Mondays

 I know a lot of people dread Mondays, but they are my favorite.  Back to our regular school routine which is the most comforting thing for my kids and dogs alike.

It also was cold enough for our first fire of the year. Plus our first meal cooked (partially) on the woodstove.

My husband is off on Mondays and we try to make the most of it...in the form of an afternoon hike.

We were trying to be ghosts. 

Thankful for days we can be together.

October Days

 The seasons have changed here in Maine!  I'm dragging in alllll the flowers, expecting to lose them tonight in a frost. I snuck in a bit of sewing, which I haven't done in quite some time.

Mums are everywhere and AK has been wearing her apple dress that a friend gave her (thank you!)

The days are getting shorter, the wool socks and flannel sheets are out, the sunsets continue to be gorgeous, and I'm thinking this may be the week that our barn will come down. Praying that goes smoothly. I cannot wait until this leg of the journey is complete! 

Old Fashioned Days

 Today was the first day of our new Old Fashioned Club. Audra had a blast dressing up with her friends and then she continued to play Old Fashioned until I called her in for dinner. She played Old Fashioned for 8.5 hours straight. Three outfit changes. Oodles of activities and her open fire cooking ended up being dinner.

Wander and Wonder: Beach

 I had the absolute pleasure of leading a four week nature study series at the harbor and in the new shellfish lab.  All this right in our town.  I love nature studies, so blessed to be able to do what I love for my kids and for others. I can't think of a better classroom than the wide outdoors. Ended our series with a bag full of shells and other treasures for our friends at the nursing home to enjoy.

Mulcha mulcha

 Smells like Christmas in our yard!  Three loads of pine woodchips. Adding to the four I already have breaking down. I think that's seven loads of woodchips for one year. Not too much. I love love love woodchips for gardening.  All it cost me was a cookie cake.  

As a bonus, it's a great babysitter for the kids.  They have a dedicated outfit for pine pitch play! 

Today's Top Three

A few pumpkins-including the feline and human kind of pumpkins. 

Apple drops from the trees that I planted.

And progress in the attic. I'm working on a little play space for my girls to play their American Girls in. Part for them and part to get some stuff out of the living room! I love this September weather.

Kids Can Grow

 Audra wrapped up her Kids Can Grow year!  Kids Can Grow is a program through cooperative extension.  Kids get classes from April until September about gardening. They are set up with their own raised bed and plants. They get a master gardener to work with them and help them along.  It's a lovely program. Adrian got to do it and now Audra had a chance. 

Here's how it started

Adrian keeps his up, it's here too. 

Before we left for NY.

And how it ended!

She's been contributing some of her flowers to our flower sales.  The flower sale income goes to our family fun fund.  We all work together to contribute...growing, picking, setting up, breaking down, saving seeds.  It's become a great part of the things we do.