Pumpkin Carving

This year we decided to have the kids do more of the pumpkin work.

 They drew the faces on their pumpkins,

 scooped out most of the pumpkin goop,

and separated the seeds so we could bake them. 

 Zach busted out the carving tools,

which only worked for two of the pumpkins because the other

two were way too thick.

 The faces are perfect and fit them to a tee.

In order:

Matilda(cousin), Joey, Evie, and Oscar

Evie and I chaperoned a field trip to the corn maze

and I found the cutest pumpkins:)



Boogie Rondo...

is something from my sisters and my childhood.

Thanks to my mother,

we all got to experience it/him,

just in different ways.

For my sisters,

they only needed to behave to have Boogie Rondo

leave sweets and treats for them.

She got smarter when she had me and put my friends and I to work.

Boogie Rondo would only come if we filled

ice cream bucket of acorns and pinecones and leave it on the back step.

When they were filled,

we had to run around the house and when we got back,

he would have left us treats.

So on our trip,

the grandkids did it and had a blast.

 They found all the pinecones.

 They followed Aunt MaeMae around the house.

 They had just as much fun following the leader

 all around the house.

They came back to find the bowl of treats(for the record,

I usually worked for one treat- they got three treats)

Boogie Rondo is still going and being

passed to another generation.



SHHHH, It's a...

Surprise!

We went back to Green Bay this weekend to

surprise my mom with a retirement party.

She had no idea about all three of my sisters

coming into town with our families.

Here is my sister and I after we got back from the party...

in the kiddos fort:)

 The following day, we went to the pumpkin patch.

Our Aunt Patti took the day off of work to come with us.

There was pumpkin bowling...

I forgot how strong my sister was as I was taking the picture

and got pumpkin guts all over me!

Here are all of the kiddos on top of a hay bail...

it was a fast picture.

My mom and Aunt Patti...what beautiful ladies!

My sister, Jessica, and the girls on a wagon ride:)

 My adorable niece loving up the spider hay bail. 

We celebrated my Oscar's 8th birthday! 

How can my baby be 8 years old?

We had a great weekend and

it made it easier to leave knowing

Christmas was right around the corner.

 

***Update***

Although, I didn't talk to the pediatric kidney doctor yet,

I brought the results for my sister and brother-in-law to look over...

there is no narrowing of any of the veins that would require surgery!

Now we will hopefully be able to have both doctors

figure out the medication for Evie together.  

 



Update on Evie...

After our last appointment with the cardiologist,

she recommended we do a renal ultrasound to make sure the kidneys are

functioning properly.

She did say sometimes it can take a bit to get

blood pressure under control,

but she wanted to eliminate the possibly of her having any

other narrowing of veins going in or out of the kidneys.

She also thought her bp should be going down by now

and she doesn't want to put her on another bp medicine if we don't have to.

If she does have any narrowing,

it would require surgery in Rochester.

Even if that's the case,

it would be less invasive than her other surgery.

I will keep everyone posted on the results as soon as

we know.

Keep the prayers coming please!

We're On Top of the World

So this whole adventure started because I was trying to

get a fall leaf pictures for my sisters.

I was frustrated that the power lines were in the way.

So Zach told the kiddos and I to get our hiking shoes on.

And up we went.

Keep in mind I have never been up to the 'cave'

before so I didn't know the extent of our adventure. 

If I knew the almost vertical rock climbing,

I'm sure I would have opted for the children not to attend.

We all made it safely and had a blast. 

The view went on and on and on.

The kids just kept repeating, "We're on top of the world!"

 I'm glad Evie was still holding onto Zach though.

 We could see wind mills in Cashton and houses in Sparta.

 The pictures don't do the colors justice,

but at least it's something.

Up on top of the bluff,

we had to go through some woods. 

The kiddos kept saying they felt like they were in the story

The Spooky Old Tree:)

It was a little eerie.

 Our faithful cat 'Mittens' followed us the whole way.

The pictures a little blurry,

but this is a rock face we hugged to get to the cave.

Here is the cave.

We were hoping that no animals were in it when we got there.

We could walk into it and

it goes to the right and you can't see to the end!

 The rock structure outside of the cave.

The kids loved it

and after we got down(and everyone was safe)

so did I:) 

 Here is one more picture of a neighboring hill that can be seen from our

front window.