I have yet to take pictures of the kids in their halloween costumes. Especially little L. He is going to be a monkey. What has now become tradition for usually the first halloween (for L it is his 2nd but he didn't fit it last year). Anyway I promised Aunt Natty I would post a picture of the hat she sent for L's b-day so here it is. Sorry it took me so long to take a picture of it. Then I thought for fun I would post M's picture from today. I think I am a bit of a rebel. Their school doesn't celebrate any holidays. I even saw a kid who was dressed up marched straight to the principal's office. Well M and A had Halloween temporary tattoos on and halloween shirts. I know so rebellious!

dumpster diving

okay well I really didn't have to dive in. The reward for taking out the trash was hanging wire baskets for my laundry closet. I was admiring Hillary's a few weeks ago and thought I would love them but it really is pointless to go buy them because of the short amount of time we have left. Nevermind, the fact that Justin would strangle me if I bought anything more for this apartment (especially organizing stuff). There is nothing like an organized closet to make me smile. I would like to think of myself as organized but the reality is my life is pretty choatic so I have figured out that I crave order because everything is so out of order. So a dedication post to dumpster diving was in order. What will I do without our big dumpsters when we get a house? I guess I will have to resort to robbing the neighbors trash ;). Seriously though we have found really good things sitting to the side of the dumpsters and occasionally sitting inside (thankfully not buried in rubbish). Just to list a few 2 bikes (we gave one away and kept one that will eventually be M's but A is riding it for now, it is a girly one but he doesn't care, "it's a bike and I like to ride it, who cares what others think!" It was a proud mommy moment)A little tikes car has been a source of much entertainment for the last few years we have had it (L will love it next spring). Do you remember the Big Wheels? The glory days cruising around on Big Wheels (with a red cape) and feeling so big. Well we found one of them in the dumpster too. M rode it a lot last spring and now we have passed it on. Hopefully it will be just as enjoyed. Oh another recent find was a wooden dowel drying rack for clothes. I had the exact same one but the kids just broke a couple of the bottom dowels. I was content on just making it work as we don't want to buy anything like I mentioned before. Well another reward for taking out the trash, there was a rack just lying there in the relatively empty dumpster waiting for me to replace it. YIPPIE!!! Here is a pic of my laundry closet with the baskets. SMILE!

Fall New England style

Pumpkin Festival- Keene, NH

Well it was worth seeing but I could have done without the crowds. WOW lots of people. We had a great time, awesome pumpkin carvings and accompanied by our good friends. What more could you want?









L couldn't get enough of the candles in the jack'o'lanterns. He would peek around the carvings to see what was flickering behind there. He loves to study how things work.












In the scaffolding of lit jack'o'lanterns we found sponsor's names, political campaign...vote for Obama 08, vote for Clinton 08 (not all presidential hopefuls were represented but what do you expect??? the East is "liberal"), and a marriage proposal. We wonder what her answer will be?

double rainbow

What a beautiful drive. We were able to enjoy the beautiful New England colors and we were delighted to see a double rainbow for the last 30 minutes of the drive. The last time I photographed a double rainbow was when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, when I asked my dad to quickly grab his camera (my first with an slr) and I took a picture of what would win first place in the Reflections contest. I still have that lone trophy somewhere in my childhood memories box. The picture I hope is in there too.

beautiful pennsylvania

Well we toured a little bit of Pennsylvania this past week. It was beautiful. The highlights of the trip were Hershey, Gettysburg, and Lancaster (LANK-uh-stir) County.

Hershey












Gettysburg











Lancaster County

pony ride

M had a great time, L loved to pet the pony and look at it while in my arms but wasn't so sure once he was placed ontop of the pony for a ride. He likes to study things so I think given a little more time he would have been mauling the ponies. A had a fun time with Dad, skeet shooting/22 target shooting.

too all the marathon runners

I am so proud of you (Paige, Mandy, Anne)and quite envious. I am still cursing my knee that decided to do freaky things when I jogged for 30 minutes (almost two weeks later still stiff and weird)

Congrats!!! You are all amazing! I haven't ever run one and I get all weepy when all of you talk about crossing the finish line. I can't even imagine what I would do if I had run the marathon and crossed the finish line... I may just have to kiss the dirtiest part of the finish line. (I liken it to the feeling of getting off a excruciating airline flight at LAX from India and wanting to kiss the dirtiest place on the floor I could find. Then eat a salad, random I know but that is the way I felt)

I got this off Anne's blog I laughed so hard. Of course it is probably because I am not the one feeling like that right now.

birthday cake

apple picking

We are well stocked for a little bit with my favorite cider and cider donuts (cinnamon and glazed). L loved to pick the apples, we picked gala today...YUMMY!!! And we bought a huge bag of bakers grade apples for pie!!! Apples, apples, apples....

one year ago today

New England Fall checklist

Well I finished one thing, our traditional General Conference family picture at the pumpkin patch.

Tomorrow go buy pumpkins at our favorite picking patch. Tuesday (L's bday) I will be heading to my favorite orchard to pick up several gallons of cider, a few cider donuts and 3 small squash for the top of my door. Places we must go before the end of the month: Kent, CT (Belgique Patisserie & Chocolatier)and Keene, New Hampshire pumpkin festival

and just for kicks the pic from last year with me a week before giving birth

i'm melting

who thought that New England fall could be teamed with Summer temps (upper 80s)? I have to say I want my 60-70F degree fall weather, I want to layer clothes. It isn't right to still have to wear summer clothes. But then I have to be grateful that it isn't winter and not getting above 10F....brrrrrr.