One request that we had from the kids this Fall was that we paint pumpkins.
(I really wanted to roast pumpkin seeds, but I think I'll forfeit that this year.)
Each little one picked out their own pumpkin.
I love how they don't pick out the perfect looking ones... we have little Charlie Brown's on our hands! 

It's so fun watching each little one.  They do things so differently.
Donika knows just what she wants to do, and she does it.
Emersyn is extremely meticulous.  She concentrates so intently on the project at hand.
(She reminds me so much of myself.)


 

Eden is still young, but she makes the "let's do things in the right way" side of me cringe.
She'll dip her paintbrush in a completely different color than she has already been using, dripping several drops on the table on her way over to the pumpkin.
Then leaning in those drops.
It's not a big deal.  It's not a big deal.
(It really wasn't, but I did have to look away.)
She had fun though and she ended up with a nearly black pumpkin from mixing all of the colors together.
I have thanked the Lord so many times for those Magic Erasers!
(And I was so glad we remembered to have the girls wear Tim's big t-shirts as paint smocks!)


This is where Eden was sitting. 

 

We were already messy, so it was a good time to experiment with something I saw on Rachel Ray.
We used our salad spinner to create spin art!
I cut out round pieces of paper to fit in the salad spinner bin.
Then each little one picked out their favorite food colors to drop in on the paper.
We put the lid on and then they turned the salad spinner handle as fast as they could.
How cool!!
Tim even wanted to make one!
Then we experimented with adding a color, spinning it... adding a different color then spinning it a different way to get different lines.





Sunday evening, after naps, we took the kiddos to the park.
We have the best park nearby.
We weren't able to stay more than an hour because of daylight savings time, but we had a lot of fun!
The kids are at such fun ages.
Each one on a quest for adventure!

(Mom, each of the kids wore the "baby legs" you made them... even little Jack!)
(Thanks Karen for giving my mom the idea!  I never would have thought they could be sewn from socks if you hadn't mentioned it!)



 



I asked the kids to fill up the bucket with pine cones... wasn't quite a "fill up." 


 



Playing on the rings... when did they get old enough to do that?
To even touch them?
Pictures like this make me sing the old Fiddler on the Roof song, "Sunrise, Sunset."
"I don't remember growing older, when did they?"


Jack was quite content to sit in the stroller, watching his sisters swing.
 



But soon his stroller was emptied...


And he found his new place in a swing too.
Donika was more than happy to help push.
Jack's giggles were captured on my iPhone recording app... they were too precious!!


 



 











Jack's walking... several steps at a time until he decided that he can get where he wants to go quicker by crawling.
He and Donika both started walking around the same time... about half way through their 13th month.
I have to admit, I didn't mind him not walking.  I definitely enjoyed his "babyhood" for as long as it lasted.




The rest of the evening was spent in the wide open area around the park... each little one had a ball.
Again, they're each so different!
Donika learned how to volley her ball.
Emersyn perfected soccer skills.
Eden was happy to catch.



Lord, you've created each one of my children so uniquely.
So amazingly wonderful.  Thank you for that!
I treasure their differences and praise You for Your creativity in creating them!
Help me while I strive to make them more like You, but never more like the other.

"I praise you because I am (and they are!) fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Psalm 139:14

I'm starting something new here on my Xanga site called "Husband Facts."  I have asked permission from a new Xanga friend, http://mdd16436.xanga.com who's been doing it on her blog.  I just fell in love with the idea.  She was sweet enough to give me the "go ahead" to start it on here as well.   

How many times do we take our husbands for granted?  How sweet of them to do they do even the tiniest of things to show their love for us, and we forget all about it by the next day.  How little do I actually thank my incredible husband for all he is and all he does for me and the kids.  The purpose of "Husband Facts" is to record these moments in my life that Tim shows his love for me in hopes of never forgetting!  (And reminding me to never let these things go unnoticed... deepening a heart of thankfulness in me!)  Recording these times can't help but increase my appreciation for my most favorite person in the whole wide world!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above."
James 1:17

This guy is most definitely a gift!!


Husband Fact [1] (Written almost 2 weeks ago...)

Today a package arrived on my doorstep.  Tim ordered a bunch of maternity clothes and surprised me by having them shipped to our house!  (Even jeans... is he brave or what!?)  He picked out things that I've been needing, and yes, complaining about by not having.  I normally would never have bought these things for myself.  (Would you believe that I am on baby #5 and prior to today, only had 1 pair of maternity pants that fit properly?)  I've been feeling that I had nothing to wear whenever I had to get ready to go somewhere... it was getting so frustrating for me.  Tim was listening to it all, and I don't think that he bought me these clothes out of becoming tired of hearing it (although how could he not?!) as much as he just wanted to bless me.  It was definitely not a little thing to me... that he would spend time looking for things that I'd like, basics I needed, then go ahead and buy them and ship them to the house... all to bless me.  So not only did he listen to me, he showed me in a very real way that he cares about me, and my desire to feel good and comfortable in my clothes.

Thank you baby... starting this "Husband Fact" couldn't have come at a better time!!

Yesterday was so much fun.
A full, fun day!
A fun family day.
I've really learned to have a new appreciation of family times since our lives seem to be so crazy lately.

The day started out with an early morning flag football/cheerleading game.
I can't decide which games I like better... early morning or afternoon.
Early morning get us up and going... giving us the rest of the day to do whatever.
Afternoon games give us a little bit more peace in the morning.

Anyway, the weather was crazy.
 I prepared for a chilly day... putting sweaters on the girls and Jack.
I wore my super warm lined rain boots.
It didn't take long until we were all sweating!
I had no idea that they were calling for weather in the mid 70s!

Emersyn and Eden would love to be apart of the team.
The cheerleading coordinator asked Emersyn to be apart of the basketball cheerleading team this winter, along with Donika.
They normally don't let you join until you're 5 and in Kindergarten, so it's special that Emmy may cheer on the same team as Donika.
Emersyn is really excited... that is if we decide to sign up for the basketball cheerleading team.
It will be just as baby makes his or her appearance in February.
The schedule could either be extremely overwhelming or a good thing to get us out of the house as a family.
We're still thinking about it.
Until then, Emmy and Eden will just continue to make friends with Donika's teammates. 


 

Donika's new trademark... her sunglasses.
She HATES when the sun shines in her eyes.
So Tim came up with the idea to give her sunglasses.
Problem solved.


I love this picture of Tim and Jack!
I love how Tim's cracking up at something!


Jack.  Oh I love him!!


We had a special treat at the game... an ice cream truck came.
The weather was perfect for it, although our family stuck with the hamburgers, hot dogs and whoppie pies.
(Yes, at 9:30 in the morning!!)


Our little talker.
So much like her daddy!
I'm not sure what she was telling Coach Amy here, but bless Amy for showing Donika so much interest in her story!
I bet it had something to do with Bertha.  Or maybe her cool shades and how Daddy gave them to her.
 

The sunglasses were rotated around to each little girl.
I love Children's Place's sunglasses... especially when they get marked down at the end of the summer!!


Another favorite of the guys in my life...
so "boy!"


All smiles, despite missing naps.
He's an amazingly easy kiddo!


A little packet of mustard kept Eden busy and happy for a loooong time.
I was going to take it away from her, but decided to let her play with it.
She licked the packet until it was empty!
Crazy kid.


A cute puppy dog came to the game.
It was a Jack Russell/Boston Terrier mix.
He really was so, so cute!
I wouldn't mind having a little puppy dog... one that would sit on my lap.
The owner said how he is great with kids and won't get much bigger than he already is.
The girls loved him too!!


Cheering!


This is Donika's typical look while at the game.
She looks over to make sure you're watching her.
Then she gets kind of shy... then extremely happy!!
I'm so happy that she feels so special out there!


Trying out a new cheer...
"4+4 is half of 16.
All for Upwards do the lean-a-lean!"
At practice they all fell over, so this is an improvement... believe me!!



After the game we went home to change so we wouldn't be so warm, then off to apple picking we went!
We were so happy to find an orchard not too far from us.
First we browsed their little shopping area, then taste tested many different kinds of apples, then we drove out to the 50+ acres of apple trees.

These pictures are reason enough to make me fall in love with FALL!
It's easily my favorite season... I love everything about it.
Football.  Marching bands.  Pumpkins.  Apples.  Apple Cider.  Hot Chocolate.  Cooler air.
There's something so refreshing about it... I feel like I come alive.
We would have preferred to go when we were all bundled up, but we had to take advantage of a beautiful, sunny Saturday!


Doesn't get much better than this... my family enjoying Fall!
I just love how Tim loves Fall as much as I do!


Mmmmm... apples!
These apples were beautiful and the pictures don't come close to showing how big they were!
Seriously, you would have needed 3 of my store-bought apples waiting for us at home to equal one of these beauts!
I discovered that my favorite apple was the Jonamac... a mix between the Jonathan and Macintosh.
It was unlike any apple I had ever tasted!






Beautiful fall colors!
So vibrant and vivid... these gourds/little tiny pumpkins have always drawn me in.
God created some amazingly unique creations!!


I took the picture of the gourds, looked over to see Donika posing and waiting for me to take a picture of her.




Another thing that always interested me... Indian Corn.
It was so cool being able to introduce the girls to it this year... they thought that you ate it and they weren't impressed until I told them how it's "just for pretty."
My little girls love pretty things!
I can't wait for them to help me decorate for Fall... allowing them to pick out their favorites to add their personal touch!


The mums were gorgeous and SO cheap!
I would have definitely bought some if I had a place to put them!


Mommy pumpkin with her babies. 




Apple Orchard!
Tim went looking for Jonamacs, but they were ALL picked.
So we found Jonagolds... mix between Jonathan and Golden Delicious.
Really, really yummy!


Isn't this just the perfect "The hills are alive, with the sound of music" pose??
I love how Tim does come alive when I pull out the camera! 
Yeah, he's fun.


The girls each got a "sample" apple which they devored!
Eden ate everything but the seeds... seriously.
Our family has enjoyed over a dozen apples in the past 2 days... apples are a new favorite!
   

 

I love wax free apples.
So natural and so beautiful.
So not perfect, but amazingly delicious!
Our picking adventure lead us to the Cortland apples next.
Our big box was beginning to fill up!






Some of the deepest colored apples were in the middle of the tree.
We just had so much fun picking them!






Our goal was to pick 21 pounds... that's when the price dropped from .89/pound to .75/pound.
We were told that a box would hold 50 pounds, so we filled it up about half way.
We were close... picking 26 pounds.
I'm hoping to make some apple sauce, a pie or two and little apple tarts, but I'm not sure if the girls will leave any apples for all of that.
Like I said, we're enjoying them just as they are!


After the orchards we decided to go to the park.
It was in between nap time and bed time, so we wanted to wear the kids out so we could put them to be early.
(A success, by the way!) 
My girls bless me so much.
I looked up to see them all holding hands.
They're all so sweet and care so much for each other, despite the drama that daily life creates!


The very best of friends!




Donika, looking much older than 5 years... I think.


Tim took advantage of nature to teach the girls about acorns.
He cracked them open to show the girls what's inside.
It was so cute to watch them try to crack them open with their little boots... just like daddy!


Ugh... these pictures bring tears to my eyes.
I'm not exactly sure why.
They're just so precious... talking about whatever it was that they were talking about.
I see them on a wedding video playing before the guests arrive or something.
I don't think there is anything more amazing than a father who is patient, tender and sensitive... but still very much "Dad" and masculine.
(Modeling Jesus.)
That will soften my heart in no time.
One thing is for sure... these little girls love their Daddy.
And he loves them.



Sometimes my heart literally hurts from the love I feel for my family.
This weekend was one of them.
(Even with fits, screaming, constantly working on obedience and reminders of saying "no!" to Mommy and Daddy is not an option.)
I wouldn't trade a weekend of family for anything in the world.