a nice boy to spend it with.

Pink

Look what came in the mail!! :) I'm so excited about Pink Christmas. My envelope was packed with lots of ads and discounts to many "Mom-prenuer" businesses including a Pink Christmas thank you card & Good Mail sticker by Jill the Good Mail Queen and the cutest book beads from Laurie of Tip Junkie.I am a little nervous to find the right gift for my new "friend." Can't tell you who it is yet- it's a secret! Thank goodness she has a couple of blogs so I can snoop on her to see what she likes.

The best part about the whole project though is the fact that it raised money to help 3 different families... an immigrant family from West Africa living in Washington DC who recently had twins to add to their other 3 children. The babies were premature and one didn't survive. They are in (Pink Christmas organizer) Kristi's ward. The other 2 charities are the nienie recovery fund and Morrow's Tomorrows.

Remember...

It is General Conference Weekend! Yea! This is a worldwide broadcast from the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. We always look forward to it because it is a weekend full of uplifting messages, counsel, guidance, and direction from our Heavenly Father. Our testimonies of our Savior Jesus Christ are strengthened. We always come away from it feeling filled with the Spirit and more prepared for life and the trials it brings.
It is broadcast in 56 languages around the world on lds.org. You can also watch it on BYUTV, BYUTV.org, BYU Radio, KSL, KSL.com, and various other cable & satellite providers. Looks like you can even get it on an iTunes podcast!!

(Eastern Time Zone)

Saturday: 12:00- 2:00pm, 4:00- 6:00 pm

Sunday: 12:00 pm- 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm- 6:00pm

Here's a clip from one of the talks given at the last conference by our Prophet Thomas S. Monson. This is a cute funny part- there was more "meat" to his talk as it progressed of course. :) Enjoy.

FYI to Grammie G, Grandma, Papa (and anyone else who may be interested) : I just finished updating The Garrick Gallery with some Summer Scribbles.

Recently we...

... went again to another high school football game so we could watch Reagan perform with the Junior Color Guard at half time.

This also means I got a picture of our fierce mascot, OPIE! (Go Quakers! Thank goodness our high school team keeps shutting out their opponents!)

So here she is in action- especially for Aunt Sunny, Reagan's color guard mentor:

*************
...went on an adventure with our friends the Lewis'. The Dad's ordered us a limo to go out to dinner in a town that is about an hour away. We were going to a restaurant which overlooks the river. I'm sure it's a pretty view when it's not dark outside! :) We arrived at about 7:30pm. Kind of late for dinner with kids between the ages of 12 to 3... and a pregnant woman. Everyone was hungry. We waited at least 45 minutes to be seated since there are 11 of us. We even ordered in the lobby while waiting for our tables to get ready! The big problem was that we had to be back in the limo by 9:10pm to make it home before our limo time was up. Everyone ate quickly. I was moving too quickly and ended up with my entire glass of ice water in my lap. Lovely. Too bad the live music started at 9pm because we all liked that- especially the 3 and 4 year olds Cole and Jackson! They were dancing in their chairs. :) We got the rest of the kids food into take home containers and headed out... returning home just in time. It was a fun adventure for us & the kids had fun being together.

Greg and Jackson checking out the limo.

all of the big kids excited to see each other

couldn't get everyone in one picture- we just barely fit in the limo.

When Cole (carseat L) got in the limo he said to Jackson (carseat R), "You got a new car??"

When we got home the kids were so tired. Jillie ran right to bed since she had a church trip to Kirtland, OH the next morning. Reagan, Jackson, and Kobe tried to hold out for a while, only to pass out where they sat. :)

*********

... began juggling all of the school year activities. For the record...

Jillie: Select Choir, Musical (one of the City Dogs in the musical It's a Dog's Life.), MSTV (one of the anchors of the morning announcements), Spanish club, Young Womens, ward choir & signed up for a basketball league later this year

Reagan: Chorus, Orchestra (cello), Intramurals, Junior Color Guard, Activity Days, ward choir & about to sign up for gymnastics again.

Kobe: 4 on 4 basketball, and signed up for a basketball league later this fall

Jackson: Preschool 2 days a week, 2 sessions of speech therapy per week, 2 sessions of physical therapy per week, one session of occupational therapy per week.

And that's what we've been up to recently.