Fresh air

This didn't go swimmingly today, but some fresh air to recharge did us all good.  

Thankfully tomorrow is a brand new day...which definitely will include lots of fresh air.

Seasons change

Feels like October now we have our pumpkins carved. We grew our pumpkins this year and carved them with our 4-H club.

The frost rolled in, now starts the looooong fall to do list before winter.

 

Adrian is ready and organized and getting to work. No one needs to tell him what to do. He just does it. Yesterday he put the hoses away. Today he's raking.  Our woodshed is already full thanks to him.
  

Audra is always around. but definitely doesn't want to help. 

Anna-Kate is the smart one. She sometimes hides so no one tries to get her to help.

This one would like to hide, but I find him.   We took the floor to ceiling screens out of the porch and put the walls and windows back in for fall/winter.

Bit by bit, we're getting winter ready!

A stroll

 We took a little stroll not far from home and Anna-Kate insisted she'd bring her underbrella.  Underbrella because you go under it, naturally.  She thrifted it for $2 and has been toting it everywhere, in case it rains. No rain for days, but she's been prepared. 

A lively game of pooh sticks.

And a self timer for a good enough family pic. Lucky to live here!

New pets

The last of our guinea pigs died in the Spring.  Actually maybe it was last spring?  The kids are very excited to have guinea pigs again. (Thank you!) 

Jam packed

Today was a jam packed October homeschool day (that felt like summer). 

Started with morning of making a bunch of food for my husband's work meals, picking flowers, read alouds and kids getting their independent work done. 

Then we delivered all these flowers to the nursing home so they could have an afternoon of flower arranging. 

Then we went to Laudholm farm for their Explore the Shore program. 

Then we did more service, Rescue Readers at the animal shelter.

Then I picked more flowers for our flower stand tomorrow, got ready for homeschool co-op, prepping things for Old Fashioned Club this weekend and trying to stay afloat.. 

Now I feel like Anna-Kate.  Done. So tired and I'd love someone to carry me.

Another day, another hike

 Two days in a row my husband didn't work + beautiful fall days = 2 days of hikes. This is less than 10 miles from our house. There are so many trails around us, we're so fortunate.  We love fall.

All this fun ended with a meal I made before we left and kept warm in my cast iron dutch oven, wrapped in a wool blanket. A good day indeed.

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.