An Easier Pace for Now...

September and October have been pretty laid back for us here.  We haven't been going very far...and it's been really nice to take it easy after such a crazy summer.

Eulee has been enjoying all her field trips.  This is the first time I can go on field trips and not have to bring another younger one with me!  It's the oddest feeling and I love it.  I can really focus on Eulee and enjoy my time with her.

Eli had his first literature celebration--The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  Our room was the Emerald City and we had the craft, which was to make spectacles.  I painted a mural of the Emerald City and it actually turned out pretty well.  I worked on it for a few nights on our dining room floor...boy, did my back hurt from painting on the floor.  Eli had such a great time at the celebration!  Then we showed him the Judy Garland movie and even though he enjoyed it, he thought it was SO different.  He definitely liked the book more.

B's parents also came for a quick weekend visit and we all had a relaxing time at home playing.  They even got to join the kids at school for lunch!

We've had lots of playdates with friends.

Eli also participated in a Haunted House Nerf War at his karate studio.  I was really wary about it because it was going to be dark and there were zombies that were going to come out.  But Eli said he'd be ok.  Well, the event was from 6-8pm and he got back to the house at 7:20pm!  I asked him if it was scary and he and his buddy just said, "It was really intense...really intense."  They didn't want to admit being scared or anything...but it was intense!

Besides playing, we also did some service hours.  B went with some guys from church to the coast to help with Hurricane Harvey damage.  He helped rip out wet, moldy sheet rock and insulation from a motor home.  It was tons of work...and he stepped on a nail too!  (Good thing he's current on his shots!) 

Then I took the kids to help clean out an old church building that was going to be repurposed by Agora Ministry.  We did this with the older kids' school.  There was a lot of yucky, old stuff to clean out, but the kids were all great about helping--even Eulee was carrying trash out.   Elina DID disappear for an extended snack break with a friend...but then she got back into it.  'Tweens.  Haha!

It's been a good time to relax and stay close to home before the holidays!