Wonderful Weekend

The weather was perfect today for raking. I spent over two hours outside with the kids. Chilly enough to work hard without getting too hot. Just an occasional breeze. And sunny (a bit).

The kids asked me almost every day this week if we could rake again. But they had to wait 'til Saturday. The warmer the weather the happier Daniel is lend a helping hand ('til his naptime).

The bigger kids love helping too. But sometimes I wonder just how much help they're giving. Although a boost in one's spirits is a big help in itself, so I won't complain.

These are tigers. Scary one's too! But I was even scarier (after checking over my shoulder to make sure no neighbours were looking) when I transformed into an even bigger tiger-then they raced away like frightened whelps, tales between their legs.

Nathan, however, sedately raked during this entire performance, for wildlife or not, he had work to do. "I work hard, just like Daddy." (You sure do!)

And life indoors?

Daniel is now feeling confident enough with his walking to perform for the public. He thinks he's pretty funny when he does it now, and so does Matthew! But he still finds crawling to be faster most of the time, especially for long distances when he's sure to fall anyways. He usually shuffles sideways when he walks.

Jack-o-lanterns

After planning to do this last year (and maybe the year before too?)

Daddy decided to help the kids make jack-o-lanterns.



Apparently this was a bit of a Halloween tradition for him, as a healthier (and more pleasant) alternative to trick-or-treating.

Our church has a dinner and sing thing planned for that night, and since the pumpkins I bought were rotting already, the pumpkins were carved early.

Daniel and I missed out on the fun,

but we found a bit of solace in each other's company.


The eyes on Matthew's jack-o-lantern don't let in enough air to keep a candle lit when the lid is on. But he doesn't mind. As long as it has a candle too, the lid can be off!


Whose face is the cutest?

(Of the pumpkins, not the kids.)


Despite the protected table, there still was some cleanup involved-mostly pumpkin seeds which were quickly tracked through a few rooms upstairs.


They're all lit!

(But only for as long as it took me to take the picture.)

Daniel learned a new trick yesterday;

he managed to get quite a few of these up the back of his shirt.
And this morning he had five peg puzzle pieces stuck in his one piece pajama. I'm sure that was fun crawling when the pieces were working their way down his pant legs!

Favorite Fall Pastime

The weather couldn't have been better today. My absolute favorite. Warm (not hot) with a touch of coolness. Sunny. The smell of fall in the air.

We didn't have many leaves collected on the ground yet, but since conditions were perfect, we decided to finish filling up the last bag from last year anyways.

We did collect more than I expected. The kids were able to hone their raking skills in preparation for the bigger part of the fall leaf collecting, although they will have to fight me for a turn with a rake.

That could get scary.

What hard workers these guys are! An Asian grandfather who walks past our house regularly gave me the thumbs up when he returned with his grandkids on his way back from picking them up at school.

But rakes and hands are not Daniel's style. If he's going to help out, he's going to go all out and have all the appropriate machinery.

A moment outside

Eating cucumbers in the fall air.

These kids are all cool as cucumbers.

Three bugs in a boat:

Nathan was bossing Melanie around to shove him and Matthew through the yard. She seems quite willing to accept all his demands. Matthew is just there for the ride. He has retired the role of intermediary between them.

One farmer with his pitchfork:

He'd just been teasing me. He was offering me the toy, then pulling it back when I grabbed for it. Stinker!

Bliss

I'm a bit jealous at the luxury and length of Matthew's nap time!
Doesn't he look just a little too comfy?

While the troublesome toddler sleeps his life away, the two older ones are having lots of fun.

This is the second time I let them have free reign with my leftover scrap box and other supplies. Must be a half a year ago since last time. But I felt inspired to let them do something fun today...since after, who can't be inspired today? It's windy, it's chilly, and it's fall!! Bliss. Too bad I can't excuse spending the whole day doing yard work--like picking up leaves as they fall off the trees.

Pre-Celebration OR Picture Overload

We (well, ME mostly,) are thrilled that it is no longer summer.
But fall doesn't officially start 'til Tuesday, I believe.
IT'S MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR
AND
I
LOVE
IT!!!


My kids are also enthusiastic, but I imagine the weather has much less to do with it, especially when compared to the swings!


Melanie just LOVES swinging! If I were to push her the entire time we stayed at the park, I imagine that she'd never ask to get out!

"Push me higher, Mommy!"

"Push me higher, please."
"Please."


Nathan never likes to be left out of something fun! (Who does?)

"Watch out, Mommy!"

"Don't kick me!"

"Oh! I almost kicked you, Mommy!"

Because I knew Matthew would have a tantrum if I didn't let him have a turn, he actually went first.
(Yup, I know that's terrible. But so is he.)

"Would you like a push Matthew?"

"No!"

He was quite happy to just sit and hang on to the swing...
until I took too many pictures.
"Want to go down, Matthew?"
"Dow!"

And in the fall, I like to watch the leaves falling from the trees.

The above is a quote from Ole Risom and Richard Scarry's book "I am a bunny." Philip's favorite. Still. If only the kids would like it more...then he could always read it aloud without embarrassment.


It started dreary looking, and rain was predicted for our walk. But it cleared up and was lovely and warm (warm for me, chilly for everyone else). I even saw a white tailed deer hide in the bushes, but only for a few seconds. The more social members of our party, and the children, however, missed seeing this beautiful, elusive creature. I guess that only leaves me as a witness.

We went for a walk here again. There probably are better walks around, and perhaps, even closer ones. But this one used to be closer before we moved. So anyone who has visited us for any length of time has probably gone here. But I still like it. Or, perhaps, am liking it more. I think it is growing on me. I may even, as time goes on, begin to enjoy the landscape in Ontario. I confess that it has already, in three years short time, become less flat.


Don't I just have a natural artistic flare?


Dead organic matter rotting on the dirt, only to become dirt too. Oh yeah, and people walking by too.

I love fall!! On the subject of leaves...we had 17 bags of leaves picked up as yard waste last pick up time. That was only two weeks worth too yet! I nearly cried when they took them away. Such a shame! Just imagine what a huge pile and what huge fun I could have had in that huge pile. But now my yard is neat. *Sigh*


Just to prove that me and my baby did come along! Just in case you thought it was the deer that had been taking all the pictures.


A bridge over troubled waters.


Looking at the sights we've all seen before...but still is worth seeing all over again. After all, it's necessary to have fresh air far away from houses and with as few people around as possible, right Dad? That's the best way to invigorate me. :)

So...who wants to go for a hike? Last week Derek asked if I would come with him. Oh! Oh! I do believe that if I didn't have kids I'd have hopped on a plane that very moment. OK, maybe Phil would have stopped me too...but he was at work at the time. :o


More wildlife. The teeniest tiniest turtles I ever did see. Very cute! There were two of them, plus a squished one. They had to cross the path to get to the river. They're so small, so I assume that the just hatched recently. Isn't it amazing how God has made them so slow, but still born knowing how to get to the water?

Out-law

Two things made me suspect that my candid photography was not appreciated.

*evil chuckle*


It gets dark MUCH too early now. I officially un-approve of time change. It isn't as dark as the picture, but the sun started setting around 5. Think of how many more pictures I could have taken if there was more exterior lighting!
*cackle cackle!*


It's still fun in the dark though--as long as you're not tired. Yesterday we were driving home in the twilight.
"Wah!"
"What's the matter Melanie?"
"It's dark, Mommy!"
"Yes. It's dark, Melanie."
"I don't like it. I might cry, Mommy."
She really likes saying she "might" do this or that, as a mild sort of threat or plea. My usual response is "Well, I might spank/put you to bed."


We had to get a bigger car seat for Matthew, so Nathan is busy filling the empty box (just about as tall as him) with a tonne of presents for Grandma. How come I don't get presents like that? :p OK, well, it's just a box full of his toys, so I'm not THAT jealous.


Our mini mop. Nothing like a boy that works just as good as a Swiffer.


Cleaning up the table while I'm slacking. :) Almost makes it worth making the food. Although if he didn't have a female helper, I would still have to go through and clean up anything he deems "too challenging."


Bonding with the bedtime story.