More Fall Fun before the Winter comes!

We didn't get to carve pumpkins last year since they are super expensive in Mexico so this was essentially Lydia's first time. Every year I debate how much halloween to participate in and this year I used the analogy I heard a friend say about how before we knew Jesus we were a mess inside. And when He comes into our life, He cleans us out and lives in us so that His light can shine into the world through us! It's fun and the kids love carving pumpkins, even though I usually end up doing most of it!

Lydia picked out a white pumpkin. We don't know why.

I haven't figured out yet why they insist on making these faces for pictures.

We love our trees. I think we are the only people ever to be bummed about a tree falling because it makes our leaf pile in the yard smaller! But it was noticably smaller this year but it didn't lessen the fun we had jumping in the pile, wrestling and burying people.

We collected leaves and made them into crafts of course! They are hanging all over our windows.

Sometimes we feel like the Griswolds. Especially when Clark, er Steve, takes on these great ideas of do it yourself projects... like cutting off the dead limbs of a 50 ft high tree. The limbs end up being a lot bigger when they land in the yard.

Every year we have a leaf party which is a blast. The students love jumping in the leaves, piling wood on our fire pit and playing in the "kids" tree house! The star is a new addition. Cole and Lydia have been begging for us to put a star on our house since we play a game while driving- who can see the stars first on the houses we pass. I compromised when our friends said we could have one that came with their house and we put it up on the tree house. They love it!

Nothing like a good bonfire when it's in the 30s.

Tradition- playing queen of the hill. I got second this year:( It's the best time. We have an excuse to wrestle as girls since we secretly all want to anyway.

This is out of order but we've been slowly working on building a nice fire pit area. We found all these rocks under ivy on the side of our house and were amazed how many there were! It'll look really nice when it's all done. And best of all- it was free! Notice all of the nicely piled wood in the background. Steve finally finished splitting all of the rounds from the tree that fell. It felt good.