preoccupied with little nut

 You're going to have to bear with me since I was behind even before Hazel came and have two months after her introduction to catch up on as well.
We've quit our Friday night swing dance entirely with no plans to go back. We've had many people ask when we're coming back, and the kids have asked when we're taking them swing dancing, but aside from a couple of small teaching gigs (we did a blues lesson for some west coast swing dancers and we'll be doing a three hour workshop toward the end of November through University of Nevada Reno) we won't visit the idea of doing a dance until next year. I also talked with a lady from Dayton who wants me to start teaching Scottish highland at the St.Mary's Art Center here in VC starting in January. It wouldn't cost me a rental fee but I probably wouldn't make much- which is okay since she'd babysit Pherson for free and Tupp and Cash could join in with my classes. Overall a win-win when you add in that I wouldn't have to travel out of town to teach.

 I had started school earlier in the summer, if you'll recall, to get ahead for when Miss Nut arrived. So we took August and the first half of September off. We've been back at it with our main block lessons and practicing writing and adding new times tables. Cash's reading continues to improve, he's excited to write more and he's solid on his multiplication enough that we've adding 4's and 6's. He even watched an episode of Fixer-Uppers and then started designing a haunted house. But mostly he likes to play and I love that I can let him do that for a good portion of his day-which is as it should be with young children. I hear all the time from parents the woes of public school and the destruction of childhood years and I am grateful that Nevada has such easy homeschool laws and that my sweetheart works so hard so that we can utilize this opportunity.

 The steamie has stopped running. In fact, this is the last week for the regular running of the train. After this week it will be special events only- the Halloween train, the candy cane train, the polar express. We will miss it- it's been quite the focal point of our summer. But our poor conductor is ready for a break despite how much he enjoys it.

 We have not renewed our passes to the swimming pool. We'll have to wait until Nut is older and I can manage them all in the pool. But we were making such good improvements with Cash swimming on his own and jumping in, Tupp swimming around confidently with a kick board and Pherson just starting to get comfortable with the board too.

 I really wanted to get a preganancy picture because it's one of those things that once it's gone it's gone. Especially since i am planning on this being my last little one. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it's what I'm willing to settle for without any cheap and decent photogrpahers around.

 This was my race against time. Pears. I was trying to process my 40 pound box before baby was born and I succeeded! Pear sauce, pear leather, dried pears and eating them just how they are. Yum!

 And even though I knew better, I still let Tupp talk me into cutting her hair. Aside from it not being even all the way around the length is darling on her. Thankfully our babysitter is pretty decent with hair since that's what she wants to go to school for.

 And then Miss Hazel was born. She still doesn't sleep through the night and I hold her probably more than I should but that's what happens when you're the youngest- you get babied. I try to soak up every minute with her because it's already going too fast. She's started smiling and loves when you motor boat your lips. Most of the time when she's upset she'll calm down if you just have a conversation with her. She loves that. Her eyes are still blue and the peach fuzz coming back in is blond at the moment. She sucks on her hand and fist when feeling neglected and has a funny ear that came out a little flat and still hasn't rerolled. She likes being worn and, just like Papa insists most baby girls like, loves having her booty patted. What a precious thing she is.

 At the beginning of October Clay had to make a run to Sonoma County for his mother's retirement party. He kindly offered to take Pherson so I would have one less crazy to take care of for three days on my own with a newborn. Pherson had a blast spending time with family and friends.

 Oh yeah. I got my hair cut. The only part I don't like is the front. when I said "pixie" the lady went at it without hesitating long enough for me to explain. It's at the point where I need to get it trimmed, but I'm going to be quick on the ball to say to leave the front alone! Tupp says she likes it because I look like Harry Potter. Pherson still tells me how much he likes it. What a sweetie he is. Clay is training him well.

 This is typically what I'm doing while I make dinner. Although, when we had family come to visit it was awesome! Nut had her very own baby holders at all times.

 In September we celebrate Michaelmas- which is essentially the conquering of Satan in the premortal existance and applying that to our lives as well as to the seasons of the earth. It's neat to teach the children how to see these metaphors in everything around them- I feel like it preps them for reading and understanding how to liken the scriptures to themselves. This is our dragon that Tupp made and named Gertrude. 

 We also made sure everyone had a sword, shield and cape.

 Then on the day of we fought another dragon that we had made and made dragon bread. Tupp preferred dressing up as the princess to be saved.

I have tons of pictures of little miss. I apologize if it's overload. I just can't help myself.

 (this one was when we took Cash to check out the lego robotics club in Reno and they totally ignored Cash so we decided to never come back).

 Pherson is absolutely in LOVE with her. He's always pushing the others away from her, hogging her all to himself. He even tries to run through what might be the matter when she cries-"you hungry baby? You pooping? you need skateboard?"  It's a constant battle to keep him from sharing germs with her, and since he's the one coming down with everything first it breaks my heart but has to be done.

 If you haven't realized, none of this is in a proper order. I scramble for what time I can get to do this at all so- sorry! We've been decorating with leaves. Oh how I love fall! And here the kids are using Olaf as a crash test dummy after I reorganized and recirculated all the toys. I have so much stuff I need to go through and get rid of. My friend Sarah has invited me to read and do the Kon Marie method of tidying up and I am looking forward to it. I've already gone through the kids current clothes and books, my clothes and books, but I have the entire basement to do. It has become the catch all and I confess that with the added space I've filled it up. It doesn't help that I have the mentality of trying to use something up so much that I hang onto it til the bitter end. The clothes I have in my sewing pile to turn into something else makes me looks quite the hoarder.

 The kids love the Home Depot building workshop they have on the first of each month. This time it was fire trucks and we got free hot dogs and drinks as well as bouncy house time to go with it.

 We've had two rainy days so far this month. One was the day after the outhouse races. Clay had some friends from Sonoma County come up so we stopped in and visited with them and had a great time watching the race. If it wasn't so heavily centered around drinking beer it would be even more of a blast, in my opinion.

 We tried a free tumbling class in Reno. It was tons of fun and the kids loved it. I especially like that it would be good for Cash's right arm and upper body, but the drive to Reno is never fun with a windy road and three kids prone to carsickness. Plus they want to charge a huge start up fee on topof the regular class fee. I've never heard of that until we moved here and I think it's just another way for them to rip you off. You can't tell me that you have $30 worth of paper work to do on each child that starts dance with you. Liars. So as much as I think it would be great, I can't justify it for the huge expense it would be. But now I have kids summersaulting all around my house which is awesome. Besides, we have a trampoline I snagged for $25 we'll put up.

 It's hard to see, but we have fake spider webs on the railing of the deck. We've also added bats on our door and after the rain we're supposed to get this Wednesday we'll add a homemade scarecrow too. The bag pumpkin filled with leaves needs more leaves but it was such a bear filling it as full as well did that the kids aren't quite as excited to finish it as they were to start it. As we did last year, we'll do the parade and then trick or treat uptown. Super fun getting candy in dive bars from quirky old cowboys.

 My young women from church threw me a baby shower! And that's inspite of me saying I didn't need one. They made this sweet banner that is the perfect decoration over her bed. My absolute favorite present, aside from the super fun evening with some of my favorite people, was homemade hippy healing stuff. I've got healing hand lotion, boo boo cream, bumbs and bruises cream, ear ache drops, garlic elixer and essential oils. Who knew Nevada would make me more of a hippy than California?! It's become kind of a necessity with all of our health insurance woes. Thanks Obama.

 Her first train ride on the outside! She slept through the whole thing. But when we went today she had just woken up and needed to eat. poor thing! It was so bumpy she just gave up.

 Enjoying what nice evenings we have left. It's getting colder and windier. I keep having to remind the kids they have to have socks and shoes on to go outside because it's just too cold now. Sweaters are being pulled out. Tis the season. I usually don't miss summer, but this year was so fun that I find myself not entirely ready for the weather change. But I soothe myself with pumpkin everything- bread, pancakes, muffins, kringles, pop tarts, cereal, granola, etc.

 we had family photos done. couldn't pass up a  deal for $25.i'll post them when i get them if they turn out decent.

 Cash has decided he wants to be a cowboy for Halloween. Tupp keeps changing her mind and I'm hoping Pherson will still be game for being an astronaut. They're so fickle kwhen they're young. There was quite the process behind getting Cash his cap gun. He's in love with is and we even got broken ones for Pherse and Tupp to join in play.

 Uncle Benson and others had quite the enjoyable time holding Hazel when they came to visit for Cash's biethday. I'm still trying to figure out who she looks most like.

 And even though I bought the fabric back before Noisette was even born I didn't get Cash's scripture case done until the night before his birthday. But it's done, he likes it and that's all that matters.

 Jeannie's dear friend Sonja sent a birthday cake (Geerman chocolate!) for Cash as a surprise so we've had quite the kmotherload of cake. Delicious!

 WE did a simple gathering with family for his birthday celebration and then reconvened later iiinthe afternoon for his baptism. I cried, of course. It was fantastic, of course. First one down. It felt so momentous to me- like my wedding day. Not sure if that's normal, but it was great. I have a picture of him with Clay and them both intheir whites but it wasn't in my phone's picture foldre for some reason so I'll have to post it next time.

 She smiles even bigger, but this is usually how it starts. kinda like the Mona Lisa.

 He's learning cursive through form drawing. And that's the new beloved light bright. He also got a real wooden recorder and is doing so well in our lessons.
Gigi went thrift store shopping with her friend while in town andthey hid the jackpoot with moredress up items. Thus commenced lions vs. dinosaur battles.

 Thomas has come to town. I confess that the experience probably would have been more momentous if we were'nt regulars on the train, but the experience of seeing Thomas in person was enjoyable enough to have the kids yelling hellos and waving from our front porch when we saw him pull into the station. Thankfully through Sonja, Gigi and Oma we were able to take everyone. They even fist bumped and high fived and thumbed up Sir Topham Hat.

 Yes, more little nut.

 Tuppy wanted to be a spider for Halloween for a little bit. So she was practicing with my sun glasses.

 All duded up for pictures. I put her in her blessing dress so that I'd have pictures of that too. We blessed her the Sunday after Cash's baptism so that all the family could be present for both with only one trip. We really had a heavenly time and miss everyone.

 Sending love to you all from our clan of six!