We are so thankful for the many men in our family who have served or are currently serving in the military. Both sides of our family are full of service in the army, navy, and air force. We were also thankful for a day off together to relax with family!

My parents invited us over on Veteran’s Day to watch a tree company take down two old trees. During our windstorm a few weeks ago, one tree fell over and hit my parents’ garage! Fortunately the damage was minimal, but this made them think about taking out the two other trees near the one that fell. We sipped coffee and turned a couch around to face out the window to watch the action.

tree number one

Making the last cut

Watching out the window

Tree two, naked

On top of the logs

Haley’s version of fun

In the afternoon, Jim and I went skiing. It was a lovely afternoon for skiing! The water was 55 degrees, but we have dry suits and heaters and hot water to sprinkle on freezing cold feet. Plus, I have a heated blanket in the boat. I actually got too hot when I was driving.

Monday night, we left our children in the trusted hands of our babysitter and went to another couple’s house for dinner. It was a nice date night and a good end to a wonderful day.

I noticed a few weeks ago that JT had reached the ends of his toddler bed. He has never asked for a new bed and when I’ve brought it up, he’s always responded that he likes his bed just fine. But this time when I asked, he said “I think I grew. My toes go off the end now.” So we started looking! Jim offered to make him a bed, but then I found one on CraigsList for an awesome deal, in great condition, matching his furniture, about a mile away. Done!

Now we have plenty of room for Jim’s new bedtime routine of singing worship music with the kids. Plus, we’re reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and we all snuggle in for that. It’s great!

Other photos from this week…

Story time by the fire with Grandpa Cole 🙂

Playing an alphabet game on the Kindle Fire

Haley’s cool plank trick!

Since Alabama has a big game tomorrow against LSU, we did our grocery shopping in appropriate attire today. I took a few photos on our way out the door. Roll Tide!

I can’t decide between this one or the next one…

 

This past few months we have been thinking about November 5th, Election Day, and how the vote would go for our school district. We all have the bumper stickers and “like” the Facebook page and all that. It’s pretty much an all-consuming topic of conversation. JT even got involved and copied the bumper sticker to make his own sign. He was published when it got shared to the entire “Vote YES” Facebook page yesterday, too! 🙂

Last night we knew right away there was good news. By 8:15 (the first update for election results), the numbers showed 68% YES, with a return of over 10,000 voters. That is not only a very high yes response, it is also a record number of voters. I’m going to tell JT his sign did its part, and now my kids will attend a new high school closer to home, and they will have less crowding at their schools. That’s worth a few bucks!

We started the week of Halloween by carving a pumpkin. My wonderful husband spear headed the cutting, scooping, and carving while I had a phone call and tried to get the kids ready for bed in between stages.

Excited to start carving

You want me to touch what now?

Brave girl gives it a try

Um, it’s on my hands.

Forcing JT to try too.

Beginning to carve

We have had some beautiful weather this fall! While horrible for the air quality, it makes for lovely leaves still on trees and good weather for playing outside.

 

Fall is also a good time to make new friends from school!

For the big day, my parents took JT and Haley to the preschool costume party. Then I came home and we left to pick Jim up from work so we could go to our church’s Harvest party. We met our friends for dinner beforehand, and then went skating!

Leaving for the party

The guys get skates. I love Jim’s goofy side!

Fireman, Sophia the First, Tinkerbell, and Superman

In other news, JT went to the doctor this week and got antibiotics for a sinus infection. Bummer. He also drew some pictures in the waiting room on the chalkboard and his pediatrician commented that this is the only time he has ever seen a child draw trailers. That’s our boy. 🙂

Haley is a big helper at breakfast. This morning she cracked the eggs and toasted and buttered the English muffins!

Today the kids rode bikes while I washed the car. I love it when they do that. It is fun to be outside as a family, getting work done and playing side by side. They made up a new game: coasting down our slight driveway hill and careening left before hitting the street. It made me nervous but Haley proved she could make the turn, so they went all out. Then JT showed me how he can finally pedal standing up, up the hill. This is big news and he was super excited!

One time, Haley crashed. Big time. But she brushed herself off, wiped up her tears, and said to JT, “We’d better do that one again. I crashed last time.” That’s my girl!

The kids and I were really looking forward to our field trip to Thomasson Farms today on our school field trip. We had a great time riding tractors, playing in the corn bins and the hay maze, and of course choosing pumpkins to bring home.

My favorite little pumpkins!

I almost forgot to include a picture of JT’s “first best friend” from school, Owen. They had a playdate last week and they get along so well. It is fun to make a good friend at school… especially when Mom approves. 🙂

Our cousins Bevin and Adam started a foundation in honor of their daughter, Leah, who passed away last January from Group B Strep infection at only one week old. Leah’s Legacy is about raising awareness about GBS. They had their first Run for Their Lives 5K this past weekend. We really wanted to participate, but it’s kind of a long drive to Tuscaloosa for the weekend! 🙂 So we made a Team Washington group and had our walk here. Uncle Rick and Aunt Julie even drove up from Oregon to join us. We walked a 5K (3.2 miles) in under an hour and enjoyed the fall leaves and beautiful day!

Okay, the adults walked. JT rode his bike and Haley and Travis rode in strollers.

 

Until JT got tired and walked for awhile. Just long enough to eat a snack!

Happy to be out of the stroller!

Then we all came back to our house for football and food. We also celebrated Cathy’s 59th birthday!

We had our annual summer photos done by Carlie Curlee Photo in August. It is fun to use the same person every year! She doesn’t really have a business so her prices are also very reasonable. 🙂 I am so happy to have them and refresh the frames in our house with some current photos in which we are still summery tan. Until next year!

During our photo session, we saw our good friends the Schmalz family. So their kids jumped in for a couple of photos – so fun!

Now back to our family!

You know the weather must have changed because, suddenly,  my children are tumbling all over each other in an effort to burn off some energy. It started off with Haley wanting to do a headstand, and JT said he would help.

Then she wanted to try by herself, and of course she just topples over backward. For some reason this is comfortable to her.

Can you do this with your leg?!

Then they started on bridges. I have never, ever in my life felt comfortable doing these. I remember being the only little girl in my preschool dance class who couldn’t. I am amazed that my children can!

Then they started getting creative. Here’s JT’s over bridge… and then under!

This last one is  my favorite. It is SO very much my kids. JT in his pajamas at nine AM, low-key and thinking everything is a little bit funny. Haley dressed in coordinating, colorful attire complete with a dress, bouncing around him, showing off with a little bit of pride. It’s a keeper!