This is more like it!

We went from mid to high 70s to snow practically overnight. It will all melt in a few hours but at least the temperature has dropped. Now I can finally put up Christmas decorations!

Nathan-ism

Daron is taking Nathan to a birthday party today. Daron reported Nathan's reaction as they pulled up to Chuck E Cheese's.

"I am so excited, my heart is going to turn into a rainbow! And it is going to stay that way the whole day."

Love it!!

Standing?!

This seven and a half month old little boy is very determined to keep up with his siblings. This morning, I caught him pulling himself up to standing with the rocking chair. I missed getting his triumphant (and somewhat amazed) face but here is proof he did it!

Happy National Pickle Day!

How excited we are to find out there is a pickle holiday! We love pickles at our house!

So did Thomas Jefferson!

"On a hot day in Virginia, I know nothing more comforting than a fine spiced pickle, brought up trout-like from the sparkling depths of the aromatic jar below the stairs of Aunt Sally's cellar."

It’s National Pickle Day! Pickles have been a popular food for thousands of years. In 2030 B.C., cucumbers were imported from India to the Tigris Valley. There, they were first preserved and eaten as pickles.

In ancient Egypt, people consumed pickles for their nutritional value and because they were thought to enhance beauty. Cleopatra attributed her good looks to her full diet of pickles. Centuries later, Napoleon believed that pickles offered health benefits for his armies, so he offered a huge cash prize to anyone who was able to preserve them safely.

Today we honor the culinary history of pickles. This versatile vegetable can be enjoyed as a condiment, snack, or side dish. Stock up on your favorite kind of pickles and celebrate National Pickle Day!
--from punchbowl.com

Nathan-ism

Nathan and I were having a literal face to face conversation yesterday. He stopped talking, staring at my eyes.

Nathan: That's weird.

Me: What is?

Nathan: Why do sometimes people have maps in their eyes?

Me: Huh?

Nathan: You have little red things on your white part.

Me: Ah! That is called lack of sleep, son!

Halloween Trunk or Treat

This year was really hard to find something that we could all agree on! I finally came up with the idea of recreating the costumes from the kids' favorite show The Backyardigans: International Super Spy. But Esther didn't want to be the "bad guy" Lady in Pink. So we all went as the good guys - super spies.

 Joe Cool here with his top secret briefcase.

 Jacob's tight lipped smile! He wouldn't give me a big grin. His cheek is all red from being out in the sun during a yard sale we were a part of all morning in the cold!

 We have a whole series of Esther's different poses. These were the cutest.

 Double trouble!

 A family of spies. Don't my boys look handsome? And Esther is a natural at sporting her secret agent look. I had so much fun putting everyone else's costume together that I nearly forgot about mine. Thank goodness for a last minute trip to the thrift store for an overly large faux leather coat and some black pants!

I keep wondering how long my kids will think it's cool to dress up together. Forever, I hope!!

Texas State Fair

We really enjoyed our annual visit to the State Fair of Texas!

Checking out the cars and Esther thinks she's a star!

 Jacob taking in all the action and noise.

 Taking a break.

 Daron took the older kids on the Texas Star ferris wheel. That thing is 20 stories high. So I kept my feet on firm ground and stayed with Jacob.

 The carousel is an antique from the 1920s, I believe.

 Jacob sat on a horse for a little while and was loving the wind blowing in his face. But he was so wiggly that I had to take him off and just hold him.

 Every year we see the Kroger Birds of the World show. It's a conservation effort as well as an educational and fun show about birds. They always have two that fly into the amphitheater from the ferris wheel. Here is Nathan giving a bird a donation. The bird took it and put it in the box.

 Big Tex - just days before he was lost to fire. RIP Big Tex...

 This year there was a Chinese Lantern Festival. There were gorgeous lit pandas, pagodas, dragons, walkways, mermaids, lotus flowers, fans, etc. It was really quite pretty.

 This dragon was made of China plates!

What would a lantern festival in Texas be without a herd of longhorn cattle?