color

It is absolutely gorgeous out right now!!  Sunny, warm, fall day with leaves changing and falling.  Fall is so bittersweet for me.  I do love the season itself, but I end up dreading it as summer ends just because I know what comes after fall, and that it's cold, dark, and lasts sooooo long.  Certainly the bright side of winter is having Mike around so much more.  That helps!  I SHOULD be out mowing the lawn right now (for probably one last time this year), but Jackson is napping and Mike took the other three boys to help my dad with the combine.

Last week I managed to pickle some peppers!  I had completely forgotten that I wanted to do that, and then Mike mentioned it.  (I love having a garden, but when the season comes to an end I am more than ready for a break.)  Thankfully I have a few pepper plants that have still been going strong, so I didn't have a problem gathering enough to do several jars.  It was easy, and Mike loves them!

Last Thursday Levi, Jackson, and I went on a little adventure to South Haven.  Mike's cousin who lives in Indiana bought a 1/4 cow, so we met her halfway with the meat.  (We've done this a couple times before.)  I'm so glad that South Haven is a good meeting place for us because it's such a neat little town.  We took a quick look at the lake (it was too cold to get out), then stopped downtown for a little treat.  It was a nice day for a drive, and both boys did great!

Friday Mike took Roxy to the vet for a check-up.  She's doing great!  She's only about 52 pounds, which is small compared to what Brandy and Sadie were, but the vet said she looks great.  It's always *interesting* taking our outside dog who is not leash trained into the vet's office.  Kinda like taking our rambunctious country boys out in public.  We all fit well together, I guess!

Saturday was Jackson's birthday party!!  I can't believe it!  We had things pretty well under control, so Mike was able to help my dad combine earlier in the day.  We had a nice party for him in the evening.  My parents, Mike's mom and stepdad, Kara and the kids (Harold was gone hunting), Eric and Lea Anne and the kids all came.  Being close to Halloween we told the kids they could wear their costumes to the party, so that was fun.  I don't think Jackson knew quite what to think of all the people in our house at first.  And, he was unsure of his cake when I first gave it to him, but he ended up digging in.  :)

Early Sunday morning Levi woke up puking, so I ended up staying home from church and Mike took Caleb and Logan with him.  So glad it was just a quick little thing and no one else got sick!

Yesterday was Halloween and it was my FIRST time trick or treating!  We took the kids to Eric and Lea Anne's neighborhood and it was so fun to be out and about with so many other people (it was a beautiful night) and see the kids really getting into it and enjoying it.  Levi tired out after a bit, but handled it well.  Now we have SO MUCH candy and I've got to exercise some willpower.  (And it would be helpful if I actually exercised my body as well...)

I won't be able to describe it very well, but I hope just the mention of it will jog my memory enough that I'll remember it clearly...  So, last night we're walking around Eric and Lea Anne's neighborhood and there's a guy with one arm (for real) who has his stump and his shirt made to look all bloody and he was walking his dog who was dragging along a fake arm.  Pretty good.  (If I ever lose a limb or something I hope I can make the most of it with a good attitude like that.  Anyways.)  From a distance us adults are watching my niece Heidi notice this guy.  She's terrified of dogs, so first she is wary and giving him plenty of space because of that. But then she noticed that he was missing an arm and boy was she dumbfounded and staring at him.  Oh the look on her face!!  It was great.

My baby turns 1 tomorrow.  I'm not sure yet how I feel about that...