Last night we had several families over to watch a dvd and to enjoy some fellowship.  As expected, we had a fun time.  I asked everyone to bring a dessert, so the food part was easy.  Maggie made these apple cider cookies with caramel drizzle as well as some oatmeal cookies.  Delicious!

Mike is setting up the video for our home theatre.

Afterwards we played Rumikub, Blokus, and Checkers.

Allen was pleased to beat Tom in two games of checkers. 

I copied a bunch of pictures off Anna's camera, so there are a few oddball pictures.  This is Abigail and Ruthie at the McDonald's playground this past week.  Ruthie declared herself to be too big for crawling around the tunnel...she came home with skinned knees!  

Driving through amish country and seeing the amish scholars walking home from school.

On Wednesday, we went to the Battle Creek Cyprus Swamp.  We enjoyed the falcon.  I was looking forward to seeing the owl but the man said the owl finally died after 19 years.  However, the huge copperhead will be returned to the living display area around Christmas.   

The swamp is usually noisy with birdcalls and animal sounds but on this day it was quiet.  Very quiet.   

The cyprus tree is related to the tall redwoods in California.  It was hard to capture the magnificence of these trees on camera.

I see here that Maggie has her good camera...so I'll have to find that and see if there are any good pictures to add here.

One last picture.  The indoor displays are very nice...except for the observation beehive.  I was surprised at how dirty it was.  Usually these hives are fascinating to watch but the bees were barely moving.

On Thursday night we went to my parents' home for family time.  Here's baby KathrynRose and Leslie.  What a fast year.  Kat is walking around with ease.

This is a terrible focus but I wanted to include this picture...since Uncle Floyd always ends up on the floor with the babies.

Mike and Dustin.  Dustin has gotten 2 deer so far this season!

Floyd and Cody.

Abigail in the arms of her most favorite person in the world...Mommy!

Last month, Sarah took Anna and Maggie up to VA to see the latest Courageous film.  They loved it and have talked about it a lot.  So Anna talked Mike into returning, and this time they took the twins.  Ruthie is too young for the adult themes.  I am looking forward to seeing this when it comes out on dvd.



Here's a picture of Grandaddy and Mr. Harry clearing out the treefort path after the destruction of Hurricane Irene.  Thanks again! 

This morning finds us scattered to the four winds.  Sarah is running with a friend as part of her "Couch to 5K" class.  Lizzie and Anna are cleaning house for Aunt Leslie.  Mike is off to Alabama for a week.  And as soon as I am finished this post, I will be sitting in front of a roaring fire and watching an episode of Laramie with three of my children. 

Enjoy your weekend.  Many blessings ~ Kathie

Happy Veterans Day tomorrow.  I was looking forward to going to the parade tomorrow but CSM (College of Southern Maryland) doesn't have off tomorrow, so the twins have chemistry class.  Nonetheless, thank you veterans for your sacrifices.  And thank you families of the veterans who also sacrificed.  Thank you for paying the price for freedom.

Our family has been busy practicing for our annual XYZers dinner.  Time is flying by.  We almost have the music perfected, now we have to find our western costumes.  

I took this picture because I thought it was funny how the cowgirls kept their hats on after practice.  Maggie made us pecan pie...with no eggs or dairy...but you sure couldn't tell!

Maggie also made some delicious eggfree eggrolls.  Allen has sorely missed eggrolls, so he was especially grateful.

I had fun watching my daughters move Ollie's run from one side of the yard to the other side.  Two wagons and a lot of team work!

Allen dug up his few sweet potato plants.  He's very pleased...enough to think about planting a bunch next year.

My children had fun with the youth group at church on Sunday evening.  One of the games they played was Duck, Duck, Goose.  Aaron miscalculated by choosing Lizzie...who quickly caught up to him.  Never think you can outrun a goat farmer!  

My jeep-loving daughters saw this today and just had to take a picture.  

We have enjoyed seeing Abigail a lot this week as Sarah comes over to help my children with their schoolwork.  

Yesterday we met Sarah and Abigail at the McDonalds to eat lunch and play on their playground. 

Afterwards we were all going to drive over to the Battle Creek Cypress Swamp in Calvert County to hike through the swamp...but Abigail wore herself out on the playground.  The picture above is Abigail and Lizzie.  I wrote that because it looks like Maggie, not Lizzie.

As Abigail gets older and has more school and gym days, our time with her gets precious.  

I had fun watching Abigail giving everyone hugs and kisses while eating.  We love you, Abigail!

I was finally able to get some sewing done last weekend.  I made these three jumpers for Ruthie.  The two on the left are denim.

The jumper on the right is Ruthie's favorite.  Here's a closeup of the fabric.  Ruthie loves this jumper best for two reasons...first because of the horses...and secondly because Aunt Natalie and Uncle Simba gave her this fabric for Christmas last year.  What a perfect gift!

Last week when Abigail came over to play, she wanted to snuggle with our hawaiian ukulele.  She asks for it every time she comes over.  So funny!  You can be sure I will be teaching her the uke as soon as she turns five.

When Abigail got sleepy around naptime, we took her up to Sarah's room to snuggle for a video.  I joked about how many cousins it takes to put a niece down for a nap.  Sweet memories.

I like this picture hanging on Sarah's bedroom door.  On facebook I've enjoyed reading some of my friends' daily lists of what they're thankful for this month.  

On Tuesday evening, my children decided to spend the night outside on the trampoline.  The temps reached 36 degrees, so early the next morning I quietly went out to take these pictures.  They were snuggled in sleeping bags and 5 quilts...of which the heavy dew saturated the top two quilts.  They came in smiling and said they had actually gotten a little too warm.  The full moon and the stars were magnificent.  I'm so thankful they enjoy God's handiwork.

We are preparing to leave in a few minutes to spend the evening with my extended family. Dad is serving us Mac and Cheese, soup, and chili.  Should be fun!

Six of us made it to the Cypress Swamp and hiked the trail.  The staff said the displays of live animals should be back in service in several months' time.  So we need to return in the spring.

Many blessings ~ Kathie