Around Here Week 41: 10/10-16

 A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment. 

Zombie Ms. Hannah! ah! 

Intentional Outdoor Hours:  532+ hours (of 1000)
We are really soaking up these last few weeks of fall before winter settles in. The weather is still so comfortable and the sunrises and sunsets are shining with that beautiful autumn glow. Olive logged a pleasant outdoor nap this week and the goats and chickens are happy to be free ranging and got access to our garden to eat up whatever they can find and to fertilize the soil for next year's garden! 

Reading/Listening to The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward on audible. I wanted to get in a spooky read for October and after a little poking around on #bookstagram I thought this one looked like a good pic. It is a solid spooky season choice but also whoa, kind of dark and twisted. I was listening to it at the kitchen table and gasped, and Brandon had just walked in and was like, 'are you kidding me?!' 

Teaching Violet and Rusty to rollerblade. It's on my 100 small things list and we were gifted handmedown rollerblades from the Conns this week (thank you!) They were both really hesitant but caught on pretty quick and have been practicing all week on the back patio. (First rollerblading lesson: march, march, march in the rollerblades. Don't try to jump right into gliding!) Not only is rollerblading fun (and an easy garage release of energy in the winter!) but we also have a skating rink here in town! 

Having all the kids home on Monday when the big kids had no school for the holiday (Indigenous Person's Day). If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, it has been such a relief to to have a dedicated person at home for the school year. In years past we have always scrambled on this day to try to find a sitter for the kids, but not this year! 

Visiting the corn maze with the Fiores! The kids and I met Kate, Soph, and Charlie out to Patton to Hoover's corn maze and pumpkin patch. The corn maze was great and they had a cornbox (like sandbox but with loose corn kernels) which is always loved by the kids. Their favorite part though was the indoor hay maze. It was pitch black inside the maze (it was actually more like a path, because you couldn't go on a wrong turn) and they laughed and chased each other all through it. Big, big hit! It is always a blessing to my soul to spend time with Kate and just catch up. In true big family fashion, we had a kid forget shoes (ahem, Red), so he walked his way through the corn maze in socks. 

Researching "how to have enough food in the house for growing kids" LOL. but seriously. Grey and Gem are hungry all day long and I don't want them reaching for 18 bowls of cereal a day. So we are working on having quick but nutritional options for them to grab and fuel their growing bodies with the things that they need. I made some homemade trail mix, made multiple 'pick me up plates' (a combination of fruit, veggies, nuts, dips, cheese stick, yogurt, etc), lunchmeat & cheese sammie supplies, and protein/granola bars. We have moved away from the days when I could grocery shop once every 2-3 weeks; it's at least once a week just to restock for the snack attacks. 

Donating blood at North Star on Tuesday when the student council hosted a blood drive. It was so nice to get to chat with my students and teacher friends. B watched the little ones so that I could go down and the office ladies were thrilled to get to spend some time with the squish kids. It was my 23rd pint donated! woohoo! 

Attempting to get winter clothes pulled down from the attic. The weather is still nice but the mornings are reminding me that kids are in need of long pants and hoodies (hah). I started with Rust and Red to switch them over and the girls are next (ugh, theirs always makes me want to cry there are so many). This swapping of clothes is such a big job that I dread every time for so many reasons - logistically, theoretically, emotionally (how do they grow so fast?!). 

Volunteering with You in Flood City at the annual zombie crawl downtown. I was on photog duty while Uch, Kevin, Kitty, and our parents got zombies registered at Stadium Bar & Grill before they headed off through the town to enjoy all the themed drinks and fun at local bars/restaurants. Uch does such an incredible job organizing this annual event and we had over 300 zombies! After the registration I grabbed a drink with my sisters before heading back home where B was hanging with our whole crew. 

Sporting with two cheer practices and two basketball practices for Gemma. Grey had football practice twice and Violet had an end-of-season pizza party with her flag football team on Saturday (she got a trophy and was so excited!) Brandon had a youth football meeting (he's vp), he attended the Varsity walk through on Thursday and then spent Friday evening in the box at the Varsity game (big win against Meyersdale! Go CT!) 

Making instant pot Chinese chicken and broccoli, hamburger casserole, chicken corn chowder in the crockpot, spaghetti, and a rump roast in the crockpot. I also made oven smores for dessert and we had cake mix chocolate chip cookies on night. Rust and I made skeleton sugar cookies as part of his homeschool pre-k lesson too!