Gingerbread House Making

Or, maybe more accurately, Graham Cracker House Making... :)
We had a fun evening of making winter houses!

Carsten and Grandma JoAnn's--Carsten wanted a bridge up to his...

Reese and Jim's--theirs ended up like an outhouse or a bus stop... and, theirs fell down twice during construction.

Justin and Auntie Alicia's--theirs was the most "house" like.

Uncle Todd's--his was the most sturdy, thanks to a pound of frosting!

Joren and Kaitlyn's house--thiers was the most creative.

Clayton kept himself busy--here he is hammering on the table.

Papa Jim relaxed with Skippy Jon Jones while the house making was going on...

Goodbye Ben!

Ben left today... He is transferring to the school by his parents. We are very sad, but hope for the best for him. Notice Carsten's hair--he had to have his hair cut just like Ben's, "Do a number 2 all over mom"... okay.

Little Ole Skippy

The kids and I wanted to take pictures of Skippy Jon Jones before he gets too much bigger so we remember how little he was. This is Skippy next to Butter for size comparison...
He is quite the people kitty, always wants to be right by us. He is also very wild when he wakes up from the night or naps... :)

Skippy Jon Jones

Our new kitten's name!
We really like these books and even though our new guy doesn't look like this Skippy, he sure acts like him!
These books are about a Siamese cat who thinks he looks more like a Chihuahua because of his big head and ears... you'll have to read them!

We caved...

We went to the Humane Society today... just to look... and... yeah. Meet the new member of our family! His name is yet to be decided by all of us, but we are working on it. He is 12 weeks old, but the size of an 8 week old as he and his siblings were malnourished. So far he seems to be very good natured and is loving the boys--Reese loves holding him and keeps saying, "I've always wanted a little kitty to snuggle".

The kids and I made some of our favorite GF Sugar Cookies last night... Yummm.

Carsten insisted on wearing this sign around on Thanksgiving... Not many pictures of our Thanksgiving as both kids were sick, but we had a nice day anyway.

Tears...

Well, so far just I've shed tears for this little guy, but Carsten is still trying to figure out why he is gone. His solution was to go and dig him up and take him to the doctor, which of course just made me cry more...
While we were on our trip to CA, Caramel was hit and killed by a car. We didn't get to know him long, but he was by far the best cat I've ever had. He was actually more like a puppy. He would follow the boys everywhere outside and even race them to the barn.
There is a kitten sized hole in my heart right now...

Happenings...

This is a tree in my parents yard that I thought looked pretty in the light...

Jim brought the kids and I down to my parents last weekend so we could have some time here before Thanksgiving. We are thoroughly enjoying our time--I am enjoying some breaks as Oma puts the kids to bed and then stays with them so I don't get interrupted and can just relax. The boys are completely enjoying starting fires in the morning in the wood burning stove, playing on Unc's iPad, taking naps with Oma, playing outside for hours, and just being at Opa and Oma's...
Carsten did get a cold and is snuffly now, and Reese threw up this morning, but with Oma around everything is better...

Carsten's cute saying this week after spelling my mom's name, Cate, "No, how do you spell your real name, Oma?"

Photo credits for the pictures in the new header-- Michelle Tschetter

Cousin Wyatt's Pictures

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Just Cute!

This last week I took some senior pictures at a park and Alicia kindly watched my boys. When we were all done and just visiting the boys went off to watch the ducks and this is the picture we saw...

Halloween

We last minute went trick or treating in Justin's neighborhood... We raided our dress-up box and this is what we came up with! A bear and a pirate.

Pumpkin Patch!

Took our annual family trip to the pumpkin patch!

Thanks Papa!!!

Special Company

We had special company last night, Robyn, and she made (literally whipped up) slippers for the boys (they wanted slippers like hers)! They are so pleased--even slept with them on...

New Member of the Family!

Our new roommate, Ben, with the boys. Ben moved in when school started, but I am just getting around to posting a picture... The boys adore him of course!

Losing Streak is (hopefully) Over...

Sixth and hopefully last tooth for awhile.
Now we need to paint triangle eyes on him and dress him in orange...

Warning... kitten updates will be frequent! :-)

Caramel is following the boys everywhere they go... He can see them, can you? (notice camouflage clothes=invisible kids)

Success! Introducing Caramel...

Yesterday one of the feral kittens that we've been trying to befriend, decided to be our friend! Someone had given us the advice to try to start petting it on the back instead of the head and it worked! We've been feeding him, so he is used to our presence, and yesterday he just ate up the attention we gave him. We have named him Caramel since we all like caramel and he is that color...

Check out these paws--seven toes on each...

Want to remember...

Yesterday the boys had their teeth cleaned and they both were in rare form.
The hygienist told Reese to stay put while she went somewhere and he said, "Aye, aye captain!"
Reese told another hygienist to go ahead and pull his loose tooth while she was in there.
And Reese again... when he was all through with his cleaning he opened the drawer by his chair and helped himself to the coins that they get when they are good (they get to spend them in a bubble gum type machine that has toys) and then he turned to the hygienist and asked her, "How many do I get?"...
Thankfully the hygienist thought all of this was quite funny--she actually said it made her day as she had a couple of difficult patients earlier that day.

He's on a roll...

Reese has been losing teeth left and right it seems... Thursday he lost his fourth tooth, and last night his fifth tooth.
We are working on a jack-o-lantern costume for Halloween!

(taken by my phone, so not such great quality, but realized I didn't take any "real" pictures)

New Play Stucture

Hard to believe that Carsten is the one getting hurt and "hung up" on our new to us play structure... :) Today his pants got caught on the swing and over he went--he was giggling and laughing, but needed help getting out of his predicament.
I'll have to post pictures of the play structure soon--a friend of Jim's gave it to us and the kids love it!

Finally...

Another loosey goosey tooth is out! Third one for Reese.
I promised him ice cream after our Bible study if he could get it out, and he did five minutes before!

First Day...

First day of Homeschool 1st Grade...
The boys out taking a break before lunch. :)
Carsten is playing the harmonica and Reese is on the guitar and doing vocals.

End of summer project...

Our end of summer project is to catch some wild kittens... here is Reese waiting for them to come to some food (notice the blue bowl in the grass). And below is one of the victims seemingly oblivious...