Back to School Blessing

(this was back in early September)

Each year we have a special dinner outside to celebrate 'back to school'. It's not just a pretty dinner that we get all dressed up for. It's purpose is to introduce our girls to the 'theme' for our family for this school year. God is the focus of our theme always and Scott and I spend some time praying and letting God direct us as we choose a theme.

2016 is here

2015 is here

This year with all of the changes in our family we chose "The Great Adventure" for so many reasons.

One was that we have loved listening to Steven Curtis Chapman (we went to the concert at the beginning of the summer).

We started by decorating a table outside in our backyard.





And the girls got all dressed up





I set the table all pretty





We had a simple dinner of baked ziti







We enjoyed dinner so much after the hustle and bustle of getting home from Disney, setting up a classroom, and having the first 3 days of school.



The cake was topped with flowers. (I found a vase cake topper on line)





After dinner Scott presented to the girls our message for the year... the Great Adventure.

We listened to the song, and then talked about how God was leading us this year into so much great unknown and how to trust Him, let Him lead the way, and go joyfully.



And then they unwrapped their back to school stained glass stars.





For our high school freshman



It came out stunning this year.



And then it was Abigai Mei's turn.









I love watching their eyes light up.





And then we ate vanilla cake with 'butter' cream frosting.



It was an absolutly delightful evening.

Apple Picking 2017

A fall tradition that started when Scott and I were in high school. Yes, in 1991 were were apple picking. And all of these years later this is just one of those fall traditions we could never skip! It's an 'always at the beginning of fall' so it's warm. It's you just starting to get cozy clothes out. It's a long sleeves on the top but maybe shorts on the bottom kind of an outing.





All eyes closed on the tractor ride but I wanted to remember.



Love this one.





The apples you pick taste the best. I'm not just saying that. They just do!





Dreamy...



"mommy, take a picture of this one. It looks just like the ones you draw"





Stopping to pick wild flowers along the way.









It was such a lovely afternoon together. And now we have bowls filled with apples. It's time to make pie!!!

Early October Weekending

I'm not gonna lie.  This transition is hard.  (and it is glorious too... oh man, when I'm in front of those precious 4th graders I am an ear to ear grin) But it is tiring.  And exhausting.  This week (as in tomorrow, Wednesday) is my first formal observation.  The principal will be in my room typing away for over an hour.  So this weekend (with a ton of help from my husband principal) I had to figure out the lesson.  And fill out a ton of forms to prep for my pre-observation on Monday.  There were tears, mine.  I sometimes doubt my ability.  Or I feel overwhelmed.  But then I remember that I am doing what I'm called to do.  And I got through.

But my camera (and this blog) captures that in the same weekend.  The one with the tears.  The one with the teacher stuff all spread out all over the dining room table and the dining room floor.  Was still the same weekend with these moments I'm about to share.  There was still fall magic in the air (and such beautiful 60 degree weather)  And magic with my family!



I make the sauce and dough on Thursday night. He makes the pizza on Friday night!





Her bucket list fall idea and it made us all happy.











Crafting
(a bed for Belle)



(helping her sister sew pillows for her bed for Belle)



Writing





Baking





Noticing (I love light and shadows in my house)



More shadows (see the stars? They are from their back to school stained glass stars.)





And on the perfect weather day, Sunday there was THIS!!!! Apple picking... more pictures coming soon!

Fall Bucket List

I don't usually do a bucket list.  I always felt like it tied me in to things I 'had' to do.

But this fall is different.  Very different.  And exhilarating.  And heart warming.  And challenging.  And growing.  And wonderful.  And so much rolled into one.

We have strong seasonal traditions, and when something is a tradition I never felt the need to put it on a poster and advertise to my family the things we were doing that season.  But this year I wanted to 'make sure' that the favorite things we love happened.

So one evening at dinner I asked each person to secretly write down one thing that was very important to them during the fall season.  So they each wrote one thing that if fall ended it just wouldn't be the same without that one thing.

Then I took all four of our ideas (along with the traditions we always do) and wrote down a bucket list.



It's in our mud room, right outside our kitchen door.



It's the first thing we see when we walk in from the garage anytime we're coming home and that makes me happy!





And this weekend we were able to cross off two things on that happy fall list!

And THAT made me even happier.



Scott ~        go for a hike in a new place
Anna ~       make yummy candy apples
Abigail~    roast marshmallows
Tara ~        go for a leaf peeping drive