Halloween

The kids had a great time carving pumpkins with Aaron. I couldn't quite believe that Sullivan just dug right in and started cleaning out his pumpkin but he really enjoyed it. I didn't get a picture of the finished jack-o-lanterns but they were great. Aaron burned the edges of the eyes, nose and mouth on Sullvan's pumpkin and it was so scary. So scary, in fact, that I had to turn it around to face the wall every night that Aaron was working. Hee Hee. 

Yes, he is naked. I thought it best to not have his clothing smeared with pumpkin but he was actually really clean afterwards. Incredible!

Sullivan really enjoyed trick-or-treating. Each house we went to he would just walk right inside and start looking around. It was funny. He also kept saying "fun" every time we would get back in the car. He didn't really enjoy his costume, however. The minute we walked in the door he took it right off.

It was a struggle to keep Eleanor in her costume too. She refused to wear the ears after about 2 houses so no one knew what she was. But she really enjoyed trick or treating too. I wish you could have heard her squeals of delight when we were in the car. Aaron and I kept giggling because she was just ecstatic.

Penelope was Little Bo Peep. Her costume was cuter in person; I couldn't get a good picture of it. She loved her costume and she loved trick-or-treating. She wasn't happy that we only went to 7 or 8 houses. I think she could have gone house to house for hours and been perfectly content.

Projects

There was a house, a project house, where everyone was busy. . . .

Aaron cut down the overgrown honeysuckles that were off of the back porch and so now we can enjoy the view!

We have an amazing amount of storage space in this house so we were able to use the under the stairs space for more important things. Aaron used some old carpet remnants and covered the insulation in the walls so now it is a cozy little playhouse for the kids.

Aaron hates to throw anything away, so he put these old, worn out light switches to good use by putting the kids in charge of some pretty important stuff.

He also used some old wood scraps and faucets to make a sink and a shower and a bench. The little cabinet was given to us by the people who rented this house before we bought it. We love other people's "junk". :)

This is their little "bed" in the playhouse. I started making a quilt eons ago and decided I didn't like it so I never finished it. Well, Aaron had some pillow stuffing from somewhere and asked if I had any fabric to make a pillow with. Well, yes, yes I do. So he made this pillow too. Such a handy man to have around.

I told Sullivan to go over and take a shower for the picture. I wish you could have heard his sound effects too.

This is the other project we have been working on. This is our entry way. The people who built this house were so smart! We can shut the door between the living room and the entry way so that no cold air will come into the house. Absolutely brilliant in a place that is so cold and windy most of the year.
Anyway, these windows had some special yellow blinds on them, so we replaced those and I painted.

We used to have this bench out by our shed in our old house so it is weathered and perfect for this space. I made the pillows out of some fabric that I have had forever and have never had a place to use it.

Aaron built me the shelf/coat rack to my specifications and he did such a great job. I love it! I am still waiting for the store to get more hooks in stock. The old window was given to my by my friend, LaDonna. I think it was from her Mom's house and it was a really bright yellow. At first I thought I would just leave it yellow but then I decided to go with orange. So I painted it and then antiqued it a bit. I should have gotten an up close shot. It is the coolest window ever. Aaron found the ancient post with the sign on it and the barb wire out in a field somewhere and the box on the floor was my grandpa's. It was an orange juice box back before they started using cardboard for packaging things.

I still have a few things to do in there but I love it! Pictures don't quite do it justice. Many, many more projects to do. I love projects and luckily my husband does too!

6 Years Old

Penelope's birthday was yesterday. I can't believe she is 6. On Saturday night as I was tucking her in to bed I told her "This is your last day of being 5." She loved that idea and immediately told me "And tomorrow will be my first day of being 6." After I wrapped her presents on Saturday she saw them on the table and was so excited that she ran up and gave me a hug and I thought she was going to cry she was so happy.

We started the morning with a stack of pancakes and a candle. (She let us sing Happy Birthday 3 times that day.) I remembered the melting candles of last year and actually let the pancakes cool a bit before I stuck the candle in. :)

As soon as Daddy woke up, Penelope opened her presents. Sullivan and Eleanor were happy to assist.

I decided to do cupcakes instead of a cake this year. She loved it.

And she got to take cupcakes to school today and requested spider cupcakes. One of the benefits of having your birthday close to Halloween I guess.  

I asked Penelope if she had a good birthday and she said yes. But then she added "But my best birthday ever was when I was turning 5 and Ma'am and Papa were here." So sweet!

Jerusalem Rocks

This is Jerusalem Rocks or as the Border Patrol Agents call it "Little Jerusalem." Aaron had told me about this place but he had never taken me there so when Morgan and Katie came to visit this weekend we decided it was a good time to go. It is right off of the Canadian border, so about 30 minutes away from us and it is so beautiful and interesting. I could have walked around for hours.

Penelope was in school, so it was just Sullivan, Aaron, Eleanor and I in this picture.

 Morgan and Eleanor.

Eleanor was really nervous at first when we started hiking around on the rocks but she gradually became a good little hiker, even while carrying her little puppy and his "leash."

 Aaron and Sullivan

There were so many gorgeous formations and holes in the rock. I guess wind is good for something after all.

 Katie

 The Thinker, otherwise known as Morgan.

 Isn't this amazing?

 Sullivan climbed this rock all by himself. He really thinks he is just as big as everyone else.

 We thought this looked like an elephant. What do you think?

We had so much fun with Morgan and Katie and were sad to see them go. I guess we will just have to go to San Francisco for a visit.

Gates of the Mountain

My brother, Morgan, and his wife, Katie, came up to Montana this weekend for a quick visit before Morgan has to start school again at Stanford. On Saturday we went on the Gates of the Mountain boat ride with them and Janet and John and their family.

 Sullivan warmed up to Morgan and Katie quickly.

This is the Gates of the Mountains. It "closes" or "opens" depending upon where you are on the river. It was a gorgeous day except for the smoke in the air from a fire in Idaho.

Eleanor sitting with John and Janet on the boat. Aunts and Uncles are so much cooler than Mom. 

The water was really cold but the kids couldn't resist putting their feet in for a quick dip. It was good of John to make sure my kids didn't fall in. :)