You, too, can have hours of fun

All you need is stainless steel pot on the counter...

Pumpkins

Aaron had fun carving pumpkins with the kids last weekend. They love scooping out the seeds and have been talking for weeks about looking forward to roasted pumpkin seeds in their lunches.

Beth thought that the hole on the top of her pumpkin was big enough for her head.

Not quite!

Kid designed pumpkin faces aglow...

Fun with friends

We had so much fun last night with some dear friends from high school! Camille moved to England after high school, and hasn't been back to our area for 7 years. Amy and Pam are close by, but we still don't get together often enough. What a joy it was to spend time together, laugh, tell stories and laugh some more, all while enjoying great food, the first pumpkin pie of the season, and listening to our kids run around and have a blast playing.

Heather, Amy, Pam and Camille

... we took some other very fun pictures last night, but unfortunately not on my camera. If I get copies of those, I'll have to be sure and update with the pics with more "personality..." :-)

After 9 years....

...MY STOCKING IS COMPLETE!!!!
I started making our Christmas stockings back in 2000 when Kyler was born. The following year I completed Aaron's stocking, with the intent that mine would be next. I dreamed of those three little matching Christmas stockings hanging from the mantle....

Well, you all know how the next few years went, and I was crazy making stockings for each of the kids. So, the line of stockings on the mantle grew each year, still with one mismatched stocking on the end. "Next year it will be done, next year....."

That year has finally come! :-)

Happy Birthday, Beth!

I took Beth out for her "Birthday Date with Mom" to a great local breakfast spot. She ordered a hot chocolate to go with her breakfast, and could a kid ask for a more amazing hot chocolate than this? Our eyes were both pretty wide when they delivered it to the table! She graciously shared some of her whipped cream with her mom... :-)

We celebrated her birthday with family and friends early the next week, and she had a special night as she turned 11!
Happy Birthday big 11 year old! We love you!

There is something quite wrong

...about your vacuum sucking up the ink cartridge of a ball point pen (presumably disassembled and left for your enjoyment by a small one in the home) and having it burst open inside said place, thereby coating the bristles with fresh ink, and then those same bristles thoroughly scrubbing up all the dirt from your carpet.

It goes without saying that you are pressed for time today.

Quick update on Mom

Mom was extubated this morning. She's in a fair amount of pain (her
chest hurts for some reason!), but she is awake and eating. Thanks so
much for your prayers and encouragement!

Mom's out of surgery!

Here's the update from Jeremy (Aaron's brother):

praise God!
Mom's surgery went well (as well as having to have an emergent surgery on a saturday night when no staff is in the hospital). All the staff came in expediently and got her into the OR in good time. They went through her sternum and found 2 liters of a fresh hematoma (blood clot) in her chest. Her lung had been completely collapsed from it. Dr Sandler thought she was looking stable. She did well from the anesthetic and will stay intubated overnight. It is definitely a step back, but we will pray for a quick recovery.

Please pray for Aaron's mom

Aaron's mom has been taken back into surgery tonight. Over the last several days she has had more fluid build up in her lung, requiring a chest tube to be reinserted once to drain a liter of fluid, and a thoracentesis today. Aaron's dad just called and said during that procedure they nicked an artery, and she is now bleeding internally. She's back in surgery to find and repair the source of bleeding. Please pray for her safety, skill and wisdom for the surgeons, and most of all, peace for her dear husband and family and protection from discouragement.
Thank you.

And the winner is....

Elizabeth!!!!

Beth was voted ASB Vice-President by her Elementary School student body this week. She carefully prepared her speech and delivered it with poise to all the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at an afternoon assembly. Her mom, sitting in the back of the gym to witness the moment, was so proud of her! The students returned to their classrooms to vote, and the candidates had to wait 18 1/2 excruciating hours to hear the results of the vote. We weren't sure Beth was going to make it...

She also started orchestra this week at the middle school and is playing violin (and loving it!). The bus back to her school was a couple minutes late, and Beth rushed to her classroom and through the door just in time to hear her name announced as ASB Vice-President. I think she was going for the grand entrance... :-)

It's been fun to watch how Beth is approaching this new school year. She is taking on new challenges and seems more confident in herself. She told me earlier this week that "5th grade is going to be great!" What a marvelous year to look forward to!