Fall Bucket List

Pumpkin patch. Check.

Carved pumpkins. Check.

Toasted pumpkin seeds. Check.

Made carmel apples. Check.

Saturdays

Our Saturday mornings typically begin with watching the boys play ball.  I suppose it's a sacrifice to be up and out the door, but I actually enjoy it and can't think of a better way to start my Saturday mornings in fall.  Besides, if I were home, I'd probably just be cleaning. 

It was bound to happen that the boys would each have their own interest;  I am just glad that those interest haven't conflicted.  There is actually only one Saturday this fall, where they play at the same time.

Baylor has really gained confidence in soccer this year and has become a leader on his team,scoring several goals each game.

Jax is also having a great football season.  It's amazing how much more he knows than last year. Recently, they've moved him to center to snap the ball.  By far the smallest boy on the field, his strengths still lie in blocking and tackling.  However, if we jump out ahead of our opponent, he gets the opportunity to run the ball.  He's even scored a PAT (point after touchdown) this year.

We have only a few more weeks left of both football and soccer.  I will actually be really sad to see it end.

Pioneer Day Carnival

This year the Pioneer Day Carnival was back in it's usual high visibility location, Central Park, so there was no way we were going another year without some carnival fun.  It was a beautiful evening and the kids enjoyed seeing friends and riding all of the rides.  I only managed to take pictures of them on the slide but the boys were actually pretty brave, after some encouragement from a friend and rode a stand-up tilt-a-whirl.  I think the smiles on their faces-say it all.

The evening ended with a bit of drama.  Shortly after dark, I could see lightening in the distance and I checked the radar on my phone, but didn't see anything of concern.  I let the kids finish riding a few rides and then we headed home.  As I was nearing our neighborhood, Rick called me, from the TU/OSU game, asking me what I was doing and ordering me to get home and take shelter because there was a tornado warning for the area.  I had no idea, which were my exact words.  To add to this excitement, everything Rick was saying was heard by the kids because I had answered using the hands-free car phone device. So, I raced home, grabbed the flashlight, the dog, and a few pillows and we piled into our safe place, the pantry.   I managed to turn on the television but our satellite soon went out.  The sirens weren't going off so we got out, but the kids were still completely on edge.  I managed to get them in their pajamas but then as I kept checking radar on my phone, and I saw the circulation, right on the word, Skiatook, so we took shelter again. 

It's not unusual for Baylor and Delaney to be scared of storms, but Jax has never, even once woke up because of a storm, so he was my big surprise.  He was trying to be brave but he was very near tears.  I was a little alarmed myself and so I said, "What should we do when we are scared?" 
Delaney said, "Cover our heads."
Jax said, "Pray...but I've already prayed six times."
I was so proud of him and so happy to hear that he was praying without being prompted.
We prayed together and soon the storm passed and it turned out to be minor. 
Maybe God was just giving me a teachable moment with my children.