Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

We have had the wettest fall I've ever experienced here in the south. It seems like it's been raining constantly here. I normally love to wake up to cloudy days in the fall, but when it's day after day, it get's really old. The past fews days have been rainy and cold, shocker, so when I woke up this morning to blue skies, it just seemed extra pretty today. I looked out our back window and saw this one really low cloud hanging out in the trees, in the woods, behind our house, I had to capture the moment. This may not seem very pretty to most, but when all you see is gray and gloom, anything different seems amazing.

Hailey is in a stage, along with her friend Gabby, where make-up, nails and hair are their favorite toys. They both have vanities in their room and will spend hours in there doing themselves up. A lot of the time they look pretty scary....black eyes, nail polish all over their fingers and toes, and hair that looks like they just got out of the shower or bed. But to them, they look like rock stars. Gabby just celebrated her 5th birthday, and received these feather eyelashes, so she and Hailey had to try them out.

Halloween 2009

Another Halloween, come and gone....thank goodness. We had so many Halloween partie's this week, I am very Halloweened out. We started off the week with our ward Trunk or treat. It was a rainy cold day, so they ended up having it in the building. Everyone picked a classroom and set up their decorations in the doorway. Hailey and Gabby at the trunk or treat. I couldn't keep Braxton still long enough to get his picture.
Halloween night was spent at the Crosby's. Mike's Mom and stepdad came down for a visit, and Ryan and Kerri flew out to surprise Cheryl for her birthday, so we all crashed Mike and Kristines home. The Maddox's came too, so it was a house full. The kids had a great time, very excited about trick or treating. Braxton, However had a very high fever and didnt fell very well. Being the good sport he is, he still walked around with everyone, he just didn't trick or treat. Braxton was a mobster and Hailey was a flapper girl.

Brady started out as Eyore, but ended up looking like one of our neighbors out here in the backwoods.

Everyone looking through their loot.

Dave, Cheryl, Me, Braxton, Mike, Hailey, Ryan and Kerri. It was fun to have them here.

The mobster with his two flapper girls.

Seth showing his batman like moves while the girls, Kira, Ella and Hailey, shake their fringe.

Gymnastics and Preschool Halloween Parade

Hailey and Gabby had "dress-up" day at Gymnastics. They were able to wear their halloween costumes and have pictures taken. I didn't have Hailey's costume ready, so we picked something out of her dress-up box for her to wear. She picked the Jasmine costume. After the girls parade around and have pictures taken, it's back to business. Hailey and Gabby were both moved up two classes, because they are too advanced for the class they are in now. We also had the Halloween parade and party at Hailey's preschool. This year Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Dave were here to see her in her class. She was very excited. If you can't tell, her costume is a flapper girl. Gabby and MaKayla are here with here, they are both in her primary class too.
Hailey with Grandma and Grandpa

Pumpkin Patch

We made our annual trip to Bert's pumpkin farm. It's amazing how excited the kids are about going, cause it's actually pretty boring, and the past couple of years we've only let them pick out a small pumpkin, and when I say small, I mean "baby" size. Anyway, the Crosby's came with us this year which made the visit all the more fun!

We went on the "hayride", which in all the years we've gone the ride has never changed, so we were surprised when we looked out into the woods and saw what looked like a black bear. Everyone was very excited, announcing there was a bear. "Is it real?" "Of course it's real, it just moved." But as we got closer we could tell it was fake. Oh Bert, you got us!

Mike and Braxton on the hayride.

Kira and Hailey enjoying the tractor

Look how excited Mike is...."Yes! pumpkins!"

Why ask why?

One day after school, the boys came and asked me where some duck tape was...not really thinking anything I directed them where to find it. They then went to Mike and asked him to tape their arms behind their backs........why? I have no idea. The girls then had to get in on the "fun". Mike had mercy on them and used packaging tape. The boys kept it on for a few hour....the girls didn't make it that long.

Project

This year for our 13th anniversary, I thought I'd redo Mike's home office. The desk and furniture we had in there was getting old and ratty....and I always like to change things up when I can. So we bought a new desk, and repainted the room. I wanted to put some sort of "storage" piece that would be different, and custom. And by custom I mean I fix something up. So I found this old dresser at a furniture store that sells second hand pieces. It was bulky, and outdated, but solid wood, so it had good bones. Well, as usual my quick project turned into a long project. There were some bumps in getting it finished, but I did and I have to say it turned out pretty nice. Mike thinks it's a little feminine, but I think it works perfect in the room. The dresser when I bought it. It actually looks pretty good here, but it was chiped and scratched. The paint color behind it was the first attempt in Mikes office. I don't know what I was thinking....even when I did the first paint stroke I realized it wasn't going to work, but hating the fact that I'd spent the money on the paint I did the entire room. I tried to see if the color would grow on me, but it never did. I finally broke the news to Mike that I was going to be repainting. I am so glad that I did, the color turned out perfect.

The finished product. I painted it a silver/bluish color and then glazed it. Put new handles on it.

Lake Oconee, GA

Home Theater Dudes, the side business that Mike has along with a friend, Mike Maddox, had an install at Lake Oconee, for a Dr he works with at the hospital. The lake is about 2 hours away from here, so Mike thought it would be fun to go and stay overnight and do some boating. The Lake was really murky and muddy. I didn't know this ahead of time and wore a white swimming suit, which is now in the trash. That "georgia red dirt" just doesn't come out. After boating Mike and Mike worked on the home theater while Natalie and I took the kids to the pool. It was really HOT! So much so, that the pool was really warm too so it wasn't really refreshing. But the kids had fun. Braxton, Jake and Luke, throwing rocks into the little pond behind the house.
Ella, Hailey and Seth

Hailey

Braxton and Jake

Hailey and Seth

Peek a boo! Mike installing speakers in the ceiling.

School Daze

School started first for the boys. The second week in August is when they went back. We went from sleeping in to waking up at 6:30 am to make the bus. Eventhough they were sad that summer was over, they were all excited to wear their new clothes and to see their friends again. Braxton's teacher this year is Ms. Lee. She is a young, single teacher, which I was a bit worried about. Last time he had a young teacher, I was constantly meeting with her about Braxton. She didn't have much patience for him. But so far so good.
The girls didn't start school until Labor Day week. They were really excited to go back to preschool. They laid their clothes out the night before and were up late chattering about their big day. Hailey's teacher is Ms. Nancy. We call her "Fancy Nancy". Gabby is in her class, along with two other kids that are also in her primary class, which is almost unheard of out here.