Our Tradition: Pumpkin Patch and Apple Picking

Every year we go to a Pumpkin Patch and picking apples. This year we decided to go earlier in the year because we thought the apple selection would be better. Then when we got there they had a sign up that said that they lost a lot of their apples to the frost in April. That was pretty depressing but I was happy to find a few trees that was loaded with apples.

Here we go out to the Pumpkin Patch.

We basically had the whole patch to ourselves.

Just a pretty picture of a bloom from the pumpkins.

The kids always try to pick very unique pumpkins. They have so much fun running through the patch hunting the perfect pumpkin. Austin usually picks green ones like this one but this year he put this one back and chose a bigger pumpkin that he could hardly carry.

I just think this is a pretty picture.

Apple Orchard

Austin can't eat apples because of his braces. This sure made him excited to pick apples this year.

But Cody and Isabelle sure enjoyed eating their apples.

Apple picking is always a team effort for us.

The kids took Grandma and Grandpa Pippenger some of the apples we picked. They polished them in the van on the way to grandma and grandpa's house.

I think Grandpa ate two or three before we even left. I guess that must mean they are good.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Isabelle helped cook up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. They were oh so good. Maybe some day she will be the baker in the family.

Cock-a-doodle-doo

I guess we weren't getting out of bed soon enough for somebody today. We woke up to the sound of a beautiful little rooster in my ear saying cock-a-doodle-do, cock-a-doodle-do. After something so sweet as Isabelle in your ear saying cock-a-doodle-do and us cracking up there was no sleeping. I just thought that was so sweet and wanted to share it with you all. Have a great day and may God bless you today.

The Name Game

Isabelle is beginning to be interested in writing her name now. This was her name about a week ago.

Practice, Practice, Practice.... makes perfect.

This is her name now. She is doing much better!!!

Isabelle: School

Isabelle's last minute lunch before she goes to school. I just like this picture of her sitting outside her preschool eating her McDonald's sandwich.

Last Friday, Sept.14 Isabelle had Show and Share at school. She was so excited to take her Build-A-Bear bunny named Princess Kitty. She wanted to take it last year for her last Show and Share but the teacher gave them Easter eggs and they had to fit their Show and Share item inside that so she didn't get to take her bunny. So I wasn't really all that surprised when she wanted to take it for the first Show and Share this year. She set it out the night before and when we left the next morning she grabbed it again. We went to several garage sales that morning and at the very last one she found a doll she wanted. I bought the doll for her and guess what she decided then....She changed her mind on what she would take to Show and Share. Yep, she traded this....

For this....Isabelle's "new" yard sale doll.

I didn't really care either way but I do think it's funny that she would trade her Build-A-Bear birthday present for a garage sale toy.

My God is Soooo Awesome!!!

I don't really know how to begin. So I guess I will just jump right in. For quite a while now Matt and I have been praying about another job. It seemed when he put applications in nobody called him. Then something happened in his job that made it obvious that he needed to get another job. I was nervous about the whole thing because new things can be a little scary. And I remind you he had put applications in before and never got called back. To add to that Matt didn't appear to be nervous at all. He was very calm and at peace with the whole thing. He just kept saying God will work it out. And then... here it goes....God already knew and had a job planned for Matt. Within a week Matt already had an interview and then a job. We are so excited about it. Matt now works in a factory very close to home (less than four or five minutes from home). I know many of you would say, "I wouldn't want to work in a factory." But let me explain without going into great detail. The job he had before was not consistent work, about every six months or so there were problems you didn't even see coming... well let me stop there and just say why we are excited about the new job.

No more self-employment taxes.
No more spending over $160 or so in gas a week.

No more driving 5-6 hundred miles a week.

No more taking an hour to get home from work.

No more cold lunch meat sandwiches everyday for lunch (or fast food).

No more unpaid holidays.

No more unpaid doctor bills ( we get health benefits now).

No more unpaid (if you take at all) vacations.

No more paying for liability insurance.

As you can see there are many positives out of all this and that is why we are excited. Don't get me wrong the other job Matt really enjoyed doing. And when he got that job we really feel like it was from God. Matt learned many skills he did not have before and enjoyed that line of work. However, this other job has better benefits for us for right now. That is why I feel like my God is so Awesome.

PS. I really love this picture. It looks so peaceful and calming. And yes this is another picture that Heather took. If you haven't called her yet to schedule your appointment I would encourage you to do that.

Precious Moments

A fresh reminder how simple it is to please some children (and some adults). We brought this swing set home from my moms house yesterday because I wanted a porch swing and I don't have a porch big enough. So this will have to do for my swing. Matt didn't really want it in our front yard because he said it would look trashy sitting there and we already have the kids a swing set in the back yard. Besides I have a porch swing under our car port in the back yard. (It's just not the same wayyyy back there.) Well on with my story... I really like it so far. Isabelle has wanted to be on it continually (even when we go home from church last night after 9:00pm. When she went out to get on it again this morning I just couldn't resist taking a picture of her. For some weird reason something so simple gave me happiness today.

First Day of Preschool

My baby girl started her second year of preschool today. She was so excited to go. She asked me all morning, "Is it time for school yet!" I was really happy for her when she finally got to go. She went right in just like she did all year last year. Didn't even say bye mommy (just like last year too). I think I miss her more than she misses me. But I really am happy that she likes to go. This will give her time with other kids her age and me a little bit of free time to do a few things I need to do anyway.

Mrs. Jenkins, Isabelle, Mrs. Lysko

@Saint Marys Preschool

I'm glad my baby had a good first day. Now we can all get back into our routine.

Labor Day Picnic

This year for Labor day the men (and a few women) went to the church and worked until 11:30 A.M. They pulled up all the shrubs, bushes, etc., painted, planted Ivy, fixed guttering, laid landscaping bricks, and well you get the point. They did a ton of work. After that the Wilhelm's had the church Labor Day picnic at their house this year. It was so nice not to have to go to the TPA park like we normally do. The kids all had fun and it seemed all the adults had fun too. When we go to the park the men and teens have fun playing baseball but the mommies all get to sit and watch the kids so nothing bad can happen and somebody doesn't snatch them. This year there was plenty for everyone to do. So many thanks to Kevin and Beth!!!!

Need I remind you of Isabelle's love for horses. She asked before we even went out there if she could ride the horses. We told her she wasn't allowed to say anything about riding them because that wasn't what we were going for. So needless to say she was pretty happy when they got the horses out. I believe she would be happy if she could do this everyday.

Dad even joined in on the fun.

Who knew card board boxes could be so much fun. I think all the kids had their turn in the boxes. They enjoyed playing in these boxes as much or more then the trampoline that I didn't get a picture of. But as you can tell there was plenty for the kids to do out there.

And of course Matt loved volleyball. I must admit I played my fair share too. But I love that Matt enjoys playing so much. It seems as adults you don't get to do this kind of stuff as often as we probably should. So it sure is nice when we all get together and get to do this sort of thing.

Preschool Open House Wed., August 29

Isabelle will be going to St. Mary's Preschool again this year. She really liked it last year and missed her teachers over the summer. She asked me last week if she could get Mrs. Jenkins and Mrs. Lysko a card for school. She really enjoys being them and she loves being big like the boys. I really hope she learns a lot there this year. Every time I try to have her sit down and try to learn how to write her name or recognize letters she just doesn't seem to be interested. (Although she has been trying to write an s and she could already write an I. I guess that's progress.) This is really kind of scaring me with Kindergarten starting next year. But a year can change a lot of things maybe by the end of this year that's all she'll want to do. I guess we will see.

Isabelle had a good time showing her cousin Julian around the classrooms and play area at preschool. She thought she was so big getting to be the leader. She walked him through the circle time room saying "this is the puppets, this is the piano, this is the chair, etc." It was so funny to watch her point out the obvious as if she hadn't told him he wouldn't have figured it out. When they first ran into the play room she ran over to the babies and kitchen. We said Julian do you want to go over there and play with Isabelle. He said "no" and went to play with the train. It was cute to watch them choose total opposite things. But Isabelle has two older brothers she can play with "boy" toys also. So she gave in and played with him. She sure does enjoy playing with her babies though.

The happy preschoolers. Isabelle keeps asking everyday, "Is it almost time for school?" " One more day mom?" "Only one more sleep mom? " Well you get the point. She just can't seem to wait to get back into her school routine.