Trying Out Acrylics

Chloe got some acrylic paints for her birthday this summer, but until just recently had not used them.  Then, inspriration struck and she suddenly wanted to try them.  We watched a few YouTube videos to make sure we had the basics down, but sadly Chloe didn't feel at all confident after all those "lessons."  (At least we learned about the wet palette for her paints.)  After a pep talk about acrylics being just like watercolors only thicker, she decided to draw a sketch and ended up getting right to work.

The scottie-dog idea is from the pattern on one of her sets of pajamas, but the rest of the design is all her own.  She really got into the blending, mixing, thinning, and layering process with these paints.  Using canvas was an all new experience as well.  It all just comes so naturally to her.

A couple of hours later, she held her finished product and was so extremely proud of herself.  After it was dry we took this picture.  Looks like we'll be needing to stock up on more canvases!

The Stray Dog

Last Thursday, in the middle of a blizzard, Todd found a dog wandering around in the middle of a country road while getting our milk.  Long story short, he ended up bringing the dog home to help it until we could figure out a solution.  The dog was a beautiful male German Short-haired Pointer with a collar on.

As much of a disruption to our lives as this was, it could have been worse.  This dog was so well-behaved and sweet that we all really took to him right away.  The kids helped to walk him, feed him, and play with him. He ended up staying overnight with us, and in the morning Todd started the search process by calling vets and shelters to report him.

In the meantime, we went on with life trying to figure out what we would do if no one claimed him.  None of us but Todd has ever really loved dogs and wanted one, but we were all really fond of this sweet guy we called Jake (since he responded to the sound of that name when Todd was guessing).

Jake slept a lot, obeyed commands, took treats gently from our hands, and was basically perfect in every way.  He didn't bark, jump, lick, or push anyone down.  Every minute we spent with him made it feel more and more like he was ours.

We made a vet appointment for the afternoon and planned to go to Petco afterwards to have him bathed.  We had no idea how long he'd be here but we had to plan for it to be a while.

By mid-morning, after a bunch of phone calls, the pieces of the puzzle were coming together.  A girl at the humane society had a friend who had lost his dog in Edinboro last night and gave us a number to reach him.  Within a half-hour we knew we had found his owner and they could come and pick him up at dinnertime.  This was an answer to our prayer, and I cheered, but our kids were heartbroken and crying.  They had really fallen in love with this gentle dog.

The rest of the day with Chase (as we learned his name to be) was filled with walks and cuddles, and when he finally left we cried both happy and sad tears.  Chase was going home where he belonged, but our house suddenly felt very empty.

The kids weren't even aware of the true miracle that took place here during that 24 hours.  Our whole family is now united in the desire to want a dog, not just because 'Dad wants one,' but because we all really want one.  So, even though Todd had resigned himself to waiting till the kids were grown, it looks like we could be raising a dog together sooner than we thought.  Who knows.

Snow!

We woke up yesterday morning to three inches of snow blanketing everything in sight and huge flakes tumbling out of the sky.  By the mid-afternoon we had almost ten inches.  To say it was gorgeous is an understatement.

The kids stayed out until they were soaked through (such wet snow!) and came in proclaiming that they had forgotten how much fun winter could be.

They built snowmen, tumbled head over heels, made tunnels in the snow drifts, made avalanches happen on the trees, and ran all over the knee-deep (to them) snow.

It's always so weird when just two days before the snow flies, you are running around in the sun wearing shorts and flip-flops, but this is where we live.

Even though it seems like winter just ended and we barely had summer, I guess winter is sort of here again. At least it is off to a beautiful start.

November Happenings

The weather has been so nice, and Todd has had some time between jobs to be home with us. The kids refuse to wear coats and they spend most of the day outside in the treehouse, swinging, watching Todd build his mini-deck for the home show next year, riding bikes, and walking around the block together.  Such pleasant days together.

Evan found a katydid which we hadn't seen at all this summer.  He kept it with him for hours.

See it on his hand?

Since the clock change we are seeing some really pretty sunrises again.  That might be the only perk to daylight savings time.  We're 11 days in and still not adjusted, but isn't this pretty?

Todd's birthday is today.  Chloe wanted to celebrate by giving her dad some special hand-made gifts and scented candles first thing this morning.  He really loved her gift-wrapping and thoughtfulness.  He really loved the carrot cake we made too.

A Big Empty Box

Evan and Chloe spent every possible moment outside last week rolling around the backyard in this big empty box.  A great perk of Todd's job is that he can bring home the big boxes his customer's are just going to throw away and we gain a week of happy playtime. 

Chloe loves to tackle and wrestle Evan as much as he loves to be tackled and wrestled.  She climbs all over him and he tolerates it.  She lays on top of him and he giggles and groans.  She rolls all around him and flings her hair in his face and he just goes back for more. 

And that photo above?  They were just laying like that, talking.  I asked them if they'd mind if I took a picture.  Smile please?   And just like that I captured everything that was beautiful about that moment, right there in a big empty box.

Pink Blossoms in Fall

We found a huge hydrangea on one of our walks this summer.  It's actually pruned to be a tree not a shrub and it's over 6 feet tall.  We've admired the stages it has gone through, from a honeybee haven of creamy-green flowers that smell like heaven, to this incredible pink treasure land.  Chloe wanted to preserve a memory of it's beauty with her own little face right in the middle of all those blossoms.  Fall is so pretty!

Pumpkin Farm

Monday was our day.  Perfect weather and friends who got back in town just in time to join us.  Plus Bryce's family was there too!  Here's a bit of what happened over the course of five hours together (and apart).

Gentlemen!  Start your engines!  Or at least get your legs ready for a 3 hour workout.

I tried to split my time up between the girls and boys who did separate things again this year.  The boys love the dirt track and the girls love the animals.  Ysabet and Chloe fed goats and bunnies up over the hill while I hung out with the boys at the track.

After a long separation, the corn box brought everyone together for a cooling-off resting time.  And that's where we found Bryce's family.

The kids divided up their time between their favorite places all day (dirt track, big slides, animals) but they did a few of the extra things as the ran past them.  Evan and Jed looked so silly on the trikes.

I calculated that between all four kids and lots of quarters for food, the farm goats ate $7 of our money. But it was worth it.

The boys were sweating for most of the afternoon as they rounded the dirt track for the fiftieth time.  Luckily, there was a hand-wash station with ice cold water for dunking your head in (if you're a boy, that is), so after a brief run up the hill and far away then back down again, they were recharged.  And drenched.

Chloe held her own on this track.  She kept up with the boys and raced several adults that were out there.  She is stronger and faster every year, and so proud of herself.

Towards the end, Evan challenged Aunt Bryce to a race.  I wonder who won?

We came prepared for speed on the big slides this year.  Evan and Chloe wanted to bring their small fleece blankets which are the perfect material for a zippy drop.

Before heading to the car we spotted the slingshot arena open for free and stopped to try it out.  It was much harder than it looked and Farmer Jess beat everyone every single time.

The countdown to next year's trip begins shortly after Christmas is over.