Fall Break

After camping, the kids were on fall break.  We stayed home, so we decided to try some new things.  We went to Louisville's Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular, and it was really spectacular!

You walk through a park and see over 5,000 carved pumpkins.  The weather was perfect, and we had a great time.

We also took the kids and their friends to the drive-in on retro night, so they saw the original Beetlejuice for the first time.  It's been a couple of years since we went to the drive-in, so that was a nice treat.  We also went to a LouCity soccer game, thanks to Nathaniel's work giving us tickets.  The boys had a blast!  We will probably try to take them again sometime next season.

Also recently, we started our work helping refugee families.

No, those aren't the refugees, those are our kids, working with us moms and the Catholic Charities staff to set up a house for a family from Tanzania.  We had a great time getting their house ready for their arrival.

We plan on setting up a house or two every month, as needed.  They are giving our group the big families that need a house.  Other volunteers set up apartments for smaller families.  We had a great time working together, and we all prayed that the new family will enjoy their new home. 

 

Camping 2024

 Every year, Nathaniel's family has a big family camping reunion.  Unfortunately, the extended family hasn't gotten together the last two years, but Nathaniel's parents, all the kids and most of the grandkids, plus Eric and family were able to attend.  We had a great time at Spring Mill.

Goofing off on our way to the Pioneer Village

Elijah was able to join us this year, although Malachi and Pilot couldn't make it.

Eric and I both tried the stilts.  Interestingly, none of the kids would try them!

Lydia and Haylee carved a pumpkin that they described as "very French".

Emry also had fun carving his pumpkin, a first time carve!

Gyunay and Knicky preferred touring the village.

Our campsite was just in front of the creek, and the dogs and I hung out there for a while.

S'mores are always a hit with the kids:

I stayed away from the fires.  My lungs can't handle smoke at all, really, so I retired early in the evenings.  Fortunately, it wasn't too cold.

Almost 20

 Malachi was home last weekend.  His 20th birthday is coming up, so we went ahead and celebrated while he was here.

We also were able to go to his concert last week.  

Emry's Turn and Painting the Deck

 

Emry enjoyed his first cooking club on Monday.  He made an apple dessert, which was quickly devoured.  I think all of the kids will enjoy their 4-H cooking clubs.

Also this week, we cleared the deck.  Nathaniel powerwashed it on Sunday, and yesterday the younger boys did touch-up painting.

They took turns between the roller and the brush.  It tried my patience for sure, but the deck got mostly done.

Buddy Bean enjoyed his time in the pen in the yard during both the powerwashing and the painting.  He is now back on the deck, which is still mostly empty, which he seems to find a bit annoying, but we did give him his tunnels and favorite hideaway spot.

A Bushel and a Peck

 

On Saturday, we had a great time apple picking!

It's been years since we got to pick our own apples, and Emry had never been apple picking.  We picked a bushel and a peck.

After the kids had some time on the playground, we returned to the fields for pumpkin picking.

Lastly, we also headed into the corn maze, with Nathaniel to guide us so we wouldn't be left wandering forever.

Now, I've got apples to process.  I've been dehydrating them, and like the peaches, dehydrated apples have been a big hit with my youngest two.  Nathaniel has always liked apple chips, too.  I also made some apple sauce, and an apple pudding.  I will probably make some apple cinnamon jam and a pie at some point, but fortunately, apples keep much longer than peaches, so I don't have to rush.

Cooking

 All three of the younger kids are signed up for 4-H cooking clubs this year.  Last night was Gyunay's first time in his new club.  Lydia is also in that club, but she was home sick, so he had to go solo.  He loved it.

He wore an apron that was Malachi's.  Mamaw made it when Malachi was probably 10 or so.  Gyunay is so happy to do something connected to his big brothers, so wearing the apron was perfect.  Emry can't wait for his first cooking club next week!

Children's Museum

 The youngest three and I took a trip to see the family a few days ago, and we explored the Children's Museum of Evansville.  The boys had never been there, and Lydia was too little to remember going.  We were joined by my parents, sister, and nephew, and the boys had a blast!

(Lydia had fun, too.)

We also watched a high school freshman football game, so the boys were excited to finally go to a football game.  We had fun seeing my niece cheer.  It did end up pouring on us at the end, but it was still fun.  It just made the boys that much faster putting on their pajamas when we got to my parents' house!

September Harvest Totals

 I finally got some produce from the garden this month.  The tomatoes have been deer-eaten and just not producing, but the tomatillos have produced more than ever!  I had over 6 lbs last month, and over 9 lbs this month!  I've made lots of tomatillo salsa, and more will be coming on.  The hens are mostly laying well.  Belle hasn't laid an egg since May, but the other 12 hens generally lay very well.  A couple of them were molting this month, so the numbers are a bit down.  The Edmondson cucumbers have taken off, too, and I've fermented lots of pickles as well as canning some.

Beans, blue lake - 2.1 lbs

Beans, cresent - 13 oz

Beans, dragon tongue - 14.2 oz

Cabbage, Asian - 1

Carrots - 7

Cucumbers, Edmondson - 66

Cucumbers, Green - 3

Cucumbers, NC - 1

Eggs - 196

Jalapenos - 4

Pepper, Bulgarian sweet - 2

Pepper, misc sweet - 1

Squash, Butternut - 3 mini ones (2.3 lbs)

Tomatillos - 9.2 lbs

Turnips - 1

Zucchini - 1

Plus cherry tomatoes, basil, cilantro, mint, sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and lemon balm

I grew one fennel plant, which the boys got at a 4-H event.  It has these really pretty caterpillars on it, which look a lot like the caterpillars that turn into monarch butterflies, so I let them have it: