Thanks

The kids and I started a project the day before Thanksgiving.

We decided to make trees using branches from the pile out back. We then traced our hands for leaves, and wrote what we are thankful for on them.

Maebelle did a wonderful job. Her hands (and leaves) were beautiful and colorful. Her thanks were thoughtful.

Orion enjoyed it. He liked picking out the branches and drawing and cutting, but he wore out of the crafty mood quicker than Maebelle. He did a wonderful job with his turkey below.

The last one he did was his idea of his hand inside mine. Thankful for Christmas. :)

He also cut out an amazing evergreen tree, but I have that one on our fridge. ;)

I also decided to do a few. I thought I'd just write out one or two, but as time went on and Orion's interest faded, I thought in order to make the trees look full enough, I should write a few more. 

After it was complete and I was taking these pictures, I realized how much each of the things I put on the hand leaves actually means to me. I know that I wouldn't have been thankful for them if they hadn't meant anything. But really, these are the things that make my life worth living. And I realized that I should take time more regularly to be consciously thankful for them. Actually appreciate them with all my being, like I had the chance to do while photographing them.

And when I do that, it makes all other stress dissipate. That's a nice feeling.

Maybe that's why I enjoy photography so much. It slows my mind and thoughts down enough that I actually appreciate things instead of just going on without even noticing them.

And the finished product: 

We took one to Thanksgiving dinner at my grandparents house and still have the other here. And I still love it!

This is, I think, my favorite corner of the house. Now there is the addition of the gift Orion made me for my birthday. Which is layers of colored rock in a fish bowl that has bamboo growing in it. I have another of those bamboo planters made by Maebelle on my dresser. And they are bright and fun and make me smile. But this picture...I love the little evergreen, the leaves on the pot, the mushroom, the pot to the right is one that one of the kids painted me for Mother's Day a few years ago. And the apples. Maebelle painted the apples. And they are beautiful.

I am definitely thankful. I have a lot to be thankful for. Mostly I am thankful for who I am and where I am in this life right now and the loved ones I get to share it all with.

Flowers and Gingerbread Houses

Earth Flowers are some of the best flowers grown.

This bouquet, Orion picked it out for me. :) He chose a beautiful one! I like the mixture of yellows and golds with the pinks. Nice fall colors with a hint of pretty and pink.

They brought them home to me the week before I took these pictures - on about the 10 of November. I had to toss them out this last Sunday. And that was only because they had bugs. The chrysanthemums and the daisy looking things still looked pretty. They lasted a month. Easily. Like I said, they are amazing!

I got to know Homer a little while I worked at The Merc and he is one of the nicest people you'll ever come in contact with. If you are ever in need of flowers - try Earth Flowers, I don't think they have website, but you can purchase them at The Merc and possibly at Henrys' Plant Farm.

And that, above, is a purple, spiky, grassy plant thing that Zac bought when we moved into this house. It was basking in some Saturday morning sun and it totally drew me in as I walked around it. So then I had to photograph it.

Look at those eyes:

My mom, Brandy, McKenzie, Maebelle, Orion and I built a gingerbread house for the Topeka Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays.

Here's the finished product.

And the kids were able to make their own house after we viewed the others and voted on the best one at the show.

Maebelle likes to eat the frosting more than she likes to use it on the house. Therefore, she tried to save as much as she could. Since she was trying to use the frosting so sparingly, the roof kept falling off. Brandy tried to help her, below. But by the time we got to the car, both her house and Orion's had already fallen apart. O'well. It was fun to make them!

After the gingerbread houses, we went to Gage Park and the kids played while my mom and I had a chance to talk and hang out. It was a wonderful day! Girl talk with my mom doesn't happen very often and it was a great time! And with that, the holidays begin. :)

Camping, Pumpkins and Candy

Last weekend, Zac took Orion camping. It was a cold trip, but they had a blast!

Orion got to do some adventuresome climbing! The ground was only about 25 feet down. ;)

His favorite part of the camping was going on this hike.

We have this beautiful hibiscus blooming in our dining room. It seems so delicate and flowy and pretty. And in this picture, I love the depth - the bright outside petals, and the dense middle. So beautiful!

On Halloween, Mom and I went to lunch, then to watch the kids' Halloween parade and parties. It was wonderful to have an hour to just visit with her. We don't get to do that often enough.

The kids paraded around the gym of the school, which wasn't as much fun as parading outside, like they did last year. But it was fun to get to see all of the costumes. Orion was Peter Pan and Maebelle was Wendy. 

Then back to the classrooms to have treats and fun afternoons!

Back tracking here, but while Zac and Orion were camping, Maebelle and I went shopping for fabric for her costume and we made it that weekend. It is so soft and something she'll be able to use all winter hopefully!

Halloween was an early release day, so Orion asked to be picked up right after school instead of going to Boys and Girls Club. Maebelle loves Boys and Girls Club and wanted to stay for it. When Orion and I got home, just us two, we decided to carve the pumpkin that he has been waiting to carve for almost 2 weeks now.

Then when Maebelle came home from Boys and Girls Club, she got to carve hers.

They did a wonderful job. They drew the face themselves, then pretty much did all of the carving. :)

They are getting so big!

After a short dinner of sandwiches, we got costumes on and ready to go trick or treating!

We decided to try going around our block here since it's new territory this year. Last year we tried to trick or treat in our neighborhood, but there were no lights on at all.

So this year, we started out and sure enough, we found plenty of houses with lights on. We really only went around the block. It took about an hour, which was plenty long enough. The kids were tired by the time we got home, but their strength and patience lasted the full hour.

And as far as candy goes, they found plenty! Their bags were heavy by the end and they each had a large pile when they dumped them out on the table.

It was a fun night! And Maebelle and Orion actually got to wear their costumes to a neighborhood party last Sunday and a friend's party yesterday. So we got good use out of them. :)

Hope you are having a wonderful fall!