Sold!

I went with some friends to an Amish produce auction a few days ago.  It was so fun!  We bid on this lot of 20 mums and got them for a great price!  It was a good thing we had two minivans to help haul them all home.  Especially because we got some pumpkins as well.

My friends left me alone with our number card and when they came back they found me holding this case of raspberries.  Uh...I guess I just got caught up in the action. :)  A couple of the other bidders asked me what I was going to make with all those raspberries.
Uh....
I was able to sell some of them and we've eaten up a bunch as well.  I'm sure I could make something cool but I'm happy just to eat them up fresh.  The girls love them with cream.

Grandma comes to visit!

We enjoyed having Ben's Mom come visit for a week.  The girls kept careful track of whose turn it was to sit by Grandma at the table.

I certainly enjoyed some adventures with my wonderful mother-in-law on this visit including this nail biter.  I had meant to get gas earlier in the day but then forgot.  When I noticed the gas gauge light it said we had 10 miles to empty.  I think the light comes on at 25 miles left but we were too busy talking for me to notice.  Fun fact about the Midwest:  it is very common to have long stretches of road (longer than 10 miles) with nothing but cornfields and farm houses.  It so happens that we were on one of those stretches at the time.  However, I was *sure* the next gas station was just around the corner.
Okay, i mean just over that next hill.
Okay, it's got to be right around this curve.
I finally turned off the display when the distance to empty got down to 3 miles because it was stressing me out to see it dropping with no gas station appearing.  I slowed down to conserve gas and we both started praying.  We were going to be rolling back into town just in time to get the girls from school so running out of gas was not going to work into the schedule that day.  Thankfully we made it to the gas station and before I turned the car off I turned on the display again and saw the 0 miles left.  It took us a little while to calm down from that one.  We both played it cool while it was happening but it left us a little shaken.
Lesson learned!

Beach

Just before the school year started we spent an afternoon at the beach, Midwest style.  This is a recreation area in our town. On another visit it was crowded (thirty-ish people) but this time we had it all to ourselves.

 I don't like going in pond/lake water but I do enjoy sitting there watching.

Saturday Fun

Weird shadows but I still like this picture.  We don't seem to take very many of just the two of us.  Maybe I'll try to remedy that.  We went on a hike with the girls in a local state park.  It was only a 30 minute loop but it was just we needed.  The girls had gotten a little cranky and bored at home and this cheered us all up.  Besides, we had to get out in this beautiful weather we've been having.

On the way home we stopped at a little pumpkin patch with a corn maze.  It's too warm for me to really be in Fall mode but I'm starting to get ready for it.

Let's Tidy Up

Our movies were one big jumbled mess in the cabinet so I had these two sort them all out and organize them.  They actually kind of enjoyed it and worked well together.  I tried to give them a little guidance but they said, "We've got this, Mom."  And they did!

Much better!!!  They had sorted them by category and then alphabetized them.  Later that day when they had watched a show and I was going to put the case back but they said, "No! Let us do it, we know just where it goes."  They didn't want me to mess up their system.  I'm good with that!

I thought they were just going to organize the DVDs but on their own they made a pile of ones that they wanted to get rid of.  I was so pleasantly surprised!  I've tried to keep them involved in the process when we give away their clothes or toys and it looks like they are getting the hang of it.

School Begins!

Annabelle--3rd grade

Natalie--1st grade

Katie started 6th grade--middle school!

Quail Eggs

We get eggs from some friends that raise chickens.  The last time we got some they gave us some quail eggs as well.  This was their first time raising quail and apparently they lay a lot of eggs.  Good thing since they are so much smaller compared to chicken eggs as you can see.

One chicken egg with several quail eggs.  We didn't really notice a difference in taste.

Rainbow!

We had a 15% chance of rain today. We ended up with a major downpour and a beautiful rainbow! I don't think I've ever seen one so horizontal.

Calvin and Hobbes

The girls have gotten hooked on Calvin and Hobbes this summer.
It's pretty much the best comic strip of all time.
We've checked a bunch out from the library and they are always sprawled across the table or counter because they like to read them while they eat breakfast.  Katie will sit at the bar and read them to me while I make lunch or dinner. 

Baking

Katie insists on wearing her apron and chef hat that Gramma D made her every time she bakes something.  Her favorite cookbook is one that Gramma C sent her.  Her baking adventures are always a big hit.

Ka-put

Ben has had this alarm clock since high school. It's been serving us well for a long time and it finally gave out. Farewell, old friend. :)

The sisters return!

We had three of the sister missionaries that lived with us in the past stop by for a visit last week.  It was so fun to have them come back after their missions.  We love these ladies!

I think they see me more as a mom but they are so young and cool that I like to wishfully think I'm more of a sister. :)

I let the girls stay up super late one night hanging out with the sisters.  It's what we always wanted to do never could while they were serving here on their missions.  So glad they came back to party with us!

We got to celebrate Sister Matley's birthday with her!

Honk honk. Get it?

Mary Poppins

We saw a live performance of Mary Poppins at the Music Guild in Moline this week. It was amazing! The story line was somewhat different than the movie version. It was a 3 hour show which made for a late night but it was fun-- lots of great singing and dancing.

I just read this and it struck a chord with me today:

"When we quit being harsh with ourselves those same voices become kinder to our children."