WW: Halloween Fun

We purchased pumpkins this year, and DH helped Violet and the boys carve jack-o'-lanterns.

The cats all found them fascinating while they were inside,

while the kids were more excited about seeing them lit up outside.

We didn't do any actual trick or treating, but that didn't stop Henry from running around all morning in his bunny costume with socks on his hands and feet.

WW: Beach

We enjoyed a beautiful and relaxing week at the Outer Banks last month.

Benny pulled in this sixteen inch flounder,

and Henry caught some small spot.

WW: Best $2 I've Spent in Awhile

 I bought this perplexus ball at a recent consignment sale for $2.

It has gotten hours of play over the past few weeks, although so far Benny is the only one to make it all the way to the end.

WW: Henry's Spider Web

A Quiet Christmas

Checking out Santa's gifts before diving into a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs and homemade cinnamon rolls and reading the Christmas story together

Henry, who has recently taken a renewed interest in VeggieTales, was very excited by his new video from my parents.

Benny's expression after opening his new Harry Potter game made all those hours on Ebay trying to find something in good condition at a reasonable price worthwhile.

Violet and Jessie were most excited about the gifts that cost me nothing at all:  permission to read the final Harry Potter book for the former and to watch the fourth movie in that series for the latter.

WW: Our Christmas Tree

The kids had a blast putting up the ornaments this year.  Even Henry got a chance to help.

WW: Benny's Tinkertoy Dragon

WW: Where's Jessie

Jessie decided to stay home with DH Sunday when I took Violet and Benny to choir practice with Henry in tow as usual. When DH first looked out to check on her, he couldn't see her anywhere

until she decided to stretch a bit.

Having a pile of leaves to yourself is a rare treat around here.

More Fall Fun

One of the kids favorite fall traditions is burning a pile of brush and roasting marshmallows to make S'Mores. This weather this weekend was perfect: not too warm, not too cold, not too wet, and not too dry. Henry did a great job this year of not getting too close to the fire.

All the kids had a great time. Here they are happy and full of S'mores. (I didn't get any pictures until after all the S'mores were done since I was too busy helping them put them together.)

Of course, being silly with Dad only adds to the fun.

M&M Fun

We normally don't have a lot of dessert in our house. I figured after jello with a candy cell model, Roman cookie pillars to support our graham cracker roof, and edible sword in the stone models it would be a good week to take off from edible creations. Then on Wednesday, I hear...

Violet: I can't wait until tomorrow's history lesson.
Me: Tomorrow?!?
Violet: You know. We're making medieval churches out of M&Ms.
Me: No we're not. Where did you get that idea?
Violet: It's right here on my check sheet. See. M&M Medieval Church.
Me: M&M means Monks & Mystics not the candy. We're going to read the first chapter in the book which is titled "The Medieval Church".

Needless to say, Violet was crestfallen, so I started thinking. We are studying the Byzantine Empire. They did have a lot of mosaics. If we make them out of M&Ms and use icing to hold them in place, it will make a lot less mess than the plaster mosaic in the activity guide I didn't want to do. I have a cake mix and can of icing already, so we put them on cupcakes then they could make several small ones. DH is teaching tomorrow so we could do it after dinner. Then Jessie and Henry could make some too. This really isn't helping my diet, but at least Target had the M&Ms on sale and I had a coupon too.;)

Here are the finished mosaic inspired cupcakes...

Jessie completed 5 mosaics total.A person, the sky and grass, a burning log, Jack's face, and a kite.

Violet and Benny each made three mosaics and loaded two other cupcakes with as many M&Ms as they could hold.

Violet's smiley face, Cassiopeia constellation, and what I believe is a bear.

Benny made a fish and cross. I'm not sure what the third one is.

Henry placed the 5 of the 6 M&Ms that I gave him carefully on his cupcake while he slowly ate the 6th.

Then carefully pulled the M&Ms back off the icing one by one to eat them.

Everyone enjoyed the tasty results. (I just wasn't fast enough with the camera to get pictures of the girls eating also.) It was great to have an activity that all four kids could participate in.

WW: Fun in the snow (all 27" of it)

WW: Tractor Baby

WW: Our newest family member...

Meet Jack, our new 8 month old golden retriever. He's sacked out after a busy morning of walking, playing, exploring, and just trying to keep up with the kids and I.

WW: Fishing Success

WW: Beginning hide and seek or peek-a-boo

Either way it produced plenty of baby giggles.

WW: Benny's 5th Birthday

Hunting for dinosaur eggs

Playing a short game of hot potato with his sisters

Making dinosaur finger puppets

Cake time
and of course the presents

WW: Our Easter Egg Hunt