It's Pumpkin Everything Season

Most people know how much we like Cinotti's pumpkin donuts.  This was the second year they opened at midnight for an hour for their pumpkin premier.  They only make pumpkin donuts for one season.  I ordered us a dozen and headed there at midnight so the family could have them when they woke up in the morning.  It was a fun event to be a part of this year.  The kids both woke up before their alarms to get downstairs to the donuts before their dad!

Party Season

I've lost track of the number of birthday parties my kids have been invited to this fall!  I'm thankful they have so many sweet friends.  There are parties almost every weekend and sometimes all weekend!  Both kids had parties to go to this past weekend.

Here is Sis at a party with her gym buddies.  They went to Rebounderz to jump on the trampolines then headed to Peterbrooke to make candy.

Sis has another party this Friday night and Ra has 2 good buddies who also have fall birthdays so the fun will continue for awhile!

We Are!

Flying the flag with pride here in the Sunshine State.  We've been watching games at Jerry's Grille every Saturday with the rest of the blue and white faithful.  It's fun to cheer on the team with the alum and fans!  It's like Cheers for PSU family!

Still Growing

Even though most places, people are finished gardening, here things are starting to grow again.  Now that the nights are cooler (but still very humid) and the sun is a bit less intense, my garden is starting to flourish again.  

I had read that if you replant celery that it will grow back so I finally tried it!  It WORKS!

Our peppers are still growing strong too.  These are habaneros.

The tabasco peppers are out of control!

I've also got basil, mint and strawberries still growing and I tried replanting some lettuce.  We'll see how that works out but worth a try, right?

Homesickness Cure

A good friend of mine passed away this fall.  He was my mentor when I taught at CV.  Perry was a great man, teacher, principal, husband, father and friend.  He was only one year older than me and died of a massive heart attack overnight.  It really hit me after my friend Chris called to give me the news.  I really wanted to go home for the funeral but the timing of it was hard too work out with our schedules, school, practices, etc.  

I was feeling a bit homesick for my friends and all things Lancaster so I baked up some shoo fly pies. My kids aren't big fans, but Andy and I enjoyed them!  Nothing like a taste of home to cure what ails you!

The End of Summer

Sadly, summer must come to and end...well, at least everywhere else but Florida!  We get to enjoy the beach year round.  Summer is the worst time to go anyway because it's so darn hot!  

The sunrises here are absolutely gorgeous!  I love going there and enjoying God's creation.

Labor Day fun with this cutie!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Not only do I have a middle schooler, but I have a football player in my house!  Never in my wildest dreams would I think that Ra would actually want to play football.  I'm so thrilled he changed his mind!  

Here are some pics from the Black and White Scrimmage they had before their seasons started.  He's #37.  He's playing cornerback and wideout.  

Sadly, this was the only game he got to play before tearing his extensor tendon in his right ring finger.  He's been in a splint and avoiding contact at practice.  He goes back to the ortho after 6 weeks to see how it's healing.

Tonight is his last B Team game and we've given him permission to play.  Say a prayer that his finger (and his splint) survive the night!

Big Cat Country

We live in Big Cat country - Jacksonville is home of the Jaguars but also home of Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary.  It's up on the northside not far from the airport.  Here they house over 40 animals including tigers, lions, mountain lions/cougars/pumas/panthers, bob cats, foxes, and coatimundis. 

Andy LOVES tigers so we decided to head to Catty Shack for a special date night.  We went for a night time feeding.  It was so awesome to see these big cats.  They got playful, they got vocal and were so much fun to watch!  

They had a few white tigers too!

The mountain lions/cougars/panthers/pumas - all the same animal

These big cats love their pools!

One of their lions taking a rest in the shade.

These two knew dinner was coming and were getting vocal.

The biggest tiger at the Sanctuary getting dinner.

We had so much fun seeing all the big cats.  Andy really enjoyed it and wants to go back again.  Night time feedings are so much fun because you get to see them active!

Back To School

How is it even possible that we have a middle schooler in our house?!?  Ack!!!

Traditional first day of school picture - Started on August 13th.

Best Friends Forever!

Sissy with her friends in her class this year.  She and Gabriella got split up this year but Sis has made some real sweet friends in her class, some new, some old.

This picture was from their first day of centers of the school year.  They worked on learning the 7 days of creation and memorizing what happened on each day.  She's a NUT!

I really like all of Ra's 6th grade team.  They seem to truly grasp the understanding of what middle school should be and the balance between grace and high expectations.  I couldn't be more happy with the teacher Sis has for this year.  I thanked her 1st grade teacher for the fantastic placement.  Sis' teacher is a great reading teacher and that's what Sis needs.  She doesn't like reading and it's a chore to get her to do...She's so opposite of her brother that way.  I'm hoping between the two of us, we can get her to enjoy it more!

While the Parents Are Away, the Grandparents and Grandkids Will Play

While we were enjoying a week alone in Bermuda, our munchkins were living it up with my parents at their cabin in northwestern NC.  They had a fantastic time and after you see these pictures, you'll know why.  My parents are so wonderful with my kids.  They are great at finding a balance of being fun grandparents and not letting them get away with murder!

My kids LOVE going to their grandparents' cabin as much as I loved going to my grandparents' cabin as a kid!  I'm glad they have a safe place to go where they can explore and unplug!

This is the setting of my parents fire pit where they spent every night together.  

Ghost stories, snuggles, s'mores, mountain pies, etc. all happened around the fire pit!

Ironically, when we lived in Utah, I made mountain pies in our fire pit and while camping, but Ra didn't want any parts of them.  My mom makes them at the cabin and they are the best dessert ever!  Go figure!  He was stoked to find out we have a mountain pie maker though!

One of the fun things they did together was make stepping stones.  This was Ra's.  He made a cross with red stones to represent the blood of Christ.

Sissy made the heart stone.

One of the days together was spent on the Virginia Creeper trail.  We all rode this together last year, but Sis was on the Tag-a-long.  

This year, she rode her own bike the entire 17 miles!

They took breaks to cool off along the way.

They spent one day hiking and rock climbing on the top of Mt. Jefferson.  I think my kids miss "real" hiking!

Taking in the breathtaking views.

They also got to go kayaking on the New River while they were at the cabin.  

A little exploring along the river...

Sis enjoyed taking a ride with Nanny.

Ra finally got to paddle in a "big" kayak.  His at home is a small, kid sized one.

Cooling off in the river...

Andy and I are so grateful that my parents were willing to take our kids so that we could have some time together.  With Andy's job, we don't always get a lot of quality time together and it's so important to do.  I remember my parents going away for a week and letting us stay with our grandparents when I was a kid.  I'm also thankful that my parents are a support for us in helping us continue to have a strong marriage by giving us this gift of time away.