1st - A Normal Homeschool Day - We all do math together right after breakfast and devotions. This has made my life much simpler! I used to do math all day long spread out with each kid.
3rd - October was Cross Country month! Go, Kivi, go! She came in 16th at a Wright Park race! Not bad for a 13 year old racing against high schoolers!
4th - Eben gets his new rain gear for riding his bike to Pierce!
5th - 6th - Kivi places 38th in The Richland Invitational with her Lakes Cross Country team.
6th - Pella, Berg, and Opal drive to CA with Mama and Dada for Pella's Disneyland birthday! Nonnie and Poppie stayed with the rest of the crew. That night we check into our hotel, go swimming and Dada sleeps while Mama takes the kids to Cheesecake Factory for dinner.
7th - We spend a day walking around Downtown Disney, swimming at the hotel, eating candy and bowling.
8th - Disney Day!!! We went in from the Monorail entrance and were the 2nd in line, even though the main entrance was already super crowded and the kids got to sit with the conductor up front! Not a bad way to enter the Magic Kingdom! We had so much fun trying to go on all the rides - which I'm pretty sure we accomplished and didn't even feel that rushed. Peter was a champ at figuring out fast passes. We even had time to see a Tangled show and go to Tom Sawyer's Island. Pella's favorite rides were Big Thunder Mountain and Star Tours. After we enjoyed her birthday sundae, she fell asleep at night during the train ride, but got a second wind and we watched the firework show and even rode a couple more rides before heading back to the hotel. Then we drove back home the next day!
Pella, I can't believe you are (almost) already seven! You are such a sweet girl. All ages of girls love to call you their friend. You are the busiest person in our family because so many friends want to have you over! You are loving and kind and smart! You are a year ahead in math and are doing year one in Ambleside already. You take good care of all your baby boys, and play well with your big sisters, especially doll house. You are a rock star in Awana and got the Commander's Award in Sparks. You love to help and do projects. You have a flair for the dramatic and can be a little diva sometimes, but I think that's because you are our little princess. We love you baby girl! Use that outgoing spirit to win others to Christ! Happy Birthday!
10th - Kivi has a Fort Steilacoom race. She got 7th place! 11th - We make caramel apples and find Kivi a dress for Homecoming.
12th - Field trip to the Family Farm. Lots of pumpkins, painting, the big slide, cookies, cows, cocoa, and a tractor ride.
The race we missed by a minute at Wright Park. Mama cried. Kivi got 10th place out of 95 Frosh/Soph runners!! The Number One Lakes runner of the meet!
13th - Kivi's Homecoming! A lady offered to do her hair for free while we were buying her dress and shoes at Goodwill! Cara made her a beautiful corsage. Mama and Dada both worked at the dance. She and her friends had so much fun. The girl loves to dance!
14th - Spooner Farms Corn Maze! Mama's favorite Fall activity. And Mama's whole side of the family was able to join us this year! It was an alien theme.
19th - Eben turns 15!! Well actually he turns 15 the next day, but this was his party. He had a FortniteMarioKartJustDanceSmashBros Tournament and loved it. The boys, and their invited sisters, played in the basement that he set up with big screens and projectors all around, then had some pizza and snacks and a birthday "cake" made of Oreos and chocolate doughnuts.
We love you so much, our first born! You are an amazing man! You are learning a lot this year and being stretched in so many ways. You are taking on a lot more responsibility, biking to school, actually going to a school everyday and not just a school - a college!!! What!? We are so proud of you and all you've accomplished! You are serving at church as our Awana Game Leader again, going to High School small group and youth group and on the LC3 Tech team. You also really love video games - my nemesis! Fortnite and Smash are your favorites. You are such a gift to our family and a great big brother to your siblings. Thank you for allowing God to use your gifts for Him! Happy 15th, Eben!
20th - Another Cross Country Race! The League Championships were held at Fort Steilacoom, so the grandparents we able to come and watch our girlie run. We brought hot cocoa for the chilly kids and even some friends came to watch her. She got 15th out of 46 runners!
21st - Dada throws Mama a surprise 43rd Birthday Party! He told me that he was taking me dancing. I figures we were going to Seattle, so when we pulled into Lakewold Gardens all I could think was, "I bet he knew they'd been having dancing lessons here for years, I can't believe he's just now taking me!" Then when we got inside and I saw all my friends, I realized what was happening!
Peter is an amazing husband! He thought of everything! It was beautiful! From black linens and red roses to delicious food and lots of fun drinks. There were even Tango lessons! My Baby loves me! All my friends were such good sports dipping their spouses and all of us stepping on each other's toes! I loved it! Peter pretends he can't dance, but he is superb at it. He even let me do the Dirty Dancing lift! Well, we tried anyway.
Then the evening transitioned to Karaoke and we all sang backup for each other. I had such a wonderful night surrounded by amazing helpful friends.
22nd - We pulled the boat out of the water on the foggiest day ever! I thought I was going to crash into the bridge. But I used the cell phone to see with because it showed definition and made it.
27th - Kivi's last meet at Chambers Bay. It was a hard race and there were lots of runners because it was District Championships, but she ran well and placed 49 out of 120.
31st - On Wednesdays Nonnie brings Mimi over and they spend the day playing with the "Little Three" so we can get more school done.
This Wednesday was also our Viking Halloween! Since our church was in the middle of a remodel they didn't have their annual Harvest Carnival, our friends hosted a Halloween get together! We went to the Wells for a potluck and then we all went trick or treating together.
