Around the House this time of Year

We are almost to November, and I still feel like we "just started" school.  We have been busy.  These are pictures to remind me what my "golden year*" looked like.

A pretty sunset.

I finished the game, Detective, that Billy bought me for my birthday last year.  It had been a while since we had played, so I went back through every case, took new notes, and categorized the cards.  I did figure out who did it, and in time!  However, there was an unfortunate typo that sent us straight to the end of the game, so it put a substantial damper on my victory.  = (

Alice made another recipe from a library cookbook: Monkey Pudding!

Emily also joined the cookbook 'club' and made a chocolate chip pizza (but not on the same night as Alice.)

William regularly gives me a run for my money, but sometimes he is so unexpectedly wonderful, I know he will be a great man one day.  He was wiping off his bike seat before school, so I told him to just toss the rag onto the stairs in the mudroom, and I would take care of it later.

When I went out in the mud room later, I saw that not only had he put it in the mud room, but he hung it up to dry on the mitten drying line. <3

Emily wanted to bring a 'healthier' treat for her class.  The recipe called for peanut butter, but to avoid the potential allergen, we used caramel.  On round one, we tried melting our own (it didn't work very well.)  Round two we used a caramel dip.  It also didn't work very well. = (  They were super cute until they slid apart!

Grace practicing the piano with her froggy while William plays a 'coding' game.

Emily woke up early on picture day so that we could do something 'special' to her hair.   You couldn't see it in the pictures, but she felt beautiful anyhow. = )

William accidentally spilled some apple juice on his homework, so he had to read his story on the inside drying line.  Luckily his math was all done!

Grace and Molly.

Every package is bigger from Sam's, but I found the disparity between the actual size of the muffins (L- Sams, R- Kroger) interesting.  They are the same brand.

The kids regularly request "magic" tricks from Billy.  He's found some pretty good ones lately.

My dishwasher is drying again!  It took four technician visits from two repair companies, but look at the beautiful steam!

We had a chance to host the Mitterlings for some Gumbo and games.  Carter (one of their twins) was quite the celebrity to my poor, baby deprived, children.

It's been a fun fall, now I'm just hoping that winter will treat us as well.

later days

*This is the first and final year that all 5 of my children will be at the same school.  One pick up time, all the field trips are staggered, I see all of their teachers multiple times a week.  My golden year.