Peak fall

I think we just had our last warm week before the cold really settles in. Considering it's the end of October and that today was the first I made the kids wear winter coats on our walk, that's a lot of heat! Most of the maple trees are peaking right now. Unfortunately it rained a lot this week so the colors are more yellow, but around the ponds it is gorgeous.
We haven't done a whole lot. My cold continues so playgroup was cancelled on Tuesday. We've been out for the library and a Target run (where I forgot the one thing I'd gone for and came out with 15 other things....), and on Wednesday Steve had his birthday. The kids did a great job of keeping his gifts a surprise, and Hudson was so excited about everything. The boy loves birthdays, he doesn't care whose. Steve got his baked potatoes, and I made him the requested pecan pie (although the crust was horribly tough. Sorry, Babe). The kids don't like nuts so I also made carrot cake as cupcakes that they decorated licked all the frosting off of and put sprinkles on. We have a fairly unscheduled weekend coming up, might try out a new path through some woods and look at the colors :)

I was looking for an appropriate sentiment for a "get well" card and stumbled on this jewel. I re-read it every time I need a laugh. Would you feel better if you received this in a card??

After our first frost we dug the potatoes!!! And it was pretty disappointing. But still fun. Maybe we'll plant a bigger patch next year.

Spraying the spiders for me. Guys, listen: Best thing ever!!! Spray bottles. $1 each. Fill then with warm water, establish the ground rules of not spraying each other or strangers cars, and voila! hours and hours and hours you don't have to parent. I took them away the past two days because Hudson has a open sore on his finger from using them so much and I was worried how much deeper it'd get. 

Boxelder beetles. Millions of them in all developmental stages. More dispersed here, but earlier in the week the entire curb was red. They've been lots of fun to watch. No idea why they chose this particular spot to hang out, or what they're waiting for, but they've been here all week. 

The potato haul

Never fails that when there is a decent sale, Hudson's behavior is anything but decent. At this point he was being quiet so I just let him lay (after taking a pict to show all those people who think he's just the sweetest thing ever and that I exaggerate his moods)

The spray bottles going for a(nother) walk. 

Leaf crowns!

They're a bit hick/corn husk hat but so much fun to make

Very overexposed picture of the birthday goodies

Our take on fall decorating. Rotting pumpkins and a new door mat. 

Hudson found and was allowed to purchase a little digger truck at the thrift store. As soon as we got home he grabbed a person from the dollhouse to put in, and the three have been inseparable since.

A bit more cowboy than I'd been planning (also, these are olive green in real life) but they appealed at Target. Long story (about the mess the shoe dept shelves were in and how they weren't in the system) short, the manager gave them to me for $8. Suddenly they're very very appealing :)

Henri has taken to dressing Hudson in the morning. As he doesn't object (though he likes to be a pill when she's changing his diaper so sometimes I have to wrangle him for her) I certainly have no problem with it. Bossy big sisters for the win!

More crown making

Cooperative subjects

Gearing up for the birthday

This past week was a bit of a fog. I've had a cold that's been getting steadily worse (though it seems to have broken last night, finally!) and really don't remember much. Except that Sue came down to spend the weekend with Steven as his birthday is this week, and I was a terrible hostess who laid around a lot and served things like canned soup for meals (organic fall flavors from Trader Joe's of course, but still....).
But we had great weather, and continued the annual tradition of viewing the Head of the Charles (poor rowers had some nasty headwinds to contend with), and for the first time I think ever I had the house to myself all morning while everyone went to church (totally wasted the golden silence by sleeping, but it was still lovely), and I tried out just about every home remedy there is for a cold (lots of garlic, ginger, cider vinegar, lemon, and honey were consumed this weekend!).
Given that it's on a Wednesday this year Steve's birthday will be very low key, but hopefully he still knows how loved and cherished he is by all of us. Happy start to the birthday week! :)

I raked the whole yard, wheezing the entire time. Went to get the shovel to help dispose of the piles and Hudson discovered the joys of leaf pile jumping. I haven't bothered to re-rake.

Obviously they can push each others buttons, but for the most part these two are so sweet together. There's a lot of love

The wonderful Mrs.Allen has been making Henri hair bows. She has at least one in constantly, and now her animals are joining in

Playing with power saws during nap time. Henri stood by the window ready to call "eleven nine" if I cut my fingers off haha.

The constructions begins. Once completed I'll do a post, but suffice to say I'm super excited about my bedroom redo. Somehow it's not quite as inexpensive as I'd planned, but I'm loving it already. Few more coats of paint, some more shopping, and voila! A relaxing retreat.

My enthusiastic helpers. They have loved the measuring tapes. And are surprisingly useful at helping me measure, holding up boards, leveling, handing out screws....

Oh boy. Not really the "going out in public" look I was going for, but pretty typical Henri fashion

Headed to the river! Poor Hudson hates the train. He cried till I assured him we just had 3 stops to go, then clutched the stroller with a death grip till we got there. Hen of course adores the train.

Go!

The vendors were plentiful and the samples numerous. Somehow we ended up with 10 bottles of almond milk alone. Not to mention all the coupons. 

Sheffie and Sue came along too. The wind was a bit rough here, but the sun kept it from being too cold

Lunch at BerryLine (nutella with cheesecake bites)

Dad wanted to do pumpkin carving with the kiddos. I lasted long enough to get the photo, it was cold out there!

Hud loved the process, did not love the consistency of the guts

More Henri fashion, she's big into twisting her hair as a style.

OK, nap time just ended with lots of kid yelling, so off to attend to their highnesses. Hope all of you up north are staying warm with the snow you got this weekend! We're supposed to be in the 70's this week....

Holidays

We had a busy and fun weekend. On Friday night we got the impulse to go camping, because why not? And the kids wanted to go to the ocean, because they always do. So we looked and found a place still open in Maine. Called for reservations and they laughed at us and said to just show up. We badgered another family to come along and did a last minute packing job. Saturday we spent the day babysitting for 3 two-year olds. Sunday was church and then we headed up to Wells for the best weather camping....seriously gorgeous. Also serious? Hudson's bad mood. Wooooohooooo was the boy a stinker. In his defense, he has a cold (everyone in this state has one I think) but wow. Leaving him behind next time. David also came with us.
We got there, set up, then headed down to the harbor and beach for wanderings. Henri will not step foot in the ocean all summer but as soon as the temp dips, you can't get her out. Then back to camp to meet up with friends and eat supper. In the dark. Yeah, big difference between camping in June and camping in October! But the kids love flashlights so that was a big plus in their book. Requisite campfire, and then we headed to bed. Where Hudson kicked, flopped, jumped, whined, and was generally a pill until he literally dropped at 11. We'll pass lightly over the night, it wasn't pleasant.
But at 0530 Hudson crawled into my arms and slept until 0800. Being the true hero that he is, Steve snuck Henri out of the tent and took her on a donut and coffee run.
We overate at breakfast (what is it about camping that makes you a glutton??), packed up, played some shuffleboard, and then headed to the beach for hours of sand fun. Home to unpack and early bedtimes for all. We don't have many more free weekends, so this might have been the last camping trip for the year, and we couldn't have picked a nicer weekend for it!

I got asked (by a mom with twins) what it's like raising quadruplets haha. I'm guessing extremely hard! Was very glad to have Steve along to help even though they all get along famously.

How we roll. Did I mention I got another double stroller? Phil&Ted. Love!

Best way to keep the littles happy. Park date and McD's

Views from the campground

The leaves were all changing, it was just gorgeous

My lobsters

We were up the dock here. On a lower one a guy was crabbing and stabbed a few. A tourist asked me (in a very offended way) why if he wanted to kill them he didn't just throw them into the water to drown?? I had no way to respond politely to such stupidity. Just smiled and nodded haha. 

Hudson wasn't too sure about the claws

Hen was thrilled. This child always surprises me with what gets her excited and what she takes well to.

Did I mention the weather was just perfect?!

It was Sunday, so Hen rang up some prayers. I like this much more than prayer wheels or flags. More intentional and very fitting for the sea location. 

Headed to the beach on the seawall

If she sees a beach or the ocean, she's always way out front to get there

Don't be fooled. I think it was temporary euphoria from chasing a seagull.

Tide was still headed out

Pant legs rolled up after she got drenched

Hung out for sunset

Steve found an intact sand dollar! Mom can do this too. I've never found one. 

David sauntering along the seawall in the sunset

Sunset

Fire gazing

Crazy Brett. Of course I failed to get a picture of the group, but along with us and David was Brett, Kate, and their 5 kids (the twins are Hudson's age)

7am. My left arm was dead at this point

Hurray!!! Also, best donuts ever. Such a wonderful thing to wake up to.

There was some version of whiffle ball going on, one of the bases was in the ocean?

You can't see detail here, but Ella and Henri were head-to-toe sand. And very very happy

Hud was in the same boat. Sand improved his spirits

So everyone is bathed and warmed and tucked into bed with a normal week coming up. It was a good family weekend :)