Eat Soup

This soup is making everyone happy over here.

Follow link for recipe.

Mia has been learning to read time at school.  I believe they have talked about how much sleep they should be getting.  She's been informing us that a certain friend of hers who we will call "B" gets to bed at 7PM.  So that means he gets 12 hours of sleep.  And she thinks that would be awesome so she tried it last night.  I am just laughing thinking about this.  She tucked herself in and slept shortly after 7PM.  Crazy girl.  She does seem extra happy today.  Might have to start a new trend. 

Nate Picked up the Camera

Nate picked up the camera.
Children were just in from the snow.  Mia's leggings.... I finally realized why they are so tight on her the other day.  They are size 3.
Stuart gets first dibs on the counter space while I'm cooking.
The chocolate cake made it out of the oven minutes before the electric went off.  Whew.

Things to Remember

This particular Monday is being so good to me.   Nate came home for lunch today.  He shared his packed lunch with Ellie and that made her day. 
I was in the middle of an oil painting when he stopped by.  Another reason that it's a good day. To smell that paint, to swirl it around.  Even though what I came up with does not make me happy.  Roll my eyes at myself. Will it grow on me like my last painting did? 
Stuart dumped the double layered chocolate cake upside down.  It survived pretty well.
Ellie touched my easle that I put away and got all painty on her pretty nice yet dress.  She cried while I washed her arm and wailed, "But I didn't touch the paint, it just d-appeared there"
After a meeting the other evening, where the children played so well in the basement, she (Ellie) said "When I put on my glasses (sunglasses) they all laughed at me.  I did not like that! It hurt my feelings" so serious.
And Pandora.  Pandora makes any Monday better. 

Winter In the Big October

School Girl

October

 So naughty. Probably looking for cat poop. Ew ew ew!

 Lizzy Beth

 Happy to be in first grade.

 Oh how he loves the wagon.

 Cupcake the Cat

What I've Been Up To

Cabin at the Campground, Trains, and Rain

 Camping this past weekend with Nate's family.  They grew up camping at Millbridge Village on Ronks Rd. So that is where we headed.  Thankfully my Mother in law booked a loft cabin thing so no tents were involved as it was pouring on Friday when we arrived.  Then, at 8:30 the campground evacuated due to the creek rising.  I heard Sam on the phone saying, "Well, this is a nightmare!" Thankfully they did allow us to stay.  We had to move the vehicles and they told us to be ready to leave in 10 minutes if it got bad.  And wouldn't you know, they knocked on the door at 1AM.  Just had to move the cars again. And true to their threats, there was water everywhere the next morning.  It went down pretty fast though.

 We drove past the crowds at Strasburg Railroad and drove right on past.  If you park at the Red Caboose Inn you can sit on nice park benches and watch the trains go past.  This was perfect since we weren't planning to ride Thomas anyhow.

 This is when Ellie said, "I'm going to sit in the van"

Beach Trip

 Stuart got some mosquito bites on his eye.  It was hard to stop looking at it.
I've heard since then that soy sauce takes the swelling down. Anyone ever try that?
 

 For some reason Ivy was not getting mosquito bites on her eyes.

 Dorcas told me to bring my sled.  This worked so well. You can drag the gear and toddlers around. Plus the bigger kids played with them on the beach.  Hauled drift wood and stuff.