21 October

 The weekend lens.....

Charlie brown and orange lights....it's the simple things that make me happy.

 At the end of last week, B had her "friend" birthday party.  She invited her two best friends to an afternoon of getting nails done, getting her ears pierced, then back home for make their own pizza and cupcakes.  One of the girls was a new friends so naturally I was nervous.  It was amazing.  The girls laughed and talked and whispered secrets in the back of the van.  There was nothing different about her.  Mamas, don't ever take the sound of laughter and sweet girl giggles and whispers from the back seat for granted.  Ever. I know I won't.

 Went grocery shopping with my boy on Sunday, which looked a little like this.  He didn't make a peep even though he was totally covered by the end.  He said he loved it.  We picked up lots of stuff to send our soldier overseas.  I can't wait till he opens it.

Saturday was a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new school. We missed it cause we had to get those fence posts in the ground, but we have So much gratitude to all the parents and people who did the work to make this finally happen for our kids.  It's an amazing place to learn.

More orange lights....

 Saturday night J and I went out to a local adults only fundraiser event for the school.  A really fun time, talking with neighbors and friends.    T has been babysitting some when we go out close by and for just a few hours.  He is doing an awesome job and it's really doing wonders for us to be able to get out a bit more.

Fall is amazing.  So grateful we live here.

15 October

The long weekend lens......the last soccer game, trophies and a slideshow.  Two evenings out for Birthday celebrations.  Friday night....an evening with Uncle Kevin and cousins at our favorite go to pizza and brownie sundae place...Flatbread.  Love sitting at the couches, so relaxing.  Saturday night, J surprised me with a babysitter and three different restaurants/bars that he had picked for us to try. We tried UBER.  So, So fun!   Of course there was the amazing fall weather, making some squash/apple/leek soup and Guiness stew, our traditional fall family photo session, and playing in a giant leaf pile.  October is my favorite!

31 October

Halloween night really turned out to be super fun, despite the rain (at least it was warm!) The oldest Ninja left to trick or treat with friends (really, his years are numbered), and the youngest and parents started out at a neighborhood party with some adult beverages and snacks and then headed out to do the whole neighborhood together.  Then back home to dump and count and make the trades.  Really, T got enough to feed a small country.  Love our neighbors and loved this night.  Hopefully,  the beginning of many fun holidays to come.  Happy Halloween!

30 October

Halloween Eve......our pumpkins revealed!

26 October

Saturday.
After a much needed play-date for a best friend re-connection this morning for the boy, we took  our better late than never trip to the Pumpkin Valley farm.  We made our way through the corn maze, picked out three perfect pumpkins (slim pickings in the patch this year!), shot the corn shooter, petted the animals, ate the kettle corn, pumpkin whoopie pies and hot chocolate, jumped on the giant jumping pillow and slid down the giant slide.  The brisk temps made it feel so fall like (gray skies November like) and minus the argument about Halloween costumes on the way home it was a really, really good day.

12/13 October

The Weekend Lens.....Attitash resort, New Hampshire

WE made it!  The trip we planned months ago to celebrate the birthday weekend.  We got to do the super fun mountain slide...TWICE, mountain coaster and jumping pillow.  WE got to go for a walk in the woods.  WE got to swim in the totally awesome heated pool and hot tub.  We got to eat dinner out in some of our favorite places.  WE shopped a tiny bit.  We saw some beautiful fall foliage.  T and J hiking "up the cut" 

AND....for the story that the pictures don't tell....

We almost didn't go, in fact we were in the ER on Friday with L (only way to get a quick appt. with a neurologist)

When we did decide to go we were rushed and packing trough the tears of finding out that L was not going to be allowed in school until we iron out some details with him medically,

We got there much, much past bedtime.  

waiting over an hour and a half in the slowest line ever for the mountain slide (no wonder they put the "beer window" right there)

One really bad meltdown and a few more little ones. (stuff that is totally out of the control of regular parenting)

Grumpy faces and mean words on the "fun" family walk.

The Two full cups of apple juice spilled everywhere at dinner after waiting 45 minutes for a table.

Needing to order a special hot chocolate wherever we went.  

Yeah, so not the best family vacation ever, but still glad we went. 

1 October

Hello October!
A Big Birthday Month around here, so excited to look forward to a little get away and some celebrations.  9 and 39.  Oh my.   We're all waiting patiently to meet a new baby girl (who should be here any day!!) September, I'm so happy to be leaving you behind, sorry.  Here's hoping there are many brighter days ahead.  The weather this fall certainly has been amazing.  Love, Love Love October!

29 September

We were so excited to FINALLY get apple picking this weekend, our 9th year coming here.  We had a blast as always taking it slow, having a picnic lunch and "taste testing" all the different varieties.  Of course there are our favorite sweet treats for the ride home (Pumpkin whoopie pies and brownies), Love this tradition.

7 November

On Our own Coming in.......

The cold and dark days have arrived swiftly  this November.  It's dark now at 4:30. Always at this time of year I begin a bit of fall "nesting" to prepare for the many indoor days ahead (although pretty much all of this bunch says they LOVE the cold weather as long as there is mama's hot chocolate ready for them when they come in).  A fresh coat of paint here, a drawer and cabinet organized there.  Boots and snow pants tried on and ready to go.  Books and games and crafts accessible independently.  As I look around me and see books strewn on the floor here and games and craft projects there (I'm so impressed with the creative ideas one little inspired Kindergartner brings home day after day...can you believe he's scrapbooking!?!), As I look around me at the remnants of all of it,  I am reminded how blessed we are.  Not a minute goes by in the presence of this family that I am utterly surprised by what is said and done, and quite often a smile just creeps across my face because there just are no words to say:)

4 November

Well, Trick or Treating took place on November 3rd this year.  And we played a long and didn't really get mad about it (because people, it's not like the town cancelled our wedding).  Trevor went off with his friends (knew this would happen sooner or later), and the four of us traveled just our neighborhood with a big pack of kids going from house to house.  Bre said she was done after two houses, and wanted to go home to eat her candy......but we made it all the way through.  I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, in fact I was hoping to skip the whole trick or treating thing all together, but in other ways....doing something once a year is just a great way to mark the passage of time.  I remember many years, trick or treating from the car with Just Trevor while two babies slept in their costumes in their carseats.  I remember cold days and warm days.  I remember going all the way to Windham to visit our friends and party it up in their neighborhood.  (b/c friends didn't matter to our kids back then).  Now, I have one off with his friends and two others waiting in the wings running down the street far ahead of the adults who are pulling a cart of choice beverages and snacks behind them.  Yep, Halloween, its kind of growing on me.

1 November

Hello November. Your gray skies,bare trees and warm thoughts of the holiday season ahead. So much to look forward to and we welcome you.

Notes from another season of growing:

The last of the harvest has been brought inside.  Lettuce and celery this week.  Winter Rye was planted and raked into all the beds (they say it helps the soil and controls weeds for the next year.) This Year the tomatoes didn't do great (maybe buy plants next year instead of trying to start seeds indoors....as fun as it was).  We got no peppers and pumpkins or watermelons again (even though the plants were huge).  We got lots of cucumbers even though we planted late (fine to plant from seeds). Potatoes were fun, but not really worth it (since we got tons from the farm).  Next year I'll do beets, celery root (It's so yummy!) We have to start over on our strawberry patch and we're hoping to get a little fruit from our newly planted apple, peach and pear trees.  the CSA definitely helped my gardening vision to see what grows when (and we just signed up for the winter share---YAY!), so yes another year of learning and growing, failing, starting over and succeeding  is on the books and such goes life.

31 October

Happy Halloween!

An even though they moved the Trick or Treating in our town (the ONLY town who moved it) to Saturday b/c they were afraid we wouldn't be cleaned up from the storm, we weren't phased in the least.  We didn't even have all the pumpkins carved yet (and Trevor carved his own this year) And Yes, Little brother has to be whatever Big Brother is being for Halloween every year.  Next year, I told them we were going to all have to MAKE our own costumes. And they said, fine.   Really.  Tonight, we baked some banana Bread and all cuddled up on the couch together and watched It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.  Best. Halloween.Ever.

28 October

This weekend......
We skipped all sporting events because we weren't allowed to play, we didn't even go to watch.  Two Soccer games and a swim meet missed.  I couldn't help but feel a little bit refreshed but sad all at the same time.  I can't wait to get to normal again.  I'm so afraid that he will never be the same.  We should have gone to church to pray about this, but we didn't (insert more guilt).  Instead we stayed home to batten down the hatches for the upcoming storm.  Sandy is  supposed to be a doozy. Wow, I guess the house maintenance was pretty low on the priority list this fall (behind soccer,soccer and more soccer!)   Outdoor Furniture put in....check, generator working with newly built teepee and plenty of gas....check.  Grills moved....check.  Screens taken out, windows washed....check.  Lawn mowed and fertilized... check.  . Pellet stove working and shower leak fixed....check.  Dryer fixed......check.  Kids playing gently in a leaf pile, and walking around the yard catching the falling leaves......check :)

27 October

Pumpkin Valley Farm  October 2012....

Luckily the weather was perfect, because today was the only day we had to go (also because all sports are cancelled this weekend for one 10 year old with a concussion....notice the hat and sunglasses.)  Really though, slowly but surely he is doing a little better.    This year, for the first time, we finished the WHOLE corn maze.  All 6 acres of it.  Took about an hour and right answers to 10 trivia questions.  And three LARGE pumpkins we did get (with only three days left to carve those babies before Halloween).  The two uninjured younger kids got to go on the jumping pillow and tractor ride, we fed the goats, stuffed our faces with the homemade, steaming hot kettle corn and then headed home for a Saturday night good old Maine Baked Beans and hot dog dinner.  WE love checking this little gem of a family good time off the fun list every fall.  I think it will be one of those things that we always do, even into the teen years:)  Joy.

Autumn Love.

The smell of the crunching leaves.
The brisk air.
Carving Pumpkins
hot Apple cider and Chai tea.
Kids playing in leaf piles
eating and smelling pumpkin and cinnamon and apple anything.
Trick or Treating.
Yellow orange and red.
Holidays and birthdays.
Soccer and football.
Crock Pot dinners
Sweaters, hats and mittens.

16 September

Sunday.  Got a babysitter so we could both run the Trail to Ale 10K (ie the race with the free pizza and beer after party) , it's always a PERFECT day for a run.  This year I met my goal time of getting under an hour (59:28).  I never thought it could be done.  Josh, even after doing an 18 mile long run yesterday did a great time as well.  Later in the afternoon,  We watched Trevor's soccer team shut out their opponents 7-0 and then to a fun ice-cream social afterwards to celebrate.  Our beloved patriots lost their first ever home opener, we crossed at least one thing off the to do list (cleaning out the refrigerators!), it's so hard to get anything done on the weekends, and then fell into bed.  Just Loving these perfect weather September weekend days.

9 September

Our Ninth annual Apple and Rasberry Picking adventure at Dole's Orchard.

I love that we do this EVERY year.  Looking back at these photos (Trevor was 2 the first time we went), it's a great way to mark the passage of time.   Now, no one has to be carried and everyone is doing their own picking.  Even though the weather is still to warm to feel fall like (sometimes we go back in October to get the feel of that weather), it always makes for such a peaceful and relaxing afternoon.  I love taking pictures of the old barns, picking and eating the many varieties of apples (so many, including the Honey Crisp were ready early this year), picking tons of rasberries for making many jars of jam, and eating my once a year most favorite in the world treat.....Pumpkin Whoopie pies on the way home.  Yep, Even when the kids are in College, we'll still be going back:)

1 September

Hello September.  
Hello fall, and school, and warm days and cool nights
Hello to making Lunches..
Hello Falling leaves (already!) and leaf piles!
Hello apples and pumpkins and crock-pot dinners.
Hello Garden harvest. Hello to redecorating and reorganizing.
Hello to new Work Schedule
Hello Pellet Stove.
Hello to playing football in the front yard.
Hello Hiking and Fires in the Fire pit.
Hello Soccer.
Hello Sweatshirts and Sweatpants
Hello last of the summer weekend pool parties (when we have to leave before dark b/c it's cold!)
Hello Disney Trip Planning :)
Hello to feeling less restless and overwhelmed to more grounded.
Hello to looking forward to new definitions of Motherhood and new adventures.

11-11-11 Thank you.

Thank you brave, courageous soldiers, and thank you brave courageous families waiting at home. Thank you for your sacrifices so I can be free.

6 November

Weekends.

a few years a go I would have never imagined that kids would be playing by themselves outside all day while Mom and Dad winterized the house/yard and got about fifty chores done (that were all put off during soccer/marathon/dance season). It felt so good to come in at the end after being out ALL day and plop down with a warm drink and dream ahead to planning all the upcoming holiday season celebrations. I can't wait, it's Good stuff.