Time for cozy evenings by the fire....

....but first you have to bring in and stack up the wood:


then you all gather around to "help" Dad light the fire!

Zoo Trip

I can't believe I forgot to post these last week! We enjoyed an afternoon at the zoo on Tuesday of last week. The weather was perfect - upper 60's and no wind - and we pretty much had the place to ourselves! We're thinking it'll be interesting to go back in the snow this winter!

Our cuties in costume....

Peter the Pirate



Andrew - "Moses", Sam "Secret Service Agent", Peter
David - "Clown", Daniel - "Woody"


Daniel


David

IWU Chorale

Here's a video clip of Abby singing with the IWU Chorale in Kalamazoo.

Abby and IWU Chorale

We got to hear the IWU chorale tonight! They were performing in Kalamazoo - just 40 miles from here - and we were thrilled to be able to go. They were amazing!

Of course, SHE's the star!!

It was pretty neat to see Tuscaloosa friends, too. Devin Kerstetter, Laura Kennedy, and Jeffrey Jensen (not pictured) are also in chorale.

I think Daniel was a bit confused at seeing Laura. He remembered her, but not sure if he could comprehend all the geographic confusion!

Random photos...

Here are some random pictures from the last couple of weeks. Notice all the birthday cakes? We've had 3 birthdays in the last 2 weeks! Philip turned 12 on the 9th, and on the 18th Thomas turned 14 and David 6.

Philip

Sam and Daniel

Philip

This picture is included more to show you my favorite

trees than to show Thomas practicing soccer!

Thomas

David

Hayride

Mom's laptop has been out of commission this week so the photos are slow in getting processed, but follow this link and scroll down just a bit (but not before looking at the cute pictures of their precious kids!) to see some pictures of a recent fun time we shared with the other families from our church staff: http://www.ncypjoshisconfused.blogspot.com/.

Saturday

NEWS FLASH!!!!!!

David (5) has learned how to ride a bike!! He's been very timid about trying and really hasn't been interested in learning, but last week he saw a 3 yr. old and 4 yr. old (our asst. pastor - Josh and Jess Crisp's kids) riding and apparently it was just the motivation he needed!









NEWS FLASH #2: THOMAS SCORES HIS FIRST GOAL!!



No doubt it was due to the large number of personal fans - Uncle Mark, Aunt Sherry, and all their kids came to cheer him on!



By the way, after the game Mark's family headed to the beach! Hard to believe for Michigan in October, but it was in the upper 80's today and great beach weather!!

"Where's the Beef?"

In our freezer!! :)

It's one thing to go to the grocery store and buy a roast or hamburger meat, but it's another to go to a butcher and get a side of beef processed! It makes the cow part of it all a lot more real!!




On another note....today David (5) came in VERY excited! Our neighbors' guinea hens had baby chicks that had just hatched! It was pretty cool for everyone. I've tried to get one of the boys to get some pictures for the blog, but it hasn't happened yet. Maybe tomorrow....

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch!!!

A couple in our church has a pumpkin patch and invited us to come visit. It was lots of fun! Just when you think you've found the biggest, you see another that beats it! Everyone got to pick out their own to bring home. Since the walk back to the van was pretty long, Mom cautioned everyone to pick one they would be able to carry. Peter struggled with his, but found that he could stop every few minutes and use it to sit on for a rest! :)