A Sampling of Fall Fun

Here I am to report on the week.
Except, this week held a lot of violent stomach bugs and hernias (well, just one of those), and is ending with me sitting here feeling like someone has punched me in the stomach, wrapped their fist around the center of my energy, and dragged it all out of me.
I have a feeling that someone could be the flu.
But don't tell the CDC that or they will probably break down my door, eager to inject me with toxins.

Point being, I don't have a whole lot to report on, since most of the week held a lot of lying around, changing diapers and sheets, and one visit to the ER with JC. As far as that goes, we have a consult with a surgeon tomorrow and hopefully we will then know when his surgery will be and what kind of recovery period we can expect.
I feel a little like the next couple of months are kind of hinging on what this doctor tells us tomorrow. I am quite interested to hear what he has to say. And quite eager for JC to be feeling better. :(
Speaking of sad face :( . . . this week, on Thursday, was supposed to be the beginning of JC's Deer Hunt.
Yeah, that one he finally got drawn for this year.
And was so excited.
And now can't go.
It is really sad.

But the cool part is, instead he gets to stay home and have surgery. Then recover in the midst of three energetic kids who like to jump on him. And a wife with (maybe) the flu.
Awesome.


Anyway, all this said, I scanned through our pictures from the last while, ones I have yet to highlight with a post and decided to throw them all together for a good hodge podge post.
Hodge podge.
I like that phrase.
I'm doing this because I am lazy. And they may not be in the right order. Also because I'm lazy.

I sound like such a grumper. I'm not really, I am actually quite content. Just not in any particular mood to spend much time on creativity on this particular Sunday night. You know, because my posts are usually so Picasso-esque.
????
Time to move on to narrating pictures.

What We've Been Up To
A memoir of some moments of early fall, 2009

Pillow Fights

Playing footsie with Daddy

Trying on Halloween costumes

and flying in them.

And posing in them.
(and specifically dictating how we want our hair fixed that day.)

Going to the zoo with Grandma Trudie!!!
We accidentally went on Columbus Day/first day of Fall Break. So, it was super duper crowded, everyone was a little grumpy, and Ben started running a fever. BUT we gave it a valiant effort.
Here are Bethany and James just taking their sweet time on the walk through the zoo.

James being awesome.

Ben feeding a giraffe!!!
The other two were hesitant but he, the baby, went for it.
I love his face. He was so excited, yet as the giraffe came to eat the leaves, his face changed to this expression. But he was quickly giggling about it!

He also got great giraffe sunglasses there at the gift shop.
His face is great here.

We crashed for rest time at Grandma Trudie's house that day. James actually took a nap, being exhausted from all that walking, nose-picking, and not feeding the giraffes. :)

We've gotten new fall shoes.
Ben got tennis shoes with Buzz Lightyear on them. He carries the box around (currently sleeping with it as we speak.)
Here he has his shoes on, the box in his hand, and his Buzz action figure in his other hand.

We visited this nifty place, a park we discovered like, a year and a half ago but had not been back. It is so fun. There are a couple different themed sections to the playground, but this is the best part: Farmland (or something like that)

We climbed.

And slid.

And rocked.

And had a picnic dinner. Then went for a too-close-to-bedtime shopping trip at Super Target. There was a lost James (he likes to hide in the clothing racks and say nothing when we call for him), an injured Bethany (slipped and fell to the ground, hitting head-first. Horrible), and an angry Ben (anytime he saw Elmo or Toy Story anything, and I did not stop to admire it for a lengthy period of time, he felt very betrayed.)
But there were also new pajamas (yes, Toy Story ones) and a couple pieces of candy corn.
It was a good night.

We also spent time giving Scout love.
(Let's face it, after the last few years, being at the bottom of the attention totem pole, he needs it!)
Bethany has convinced Scout that it is in his best interest to allow her to snuggle him like this on occasion. It's pretty cute.

We started spending more time outside!
YAY! My favorite part!
Bethany uses sidewalk chalk to practice her writing skills.
Here we have "mooo" (like a cow says)
followed by "Andrew" (her uncle)

One time, during outside time, Scout did something bad. He got banished to the balcony while JC sat down to rest in between who-knows-what. (Our backyard is in rough shape after a long hot summer and there is a lot to be done to have it play-ready)
Scout perched himself above JC, poked his head through the railing...

and waited for forgiveness.

Just James.
Being cute.

The boys gave the swings a shot, breaking them back in.

We also sometimes eat breakfast outside.
The mornings are awesome.

Something else Bethany has been up to - drama.
It's hard being a girl.
Being four.
Having two brothers.
And a mean mommy.
Sometimes, when there has been something-or-other that has left her feeling misunderstood and upset, I can find her here, in our front room.
Comforting herself.
It is precious.

Here's something else Bethany does lately - sets out her clothes at night for the following day.
After we say goodnight and tuck her in, we will sometimes find this on the floor when we head back in for final checking and tucking in before we head to sleep.
She's getting so grown up!

We have acted as taste-testers for Aunt Katie's baking endeavors. She brought us a piece of her Bastrawi Pie. It was so very good.
Someday she will have a cafe and sell them and we will feel famous.
The boys devoured this piece of pie and understandably so.

It's kind of hard to really see against the fence, but we lost our apple tree.
:(
It goes to join the plum tree in our graveyard of fruit trees. It was a rough summer for baby trees. Only I can't call them baby trees because that makes me feel really sad. Anyway, it died.

It's that time of year - winter grass!
JC is a big fan of winter grass. He said he has memories of being a kid and rough grass being so uncomfortable to play in. So he is determined that we will always have soft grass for the kids. He's such a softie. :)
Now if we could just keep the birds from eating all our seed.

Now for some new additions, foliage-wise!
We got a sissou tree for the front yard.
LOVE this tree.
It's going to grow big and strong and shade our yard forever more. Maybe we'll have a swing hanging from it someday for the grandkids.

A little hard to see, but...
The New Apple.
Apple 2.0, if you will.
Heaven bless you, 2.0. We will try to make you live!

The new plum.
I don't have a cool name for this tree but it sure is pretty.
Same blessing on this gorgeous girl - hopefully we will be celebrating this same tree next year, and not another replacement!

Our little grove.
Coming along slowly and steadily.

We discovered this nifty car-attached-to-shopping cart at Fry's.
If they could guarantee this baby was free every time I shopped, I would so do the grocery shopping by myself with all three kids.
You do NOT want to know what it looks like when I attempt to do so without something so fancy.
Anyway, the boys loved driving this cart around.

And...
all of that brings us to this week:

A lot of that kind of stuff.

As I close my random post here, all I can think about is this: I propose that, when we start to get sick, we should be allowed a day to go make our toenails and fingernails pretty, get our hair done, get a massage, and buy new pajamas. And smelly lip gloss (non-sticky kind)
So at least we feel awesome while we're feeling not awesome.

We should also be allowed to have our home professionally cleaned. Because, really, nothing makes you feel worse when you're already feeling worse than stepping on old food on the floor, tripping over toys, and snuggling up in a blanket that needs to be washed.
Not that I would know.

Even though I may not sound like it, I'm excited for the week that comes. I shall report back at the end of it.
Maybe before.
It could happen.