Photo Dump

Beautiful fall day a few weeks back so we hiked Coronado Heights!  One of the kids favorite places to explore.

 

Trick or Treat down Main St. is a fun annual tradition in our town!

Michael Jordan, biker girl, red ninja and Red Power Ranger had a great time!

First annual Costume WOD!  These people know how to have a good time!  Wicked fun night!!

Morning after the Costume WOD we opened the gym to be the start/finish line for a Costume 5K.  Cory did the whole stinkin' thing!  His friend, Leah, ran it all too!  Sometimes this kid just blow me away.

*************************************************************

 So before all this Halloween fun, we surprised Little A with her birthday/Christmas present.  A trip to Florida to visit her aunt, uncle and cousins!  She was speechless and so excited. 
This will be for me the sweetest memory.  Just before we pushed back on our first flight.  She turned right after I took this picture and just smiled so, so big.  It was priceless time with her.  

 

A full day at Sea World!

Mic and I waiting in line for a ride.

Sierra and I

Nathan and I (Sierra with a scary photo bomb!)

Pool time in October is a sweet deal.

Birthday girl!  11 years old

*************************************************

 And just because it was a sweet moment

Autumn was somewhat sick yesterday so I let her stay home, which meant she volunteered to help Cory with his schoolwork.  :)

Surprises

I hesitate writing this post.  I love surprises, but nothing is worse than blowing a surprise.
I'm banking on the fact that few people read this blog and even fewer see my daughter on a regular basis.

Her birthday is the 21st of this month.  And we're going to surprise her. 
It's been in the works for about a month and has only worked out because of my sister's generosity.  I get a little giddy thinking about it...

Autumn and I are flying on a jet plane to Florida.  We'll spend 4ish days with my sister and family.  My nieces don't know.  My daughter does not know.  My sister and I are trying to keep it under wraps until the day we fly out. 

We decided last Christmas after spending more than we ever had on a cool "big" gift for the kids that they destroyed in a matter of weeks, that we are no longer doing big gifts.  At least until they are much older and less destructive.  So, our gifts will be experiences.  This is Autumn's birthday and Christmas gift (and really should be my gift, as well!)

We have some other ideas in the works for the other kids and it will be fun to experience those as well.

Autumn thinks we're going to Missouri to celebrate with her friends there and my parents.  It's a nice cover since my mom is watching the boys while we're gone. 
So if you see her, ask about her trip to Missouri, but DO NOT mention Florida!!  Gosh, I love surprises!

Runaway freight train

Full steam ahead is about the only way I can describe these past few weeks.
Days are full, housework is way behind, 12 year old is self-educating, 10 year old is running the house most evenings, 8 year old is getting school in twice a week if we're lucky, and 5 year old has been watching entirely too much SpongeBob Squarepants and I vaguely remember what my husband looks like.
But, we're making it.  The housework will inevitably always exist.  The 12 year rates his "happiness" very high, the 10 year old has some mad skills at being in charge, the 8 year old doesn't mind the free days and is still making progress and the 5 year old is happy to sit around in his underwear most days with Legos, boxes and TV to entertain.  As for the husband, well, this won't last forever, right?
The truth is I don't know how we would do this without a good bit of prayer, clutch friendships, ultra responsible, easy-going kids, and for me, the knowledge that there is always a little respite around the corner.  A weekend at my parents, Chad's days off, a coffee date with friends, anything that reminds me that we're all good.

This weekend, we're going to my parents to speak at my dad's congregation's mission festival about Haiti.  It is what I love to do.  Every bit of me wants to share a little piece of my heart and hope for our friends there.  I'm so thankful to have the opportunities to do that.
It also means a full day tomorrow of nothing on the agenda.  Just my mom, dad and grandmas to chat with, a nap to take and pictures and slideshows to touch up.  A respite. 

We're making it.  Some days I'm entirely overwhelmed and others I'm oblivious to the quantity we push through.  I won't be sad when this semester is over!