Fall Break 2015

Fall break started with my birthday on Wednesday.  Mark was busy at work and could not take off for camping etc., so I took the boys up to the Ranch on Thursday for a mini vacation.  And a true vacation it was!  My parents took us out to dinner for my birthday and I just relaxed and enjoyed the amazing weather and Fall beauty at the Ranch.  We stayed over Thursday night and came home Friday afternoon to spend the weekend helping Mark with work at our house.

Brian and Timmy lived for rides on the six-wheeler with Grandpa.

We went for a perfect bike ride.

And we could not soak in enough time up at the ditch.

I am so grateful for my parents and for the Ranch. It was the perfect birthday/Fall break  vacation.  I am so blessed in so many ways.

Jenny Turns 33!

October is always a beautiful wonderful month!  I love the changing of the seasons and the leaves, I love everything pumpkin and fall foods, and I love a reason to celebrate.  My birthday is in October and this year it came with Fall break from school and the most beautiful October weather imaginable.
These cute dudes had early out day at school on my birthday, so we went over to Wheeler Farm for some pumpkin days fun!  It was gorgeous and fun.

Then is was so warm they wanted to play in the river, which they did for hours while I watched and smiled and enjoyed being outside in the warmth.

Later Mark came home from work and took us to Sweet Ginger for an amazing birthday dinner.  It was perfect!  After dinner we went to pick up Mark's birthday present to me!  It was the biggest birthday present yet.  He got me a huge deep freezer to put int he garage!  I don't have pictures of it, but it has been so wonderful to have all that freezer space!  Thank you Mark!  My birthday could not have been better!

School Pictures 2015

We finally got the school pictures back.  Every year I debate whether I should pay all that money for school pictures or not.  I forked out the bucks and in the end I'm glad I did.  It is fun to see how the boys change from year to year and they enjoy getting their pictures with everyone else.  Brian looks so old and so cute in his glasses.  How is he growing so fast?

That Timmy smile is the best!

September 2015

There were several beautiful skies in September.  I can't get enough of them.

The boys and I went on a long Saturday bike ride and found some huge acorns.  Timmy's hair looked pretty cool when he took off his helmet.

The boys attended a friend's fun carnival birthday party.

Mark built more needed doors for the barn.  My job is to paint them.

One weekend Brian and Timmy thought it would be fun to clean up the yard and I couldn't believe they cleaned the whole thing on their own accord.

Timmy took some selfies on my phone while wearing a stick on mustache.

 Mark acquired a large hot tub for free and engineered a way to get it on our porch.

Much of our time in September was spent searching and searching for cellos for Brian and Timmy that would fit them, work, and not cost us a fortune.  We ordered online, borrowed from shops, sent back cellos that were not the right size or were broken etc.  Mark learned everything there is to know about cellos and became somewhat of a luthier.  He found some great deals on cellos online and he worked on them until they will work well for our little beginner cellists.

Our dining table was turned into a cello workshop for September and into October.

Brian and Timmy started cello lessons in September.  They are taking from the great teacher I had in high school.  I can't get over how adorable these boys are learning to play those tiny cellos.

I somewhat finished the mud room/office in time for all the weekday homework and Saturday morning music theory sessions.  I have plans for a world map on the middle window blinds in the future and painting the chairs white.  For now, I am just so happy it is now a super functional wonderful room with easy to clean floors.