Fall, we love you.

(my cookie-baking, -decorating, -eating buddy)

Today was a good fall day.  

Dropped the kids at school, hit the gym, came home and doodled around doing the things I missed the most when we were homeless (making beds, opening curtains, sweeping the floor...putting my little house in order), then we packed a lunch and walked to the park, and then the big kids got home and we made pumpkin cookies and ate dinner on the deck.  And then Ava took everyone upstairs to color pictures for the neighbor kids before they snuggled in to watch a movie.  

Ed happens to be spending the week in Florida and I don't have the heart to post the view from his hotel room (think white sand beaches and the Gulf).  And there were more than a few times this week when I was kicking myself for not going, but the truth is...the view from here can be pretty sweet too:

Backpacking!

Warning: picture overload! 

We've been wanting to take the kids backpacking forever and we finally did it!

locked and loaded:

Jack realizing the pack is actually heavier than it looks:

Lucky little ducks who are old enough to carry their belongings up a mountain:

Grandma and Grandpa with the kiddies:

 Hitting the trail.

First break:

 That's Jack there under all that gear.

This was a first!  The guys caught a runaway pack horse...smart cookie to head for home!

Washing our feet.  Instant ice cream headache.

Making stick bread:

Enjoying stick bread:

 Not a bad place to sleep, huh?

The whole crew:

This is Kayte and Ava talking to each other on imaginary cell phones:

 High five for my little man.  This kid led us all the way out.  The last mile was tough but he just grit his teeth and kept on moving.

Everyone got to pick one treat to celebrate when we got out and they spent the last couple hours discussing what they wanted.  Jack went for a big fat chocolate ice cream and Ava picked an Italian soda.

I was so proud of these two.  It's not easy to hike for days on end, carrying all your gear on your back and then sleeping on the ground and waking up covered in frost.  But they did it.  They loved it.  And we'll be back.

week one.

So we got ourselves moved in and in the first seven days we unpacked a gabillion boxes, had a bout of the stomach flu, had the painter here around the clock, Ed went to California, I did two events, we hit the fair and we celebrated Henry's birthday. whew.

(this was standard week one: painter in the window, dump truck in the yard, bedraggled kids wondering what was going on)

Week two was slightly better and week three feels like this might be our house after all.  And we like it.  We like it a lot.  It felt like home immediately and like I told Ed, it feels an awful lot like our old house all grown up.   

Henry Turns Two!

Oh yes he does.

 Quite possibly the cutest birthday boy ever.

The people around here appreciate a birthday boy too young to chose his favorites.   The kids picked Qdoba for dinner and I picked pumpkin cake.  It'll be sad when we no longer have a baby to boss around.

Not super sure about blowing out the candles:

Presents, however, were welcome.  Can't even wait till the guests are gone to use his vacuum:

 The kids loves to clean.

All tuckered out:

So Henry's two.  He had a rough couple months this summer making the transition from baby to boy but now that he's on the other side, he is one sweet cookie.  He loves to sweep and vacuum, he loves to play with tractors, (unlike the other kids at this age) he loves to watch movies, he loves to eat, but most of all, he loves loves the kids.  And his daddy.  And the dog.  

County Fair.

Waiting in line with a tight grip on Ava's hand:

 oh, how much I love this face.

 super love this shot of Ed holding Ava's purse.

Jack's first triathlon!

Gearing up.

cheering for Will:

Personal cheer team:

I missed pictures of his swim because I was running down the side of the pool to yank him out on the other end!  But I can tell you he was grinning away.

Hopped on his bike and took off:

 I somehow missed his massive flat tires.  Worst mom ever.  I wanted to cry when I saw him pumping his legs down the home stretch on totally flat tires and then a guy jumped out and pumped him up and he just took off for the last block.  And sprinted out on the run:

I was so proud of this kid.  And all he had to say was, "thanks for cheering for me you guys!!"

Moving day.

Moving day started with Jack's first triathlon, after which was our first Coug home game (in the 90 degree heat), and ended with moving into our new house.  

Here's a shot of the house pre-move in:

 (still lots of painting to be done)

And here's a little sunshine for ya: