fall freak flag

Autumn is full swing. Glorious, really. The days have been the perfect mid-sixties and Idaho is showing off all it's warm colors. That grass that was long dead from summer heat now looks reminiscent of wheat fields. Soup in the crockpot and the love of baking has returned. Can you hear how sentimental I am about this time of year? I even strung the twinkle lights on the patio for fall evenings after the wild men are asleep.

And can we all take a moment to revel in fall fashion? Hallelujah, people have put clothes back on.

A quick note about our Halloween decorations: they were all gifted to us by a chain-smoking neighbor years ago. I would never pay for any of them and they had to be aired out for quite awhile but seeing the boys geek out over them every year is priceless.

A fun apple-picking outing turned into sword play for Collin. (what doesn't these days?) While Matt loaded up buckets upon buckets of apples after learning we could make hard cider from them. Thanks Ryan and Hannah for the invite!

My attempt at caramel apples with the boys. Delicious but I have no clue how the pros get that caramel to stick.

All the joys of harvest time. We have picked the garden clean for rounds of pico de gallo, been given gleaned potatoes, and bowls of pumpkin seeds have already been roasted. I think there is magic in the break from the summer heat and the flurry before winter's harshness.

It's Fall Y'all!

home school

  Our little venture into home schooling has begun. We got a late start, with the move but we are up and running. The boys would have been the new kids at school and if we move out of Ellen's later this year,  I didn't want all that transition for them. They need some sort of consistency in this wild ride. Kind of a scary thought that I am responsible for that routine now :/ I have discovered I am a wanderer at heart. Even if it is through books, I need to set out into new places. Enough moving around for now though!
  The older boys feel like they are missing out on middle school. I feel like I am sparing them trauma, ha! You can see it in Kaleb's face for our back to school snapshots.

  Ah well, I asked them to give it an honest try and if it doesn't stick I am okay with that. We did an online version of public school in Seattle but this is all me. Gathering curriculum, lesson planning, applying common core standards. I am trying to make it like school as they know it but adding some things such as a bible verse committed to memory every week. And I have given myself a lot of grace as we figure things out together, every week is different.

Personalizing binders and tracing body outlines. (The Bible was there to copy our verse, Psalm 139:14 I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.)

Painting a self portrait. Art is a big hit around here, so we are doing that almost everyday.

Adding the bodies different system to our outlines.

The boys also express a lot of interest in cooking so we talk about math and science that is involved when they make cookies. This is maybe my favorite part of home school :)

Another home economics lesson; breaking up chocolate for fondue.

We are experimenting with some iPad apps to help with learning as well. If you have recommendations, please let me have 'em.

Counting when it really counts...money!

 Audio books have been a huge help to me, this was a poetry book we listened to. They boys sculpted along about the subject matter.

Sometimes it gets weird. I love getting in on these moments when the moody teenage haze clears and he is just my funny kid again.

 Parker is a natural leader so he shapes a lot of what we are doing. He talked me into watching Parks and Recreation for school. We talked about that part of the government and they all planned a park including the resources and permits they would need to make that happen.

That was just the first two weeks! I am hoping to get better and better as we find our groove. Documenting is more important to me than the poor quality of these pictures, although hopefully that will improve as well.

and again

In keeping with the teacher's schedule, Labor Day weekend was going to be our best bet to drive back up to Seattle and haul back all our stuff. Just enough time to pack like crazy and say good-bye. Ellen had 3 of our boys stay the weekend with her and Parker stayed with his best friend in Seattle, it was nice for Matt and I to be able to power through it. Also, my parents came up to help. Such a blessing to have Ken play the worlds biggest game of Tetris in the U-haul and my mom packed up my entire kitchen. (a task I was ardently avoiding) They went off to the BSU vs. UW season opener Saturday night and Matt and I grabbed dinner at a favorite on Alki beach, Cactus. The sun was out and setting, a very peaceful night to let go of our time in Seattle.

We woke up to pack the last few things in the truck, like the mattresses we had slept on. There was even time to catch our beloved Pastor Eric Mason speak at Mars Hill in downtown. The old church building is spectacular and his message was about strongholds, especially in our mindsets. It seems like the main takeaway from Seattle for me is to challenge my mindset often. I love that the people of this city are so receptive and open to new ideas, wonderful for my wandering soul.

Speaking of wandering, we finally found an open Starbuck's on our 6th try! Weird.

Arrived early Monday and threw all the stuff wherever it landed. Yikes. 

Matt's brother Taylor spent one of his last days before going off to college doing the heaving lifting with Matt. I was worried we'd worn them out but they still had energy for this:

Some Idaho favorites so far, Cafe Rio (pork salads foreva!!!!) and the bait vending machine.

Also, love Friday night football in a small town.

All the really important things in life are the same. Loving these wild men that have been entrusted to me. I liken our family to a snow globe right now. Shaken up but I know it will all settle down... right before we move again!