It's a Friday

It's time for a rousing round of pictures. Here's what's been going on!

Trivia game night! The cousins down the hill had some friends out for some fun....and snacks...lots of snacks. It was a good time.

Fall Costume Party! Run down of some of the costumes -
John - Oompa Loompa. Like it's necessary to explain..

Jen - Coca Cola girl. The girls that are always on those 50's posters? She was adorable. I would buy Coke from her, for sure.

David - Flint Lockwood. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is one of our favorite family films. It's golden. You should watch it!

Stephanie - Spanish dancer. (a lovely one, if I may say so!)

Annnd me. An 80's aerobics instructor.
And I think my hair was 3x as big in real life.

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We carved pumpkins this year! We've never been big on Halloween, which is why we do the family costume party each year. This means that we've never done much other than that.....which means that we've never carved pumpkins! At least for as long as I can remember. But after this year, I think that will definitely change. It was loads of fun.

Pause for a second: My dad's eyes. They're basically bluer than Frank Sinatra, old Blue Eyes himself.
Ok, resume.
I just had to share that.

My first ever pumpkin!!
I know he's kinda pitiful. But for a first, I don't think he's half bad.
Next year, I'll do something really extreme!
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Now back to miscellaneous pictures.

This child makes exercising wayyy more fun.

View of the barns from our porch. It never gets old.

Earlier this week, this kid came running into the kitchen with his arms up and said, "Megan! Wanna hug!"

Ok child. Auntie will give you anything in the world, for you just melted my heart.

The first little brother turning 10.

I remember when he was born, just looking at him. We had all prayed for a baby brother for a long time, and here he was. The kid with the cutest nose in the world. And I remember thinking how crazy it would be when he was 10 and I was 17. Now we're here, and I can't begin to imagine having lived these growing-up years without David-nut right with me, a faithful sidekick.

 Toilet paper roll pilgrims on the Mayflower.
Clothing and faces designed by: Johnny.

 HUNTING.
This very well could be my favorite memory of the entire year of 2013. We had so. much. fun.
No deer, no, but we had a blast.
And when we decided the deer must be camping out everywhere but near us, we had a wonderful chat and went hiking in the woods.
Basically, 5 hours well spent.

I still don't understand how we didn't attract the deer just with attractiveness. I mean really.

Breaking news: We are busily cleaning house today because we've got some special company coming in this evening till Monday......the Ohians!!!! Pictures, I assure you, will follow.

It's a Tuesday

Happening update.

 

First things first: Allie Mace came over!

And we had Oreos (times about 100) and Peanut Butter and went adventuring and laughed until we cried and played games and cooked and such. It was a good time, most definitely.

 

 We took her out to see the farm...

 Our gate boy.

 She was clearly entranced.

And then went in to see Charlotte's Web! Fabulous day.
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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2. Go see it. So. Many. Food. Puns. :D
Plus, with this group, anything is twice as funny.

 Poster mimicking. To the left.

Pretty successful, no??

I like to think we're better than the original.
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Today was marvelously foggy. I love foggy, chilly, damp days. They are perfect for exploring and obviously perfect for playing poor kids. So, I had to find an adventure for this day.

 I grabbed my faithful side kicks and we went to invade the persimmon trees! We gathered a basketful and fought through all the thorns and high places...

 Expert tree-climber.

 These are the greatest minions a girl could ask for.

 Ready for washing, seeding, pureeing, seasoning, boiling, and canning!

Alrighty, lots of work, but so much fun, and completely worth it. The sidekicks are now enjoying the fruits of our labor on warm toast.
A successful expedition for this foggy, chilly day!

[Summer times]

It's been too long! (as pointed out by my very faithful blog follower. :))

Time for a picture update.....

 

 Basically my favorite day of the summer - with the best of friends.

 Oh, head illusions.

 Out adventuring!

 This has been, "Cooking with Francis and Fran, episode: the quail egg."
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 Crafts.....

 ....and sending letters to the "college kids."

 Just, you know, documenting the Olympics.

 More crafts...never, repeat: NEVER. Throw away toilet paper rolls. There is always SOMETHING you can make out of them.

 Meet the Gourdons: left to right, Masterson, Carlton, Muriel, and Bo.

 Show rehearsin'. The dramatics.

 It's been SO fun having more time with my favorite tiny kid - He's getting so big!! I am the proud responder to "Auntie Mug."

Settling in for an evening of cocoa, pink marshmallows, jello, and Ice Age.

 The porch is now done!

Gorgeous last few summer sunsets....