When I don’t have time to post as much, events start piling up. So here are a few fun movies to catch up on the kids.
This is from about a month ago. Flora was still learning to walk and loved pushing things around. Lance has his own ideas of fun….
Here’s a new game we made up for cold, rainy days.
Flora has gained a wide range of mobility and has found playgrounds to be much more entertaining now.
With this little trick, Flora moves into the ranks of ‘big kid’!
What do you do at a pumpkin patch? Take pictures of course!
At least, that’s what was on MY agenda. Apparently the kids had other ideas of fun. This picture I snapped early on was far and away the best expression I got out of all three of them. I should have quit while I was ahead and just let them play.
This was the second best – and not for a lack of effort on my part.
A pumpkin patch is a place to have fun, and the sooner a parent realizes this fact, the better!
I mean really, who wants to sit around and pose all day?
Especially when Mom will pull you around in a wagon!
If you make enough faces, Mom might just give up and let you go on the hayride again.
Or take you to see the horses and the big turtle.
However, even though the shots of all three kids met with middling success, I did manage to catch some stunning individual shots. Which was enough to make me happy.
Flora knocking the pumpkins off one by one.
Landon
Addison
Lance
Ivy
Flora
This weekend we decided to tackle a carpentry project – building a new bed for the kids. To economize on space we wanted a bunk bed but the kids are so small, the normal twin size bed seemed like overkill. However, a bunk the size of a toddler bed is hard to come by, so we decided to build one.
Friday night we laid out plans and discussed how we would put it together. Flora checked the numbers and volunteered to oversee the project.
We spent half the day at a lumber yard, finding the right hardware and re figuring our measurements. Instead of screws, we settled on machine screws and embedded crown bolts so it could all come apart for moving.
We made it home in time to eat lunch and start the project. Lance was super excited about his new bed and eagerly offered his skills.
Instead, everyone was sidelined while Daddy cut boards. The kids were quite useful sorting tools, running a chalk line (everywhere) and “counting” the supplies.
Brian carefully planned each new step, figuring things out as we went along. He’s the kind of guy that measures five times and cuts once.
The result was a perfect fit! We finished just in time for the kids to go to bed – though that in itself took a while due to the excitement over their new sleeping arrangement.
Several notes for the curious: Lance has the bottom because he gets up at night to go to the bathroom.
It cost under $100 for the materials, and would be even cheaper if you just used wood screws.
It took us all day, but if you had the plans and a supply list (we had to make two trips back to the store) it probably wouldn’t take more than 4-5 hours to assemble, maybe less depending on your experience and the caliber of your help.
There was a small pumpkin patch near Brian’s parents house, so I took advantage of having another person around to get some family pictures.
Don’t we look like a fun family!?
Enjoying the pumpkins – one of the few times no one was dropping one.
Everyone is looking and mostly smiling! (Flora was hungry and not as happy as usual.)
By the fourth pose the kids were tired of the photo shoot. Time to pack up and head home for supper!
Happy Fall!!!
About a month ago we had the opportunity to “star” as extras in Indescribable – the movie my sister is making.
The first day of our visit we went on location to watch them film a scene inside an old train warehouse. It was hot outside and fairly stifling inside the warehouse turned orange packing plant. Yet everyone worked and sweated cheerfully as they filmed and re-filmed each take.
The kids were wowed with the equipment and started picking up lingo like “quiet on the set” and “Action!”
After watching the action take place, they wanted to practice as movies stars too – loading and unloading oranges. (Cousins Connor and Abbie help.)
We arrived on a new set early the next morning, eager to start our acting careers. While the crew set up cameras and shot some footage, kids and parents were dressed in their costumes.
Of course, they turned out so cute that we had to do a little photo shoot.
I think Flora came out the most adorable!
Who wouldn’t want to show off a baby this cute!
We landed a scene early in the day and spent an hour or so walking in and out of a church – trying to act surprised as we watched a scene unfold for the umpteenth time. Here, director Stacie, gives instructions to the cast.
Here’s our little family attending church – Amy’s parents are just in front of us. During the 2 hour “service” the kids behaved about how you might expect kids back then would have. At least the film will have a feel of reality.
Come check out the trailer – it’s the third one from the top.
