Here it is November and I'm finally getting to posting last month.  Since we started using Photos instead of iPhoto I have been learning how to export my pictures, but it's taken a while.  It seems like things are changing online and on Apple all the time and then I have to relearn how to get my photos to my blog all over again.  Anyway I've finally figured it out.

We went up to the cabin a few times in October.  We've been up a lot the last two months and it's been wonderful.  The first time we went up last month we found this amazing park in McCall that the kids played at for a long time.  It was in the prettiest setting, right by Payette Lake, and the falling leaves were the icing on the cake.

....I took pictures while Eric played with the kids.....

I remember once when I was probably 10 or so, getting a cut above my eyebrow and my dad taking a picture of me just afterward while I was crying.  I was so upset with him, and here I went and did the same thing to Roo.  She wasn't hurt though, just upset about something, so I guess its not as bad (sorry Dad).

At Growler's in McCall for dinner.  The yummiest pizza around.  I'm sure thats what Birch was deeply pondering...how can the pizza be so darn good?

Some of Aspen's artwork.  I loooove this portrait of her (above) as a 100 year old woman.  I thought using teared paper for wrinkles was pretty clever.

Of course an October post wouldn't be complete without photos from the pumpkin patch.  These photos here are from our trip with Oakley's preschool.  I love this photo of him with "the boys" from his class.

These photos are from an evening when we went to a different patch with Eric and Grammie, Papa, Mary and Aunt Annie.

Getting lost in the maze.

We often have donuts for breakfast on Sunday mornings.  I know, I know, no wonder I have to run so much!  But hey, it's fun to make the Sabbath even more special and to not have to cook!

My friend Leslie graciously gave her time to us one evening to take some family pictures for us.  She has a rocking camera and a good eye, and we had fun taking some shots at Scentsy Commons.  The kids were AMAZING and I was so happy we got out of there without any complaints or tears. (from me that is, haha)  I just looove this photo of Birch; what a little charmer.

My big boy that just turned FIVE yesterday.  (Insert long pause for sniffles here)

The whole gang.

My pretty Roo...

and all 3 looking and smiling.  I was really pleased with our pictures.  Thanks Les!

Eric and his dad really love bikes.  They like to mountain bike and road bike, so it seems they are always talking about selling one of their bikes to get another, newer or better bike.  The bikes Eric buys are used, but really good quality ones.  So he figures he can basically hold onto one for a few years and then sell it again for almost what he paid for it.  Anyway Ami and I tease Pete and Eric about this a lot.  Pete went and bought this shirt for Eric for his birthday.  I asked him if he'd bought one for himself and was satisfied to hear that he had, haha.

 The weekend after Eric's birthday we headed up to the cabin again, this time with some friends of ours, the Howes.  We had such an amazing time with them; the kids loved having friends to frolic with outside, I had my pal and running buddy Leslie up there with me, and Eric and Matt got to do some mountain biking.  There were oodles of treats too, provided by Les and me.

 Leslie brought up supplies to make bottle rockets with the kids, and spent an entire afternoon preparing things so they'd be ready for the kids to put together. The kids had such a blast shooting them off!

 

We went on a hike one day up in McCall while we were there, and then took the Howes to the park we had discovered on our previous visit.  And of course the evening ended at Growler's.  Num!

Wish I had a good picture of Matt, Les and their kids together.  Next time :)  Anyway it was a great weekend and we're so glad our friends could join us!

 Oakley with his preschool class.

 Elephant, snow leopard, camo soldier (that's what the bag said).

 I'm so going to miss this costume next year :(

 I am a huge advocate for getting my kids outside this time of year.  We spend most of our summers indoors hiding from all the heat, so as soon as the air is crisp we are at the park.  And one of the best parts about it is that no one else is ever there, and we get it all to ourselves.  I don't have to run around or crane my head like a hawk to keep an eye on the kids.  Oakley likes having the park to ourselves too.

 Our front yard maple tree changes color and drops its leaves much later than our other trees.  I just love how vibrant it is right now.

 When I was in high school my brother Ian would make fun of me because I was going through a phase of liking to wear boots and flannel shirts.  He called me a lumber jack and thought he was being hilarious.  I took this picture of myself the other day and sent it to him, telling him I still had some lumber jack inside of me :)

 Oakley turned 5 yesterday.  I can hardly believe it.  I'm not allowing the word kin_der_art_n into my vocabulary at the moment. :(

 This morning I told the kids if they raked the front yard (around the maple tree) they could get a cookie.  One single cookie, and they did it.  And they did a great job too.