When we first began contemplating Halloween costumes, Jax wanted to be a character from a cartoon, while Baylor and Delaney wanted to be Rock Stars. It looked like we would have just a duo, but he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to join the group. I wasn't exactly sure I wanted to see what my kids would like like as rock stars, but I must say, I think they make a pretty good looking band.
Not always at the time, but when I go back and sift through photographs, Halloween pictures are always some of my favorites. Maybe it's because I can always see so much joy in their faces. This year is no different. I love watching them clown around and have so much fun.
Night 1, the kids attended a friends Halloween party where they enjoyed some games and their favorite bobbing for apples. Tonight, we will hit some of the local church activities and then Rick and I will be getting in the Halloween Spirit for the evening. So, stay tuned for more Halloween Fun!
To celebrate the 50th day of school, the kids were to dress like the 50's. A special thanks to Nana and Mimi for making Delaney a poodle skirt and making sure she was all set to look the part. And, yes, Baylor is still around. He just chose not to participate in dress-up day. I offered to take his picture as well, but he wasn't up for that either.
Cool mornings and warm afternoons describe this amazing month of October. I know the rain and old man winter will soon appear, so we are trying to savor each and every gorgeous day.
The other evening I caught the kids gathering leaves so that they could jump into them. We don't have many leaves so it was a small pile.
It's officially fall break for me, so instead of my usual after school routine of unpacking and re-packing bags, we had time for a little fall fun. We made caramel apples and then sat on the porch to read.
During the summer, the kids requested a trip to the zoo on several occassions, but remembering some sweltering previous summer adventures to the zoo, I asked them to hold off until fall. Today, I finally made good on my promise and I am so glad we waited. It was a beautiful fall day, perfect for visiting the zoo and my best friend, Carole and her kids came along. It was a wonderful day!
Our annual trip to the pumpkin path was no different than any past year. In one of my most favorite picturesque settings, I can't ever seem to photograph all three of my children, with their eyes open in the same photograph. But, I suppose more importantly, they had a blast running through the mazes, jumping in the inflatables, and finding their perfect pumpkin.
This year we decided to carve pumpkins. It had been a long day, and I wasn't exactly excited to embark on this project, but the kids were insistent. Even though it was messy and I was a novice carver, I realy enjoyed this little project. I love listening to them talk and discover new things. They made their design and then I helped them with the actual carving. Q
Jaxon's pumpkin included a mustache, goatee, and side burns.
Who says celebrating at home can't be entertaining! The band performed, we ate pizza, and enjoyed some cake. We did manage to make it out for a date later in the week, but it was really important for us to celebrate with the kids and make them a part of our celebration. We took the opportunity to discuss marriage with the kids. They knew that the day marked ten years since the day we were married, but they really didn't have any concept of what marriage really meant. Having never been to a wedding, when I asked, they were clueless and could only say, "I know you wear black and white". We explained that it was a day when two people stood before friends, family, and most importantly God and pledged to love and stay together forever.
After cake, my little prince charming, Jax, came bearing two dollars of his own money. When Rick insisted that he should keep his money, he replied, "I have one for mom, too." Of course,this completely melted my heart. He later returned with a home made card. After seeing the heap of praise he received, Delaney followed suit, with a card and gift of $2.
We didn't make it to Hawaii, as we had planned many years ago, but in truth, we have created our own little paradise at home. It was a perfect evening shared with the ones I love the most.
Tomorrow, we celebrate ten years of marriage. Sometimes, it's hard for me to imagine being married ten years. I suppose that's because then, I would have to admit that I'm getting older. However, what's even harder to imagine is a time when we weren't together. Our first years weren't probably the fairy tale we had imagined, and our life didn't exactly happen in always the time frame we desired, but God knew better and blessed us immeasurably.
We are such opposites in so many ways, but fortunate for us, we always share the same goals, even if we see different paths to get there. And being honest, we couldn't say that every day for the past ten years has been wedded bliss. We've let the ordinary daily tasks of life get the best of us, we've forgotten to put each other first at times, and we've shared disagreements. But, through it all our commitment, and trust in one another has never wavered. I would also add that when it comes to parenting, from our early days of sharing feeding duties and forming an assembly line at bath time, to our current schedule of juggling activities, we've always made a great team.
Our marriage hasn't ever really been about grand gestures, but more about the little things. In honor of our tenth, I have listed 10 reasons, I love you. (some big, some small)
1. You always introduce me to the millions of people you know, even though I fail to introduce you to just the few people I actually know.
2. You are willing to go to the grocery store, multiple times if needed.
3. You help me find my phone every time I misplace it, without a lecture.
4. You know to ask me, "Do you have the tickets?" before we get too far down the road and keep silent when we have to return to get them.
5. On vacation, you understand I need my coffee and go out of the way to make sure I have my morning java.
6. You are decisive, something I lack.
7. You didn't run when the doctor said, "triplets."
8. You are the best Dad three kids could ask for. You put their activities, and their wants before your own and are always there to guide them when they need it most.
9. Your always there to remind me that God is in control.
10. And, you love me, even with all my faults.
On our wedding day, I trembled throughout the ceremony-not because I was nervous about getting married, but from being in front of a crowd of people. Throughout the ceremony, you held my hands, and stroked them gently. I knew this was your way of trying to calm me. That day and every day since, you have continued to ease my fears, and take my hand when I need you most. May be a bit cliche' but with you by my side, I know everything will always be okay.
Happy 10th anniversary, Babe! I hope you enjoy a little trip down memory lane. Just to warn you the 90's really weren't all that kind to me! :)
The Ward family has certainly done their part to control the insect population. The kids first science project required catching 10 insects. For us, this meant finding and collecting 30 bugs. As soon as I saw the directions, I passed this little project on to Rick. I typically handle all of the weekly homework and reading, so this was a definite job for Dad. Lucky for me, he didn't mind. In fact, he secretly told me that he really enjoyed bug collecting with the kids.
Delaney didn't mind searching for bugs, but she now wants no part of them, now that they have been preserved in alcohol. I have to admit, they are pretty stinky. Hopefully, she will actually make it into the school building carrying her collection.
That's not a statement typically associated with the Ward family. But, I guess this gorgeous weather has left Rick and I craving the great outdoors. Recently, we had both been tossing around the idea of a back yard tent camp out with the kids. Saturday afternoon, I was embarking on a new adventure, taking two kids to the mall to shop for fall clothes, when Rick text me, asking if I wanted to take the pop out to the lake, and join some friends for camping that evening. Knowing what a gorgeous day it was and not knowing if we'd have another opportunity, I said yes. This is so not like us. There was no time for planning or list making. I returned home, grabbed some clothes for all of us, packed a few things and then headed to Wal-mart for the necessary ingredients for S'mores.
Something I hadn't anticipated was how cold it would get that evening. Turned out that there was only two blankets in the trailer, so Rick had to make a quick run home at 10 that evening because the kids and I were freezing.
All in all, our time was short but sweet. I think we learned a couple of important lessons. Number one, we'll be adding more blankets to the trailer. Number two, not every big event, even camping, has to be on the agenda to fully enjoy it.
We spent the first gorgeous October day at Wooloroc. The kids sort of cruised through the museum, but enjoyed the nature trail. And, of course what first grader wouldn't enjoy feeding a stuffed buffalo?
