.falling back & falling behind.

Remember when I actually used to blog... I do.  I would like to blame it all on just being so incredibly busy that I haven't found a moment to sit down and compose a few lines, but mostly, I've just felt distinctly unmotivated.   It might have something to do with the fact that I've felt like crap, haven't exercised in weeks, and have absolutely no energy.  Whatever the reason, I've just decided I needed to  get the last few weeks out before we fall even further behind.  So onto the catch-up.

Family Halloween party/ pumpkin carving/ trick-or-treating

 Hay ride with cousins

 sweet owl Meg

 Finn refused to dance, but loved pulling the wagon around the yard

and then I got suckered into pulling the two of them around the yard

We had a lot of fun as usual with lots of good food, good company, and one of the last perfect fall days of the year.

Finn was so stoked about the pumpkins this year.  Everyday he would ask if we were going to carve the pumpkins yet.  A few days before Halloween he finally got the chance to dig in to the orange gourds.  He wasn't very effective at getting much of the guts out, but he sure had fun trying.  He wanted to do everything...including use the knife (such a boy).  I finally got the drill out so he could drill holes in one.  That kept him happy and busy.

The days leading up to Halloween, we discussed the business of trick-or-treating, and the proper etiquette.  Finn had masted his "trick-or-treat", and was ready to go when daddy got home from work.  We left early, and even though it still required a lot of prompting on what to say and when,  he had a lot of fun.  

 He made sure to give Katie hugs for her candy contribution

 Meg just enjoyed the packaging.
When Meg started fussing, and Finn started whining that his pumpkin was too heavy we knew we were done...easy enough.  We thought it was funny that for a kid who doesn't like chocolate he ended up picking out a lot of chocolate.  I switched most of it out with the candy we had at home so he still had plenty of sugar to consume for all his hard work.

After some pizza and green monster juice, we had a little wrestling match to burn off some of the sugar before bed.

The beginning of November had some pretty beautiful days that we knew were going to be the last of the year, so we had to of course we to do leaf raking and jumping.  That little boys sure loves to rake leaves!

 Roy and Finn hiding in the leaves

 covering daddy with leaves

 These two have a sweet bond of boyish mischief

 raking the leaves while daddy throws them

 I told him he had to smile...nice...

 I love looking up at the trees with all their color

And here is just a little bit more of what we've been up to the first week of November.

 Meg enjoys the thrills A LOT.  She lives off the adrenaline rush that she gets off of being thrown and tossed in the air.

 Making applesauce.  Looking at my meager canning efforts from this fall (I lost 7 jars of beautiful peaches because I left them on the counter without processing....prego brain), I knew we had to add a few jars of applesauce.  Thanks again to my wonderful mother who supplied the apples and kitchen.

 Our first snow hit at the beginning of this week, and even though it was nothing more then a skiff,  Finn was BEYOND excited to put on his new snow boots and get out to see what it was all about.

I can't wait to see what he will think about some actual snow accumulation.  

He's also suddenly (he's seen a few Christmas trees) got very excited for Christmas.  I keep telling him we have Thanksgiving first, and that we have turkey and all other sorts of yummy things, but he still keeps on insisting on getting a tree.  Soon enough my child, soon enough.

In other news...

Roy was released as Young Men's president.  He had served in that calling for almost 4 years, so it was time for a change.  In the meantime he is just enjoying his free time a little more, and it's been nice to have him home on Sundays.  It seems like it was good timing anyways since our ward was completely split in half last Sunday.  We were expecting some change, but it was quite a big change.  We are feeling like even more, that it is time for us to move and have a change, but we will have to see what happens in the next few months.

As far as baby and me, I've come to peace with this unexpected change, and have started feeling positive and happier about it all.  Feeling less sick and tired seems to have helped my emotional state a great deal, and feeling those babies move for the first time is always exciting no matter what.  I know I'll look back on this and see all the blessings that will come from this sweet addition, so I've gotten over my frustration, and yes even a little anger, and I'm building up anticipation for this little one.