Costume Day

These are not my children's costumes but rather an outfit we put together for school. They are my little monsters. I made the shirts and hats. Well, not made them, made them but sewed on the eyeballs. They added the monster teeth and I cut little slits in the end of the fingers of the gloves and glued in white foam claws.

I got the idea off of some website but now I can't remember where.

The school also donates cakes for the Harvest Festival at the church. Here are the kids' entries, they did them on their own can you tell?

It's going to be a very busy day today. I hope yours is as fun as ours is suppposed to be!

Carving Pumpkins

We try to make pumpkin carving an annual event although some years it seems the days just get away from us. This year I made sure to find the time because it's something we really enjoy doing together as a family. This year was one of the best yet as the kids are a little older and understand the whole process much better.

Bethany liked taking out the slimy seeds even though she got tired of it after a while.

Showing off our finished products.

Someone passed this along to me the other day and I thought it was cute and this post would be the perfect one to share it on: When asked by a co-worker what it was like to be a Christian a woman replied, "It's like being a pumpkin: God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you may have gotten from the other pumpkins. Then he cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Nerd Day

Do you get it - nerd day? Small crunchy, tangy colorful candy. Nerd? Okay so not my brightest of ideas but the kids still had fun. A dollar store pillow case with a blanket stuffed inside, this was the easiest day besides pajama day.

Sports Day

It was Sports Day at school today and this one was a fun one too! The point of Spirit Week is to be creative as possible so I figured everyone would have on some sports shirt at the very least. But then I also knew with all our little baseball, football, softball and soccer players we have running around here that the kids would be wearing their uniforms. So how do you make it so your kids are different and stand out. How about head to the dollar store pick up some clown wigs and face paint, create a foam finger out of craft foam and waaallla! instant sports fans...

I know you can't see the foam team fingers I made in this photo, I forgot to take a picture with them. We were kind of rushed because it was cold outside.

Bethany won again today after much discussion among other staff members. Because the kids who won on the other days were the ones best dressed today too the principal was having a hard time choosing. She likes it to be fair but decided to let our fourth/fifth grade teacher choose the winners for Elisha and Bethany's class. Elisha had a little more competition than Bethany so he didn't win but he was close. I'm glad he was such a good sport about it because I thought for sure he'd ask why Bethany won and he didn't since they were dressed practically the same.

BFF and will even sit on the floor together. I'm not sure why they chose to each lunch on the floor but whatever floats their boat I guess.

The Three Amigos. Have you figured out yet Elisha's closest friends are girls? Although he's found hanging out with these two a lot he also plays sports with the boys. It's just that the girls like to take pictures with him and the boys like to run from the camera!

Crazy Hair and Long Socks

As evidenced by the title it was crazy hair and long sock day at the kids' school and boy did we get crazy. We already knew what we wanted to do with Elisha's hair but had no idea with Bethany. Longer hair really is harder to do something with than the short hair. But while lying in bed this morning willing the clock to slow down so I could sleep just a little longer-it came to me!

A view of both kids outside the school. This is just before I put the eyes on Bethany's head. Any ideas what her hair is supposed to be?

Elisha's hair and all it's craziness!

A single shot of Bethany. Figure it out yet?

The top of Elisha's colorful head of hair.

More of my creative idea for my darling little girl. Got it yet?

I forgot that it was crazy hair AND long socks when taking the pictures so I figured I better get a photo of the complete outfit and not just the hair.

Yep, you guessed it, it's crazy spider hair! And guess who won best in their class today?


Bethany and Jewell! I was so confident that my great idea would help Bethany bring home the winning award tag today until I saw Jewell's hair. It was everywhere, definitely crazy and sparkly and most of all she looked oh so cute like that. The girls were so excited that they both got to be the winners for their class, they really are the best of friends. They started screaming and jumping up and down when the announcement was made that they tied. It was too cute!

All the winners.

Elisha and his friends and their crazy hair. Harmony won for their class.

Oh and Yohn decided he'd get in on the fun too and colored his gotee for chapel this morning. The kids of course thought it was great.

Pajama Day

It's Spirit Week at the kids' school and today was Pajama Day. Since I work there I thought I'd join in today. Note: I will not participate everyday as it's just not my thang.

Elisha won "Best PJ's" in his class with his football playing snowman pajamas (did that make sense? He has pj's with the design of snowmen that are playing football).

Friday Night Football

On Friday night we attended a varsity football game for a teen we know and have known since he was 7. It's kinda scary to see him now at age 17 a senior in high school getting ready to step out on his own in a just a few short months. This boy's football game is so good he's already had scholarship offers to at least 3 colleges that I know of. It'll be a sad day when he moves on because despite his age and size (6' 3" if I'm right) because to all of us he's still such a kid. We love this big sweet boy! So we went to see him at his high school homecoming game before he moves on and we can never see his football games again.

It was a crowded place, I mean, why wouldn't it be, it being homecoming and all. So instead of taking a seat in the stands we stood at the fence the whole game. Yes, I got tired of standing and so did Yohn but with the kids it was actually easier because I don't think they would have sat well the whole game.

That's Zach, #70. My kids love him a lot. Elisha even named one of his bears Zach after big Zachery.

Not a good picture I know, but you get what you get and you don't throw a fit at a night game and lots of running around. Here Zach is swatting the ball down after the quarterback tried to throw it. Elisha was all disappointed he didn't catch it until I explained to him that the fact that he stopped it was still very important.

The kids were treated with candy necklaces from Zach's mom who happens to be the director/principal at the school they attend and I work for.

Shouldn't we get the award for cutest couple or something? I'm kidding!

A few football shots.

The final score. yes, I realize that clock still has time on it, but I knew the game was over (even though I really didn't) and took the picture with confidence.

Zach and the kids after the game. Too bad I didn't realize Bethany was looking away or I may have asked for another shot. Oh well, Zach was in a hurry because he needed to be with his team. Thanks Zach, we loved watching you play and are very proud of you!

Count Your Blessings Sunday

Have you been blessed this week? Care to tell about it? I created this blog carnival for a friend of mine who, shall we say, needed some practice looking at the things God was doing in her life, rather than the things she didn't have and it's really helped put things into perspective for me too. If you'd like to join in simple do a Count Your Blessings Sunday post on your own blog and then come back here and type your name and blog address on MckLinky below or just leave your list in the comment section below.

1) For my family, Yohn, Elisha and Bethany. You bring me so much joy and I couldn't imagine life without you.2) Though I've had a rough week with a lot of things on my mind, God has proven that He is the one in control. I can rest in His peace even though the storm seems to still be raging and I can't see an end in sight. 3) A good night's rest. It's nice not to wake up worrying about something that's beyond your control.4) That today we are all healthy with no "piggy virus" visiting us this week.5) The International Buffett is tonight at our church and even though Yohn and I will be with the kids, the food is still available!

May you be blessed this week too!

Smith Family Farm

A field trip to the Smith Family Farm is an annual event at the kids' school and Yohn and I love to go too. This was our third time going and it was fun as usual. Even though the agenda is the same every year (look at the animals, barn show, picking out pumpkins, eat lunch, look at the teepees, go home) the kids never fail to enjoy themselves. I hope this is one annual trip the kids will look forward to for many years.

They have cut outs that they made all over the place. I only got a few shots of them this year though.

The hay tunnel is always a favorite with the kids. You can't pull them away from here for several minutes.

These ponies wouldn't come to anyone but Yohn to begin with.

The barn show is definitely one of a kind. You can tell these people really like kids. The children each got to participate in a song using "homemade" instruments.

This guy's name is Jimbo and everyone's favorite song he sings every year is "The Monster Mash." They couldn't wait for him to do it. He actually does pretty good and his version is very close to the original (but I'm young, so maybe it doesn't and I just think it does).

Gotta love a good hayride!

Because of the rain we did not get to go to the fields to pick out our pumpkins like we usually do but they still had some set aside for us to chose from. I love pictures with the pumpkins. You know what time of year the photo was taken just because of the pumpkin. I'm starting to thing that fall is my favorite season because I love the pumpkins and the changing colors of the leaves.

I like how Jamie tried to hide behind his pumpkin, I can still see you silly boy!

Family photo time!

Another cut-out picture. There was actually another one with bees on it but I forgot to go back and get that picture. Oh well, there's always next year.

Elisha showing off his pumpkin carrying muscles.