We had a fun visit from Sean's sister's family several weeks ago. The kids had so much fun playing with their cousins and we were able to squeeze in a lot of fun into a short amount of time.

They wanted to see some of the church history sites so we took them down to Palmyra.

Joseph Smith Farm House

The Fall colors were starting to turn and the trees were beautiful.

Beautiful Fall Colors

I kept Eve outside during the tours of the house so everyone else might be able to learn something.  She took the opportunity to give herself a shower with rocks.
The kids also showed their cousins their school.  They had fun playing on the playground.
We also went apple picking and pumpkin picking.  We go to the same farm each year.  It's just down the road a bit from us and we love going there.

Photo-op spot

Eve searched and searched until she found a pumpkin she could pick up.  Each kid picked a pumpkin and we loaded up a cart and then went to the apple orchard part of the farm.

Found a pumpkin

Eve getting an apple at the top

Most of the kids picked and enjoyed tasting the apples.  All except Matthew.  Matthew was true to the meaning of his middle name (Richmond-The Protector King) and guarded the pumpkins while everyone else picked apples.
Matthew wasn't leaving this cart for anything.

Matthew guarding the pumpkins

At home we carved the pumpkins.  Matthew did his entirely himself this year.  The finished product had lots of holes and lots of toothpicks sticking out.

I love reading other people's blogs even though there are only a handful of my friends who still do it. I decided it was time to return the favor and give that handful of friends something for them to read. Hopefully I'll get past events up on the blog for my own posterity, but for the devoted readers, feel free to look back through at old posts to catch up.

Lily started Kindergarten this year. Besides a couple case of nervous tummy in the morning things have been going great.  Curriculum night was great.  She showed me all around her classroom and we played an alphabet game.  After we were done a boy wanted to play and so I got up and he and Lily started playing.  Before long, I looked over that there was a whole table full of boys playing and Lily just looked thrilled to be the dealer.

Every year Sara's elementary school sponsors a Duathalon for a charity started by a child at the school called Marbles for Mankind. The race is a 3 mile bike ride followed by a 1 mile run. The kids can do both legs by themselves or they can run as a team. Sara wanted to participate, but does not enjoy running. Her friend D doesn't mind running, but didn't think she could bike that far. They were a perfect match.  The day was HOT with about 85% humidity.  The girls did great in the sweltering weather.  So proud of them.

Getting their game faces on

Pumped and ready

Starting line

Finishing her leg

D bringing it home

I can't believe Eve is 1. I see new little babies and I think, "I just did that, I just had a baby." But then I look at my baby and she is not new any more. I do not know where the time has gone. Eve has been such a wonderful addition to our family. Everyone loves her and she brightens every day.  We can't imagine a life without her.

For her birthday I made our traditional first birthday chocolate pudding cake.  Sara decorated it this year and there were A LOT of sprinkles.  I also like to give a box of tissues to one year olds.  Eve was just as thrilled as every other 1 year old I've given a box of tissues to.  The older kids were baffled and astonished that I just let her pull all of them out.  They kept trying to take the box from her and I had to remind them that it was her present and she was allowed to pull them all out and make a huge mess....that is, until she started eating them.

Eve LOVED pulling the tissues out of the box

And then she started eating them

Her other favorite birthday present

Cute birthday outfit from her grandma

Eve is my first baby who liked her first taste of sugar

It's been a great year

We were able to attend a service project for a church youth camp. The goal was to plant 2,000 trees. Lots of people showed up to help and we had a great time.

Sara was on worm patrol

Matthew dug a lot of holes

Lily took up the post as planter

And Eve sampled the soil

The park had this great tire swing. All the older kids had fun taking a turn on it.

Lots of snow still for Easter...this is our only picture

The Snow FINALLY melted and so the girls insisted on having a picnic...even if it was still freezing

Warmer  weather offered more picnic opportunities on the trampoline which provided for this awesome hair

And now playing outside without coats is a daily sight around here.  Here's Matthew  starting to build a tin foil city

And the girls have set up shop in the driveway.  Stop on by for sport rentals of all kinds.

I know it's officially spring and most people complain about the winter, but winter rules in my house. Sara is the BIGGEST fan of winter and she makes it bright every day. That girl could spend all day every day outside in the snow. Not so much in the summer. She melts in the summer.

That's not to say we haven't had our fair share of winter troubles like ice dams, leaks in the house, broken gutters, snow blower being broken ALL season, and getting stuck in the driveway more than 5 times (3 times in one week!).  We have had plenty of those...but when you've got someone in the house who looks at it all with pure joy and excitement you can't help but find the good and see the beauty in winter.

I wanted to post some of our winter fun pictures before it all melts away.  (That doesn't actually seem likely - We've had over 3 feet of snow on the ground for more than 2 months.  Then after a week of above 40 degree weather we still had a foot on the ground.  Tonight we are expecting 3-6 inches of snow)

The first few are posed because I had to get at least a couple of Eve's first winter with her outside.  The others are just playing around.  The kids had a running store outside and set up shop almost everyday making all sorts of yummy treats made from snow.  And Lily even made herself a necklace of icicles.