Pumpkin Girl

Thank you for all of your sweet comments on my first Home School Open House post below! I'm hoping that by next month the word will be out more...so as we get closer to the next Open House, if you'll help me spread the word, I'd be oh-so grateful! :)
But even as it was, I hope you enjoyed it! (The amazing thing is that my six year old in the video actually wanted to recite that on her own to me, and I just happened to pick up the camera on the desk beside me and asked her if I could record it!)


We're not overly big on Halloween at our house for various reasons. But the girls usually do go trick or treating down our small street with their daddy, followed by a church Harvest Party.
Not so good for my little one's severe cavity issues, but it is fun to dress up!
Both girls picked great themes this year...stay tuned!

And as you know, we also go to pumpkin patches each year because that just says fall to us.

Somehow, I started this tradition of taking a picture of my youngest holding a pumpkin the very first year that she could.

Here she is that first year...age one and a half...


And here she is, five years later...

Even now, she's still a wisp of a girl, and this pumpkin seemed as heavy as a boulder!

This youngest of mine, had a couple- shall we say- behavioral issues this week. But she has been quick to repent because she truly truly wants to do the right thing. And she has such a tender and pure heart.

Last night as we were brushing our teeth before bed, she asked me what I was going to dress up as. I told her I don't usually dress up...but maybe I could wear a funny hat?
She then replied, "You should be an angel."
I thought this was sweet enough but I asked her why, and she replied soberly, looking up with me with her big brown eyes,
"Because you look one."

I was tired from the day and certainly didn't feel like I looked very angelic...so you can imagine how that melted my heart as I bent down to give her a big smoochie kiss!

A tantrum the day before? I don't remember any tantrum...!

Home School Open House is here!

WELCOME ...

to our first ever, monthly Home School Open House!


So glad you could join us!

<a href="http://familydoins.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff123/MommaRoar/lattesandlollipops.jpg" border="0" alt="Home School Open House" /></a>

~If you wish to join in, just link up at the bottom of this post and show us what your home school family has been up to! (Oh, hope it works!)
EDITED: Click on the Mr. Linky and it will open a new window to put your name in!
Show us a new project they've been working on, your child's favorite school book, or perhaps even just a special room that might be set up for "school time".
Be sure to grab the button and link back here, and don't forget to visit other participants!~
(Thank you, Leigh Ann, for the code to link back!!)

For my first open house, I actually have a video to share!
(And this is new for me, too, so I hope it works!)
You will have to click on the link towards the end to see her presentation.
This time, the spot light in on my youngest, who is absolutely in her element when she gets to be creative for school!

We've started a new read aloud curriculum this year that we can participate in all together, no matter the grade that they're in. We are all three loving this!
It's a called "Exploring Creation with Zoology- Swimming Creatures of the Sixth Day" by Jeanne Fulbright.

The girls get to have their own notebooks to "make notes" or draw pictures while I read aloud to them, and they also make an "ocean box" which they add to as we go along.

But wait...let my youngest show you... (click on the link below...sometimes it does take a second try...oh, I hope this works, too...!)


home school show and tell

You may be wondering what her ocean box is sitting on...oh, just some folded blankets my hubby set on top of our doggie crate. (Just keepin' it real!)

Now...what about you? We want to see what your home school family is doing, too!

This post will up through Wednesday night at least...so click on the link and a new window below, link to your post, grab the button and let us take a little look into your "school house"!

"Playtime" Open House

Don't forget...Tuesday's our first official Home School Open House party!
Tell us what you're working on and maybe take some pictures for us to see!

And don't forget to spread the word!!! Because the more the merrier!
Go ahead and grab the button! (I don't have the code to link it back here yet, but I hope to soon!)

When we're not busy learning, the girls have recently gotten back to playing with dolls...


Since we're having a quiet Saturday, today's no exception.
I snapped the above picture just minutes ago.

My oldest, especially, has always loved dolls. My youngest does, but prefers stuffed animals.

So, sometimes both get incorporated into the story.

And the age-old fun of transforming cardboard boxes into vehicles.
(And really, I'm looking forward to Christmas partly because we're going to have so many new boxes to play with...) ;)





When I was a little girl, I loved playing with dolls too, but I didn't have a sister to play with me...so excuse me, while I leave now...

I have to go grab my 1970 Velvet and join in!

Autumn Memorial

For those interested in the upcoming bloggy Home School Open House info, I will be updating at the end of this post!



As fun as all of our tromping through the Roloff farm this past Saturday, our day was still far from over.
We then headed directly to the semi-coastal town of Tillamook to attend a memorial service for one of my husband's relatives, which I really wanted to share with you.

It was such a beautiful fall day for the drive, and my camera doesn't do the colors justice...




Actually, it was for the wife of my husband's second cousin. I had spoken to this cousin just a few times over the course of these ten years, but I enjoyed talking with him at length just this summer at the family reunion on the coast. Such an amiable man, with a fun sense of humor and a very strong faith.

So, it was sad to hear the news of the passing of his wife after 52 years of marriage.

Yet, this was not the typical way that a husband loses his wife. In this case, they were enjoying a vacation just two weeks ago-, visiting relatives and seeing sights across the country- when his wife was struck by a car as she crossed a street and did not survive.

So, we were so saddened by this tragedy that though we weren't privileged to know them well, we wanted to be there to help support him and his family during this time.

We learned so much more about this dear woman...her very strong faith in Jesus, concern for those who didn't know Him, and her love for her family.
And though I knew her husband must be hurting inside, he amazed me as he spoke with loved ones, a warm and genuine smile gracing his face.
His wife had previously picked out the color for the small New Testaments to be given out by the church, so in light of this, he was giving them out in her memory to all of us who attended.
Before we left the reception area, he was holding the box containing the remaining Bibles, making sure we all had taken one...smiling into our eyes with such sweetness. It is something I'll never forget.

Afterward, many of the children played on the old playground at the church, which was
surrounded all around with beautiful countryside.








Then, we headed over to the Tillamook Cheese Factory...a place our family has been to many times over the years, but never seems to lose it's charm with the kids...especially when there's a scoop of their famous ice cream waiting for them at the end!

And we swung by the Air Museum, too...

We didn't pay for the tour, but stepped into the fun gift shop, complete with 1940's music playing, and peeked into the hanger filled with historical planes.

And we also noticed something interesting in this field outside of the museum...
As we first noticed a few people standing by their parked cars on the side of the road, snapping photos, our eyes followed to the field, where what looked like a herd of a hundred elk stood majestically grazing.
I wish I had gotten a picture while they were standing, but on the way back from the museum, I snapped this shot of them resting afterward...

Very hard to make out, I know, since I don't sport a nifty wildlife telephoto lens...but I did do some research, and they are called Roosevelt Elk- and are known for coming down from the hills to the lowlands in the fall to fatten up for winter.
Since we' re from the suburbs, we were all pretty excited to see this type of wildlife roaming so freely near us!

It was quite the long but fulfilling day, filled with many emotions...and it felt so good just to be together as a family.


Remember, hopefully I will be hosting our first official Home School Open House this coming Tuesday!


If you'd like to participate, you can by posting your own home school show and tell on that day, perhaps showing us what your children have recently worked on, a special project, or even just a favorite book. You can also share with us the special place that your children usually do their work- a room set aside, or a special corner.
You can tell us in words, but hopefully have a picture or two to share...or even a video!
(I'm new at this sort of thing, you guys, so bare with me...but hopefully I will learn how to have a Mr. Linky by then and everything! Woohoo!)

So...maybe get your children involved and think about what you all could share-
and I will see you in the school house on Tuesday!

Double Pumpkin Week!

First of all, thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes for my husband! He and I both appreciated every one of them!

I wanted to share a few pictures of our two- yes two!- pumpkin patches that the girls and I visited this past week.

The first was last Tuesday...we went with my sister in law and her two adorable little ones to a nearby small pumpkin farm.
(The above header was actually a picture I took that day, just as our tractor ride was slowly chugging down the hill to meet us.)

My niece loved frolicking with my girls, and baby nephew seemed especially intrigued by the crowing rooster...

My girls actually were intrigued, too...he could really belt it out!



The second pumpkin patch was the famous Roloff Farm, of "Little People, Big World" fame!
As some of you may remember, our family went there two year ago.
And we also saw them most recently last month, in the town parade!
However, this time- due mostly to time constraints- we weren't able to take the full tour and play on all the incredible structures and climb around the ghost town buildings.
But the girls did enjoying climbing around and searching for the perfect pumpkin...



Look closely in the distance, as my husband and daughter stroll down the pathway...see that little hill out there, with what looks like a red wagon? That is their new tour wagon, which actually hugs the side of a cliff precariously filled to the brim with tourists!
My husband dryly said, "Must have been Matt's idea."
And speaking of Matt Roloff, he was no where to be found on this particular day. But we did have Jeremy sightings...

OK, you'll have to squint, but there he is (center) by one of the tour tractors...

Oh no...now he was given directions to hurry into the house for something...across the parking lot, and right in front of me...


I know my oldest daughter, who missed seeing him, will want a better picture...

WAIT! Come back...I'm not really stalking you, Jeremy....

Actually, I was trying to catch up with my husband and girls at this point, who were way up ahead...(really!)...and it so happened that we had to pass by their house. So I watched as he ran all the way though their recently remodeled home. The same home that we've all be watching on their show, slowly transform from a humble farmhouse into a showpiece.

But lest you think I'm the only one chasing fame- or, rather famous people- in the family, my youngest was doing her own stalking as she followed the famous family dog, Rocky, trying to give him a pat. He was just meandering around, weaving in and out of the crowds as if he barely noticed them at all.

But of course, all of the Roloffs are pretty use to being celebrities by now.
There was a line to meet Amy, so we filed in had our picture taken. The girls actually each went to preschool where she worked, so I remember seeing Amy before I even knew about the show!

Amy was just as friendly as could be, which was a real gift, since she was standing there for hours, talking to hundreds of people...and still had a smile!


So...have you watched their show "Little People, Big World"?
And have you gotten out to your local pumpkin patch yet with your kids or grandkids?

Next up...the second part of our Saturday excursion.
Plus, more information on the upcoming bloggy home school open house! Stay tuned!

Happy Birthday, Honey

Song lyrics | Everything lyrics



Dear Sweetheart, What a gift your life is to this world...to our family...and to me.











You are so much younger than your years declare...
and mean so much more to all of us than I could possibly try to say.



Happy 48th Birthday, Sweetheart~