Fall Time...

Okay, now that a new post is loooong overdue thought I better update everyone on what our busy family has been up to recently! During the 3rd week in September Ann Marie got to go with Grandma to Ten Sleep, Wyoming to visit great-Grandma and Bob. They live in a very small town in Wyoming that at one time was "ten sleeps" from the next town...or at least that's the way the Indians said it. So now it was Ann Marie's turn to go with Grandma on the trip to visit, so that means that all our kids except for Adams have gone to Wyoming. Although Kailee and Alyssum aren't so sure that is a fair statement since they were 2 and 1 years old when they went and they don't really remember! (Grandma didn't take them alone...mom went too!) Ethan and Tyler got to go a couple years ago with both Grandma and Grandpa. So some of the highlights of the trip to Ten Sleep are going to the Hot Springs to swim in the really warm pool, going to the dinosaur museum, and wandering around Dirty Sally's to see what treasures you might find and then of course getting a Huckleberry shake!! Dirty Sally's is a gift shop with a little bit of everything for everyone and the kids just love to look around in the store...especially with a name like Dirty Sally!! Ann Marie really enjoyed her time with Grandma and getting to meet great-Grandma and Bob too. Now she too can share in the funny stories and memories of going to Ten Sleep, Wyoming!

So let's see what else have we been up to lately...well, I guess probably school, school, and more school! It feels like our heads are buried in school all week and we finally get to come up for air on Friday night!! Everyone is doing well and really enjoying school so far this year! Steve has been really busy himself with switching gears from mowing and landscaping to winter lighting...he doesn't get a break in between. The crews have already started putting up the white lights as the days get shorter and darker.

We have had a rather long warm fall and this last week we saw our first really cold nights with a killing frost. The trees have beautiful red and yellow leaves and we are certainly enjoying the fall colors. With the cold brings snow on the mountain tops across the bay and we watch them closely as the snow gets further and further down the mountains...soon it will be leaving a white dusting on our side of the bay. With our thoughts turning to snow we then have to get busy to get the yard cleaned up for winter...wouldn't want all that stuff buried under the snow because then it really isn't much fun trying to find it in the middle of the winter! So today we spent the day cleaning up the yard, organizing the shed, winterizing the motor home, digging potatoes, and making jam...sounds like a good fall day!!

This week we also celebrated Ethan's 12th birthday!! (He is counting the days of the 2 years he has left before he can get his driver's permit!!) No, not really, but he really can't wait until he is 14, and 12 is certainly alot closer!! Can't believe my baby is 12 where did the years go? Now don't tell him I said that! He is getting tall and growing into quite the young man. It is so neat to see his relationship with Jesus grow into his own personal relationship with Him, and growing in love and understanding. Ethan is such a great big brother to all his younger brothers and sisters and gets along great with all of them. He also has a great relationship with his older sister and it is so fun to see them laugh and have fun together!

So I think that's it for now!! I will try to do a better job on at least posting weekly, but no promises!! Thanks for checking in to see what we are up to.