Harvest Hoedown/Halloween

This year's costume theme at BRCC's annual Harvest Hoedown was Noah's Ark - Come 2 by 2. I think this is the first year we tried to comply with the theme. Usually we just let the kids dress up as whatever they want to be. We already had a bee costume for Charlotte, so we talked Chloe into going as a bee as well. This was quite impressive considering she is terrified of the real thing! We found a ladybug costume for Sophie and borrowed a ladybug stuffed animal to be her "2 by 2" companion.

Now, to be completely honest, I hate Halloween. I hate the scary costumes. I hate haunted houses. I hate the kids shows on TV about Halloween... except for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown because really, who could ever hate Charlie Brown? I hate the darkness and evil associated with Halloween. Before we had kids, Jason and I would just leave the house to avoid the whole holiday. However, once we had children old enough to participate we had to reevaluate our approach. As much as I hate Halloween, I love my kids, and my kids love to dress up... and get free candy. The Harvest Hoedown has always been a great Halloween alternative for us. This year we attended Trunks of Fun at Jason's parents' church. Two years ago we let them trick-or-treat for the first time (for the record, I do hand out candy to trick-or-treaters). And last year we let them go to the houses of the neighbors we know and added some houses in Christy and Lincoln's neighborhood as well. I think we'll do the same thing this year, but it still "bugs" me to celebrate Halloween. (Get it?)

The Children's Museum

My friend, Amy, babysat my nieces on Thursday and Friday of this week. She asked if Charlotte and I would like to meet all of them at The Children's Museum on Friday. Amy, Ryker, Audrey, Ruby, Charlotte, and I met at the museum around 10:20 in the morning (it was supposed to be 10:00, but someone was late... yep, it was me). Two adults, four small children, and a museum packed with kids on fall break: it was a wee bit chaotic. But I think we all still managed to have a pretty good time!

This was supposed to be a smile, but it looks more like a growl to me... Grrrr!

Ruby had a dino-mite time!

If you've ever tried to take a picture with multiple children, then you'll understand why this is the best shot I could get. Hey, at least they're all in it!

Just workin' the reception desk for Barbie...

"Hello, this is Charlotte, how may I direct your call?"

"I spoke with Barbie, and let me tell you, she is NOT happy."

Ruby rode the the dog, hugged the dog, and as you can tell by her face, just loved the pink dog!

It's a tough job, folks, but somebody's got to do it.

Darling little fashion models!

Me and Audrey

Ryker and Amy

Me and Amy

Cute little cousins!

Pumpkin Decorating

This year Jason and I decided to let the girls decorate their pumpkins instead of carving because, well, in the past we've ended up doing all the carving! We started out using Sharpie markers. They worked great on Charlotte's white pumpkin, but something about the orange pumpkins dried out the markers. Very strange. Luckily, I had several acrylic paints from a previous craft project, and they worked well! Sophie's ended up being sort of a free-spirited collage of pictures (very appropriate for her personality, I thought). Jason drew a face on Charlotte's pumpkin, and she added what I'll call "hair". She refused to use anything but the blue marker. And Chloe painted a cute dalmatian on hers (complete with googly eyes). Here are the finished products:

Sir Bookworm

Every year the second grade class at SPCS does a play called Sir Bookworm. The idea behind the play is to show kids that books are still interesting and worthwhile despite all the other forms of entertainment available to them these days. Sophie's book was The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, and Sophie was playing Serena the Swan for the play. Parents and students from other grades are invited to attend. This year some ladies and gentlemen from the Franklin nursing home were also invited to come watch. Sophie was nervous about speaking in front of a large group of people, but she did very well. We were so proud! Here are a few pictures we snapped:

Sophie and Jaggerd smiling before the play began...
Don't worry, they were still smiling when it was finished.

Sophie on stage with the book cover she illustrated.

Sophie posing for me after the play was over...
Apparently this is the swan pose?

Summer '96

...Get me with those green eyes, baby
As the sun goes down
Something that'll haunt me when you're not around
'Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile...

Sparks Fly
Taylor Swift

Wonderfully Made

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13-16

Chloe Madeline

Sophie Catherine

Charlotte Annabelle

Fall Break 2010

Our friends, Craig and Julie Beauregard, were going camping with their kids in Spring Mill State Park for Fall Break. Julie asked if we would drive down for one of the days to join them. Instead, we booked a room at the Spring Mill Inn for three days and two nights. I have teased Julie about the fact that I completely invaded their trip, crashed their party, however you want to put it... She says she really wanted to invite us for the whole time in the first place. No matter how the plans came together, the trip was a huge success. We had so much fun! We split our time between the Beauregards' campsite, the inn, and the other park activities. There was so much to do! Hiking, biking, playgrounds, indoor pool, pioneer village, crafts at the nature center, an "Owl Prowl", campfires, s'mores, a hayride, and probably some other things I forgot already.

This is Spring Mill Inn. It was so charming! There was a large rec room with puzzles, board games, a ping-pong table, arcade games, and plenty of couches and game tables. It also has an indoor/outdoor pool which was heated, so the kids were able to swim inside and outside.

Julie took this picture of our family while we were hiking. The weather was PERFECT! Cool air, blue sky, leaves crunching underfoot... lovely.

Jaggerd, Isabella, Chloe, and Sophie

One of the hiking trails ran along this little stream. Isn't it pretty?

This is one of the buildings in the pioneer village.

The family who lived in this one room cabin raised eleven children there. Can you imagine?!

We had the opportunity to watch the blacksmith at work. It was really neat!
Another trail we hiked wound around this lake. It was a bit overcast that day, but still wonderful!

Jaggerd, Julie, Craig, and Isabella

I Can See Clearly Now...

Chloe's glasses arrived last week! The man at the store told her that she needed to follow the "face or case" rule: the glasses should either be on her face or in the case at all times. She has been very obedient!

Grandpa Harrod

Orville Dean "Art" Harrod

September 3, 1927 - October 8, 2010
Brave. Strong. Hard working. Loyal. Kind. Sweet. Humble. Loving. Funny.
Soldier. Athlete. Gentleman. Friend. Husband. Father. Grandpa.
All words that describe this wonderful man...

My grandpa played minor league baseball. I didn't even know that until last year!

Grandpa wanted his dad to sign him up for the army when he was only 17. Great-grandpa refused, so he enlisted when he turned 18. He loved his time serving in the Army Air Corp.

He received a Medal of Honor for his service, but he never told us. We only found out after he had passed.

Cowboy Cool

Grandpa holding me.

My grandparents bought property on Sweetwater Lake in 1970... He loved it there.

I think the only times we visited and didn't get a boat ride were those times when the boat was in the shop for some reason. He really enjoyed being out on the water.

He never asked for our help, but in the past 8 or 9 years, we started going down in the fall to help rake the leaves... There sure are a lot of leaves in Brown County! We spent the day working together as a family.

One of my greatest joys is that my grandpa was able to meet and enjoy all three of my daughters... This happens to be a picture of him with Chloe.

I was blessed to have had such a marvelous grandpa... As someone recently pointed out, he was a storybook grandpa. I love him. I miss him.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." --Psalm 147:3