Happy 5th Birthday to my sweet boy, Pete.

I’m playing catch up…

She may be the prettiest girl in the world!

We had a Jedi Training Academy party tonight for Pete’s 5th birthday (which is Sunday). There were 7 5 to 7 year olds here. So. Much. Fun.

They colored R2-D2 upon arrival, made their own Death Star pizzas, guessed the character on their backs (Jedi mind tricks, of course), had blaster training (Calvin won), deactivated the Thermal Detonator (Peter won), made their own light sabers out of foam swords (think pool noodles, only in the shape of a sword) and various colors of duct tape, and, as their final challenge, destroyed the Death Star (pinata – video of which you can see on Facebook).

We had such a good time!

This is a picture of Anakin’s fake arm that got cut off by Count Dooku.

I love my boy, and my boy loves Star Wars.

I call this “3 o’clock Shadow”.

Thanks, RT, for encouraging me to use the camera more!

“A Few of My Favorite Things.” I’m like Oprah y’all.

My friend, Rebecca, is doing a some-odd annual December Photo Project where you show the “world” what you’re looking at for the first 25 days of December. Ta-da!

This is what my living room looked liked this morning when I woke up.

We got in late from a nice, long visit to St. Louis for Thanksgiving, and this is the thanks I got. 

I spent the day cleaning and unpacking and doing dishes and putting away laundry and stripping the last bit of wallpaper off the third wall so we could decorate as a family tonight.

I can hardly keep my eyes open.

I know, I know.  5 people have told me in the last 3 days that I should blog more often.  Here’s what I’m doing these days:

1.  Elsie is turning 3 on Friday.  I wasn’t going to have a birthday party.  Now there will be 20 kids plus their parents and our extended family there.  It’s a Wizard of Oz themed bash, and I’ve been cutting, pasting, cooking, shopping and sewing for the party…so far!!

2.  I joined the Zion Church Arts Committee.  We organize events like art shows, concerts, etc.  We have a book lecture and art exhibition called “God in the Gallery” on October 18th.  Guess who’s in charge of food?

3.  Zion’s Fall Fest is on the 26th of October.  I’m in charge of/singing in the bluegrass band.  We haven’t practiced yet

4. We throw a super big Halloween/Reformation Day party every year. And my costume kicks butt this year. As does the children’s.

5.  Tess will turn one (!!!!!!) on November 6th.  I have to do something for her 1st birthday.  This time I’m seriously only inviting close family and making some cupcakes.

6.  Another Zion Art deal – Matthew Smith and Indelible Grace will be at our church on November 20th.  Also in charge of refreshments for the band.

7. I teach sewing lessons every Thursday night.

8. We’re going to St. Louis for Thanksgiving, Dallas for Christmas, and our dear, dear friends are coming into town from Japan for Christmas, but mostly just to go to/be in a wedding. I’d like to have a New Years Party as well in there.

So, bear with me. Once the weather cools we will be spending more time inside, so that will be more accommodating to blogging. Until then, my friends…hang tight.

Here’s Tess’s 10 month pictures from JC Penney a few weeks ago. They have improved by leaps and bounds.

Two weekends ago we visited Mike’s Uncle Doug and Aunt Scherry in “the country”. We left bright and early in the morning and didn’t come home until late at night. We picked fruit off of fruit trees and vegetables out of the garden. We rode on of their 24 horses, visited a farm house that they purchased in foreclosure a few years back. I’m in love with that property, by the way. It’s 14 acres of the most beautiful land I’ve ever seen. It’s got 4 or 5 out buildings/barns, a large garden, a place where a Summer Kitchen once stood, a 2 stall garage, a creek, a miniature forest, it’s all fenced in and it has a 5 bedroom two story farm house to boot. I’m in LOVE, I tell you!

Here’s some pictures from our adventure. Enjoy!

Elsie was the first to ride. Nobody’s surprised, I’m sure.

Elsie like being up there but didn’t like that Daddy and Uncle Doug had to be there, too.

Pete was way less scared than I thought that he would be. He really liked being on the horse.

This is Pete asking Uncle Doug if Chester knew how to go fast. You can see a video of Chester going fast here.

Elsie was taking pictures just like Mommy.

Mike did a great job riding Chester.

Like Father, like Son…Mike had to go “fast”, too.

I look a bit like a Narnian warrior. I have on a Moby Wrap which Tess was in until I got on the horse. I decided it wasn’t best to ride a horse while having a baby strapped to you. I should get an award.

Pete at the end of the day.

And Elsie at the end of the day.

New photographers who love their jobs, new managers with (gasp!) management training, new lights and photography equipment, and a touch of professionalism = GREAT PICTURES.

Well, there you go. They probably read my blog.