Happy Halloween!

I have to admit that I don't get into the dressing up each year for Halloween.  Over the years we have accumulated quite a few costumes, so I leave it up to the kids to figure out a get up.

Jack and Samuel had decided early on that they would rather go hunting with Daddy instead of trick or treating.  Emily was on the fence.  She knew she would love the candy, but had no idea what she would be.  We don't have any store bought costumes in her size so she was going to have to be creative.  I gave some suggestions and told her that I wasn't going to be making a costume a half hour before we were scheduled to leave!  She googled "last minute costumes" and came up with this:

A STICK FIGURE!

I thought it was pretty cute plus its the world's easiest costume...black clothes, a paper plate, and some masking tape. VOILA!

The rest of the crew were made up of 2 dinosaurs and Sophia the First.

The decision to hunt instead of trick-or-treat paid off for Jack because he got this doe!  Bob got a cross bow just this week and Jack had the honors of the first kill with it!  Samuel came up empty, but still had fun with the boys.

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Fun

Thanks to Emily we managed to get a pumpkin carved this year.  We got a handful of pumpkins out of our garden this year, so they picked the biggest one and set to work.

The finished product!

And I was excited to be able to roast some seeds!  Yummy!

Hunting Weekend

For several years now, we've had friends and family come out for the mentored youth hunt weekend.  It's grown to be quite a fun weekend that everyone looks forward to each fall!

The Hunters are ready!!

Even the non-hunters are excited for the weekend!

Luke gets the first deer this year!  Jer also got a deer, but somehow I missed a picture of that one.

The hunts take place mostly in the mornings and evenings so the rest of the day is filled with fun.

 The men hang out around the fire sharing the stories of the previous hunt.

The kids kept themselves busy with all sorts of fun...

 Basketball was a big hit this year!

Mitchell took good care of Drew for me! 

Chasing the piglets around

 Playing "King of the Haybale" was pretty fun to watch!  Emily gave those boys a run for their money!!

 I didn't realize that a bunch of hay bales would provide such entertainment!!

We love our friends and family!

Heather and I determined that next year someone has to take our picture because we were there too!!

Happy Hunting Season!

The Basketball Hoop

Last Christmas we told the kids that part of their Christmas gift from us and their grandparents was that we were going to put a basketball hoop in, in the spring.  So as a family, last spring we started clearing the woods to make a spot for it.  We got it cleared and leveled and were ready to pour the concrete by early summer.  All the concrete guys were booked for months though so we ended up having to wait until October to get the concrete poured.  It was worth the wait though because the kids love it!  Thank you Grandma and Pappy!!

So when you come to visit, be sure to bring your basketball shoes!  

And as Drew says, "GAME ON,  DUDE!!"

Max's First Soccer Season

Max wanted to give soccer a try this year, so off he went.  The first game he pretty much stood there and picked his belly button, but as the season progressed he began to understand offense and defense and actually began to run after the ball. The thing I love most about Max in his athletic appearances so far is that he is his teammates biggest fan.  If someone on his team scored a goal, he was the first to give a big hug (not a high five, but a big hear hug).  When he finally scored his first goal you would have thought he just won the world cup!

This was his typical look during his games...a big grin no matter what!

The Train Ride

One of the field trips we had planned for the summer that we never got around taking was a trip to Jim Thorpe to ride the train.  Grandma unexpectedly sent out some money for the kids, so they voted to use it to go on the train ride we never got to.

It was a gorgeous day out.  We had the day off school due to Columbus Day, so off we went!

I forgot my camera and my phone was dead, so these photo credits go to Emily's ipod.

Sitting on the coal monument, which remembers the large coal industry of the area. 

  Ready to board the train

 I'm not sure which Drew liked more...the train or the deer her found inside the train!

 The leaves were starting to show their colors.  These pictures do it no justice.  

The scenery was breathtaking!

Not a cloud in the sky!

It was a great day!  Thank you, Grandma!!

Welcome to the Porch

When we had the addition put on the house, we left the porch unfinished so that Bob could finish it himself.  So Bob the Builder he went to work.

Earlier this summer, Bob and Jack planed some of the wood that Bob had milled from our own trees.  (Thanks to Bob's dad for getting him the planer!)

The floor goes down and the walls go up:

Add some furniture and some lighting and voila, welcome to our porch!

Next spring we'll have to stain it.

I love our new space!  Thanks, Honey!!