Time Flies!

I know it's been forever since I've updated! Almost three months have gone by!
Nicholas and Gabby are now full-fledged first graders with almost three months of first grade under their belts. They are both loving school. They love their fabulous teacher and their fabulous student teacher and are even pretty good about doing their homework every night. So far they have been working hard on math, reading and writing and have also learned a lot about BATS (can you say "echolocation"? Nick and Gabby can...and they can tell you all about it as well!) Currently, they are working on a MAGNET unit and are really enjoying it. They have swiped most of my refrigerator magnets for their magnet experiments. For Veteran's Day, the school had a little Veteran's celebration and the kids all made paper hats to wear for the event. Nicholas and Gabby enjoyed the hat making so much that they came home and spent the rest of the afternoon making more hats. 106 to be exact. We are now out of printer paper. So far, the first graders have enjoyed one field trip...to Hidden Acres pumpkin patch and apple orchard on Green Bluff. I got to go along as a chaperone and it was great fun. They picked apples, chose a pumpkin, ran through the corn maze, went on a hay ride, learned about bees and pollination and enjoyed a yummy snack of donuts and apple cider.
Mostly, our days have been filled with school and school activities. I'm the PTO president this year so have been busy working on PTO stuff. I also enjoy volunteering at school whenever I have the chance. I am the 'hot lunch' mom every first Wednesday of the month and enjoy the frantic rush of handing out pizza to about 75 kids in 20 minutes. I'm also chairing the school's fundraising auction again this year and am working on the first few details of that. Finally, through a couple of friends, I got a temporary holiday help job at Williams Sonoma, wrapping gifts. As many of you know, I LOVE gift wrapping. I've only worked one day so far, but it was pretty fun. During the week I am able to work while the kids are in school and still have time to drop them off and pick them up from school...so it's perfect! I'm also still enjoying the book club I'm in. Once a month I get to hang out with a fabulous group of women, drink wine, talk about books and eat yummy treats. It's become something I look forward to all month! I've also been able to babysit little Kate a few times, which has been great fun. She is a wonderful little baby and is so darn cute. Gabby has come with me twice and loves babysitting. She just loves babies.

During the first few weekends of Fall, Chad and I were still working on painting our house...it's still not finished but hopefully we'll " get 'er done" this Spring. (I think we've said that before...) We also went to Portland in September for cousin Katie's wedding to Erik, which was beautiful and qute fun! I enjoyed catching up with cousins, helping to cut the cake and sharing in a wonderful day. In Portland, stayed with Chad's cousin, Spencer, and his wife Kate and other cousin Josie. There, we stayed up too late drinking brewskies and playing an odd version of Clue. We also ate yummy fajitas filled with fresh veggies from their garden.
Chad is also working on turning our back porch into a pantry. I cannot wait to have the extra storage space and free up some room in the kitchen. So far, it's framed in, insulated, and mostly dry walled. Now he's working on the wall with the door in it and adjusting everything to fit correctly. It's all a ton of fun in this old, crooked house!
Last weekend, Gabby and I, participated in a 'Girls Only Craft Weekend' at Aunt Mary's house. We both had a terriffic time. Gabby loved hanging out with all the aunties and her grandma, helping with baby Henry (an exception to the girls only rule), riding Rockee the horse, playing with Hankie the dog and gathering eggs from the chicken coop each morning! I enjoyed hanging out with my aunties and mom and cousin and cuddling with baby Henry and eating and drinking and drinking and eating... I even made a couple of Christmas gifts! While we were gone, Chad and Nicholas hung out at The Farm with the Farm Grandma and Grampa and some cousins. So I think we all had a fun weekend.
Tomorrow is a 'no school' day...as is Friday...for conferences. Ours is tomorrow morning and then we have the rest of the 4 day weekend off! Yippee! The following week is another short one with the Thanksgiving holiday. And then Christmas preparations will be spurred into high gear...one of my favorite times of the year!
Here are a few photos of the last few months...enjoy!

The house...a work in progress

Gabby, enjoying a sunny September day, while Mommy and Daddy PAINT.

My perfect little niece, Kate

She's a wee thing...but she looks huge in Gabby's arms. Can you tell Gabby was THRILLED to be holding her? She's just bursting!

Katie's wedding...

The house on Halloween...I surprised the kids with the ghosts in the window that day...

Gabby as Little Red Riding Hood

Nicholas as Harry Potter

The gang...Chad the postman, Me as Mrs. Roper, Alvin as Fred Flintstone, Baby Kate the little punkin', Anne as Wilma Flintstone and Beth the Sock Monkey

Nicholas at the Green Bluff field trip...the stem of his pumpkin fell right off...

Gabby and Nicholas as the farmer and his wife...

Gabby and her buddy, Conner

Miss Richardson tries to get the whole gang in a photo

Apples...

Bus Butts...as titled by Mrs. Schierman

MMmmmmm...donuts and cider!

Nicholas at a classmates birthday party

Nicholas and Braeden ham it up at the party.

Gabby with Henry...look how much he's grown since August.