update // with photos

Thought I'd update you on what's happenin' around here with a few photos I took last month. Love this cute one of Carter -- with the banana sticker on his forehead. It says: "Place Sticker on Forehead. Smile."

One afternoon the kids & I made some "goo" out of cornstarch and water. They all had a blast playing with it & messing up my kitchen.

Here's "my Ricki" with her mom, my sister (Lisa). Isn't she just adoreable. She's so much fun, with a sparkle in her eye. She has such a contagious bubbly personality.

This photo of Asha (age 6) was taken oThanksgiving weekend when my family went to a B&B out in the country. The kids always have a blast playing outside -- and the weather was gorgeous.

My FAMILY. I have two sisters -- I am the middle child {yes....I know what you're thinking; that explains a few things lol}. My older sister (Lisa) has two children; my younger sister (Laura Lee a.k.a. Buffy) has three children. All of the kids (except for Erica a.k.a. Ricki) have someone their age in the family. We are sooooooo lucky to have each other. Our kids are incredibly blessed to have cousins to play with. We are a very tight family with LOTS in common.

One of my favourite photos of Kevin & Laura Lee. Just LOVE the connection they show right here.

So......each Halloween season, our school puts on a pumpkin decorating contest. My kids, of course, think up the craziest ideas for the contest. "Mom, can WE make my pumpkin look like a Carousel Ride?" The the word "we" here is used very loosely, of course, by my six year old. Well...............somehow WE managed to create a Carousel Ride out of a pumpkin ................... and Asha (& I) managed to claim 2nd prize for it.

Carter (& his dad) created an ATV race track out of a huge pumpkin from our patch. They
even had the winning ATV rider crashing into the finish line.

And here is one of my favourite photos of Asha's school costume this year. I say "school costume" because my kids usually change their mind about their costumes about 6 times and then finally decide on one ................ only to change their mind AGAIN when they go out trick or treating. Asha went as a "Monster Bride" for school (see below) and then as the "Mad Hatter: Johnny Depp" for t or t in the evening. I'll show photos of them soon -- they are still on my camera.

Been a busy month. Love it!!!!!

smiling {from the farm},

j.

my little monster

happy halloween, everyone!!!!!

*jacked up* on sugar tonight {from the farm},
j.

this year

...was a beautiful evening for trick or treating.

...Asha dressed up as a "sleepy girl" for trick or treating (curlers and all). Great for putting her to bed later -- she was already in her pj's.

...Carter was a Ninja.
...Asha changed her costume to a "Princess Witch" for the school party.

what a great year!!!

:) {from the farm},

j.

the results are in ...

Today I went to the school to see the halloween parade in the gym. Asha was totally cute in her little "princess witch" costume and Carter was a blue "ninja".
They announced the winners of the Pumpkin Decorating contest: Carter received a prize for 3rd place; and Asha got a 2nd place prize. Yeah!!!!! They were really excited & so were their mom & dad. I never did see the winning pumpkin -- apparently it was a little porcupine & her baby(ies) created by a fellow Kindergarten child??? Wish I could have seen it.
Anyway....that's all I have for today. Tomorrow we veg until the evening events of treating (no tricking). Did I ever mention the story about the Halloween night when one of our sheep got spray-painted green. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in the barn that night. A few neighbours decided to play a little trick on us; stack some bales on the lane, move some machinery, spray-paint a sheep. All in a night's work {lol}.
Ron mentioned we might tackle our kitchen backsplash tomorrow -- yikes!!!! Now, that's alittle over-the-top for a Saturday, don'tcha think?!? Better rest up.
later {from the farm},
j.

any guesses...

...as to how many little packages of blue jello will fill a large pumpkin? Only I would ask such a question {lol}.
Well, we found out. We made 6 packs and didn't even come close to filling Asha's pumpkin to the top. So, we sawed off the top and created fabulous "Pumpkin Beach". Some cardboard sand, a few shells, a plastic turtle & a starfish in the jello, felt little towels & some Polly Pockets in bikinis -- you got yourself an entry for the Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest at school.

We had so much fun!!!

happy carving to you {from the farm},

j.

altered pumpkin

The kids' school is holding its Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. This what Carter (age 8) came up with. Talk about your Geography enthusiast!!! The title is "The Pumpkin of Places". Very suiting, isn't it?
He will bring it to school tomorrow for the judging that happens on Thursday.


I will share Asha's creation on Wednesday -- we have to finish tonight. I'll leave you with a hint though:

It involves blue jello & bikinis.

Interesting for a 5 year old?!?

in my element {from the farm},
j.