Is this what Christmas is really about?

With the start of November, came the first of many ads in the newspaper, enticing kids to want every toy available to mankind.  Last Sunday, Toys R Us's Biggest Big Book Ever came in the GR Press and the boys have been drooling over the book all week.  I told each of them to get three different colored makers out and circle the things that they really wanted.  It was quite humerous, to say the least.  

First let's start with Brendan's circled items

Not so bad, I can see way he would want each of these items, some of them he has actually wanted for a long time, but Mike and I just didn't think he was old enough for these items in previous years.  A few days later, he narrowed it down to one item...the Nerf Cannon.

Austin's list of circled items was a little bit longer

 

 

Here's a few that we thought were a little comical.  First Austin said he really, really wants Geo Trax....even though we have tons of them already at home and he doesn't pay any attention to them.

Next, all the boys think they need guitars, even Connor.  But Austin's going to be the rocker of the group.

Third, Austin is wishing for the FREE $10 gift card.  He doesn't really care anything about the fact that you have to spend over $100 on an ipod to get the gift card.  He just wants the GC

Oh, Luc....where do I even begin.  I didn't know that you wanted so many things, but that you also have such expensive taste.  Do we really deprive you that much???

Is the treehouse the Dad built you not enough that now you need 3 more playsets?

I'm beginning to wonder if you think our backyard should look like a park.

And here's where your expensive taste start coming into play...do you really need the $80 easel, when your brother picked out a prefect good one for $35

  

So what's your pleasure, do you really just want play guitar like all your brothers or are you going to venture out and play the drums instead.  (We are going to have a rockin' band some day...)

As parents we want to give our children everything, right? but do we have get a loan to do so?  Do we really need to max out our credit cards just to show them that we love them?  Believe me, our boys will NOT be getting +/- $7000.00 worth of toys that they are wished for, and that doesn't even include anything Connor wants.  

I guess this would be a good time for us for to sit down with our boys and teach them how to be content with what they have and not be greedy and covet  what they see in magazines and on TV.   We seem to get so wrapped up into what we want to Christmas that we forget about Christmas is really all about.  Is there something that your family does each year to show your kids that they will more blessed when they give than when they receive?

Brendan's school Pictures

 

  

Well, we finally got some half way decent weather, so Brendan and I head to the back yard for some pictures.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Happy Halloween

Halloween isn't a huge thing at our house. We don't really have tons of neighbors, so we didn't have any trick or treaters, at least what we know of... we weren't really home for them either.  But we did have some fun at our church's hullabaloo.  There were so many things for the kids to do - decorate pumpkin cookies, go fishing for goldfish, gourd bowling, hay bale ring toss, lots of crafts, hayrides, horse rides, and pumpkin carving.  The kids had tons of fun, got lots of candy and wore Mike's patience very thin.

After the party at church, the boys and I headed over to G & G vd's so they could see the boys in their costumes and load them up on some more candy.

Austin and Lucas as Lego Men, Connor aka Dr. Buttons, and Brendan as a wild Indian

Today's little moments become Tomorrow's precious memories.

Again this year we tried to capture a picture of all the kiddos from church.  I just have to laugh at this picture - Brendan looks like he's ready to attack Chase.  KK is laughing his head off.  Connor didn't look forward  for any of the pcitures and I think I took about 20 frames.  Nicholas was hiding behind Dewey on most of the pictures and Stella can't really see anything.  Good Times!!!!

carving Pumpkins

After a week, of the boys begging to carve their pumpkins, we finally did it.  I prefer to carve them outside so I don't get the mess in the house, but since it was raining, we transformed the dining table into a pumpkin carving station.  

Before

cleaning the seeds out of the pumpkin guts

we need the seeds for kindergarten pumpkin so I can roast them and for Halloween Hullabaloo at church this coming Saturday.

Brendan designing the face of his pumpkin

After

Cup of Joe

This morning after quickly making pot of coffee, I headed into the sewing room.  After an hour or so I went to check on the boys and this is what I found on the coffee table in the living.  At first glance, I smiled and thought  Connor wants to be just like mommy, drinking his milk out of a coffee cup  While I wasn't too happy that he had gotten a coffee mug out of the cabinets and the fact that he had it in the living room, it still warmed my heart.

When I went over to put the mug back in the kitchen, the smell of creamer hit my nose.  Connor had filled the mug 2/3's full of cinnamon vanilla creamer...honestly, I don't use that much creamer with my coffee.

After school fun

On Tuesday, our school had it's first skating party for the year.  The boys were all excited about going, and mommy was even more excited because it was free!!! (thanks for the generous donor who covered the cost for all who wanted to skate.)

So we dropped Connor off with Mike and headed to school to pick up Brendan.  Then it was off to Woodland for lots of fun.

the twins with Madison and Chloe from their class.

Chloe and Madison

Lucas and Joy

 (sorry about the quailty of the picture - I was having a hard time getting great pictures inside.)

Peel, Slice, and Core

Last week I did canned some more applesauce.  Here's the new gadget (it's my moms - thanks mom!!!!) I used this time around.

First you put the apple on

then you start turning the crank

and BAHM...the apple is peeled, sliced and cored.

This is out you have left.

Here's my little helper - I think he could the apple slices and quickly as I made them.

Once you have enough apples peeled and sliced to fill the pot, you cook them down...

...to this.  

Add a bit of cinnamon

and you're finished!!!

The finished product.

Hopefully, 4 bushels of apples with last us until next October.

Birthday Party at Orchard Hill

Last Saturday we were invited to a Bithday Party for MiniMe's son.  So after a morning filled with soccer, we quickly headed home for a change of clothes and to shove some food with the boys' mouths.

Then it was off to Orchard Hill in Dutton for an afternoon of friends, food and fun.

First the kids had so much fun running with the corn maze.  I don't know if we ever actually it to the end of the maze.  We kind of found a kid made trail to get out instead.

Then it was off to the animals,

sheep,

goats,

and geese.

Later we headed over for a hayride.  We definitely pack the wagon full,  I'm not sure we could have fit any more on.

The birthday boy getting ready for the hayride.

During the hayride, everyone had the opportunity to get off and pick out a pumpkin.

KK and his grandpa deciding which pumpkins they wanted

After the hayride, we were treated to some donuts, cupcakes and cider.  Yum!!!  KK then finally got to open all his gifts.  What a great party!!!  Thanks Josh, Jamie and KK for inviting us.  We had a blast!!!

Pumpkins

After an early morning school circle meeting, we stopped by Heidi's Farmstand on our way home.  I needed some more apples - bushels 3,4,and 5 for this season so far, and we needed a couple more pumpkins so when we have a free night for carving, we have them.  As the nice employees of Heidis' were gathering my many apples, I took the boys over to the pumpkins so they could pick one out.  Off they ran to the BIGGEST smallest pumpkins they had... wait a minute, don't must kids like to find biggest pumpkins, not my boys.  I have to keep telling them to find a bigger pumpkin.

Finally they were pretty sure they had found the right size pumpkins, and while I was loading them in the wagon,  the boys decided it would to fun to jump and climb on the pumpkins.  I'm so glad we were outside and the friendly employees of Heidi's were still packing my apples.  I really didn't want to buy any more pumpkins that I had to at $5 buck a pop.

and if you're wondering about Brendan not getting to pickout a his own,  well, we had a few grow from the leftover rotten pumpkins that were left in the garden last year.  And it's ripe at the right time of year this time. :)

Fishing

Last night, our church's outdoor club held a fishing derby for the kids at church.  The pond was stocked and lots of fish were caught  just not by our kids.  All the boys were so excited to fish even Connor.  Luckily for Mike, Brendan could bait and cast his own pole.  The other 3, not so much.  As quickly as Mike could bait the hook and cast the line, the boys had their lines reeled back in and they needed to be cast out again.  I am impressed with the amount of patience Mike needed to have.  (Thank you, honey)  

After some time by the pond, we headed to the line for ice cream...that's right I think it was about 40 degrees outside, maybe colder and we were eating ice cream outside.  It was so good!!!!