Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we headed to Pumpkins on the Prairie.  We've gone the past few years.  We already did the farm when we did touch a truck, so I think this is going to be it for pumpkin patches this year.  We're going to hit up Aldi for $3 pumpkins after this. ;)

We got there after lunch and had most of the place to ourselves!

We were the only ones on the hay ride too!

The kids ran through the hay maze.  See them?

Michael was hiding out at one of the windows.  They found him. :)

Logan likes to remind us that he's the leader. ha!

The kids both decided that they would like a white pumpkin, because it would look better painted.

And since it's Texas, it was SO DANG HOT that we ended up getting sno cones.  Needless to say,we are ALL ready for fall--a real fall!

Our First Camping Trip

Someone in our house is turning 40 in a few short months... So the time for adventure is NOW (if you get what I'm saying 😉).  Actually, we have been talking about going camping for years.  And when we were out on a hike a few weeks ago, Olivia mentioned again that she wished we could go.  So on a whim we decided to go for it.  We bought as little as possible.  A tent, a tarp, a lantern, and 2 new camping chairs because ours had fallen apart.  We used what we had and made the bet of it!

Since it was our first trip and we weren't wanting to invest much more, we just went to one of our local parks.  You can stay the night for $12.50.

Examining a butterfly that had just landed.

We ended up with the best spot!  This was the area right behind our site!

We went exploring and looking for fire wood.

He cracks me up!

Remember when we went on our hike and someone had drawn on the trees? Olivia made sure we were bringing supplies for her to do the same.

Chalk on the trees

After unloading, exploring, and coloring on trees, we took a break for some popcorn and water!

Kicking around the soccer ball

We had these bird houses waiting to be painted since this summer.  It was one of the things on our summer bucket list that we never got to.  At the last minute I threw them in the bag.

After painting the bird houses, they painted the trees.

Can you see those lanterns in the trees?  Olivia spotted them and decided that those, coupled with the painted tree, was the perfect spot for a party.  She brought over the chairs, and used the wagon as a table, and invited us to her game party. 😁😁

Bubbles!

and more bubbles!

A boy digging in dirt as a boy should do...

I told Olivia to bring along a notebook to nature journal in.  She thought it was a fantastic idea, and had all sorts of brilliant drawings!

Oh, we did buy one more thing...

The tent and airbeds were finally up. We had some very dirty, but very happy kids!

The view of our campsite from the road.

It was a full moon, or very close, so we brought the telescope to use.  And that toilet... it was multipurpose. 

We roasted hot dogs for dinner and then it was on to the highly anticipated s'mores.

After dinner, and dessert, and hanging out by the fire, we went for a little walk.  We came across this GIANT spider.  I know you can't tell from the picture, but it was at least the size of a fifty cent piece.

The kids were practically begging to go to bed.  That never happens!  Don't be fooled, though.  It wasn't because they were tired.   It was just because they wanted in the tent.  We got in bed a little after 9.  It wasn't the most comfortable sleep (for me!), but we made it through the night.

Breakfast!

After breakfast we ended up just packing up and heading home.  We unpacked, showered, and actually made it to church for the late service!

The kids had a great time!  Another family adventure is in the books!

A Heart of Gold

There has been a lot of discussion in our house recently about how fortunate we are and to be thankful for the blessings we have.  It's hard to raise grateful kids in a material world!

Olivia was able to participate in our church's serve day this summer, so that was a start.  But she's constantly talking about how she wants to help out.  How she would invite people to her house, or how it's "just not fair" that she lives in this beautiful house (ha!) while others don't even have a home.

Of course we want to encourage her and help her live out being the hands and feet of Jesus instead of just talking about it.  It's hard, though, because a lot of normal volunteer places have age requirements on who can help.  So we decided to take a more immediate and age appropriate approach.

There was a piece of art we were studying, and Olivia's take was that the people were very poor and hungry.  She wished she could give them food.  So this week we headed to the store before art class.

We walked through the aisles and picked out food that would be good to share.

She was SO excited!

She talked non stop about how she hoped they liked what she picked out for them.  She also chose things like strawberry oatmeal, because "oatmeal fills you and Boppa up! and I like strawberry!"

Each week she has to learn a new Proverbs as part of our first grade curriculum.  As we were walking to the register to check out, she said, "He who refreshes others, will he himself be refreshed!" (part of Proverbs 11:25, which was her verse a few weeks ago).  Y'all, I'm not going to lie, I might have teared up a bit.  When the work of homeschooling, plus church, plus all the heart work you hope you are doing comes full circle and your child preaches to you... there are no words.

Right outside the art house is this little "red door food pantry".  We see it every week.  Last week it was empty, and as I was waiting to pick Olivia up, I saw a lady walk by looking for food.  So this seemed like the perfect opportunity for Olivia.  It's part of her life.

There was some food in there this week, but even by the time class was over, some of the food we had donated was already gone.  That made Olivia really happy!

We don't always do everything right as parents, and this one can be super sassy, but she also has a heart of gold.  I hope we can always teach and encourage her to be a generous giver!

Randomness from September

Sometimes after we drop buddy off at school, we run a quick (and quiet) errand.  You just never know who you are going to run into!

Doesn't everyone lay on the kitchen counter to read a book?!? Ha!  She got a new book and had it finished within 20 minutes of getting home.  She's in a phase where she can read pretty big chapter books. She does every once in a while (she's currently working through The Littles).  But since she's a relatively new reader, and she's 6, she wants chapter books that have pictures.  Not only does it need pictures, but she wants the pictures to be COLORED.  She's very disturbed with black and white pictures.  So we are trying to find books that are the right reading level AND age appropriate/fun (colored).

Logan just wants all the super hero books!

She grabbed this candle, hunched over, and said in a creepy voice "Do you want to go look in my basement on Halloween?"  Ha ha!!!

 Olivia had her first art class of the new school year.  We stayed at the same art house, but chose a different teacher.  Her new class focuses just on drawing and painting.  It's a homeschool class, and as of right now there is only 1 other student in the class with her.  She drew this cat, but her painting wasn't finished yet.  When I picked her up, all her teacher said to me was, "Wow!  She is one VERY SMART little girl."

Michael and Olivia went on a date to the movies.

Michael took this picture of Olivia, and I just love it!  Pretty girl!

We were in Logan's room getting ready for bed.  Michael laid down using a soccer ball as his pillow.  As soon as Logan had his pajamas on, he grabbed a smaller basketball and laid down to use it as his pillow too.  The picture is a little blurry, but so cute!

Logan had "silly shoe day" at preschool.  So we added all sorts of fun pipe cleaners.  Free and it took 2 minutes.  Perfect! :)  He loved it.