It's that time of year....

PUMPKIN TIME!

Thanks to Pinterest I even made my own pumpkin pie spice. Have I mentioned I love Pinterest? Because I do.

We've decorated the inside of the house- went a more natural route this year with leaves, branches and pinecones we collected on our walks.

We also decorated the outside. I decided to skip carving a pumpkin this year. Maybe it will be an every-other-year tradition. So we decorated our pumpkins with stickers instead.

About two weeks ago Cash had a week of half days because of parent teacher conferences. Turns out he's pretty much fantastic, but then we already knew that. My back was still recovering from going out after the bunk bed acquisition (picture later on), but luckily it was doing much better by Wednesday so we were able to go to the pumpkin patch.

 Cash maneuvered the wheel barrow for me and Tupp discovered she's not quite big enough for that yet.

 Their favorite was the corn box. We buried Cash and Tupp buried herself.

 Pherson could only sit in here for literally three seconds. He kept trying to eat the corn.

Our other adventure was going to Twin Hills apple farm. After meeting with his teachers on Friday, we all loaded up and collected apples.

 We came home with our spoils and made tarte de pomme (apple pie), apple muffins and applesauce.

Apple sauce taste tester. 

After cleaning the church building about three weeks ago we came home and Cash wanted to do "projects." Pinterest saves the day again!

 

It also came in handy with finding a DIY mermaid tail since Tupp wants to be "mermaid Ariel" for Halloween. $6 in material (with enough left over to make another skirt or two) and viola!

So here is the bunk bed. I've been looking for bunk beds for months now. Things just never worked out, but with this one everything just fell into place. Tupp sleeps on the top because Cash worries too much about falling off if there was an earthquake (yes, he is so my child). So far so good. And the trundle drawers can be removed when Pherson is big enough and we can put a trundle bed there instead. :)

Cash likes pink and purple these days. When he lost his school kit of pens and ruler we had to hit walmart for a replacement. This is the ruler he picked. I'm totally ok with it and it's been a great experience for him to be bold in the face of others who might ridicule his tastes. Same kind of deal with him painting his fingernails pink. His mantra is "no one owns a color and I can like whatever color I want. And if  you have a problem with it then you can go play with someone else." Proud of my boy.


The 'stache is back.


For my midlife crisis I cut all my hair off. This happened yesterday so I'm still getting used to the new me. Right now I'm thinking this will not be my new normal, but maybe it will grow on me....

Pherson is crawling like a big boy now and his maneuverability has noticeably improved. He's just starting to walk along furniture, so we have at least another month or two before the real walking begins.

We want to thank the Lindsay Clan for "Stormer." Cash is OVER THE MOON. Can you tell by his face? And even more remarkable is the fact that he put it together almost entirely by himself while I was putting Pherson down for naps. I think he impressed himself. It was the kick off to his birthday week. 

Tonight we're going to dinner with David & Cirkl and the boys. Tomorrow we're doing cookies in his class and having dinner with Oma and Honey and then Friday we're doing his pirate party after he gets his hair cut special with daddy. The party will be simple- sand-wiches, make your own boat and hat, hook toss and that's pretty much it.

 It's amazing how fast the time has gone. I fell in love with him from the moment I knew he was there, but it's difficult to describe the place in your heart that first little one has come to occupy.
He is the one who first made me a mother. He stretched and shaped my heart in new and wondrous ways- growing it, preparing it for his brother and sister. I think of him as my first true love- the kind of true, unexplainable, all consuming love that bursts upon you when you first cradle them, skin to skin, and breath them in to be a part of you forever. He still lets me cradle him, but I know those days are numbered. As he turns six this week I am giddy with excitement to see his future unfold, yet that small bit of me longs to have more time with him in those yesterdays.
Happy birthday Bird.