Beautiful Fall!

I just love the Fall! It's beautiful and crisp. I saw this tree at church yesterday and I wanted to get pictures of my kids (without their coats on) playing in the leaves. I didn't get very good shots. I didn't quite know where to stand to get a good picture and they were cold and hungry so I took a few pictures and we hurried back inside.

Yesterday was also Harvest day at church. It is a wonderful day when everyone brings a bag of groceries with a selected menu to church. These bags go to households who might not have food otherwise. We forgot our bag, so we went to Kroger and bought our food during 2nd service and came back for 3rd service. The kids helped pick the food and we prayed over the bag for the family who would get it.

I had the kids guess how many bags were given and were on stage. Ashley said 100, Mason said 1000 then changed it to a million. I can't remember what Aussie said, he didn't want to guess he just wanted to know. Oh I think he said 3000. So I asked the lady in charge of this mission how many bags we usually get. She said that they usually get 550-600 bags a year. But they needed 700. They are hoping that the money given yesterday will cover the cost to get the rest of the food.

{If you are interested in donating you can call and talk to Joan at 615-297-8551 or send a check to Woodmont Hills Church 3710 Franklin Rd Nashville, TN 37204.}

While the kids were on stage Aussie pretended to preach.

And then the others had to do it too.

Sunday happenings

Yes I know- I need to go to bed!

Today even though the kids have been feeling sick we took them to church because Greg was doing a skit in their class today and was using them as some of the actors. We let them come in to class but then we took them out right after the skit trying to keep them away from all the other kids. The doctor's office says they are not contagious, but Aussie had it first then Ashley and then Mason. I would say that it probably is contagious or at least was contagious. No fever just SICK out both ends. The doctor's office said this could go for 2 or 3 weeks. EEeeeek!

They did a fabulous job in acting though! We were so very proud of them. Aussie was Little boy David and he got his lines perfect! Ashley and Mason were Israelite kids. So adorable!

So then I actually found a Zaxby's nearby. There is one in Franklin. I was so excited that we went there after church. I was disappointed though! It was not nearly as good as I remembered it being. Anyway, these are pictures of what the kids made with their little waxy stix they got in their kids meal.

Now this creepy picture is very special. Aussie made these masks. I only helped them put the eye holes in the right place. I don't think they are supposed to be creepy. They call themselves the 3 foxes. I really like to see their creativity even if it looks a little creepy to me.

Good night- I've got lots to do tomorrow so I better go to bed.

Aussie's art work

This is a picture Aussie drew today.

It is of Link fighting a purple goop monster (that he made up). Link is from the Legion of Zelda a video game that Daddy plays with the kids when he comes home from work. He likes to say that it encourages them in their reading.

We are excited about this picture because it is the first really colorful picture that Aussie has created. He is 6 years old and is becoming quite the artist.

We are entering this in a homeschool blog carnival being hosted by my friend Shez. You can find the information about it here.

another layout- I'm on a roll

I saw Stephanie Howell's layout similar to this and I knew I just had to copy it! I love the other one she has pictured with it as well.

The journaling reads:

Takes Tiger Lily everywhere she goes * Loves doing crafts * Loves playing Zelda and Mario Kart * Wants to do girly things without her brothers * Loves to draw and write in her diary * Likes fries, chicken and sunflower seeds.

Something Fishy!

The other day one of those educational kids' cartoon shows came on and

Ashley said, "Hey there's something fishy here!"

I said, "What?"

She said, "This is kind of fishy...I think this show is making me learn something."

You gotta love it!________________________

Also there is a new challenge blog out there for kids! YAY! This is so exciting! It's called Kids Can Scrap. And Ashley has already made 2 layouts for it and here they are:

What's really clever about this layout is a drop of black ink got on her picture and she covered it up by making a glitter necklace. Isn't she clever?

The journaling on this one says, My name is Ashley I love birdies. I just LOVE the little people she drew down in the left corner. Those are sticker dresses.

She hopes she wins...I do too. But I told her that it is not based on how well she did, but that whoever participates gets their name in a hat...etc..etc.

Blog Candy from Beates Verden

Check out this blog candy from Beates Verden.

She's having a contest over at her blog. But I'm just going to be honest with you....I don't want you to win (well unless you are going to share it with me) because I want to win!

Oh alright go ahead and sign up! I would love to see someone I know win this.

My sillies

These are my sillies at church on Sunday.

Daddy started reading the Hobbit to them.

And these are t-shirts that one of Greg's workmates gave to him (new). The kids LOVE to wear Daddy's t-shirts to bed- Hey it save us money on pajamas! And all those red cross t-shirts are coming in handy!

And here are a couple of layouts I did yesterday and today.

bummed

UGH!!! I think you know why!

There are fireworks going off around our house.

I don't feel like celebrating!

I want a DQ blizzard!

Come play with me

Ok so this is the challenge...

Use 3 or more smaller than normal pictures

Use glitter glass (a bright color if possible) {I knew Dana had glitter glass so for others playing along you can use glitter if you don't have glitter glass.}

Use a Bold color (this could be the glitter glass or patterned paper)

And scrapjack this layout from Dina Wakely ...

I've got mine done, but I won't share until Dana has hers finished. If you would like to play link up here. Like I said this is just for fun and is motivating us to scrapbook more. I'm too poor to offer any prizes. So just come have fun with us.

scrapbooking challenges

Ah how I love challenges!

I did this one a little while ago. Dana and I decided to give ourselves challenges. She picked two layouts that she liked and we had to try to combine those layouts. One had the title split and the other had flowers going down the page. This is what I came up with.

We are doing another challenge if you would like to play along let me know. We don't give out prizes or anything, we are just doing it to keep ourselves scrapping.

Here's a layout I did for one of Doris' classes. I even used the picture she took at the kids' birthday.

This was a fun challenge. You had to use a piece of junk mail in your layout. I happened to get a mini catalog for personalized notecards. All those rectangles are various notecards.

And this was loosely based on a challenge Doris and her friend did. You had to use fall colors with a twist (which I didn't do the twist) and use cardboard and other stuff. And it was also for Jann's challenge to use a b&w photo and use lots of texture to make your picture shine.

Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!

Wow! It seems like this holiday just keeps going and going this year!


Yesterday after school we went to
Murfreesboro square to Trick or Treat. We have never done this before. It was VERY busy!
Everyone paired up with a buddy and either held hands or tails.
All the businesses stand outside and hand out candy.
They got so much candy that their bags got too heavy to hold.

And at the end was a big inflatable slide, where I just sat down on the ground to rest and didn't think I could get back up!

They took a break in between slides to eat some candy.

They are showing me their favorite candy.

THEN as soon as we got home, Greg took the kids out for Trick or Treating in the neighborhood. I made dinner and stayed home for the entire THREE people who showed up at my door. That's not including my 3. I was SO extremely exhausted!

When Greg got back, we ate dinner and I crashed HARD! I have no idea what time it was. The kids came up and put candy on my shoulder.

Later when they were getting ready for bed, I heard them say, "Hey you didn't eat the candy we gave you." I was OUT!

But earlier today Greg got 2 surprises at work. When he got to work their was a gift certificate for $50 for a steak house that we have never been to before on his desk. He got it for helping one of the big bosses at work over a weekend. Then he won a $25 gift card for Target for having one of the best costumes. They said he won his because of his acting. SO.....It looks like I might have a nice birthday (wink)!!!