Fall has fallen

September flew past and now October is almost half over... eeesh.  

The girls valiantly tried to rake up a leaf pile from the few leaves that are on the ground.  

 Cadence decided to organize my pantry one afternoon... 

 We did the inflatables after the walk-a-thon, since Emmy's class went in the afternoon and I didn't want to make a special trip back to the school for her- and younger siblings were allowed to jump after school.    

 It had been a very long time since we had gone to W-ton for church.  Miriel had never been there, so it was at least 5 months.  Four little girls all ready for church ahead of schedule (for once!).  

 The three older girls went to Sunday school- Cecily and Emmy were so excited, Cadence was a little bit more hesitant.  She didn't want me to leave, but she also didn't want to go in church with me.  Eventually Natalie talked her into standing by Jack to sing, and then she was fine.  
We went to the farm for a bit after church, then to Nathan and Michelle's for supper and birthdays.  Cecily was super excited for presents.

 And she got to blow out the candle on Aurelia's cool Bee cake.  

 Miriel looks like she doesn't know what to think of Aurelia's post wash-off-the-cake bath dance.  Hehe.  How is she 1 already??   

Just a little "Organic Chemistry for Babies." 

Cecily requested a "Cat cake" for her birthday, so I went on pinterest and found some options that I thought I could maybe pull off.  It turned out pretty cute!  

 I'm really more of a cake lover than a frosting lover so all of these buttercream flowers kind of gag me but.... they do look pretty.  :)  

 Two of her favorite things, cats and Miriel.  

 How is she 8 already!?  

 Opening presents with some help from Miriel... 

Friday evening we went to the Timber Ridge singing.  We haven't made it the last couple times and I don't know if Cecily even really remembered being there.  It was high time.  I tried to prepare them... ha.  I think they were so completely shell shocked that they were perfect angels for the entire singing.  Even Cadence just. sat. and handed me her book and said sweetly, "will you find my number please."  (Who are you and what have you done with my child!)   We didn't stay long afterwards, I'm really not good with small talk in more comfortable settings, and the girls were slightly intimidated.  But they were SO. GOOD.  So we got ice cream on the way home.  And here we have a happy baby wearing this dress on its fourth go round- with adorable shoes from Aunt Lena that are blurry because she's kicking so much.

 Saturday night was the pork chop fry.  It was moved to Marvin and Paula's shed due to weather, which was kind of nice.  Eating off laps/bales just stresses me out.  We had straw in food, and cups, and ketchup... and they were mad that I wouldn't let them drink cocoa.  Sorry, I don't think they want cocoa all over their nice bales and all over their shop.  They got it all over themselves when we got home, and I got to say 'I told you so!'  

 Sunday evening we went to our potluck wiener roast at Dale and Meg's homestead.  We got to peek at the new house... It has a catslide roof!  I approve.  :D  hehe.  There wasn't any rain in the forecast, and then it rained pretty hard for a little bit.  Cecily jumped on the trampoline in the rain and got completely soaked, Emmy and Cadence played in the camper, they all got super sticky from s'mores, and a good time was had by all.    

 "Take a picture of all of us wearing our sunglasses!"

 Remuddling is my favorite feature in "Old House Journal" magazine.  This is just... I don't even know... an atrocity? What sort of person thinks this looks good?  It's hard to read, but basically somebody put a tudor-ish addition on that poor mid-century modern ranch in the lower pictures.  I'm not sure whether I should laugh or cry.   

 Sometimes they are so sweet to each other...

 I sent them out to splash in puddles.  Poor city kids hardly know what a puddle is.  

 Our across the road neighbor was observing and smoking his pipe from his garage, Miriel and I stayed dry in ours.  

Miriel and I went to sewing club one evening.  We came home to a very warm house because Bob had turned the heat on.  I had been enjoying being slightly chilly, yea, even cold! after a year of insane pregnancy/breastfeeding sweating.  But alas, it was not to be... haha.  Don't tell, but I keep nudging it slightly lower.... not too low, I don't want the girls to get cold.  
Last night Grace and Eden spent the night.  My girls were bouncing off the walls with excitement- "we're having a slumber party?!?"  
We've been busy enough that we aren't bored, but not so busy that we're stressed.
Blessings.

Is it Fall yet?

It doesn't really feel like fall yet...  we had some hot humid days all in a row and I'm tired of hot humid days.  I just want to hole up in the air conditioning.  Soon, though.  School and everyday life has been keeping us busy, but we also don't really go anywhere or do much.  

Emmy has decided that she can make her own lunch.  It's great, except that Cadence thinks she can too... and she's slightly less capable.  

 We had a solar system diagram on the driveway one afternoon. Hooray for spontaneous learning, I guess. :)

 Sooooo.... I have stared at and cleaned this faucet for 8 years now.  For 8 years it has been missing the lift rod, the hole classily covered with a piece of electrical tape.  Any time the city flushes hydrants/fixes leaks we get sediment behind the aerator screen and I dutifully clean it out... well, until the part that held in the aerator completely disintegrated.  I was so over this ugly, broken faucet.  

 So I replaced it.  All by myself.  Because I can. How hard can it be, really?  #stubbornwysswomen Haha.  It was so satisfying to take it off.... 

 I sent this picture to my favorite plumber cousin- I don't know how he does this all day.  (Granted, I think he mostly does new construction, but still, it's a tight space and made my back hurt!)   I did not replace the old copper supply lines, as I wanted to minimize the number of new connections and possible leaks. I probably should have, they are pretty old and gross, I mean, "patinaed."

 Cecily was my assistant for this project.  Hooray for a prettier faucet and hooray for no leaks and hooray for a working lift rod!  I am still not a fan of this huge square sink with the metal banding, but... you can't have everything you want I suppose.  

 Little squish enjoys the outdoors.  She is such a happy girl.

 And she's usually super chill.  haha. Just hanging out...

 I have no idea what gets into their heads sometimes.  Emmy and Cadence were using the wheels of a remote control car to 'braid' their hair.  *sigh*  It was painful but we did manage to comb it out.  

 The girls had an early out Friday, so we picked up lunch and met Mom, Shelly, and Lena at the park.  The weather was pretty much perfect; warm, sunny, and not humid! 

 The six mobile cousins, crammed on a slide. :)  

 This kid thinks in 3D.  She spent most of a Saturday making models of Mario game levels out of paper and tape.  (Also, we are now out of tape...)  

 For 10 years I have not had to share the Sunday Comics.  10 years!  No more... I'm not really sad though....

 We were invited to a wiener roast at Dave and Joanna's Sunday evening.  The girls were bouncing off the walls excited.  "Will there be a hayrack ride?!" "Can we have hotdogs!?" Emmy was particularly excited that it was at her Sunday School teachers house.  haha.  All of their expectations were fulfilled and a good time was had by all.  :)
Babies are funny.  

 Cadence got to go to her first story hour.  She was excited, and nervous, so I stayed in the room with her.  I don't think I would have needed too, she was just fine.  
I thought girls didn't do things like this.... at least she thought to drag a cushion under the door frame?  

 We were supposed to be babysitters for our potluck babysitting night, then all of the families who were dropping kids off couldn't come.  So instead we just went over to Greg and Mary's and watched our own kids. It was much more relaxing, and the girls had a great time. 
Saturday morning Miriel and I got up early and met Mom, Aunt Pearline, Shelly, and Aurelia, and headed west to Iowa.  The babies slept the whole way out, which was nice.  We got there in time for half of Rachel and Liezel's baby shower.  Pretty sure we have received tank onesies and Struwwel Peter from Uncle Jakey.... what goes around, comes around, and I threw in a Chemistry onesie for good measure!  Hehe.  

 After the shower we stopped at Jake and Rachel's briefly.  Jake's baby holding technique has improved immensely... haha.  

 They did not sleep much on the way home.  Michelle is much more entertaining than I am.... ha. 

Between not getting to catch up on sleep at all over the weekend (I just love waking up before my alarm to girls fighting over covers.... said no one ever) and Miriel going through some kind of sleep regression, I've been tired this week.  I pulled out tomato plants today because I'm too lazy to want to do anything with them.  All that is left in the garden is some turnips and radishes the girls wanted to plant for fall.  And lots of zinnias, which I love.
Blessings.      

School days

We survived the first full week of school!  Woot woot!  So Emmy chose Chik-fil-a to celebrate.  :)  

Emmy: Mom! Look! That lady behind you is nursing!  Me: Good for her, but it's not polite to stare.  Cadence: (Ornery grin) I just stared.   

 Bob and I and Miriel got to go to potluck that evening.  It feels like it's been forever since we've been to potluck.  Miriel was pretty good although I did leave when she started to get fussy.  She still likes to nurse all evening.
I needed to vacuum out the van, they needed to dust it.  Whatever, it kept them busy I guess. 

Most mornings Cadence sleeps through the older two getting up and off to school.  The mornings that she wakes up with them, this happens... then she's grouchy.  

 I couldn't resist.  Just the essential books for the girls... haha. 

This is 'Baby Land'  I can leave my baby here if I need to get something done and Emmy and Cadence will watch her for me.  :D  

 Ooh, and I got myself a new project, since I don't have enough hobbies already.

 Big sister let her have the swing for a few minutes.  She mostly liked it. :)

 This was another "Mom I want to cook these!!" day.  I had never made cream puffs before, and they were a little disappointed that they didn't get to stir them on the stove (When do you let kids use the stove? It makes me nervous!); but they turned out pretty good. 

 Miriel had her 4 month check up and she's growing.  Logan has passed her up, but she's valiantly trying to catch him. 
Cecily got to go to Lynelle's birthday party on Saturday.  Emmy was sad she didn't get to go, so we went shopping instead.   We picked out a new toilet handle because the handle on our oldest toilet was unscrewing itself- and the girls didn't know how to fix it so it would run until I heard it.  Bob got it back together tightly, buuuuttt.... it was ugly. And annoying.  And it's a super simple, inexpensive switch.  And I don't have to live with ugly and annoying if I don't want too.  Haha.  Plus, I've found that mentally when things are not going my way or are stressful or uncontrollable, it helps if I can clean something.  Or fix something.  So I did. #stubbornwysswomen Emmy was my eager helper. 

 Are you tired of seeing pictures of my toilets yet?  At least is has a pretty new handle!?  Ha. 

 We went to visit Grandpa Beutel after church on Sunday.  He had not met Miriel yet... to our shame. 

 I've been bitten by the miniatures bug... I'm hoping this project will turn out as well as I'm imagining it in my head.  It may take awhile since I only have small chunks of time in the evenings... 

 On Labor Day we took the girls down to Kickapoo Creek to explore.  The girls and I had been here to take pictures almost two years ago with my friend Bethany.  I wanted to come back and check it out when it wasn't freezing cold.  :) 

 We picnicked and then took a short hike walk to the creek. 

 Someone was grouchy and wouldn't play because she had to go to the bathroom but wouldn't say anything.... *sigh* 

She did eventually cheer up. They found a geode, threw lots of rocks in the water, launched a stick raft...

 And then we saw a snake swimming in the water.  And a second one.  I don't like snakes.  Good times. 
 All ready for school- Cecily loves it, Emmy mostly loves it.  She's gotten used to 'talking to the flag' (for awhile there I thought we might be raising a Mennonite), loves music class, and she takes everything the PE teacher says very seriously.  :)

 They wanted to do some activity and I said no because I had things I needed to get done first- so they got out the bowls and started snipping beans for me.  If only they were this good all the time.  :)

 Littlest squish! She's suddenly looking bigger... 

Blessings.