Great news

but we'll get to that later.  My pictures are out of order. --I feel like I post so seldom that I have to relearn things quite often.  I know I could fix this, but I'm not going to. 

Did I mention that I LOVE the fall.   I think I did in that last post.  But I'll say it again.  "I LOVE FALL!!"

So much has happened this month I'll just list what we did and then you can browse the pictures at your leisure.

First, my sister Jane and niece Kate came for a fun visit.

We did a lot together, including a hike to Turkey Point Light house (pictured)

and a trip on the metro (giggle) to DC to the National History of Natural Sciences Museum (not pictured)

There, we saw the Hope Diamond among other gems and jewels. {I thought it would be bigger :| }

Also, Kate held a millipede! (wish I had a picture)

It was so fun to have them!  We missed them as soon as they were gone.

On Columbus Day we went on a hike in Susquehanna State Park

Grandma Griffiths came for a visit next

And here's the great news I know you've been waiting for:  While she was here

 WE CAUGHT THE GROUNDHOG!!!

Randy had a stare down with him.

I learned how to mow the lawn on the riding mower! (hilarious, but that's another story.--I'll just say that it wasn't built for someone 5' tall.)

We brought Grandma with us to a few soccer games and story time at the library, then to top off our week, we went to Milburn Orchards and had a great time petting and feeding the animals, playing in the sandbox and on the playground.  We went on a fun hayride, had lunch and picked out pumpkins.  

Lucy warmed right up and figured out how to say gramma by the end of her stay.

Again, we missed her as soon as she left.

Next comes Halloween --even though it's been here for a week already. We've been dressed up for different things this week no less than 3 times.

It's been a good month!  Can't wait for what is in store next month!!

I love Autumn.

Boo!!

Did it scare you?  'Cause it sure scared me when I found it on our deck in the middle of it's HUGE web.  (That is a stink bug it caught.)

Happy October!!!

I love the fall.

{despite this and the other four(4) we found later that day}

She was carrying around her booster seat like this for a while.

 It wasn't until she asked for spoons that it dawned on me what she was doing.

Here's our newest arrangement.  Randy made a new desk for us.  I love it! 

{And you should just try that drawer. It slides beautifully!!}

This fall Anne started soccer.  This was taken at her first official game.

{We yell too much, but we're really trying to tone it down}

And this pretty much sums up the game:

Notice, I have 2 separate proofs that she was more concerned about her jersey being tucked in just right than where the ball is.

Good times!!  I just love soccer in the fall!

{Especially with Anne and the fam}

I love it when she smiles for the camera.

When we made room for the dishwasher, we had to take out some cabinets which we decided to make into our kitchen island. We put on some breadboard, trim, and a counter top. Then we painted it. Now all we need are a couple of stools.

I cut my hair off.

The day of the earthquake I took the girls hiking in Fair Hill. We didn't feel a thing and when Randy called I was clueless.

That weekend the hurricane hit. We had a slumber party in the basement. The girls slept in their tents with tons of toys. It was a fun party. The storm didn't do any damage at our place. Randy and I were in the front room as the storm was beginning to pick up--about 10:30 pm -- when we heard a loud cracking noise. Turns out our neighbor across the street lost his remaining 2 bradford pear trees. Sad, they were beautiful! He knew they were on the way out though.

Here is the disturber of the peace at work.

Anne is rather particular about some (all) things.

One of them is her bed. It must be PERFECTLY made or there will be ranting and raving.

Anne went to kindergarten!!

She got on the bus like a champ! (Yeah, just drop her off at the bus stop on her first day of school EVER and hope all goes well. It was a little nerve racking for me.) And she had a great day. That night she told me, "There are some things I don't like at school. But mostly I like school!" I asked her what she didn't like and she said she didn't like it when the other kid sprayed water from the sink and soaked her new shirt. Then she made sure we would take her to the bus stop again tomorrow.

This past weekend was the Rubber Duckie Regatta. A big huge rubber duck race near the bay. There were all kinds of booths at the park and one was Bob's Critters. Randy was loving it and eventually, so was Anne. There were all kinds of things from Turtles and frogs to scorpions and pythons. Anne really loved holding the geckos and she also held one of the snakes. (yick!!)

The sad thing is, my girls start screaming and shaking and running to hide when they see a cute puppy frolicking anywhere near them. Perhaps they just prefer the creatures that can't move so fast.

Update:

The wait is over. The tooth is OUT!

Randy gave her a little prompting last night as they brushed teeth and Anne reached up and cranked it right out.

My pictures are all out of order. Sorry.

Let's see--we went to the beach...

We also finished our table. The top started out white and then we glazed the whole thing. We decided we didn't like how it looked dusty/dirty, so we finished it off purple like the rest (picture to follow with the finished purple top {I told you they were out of order}). We don't know if we'll keep it as it is. What's your opinion? Does it just look dirty and gross?

It was a lovely day at the beach. Not too hot. Not too cold. And the beach we found was perfect for the little kids to play!

Ruby made a pizza in the sand, but I don't know where that picture went.

Here's this one instead:

This is the resident under our deck.

He's eaten 2 tomatoes too many.

We bought a trap.

Say "goodbye," Mr. Groundhog.

We'll it's not a great shot of the finished table, but there you have it.

The Tooth Fairy

has been here.

It all came as a surprise last Wednesday. We were eating dinner and Anne started to complain that her tooth hurt (again). It was dismissed as an excuse not to eat her vegetables (again). She took another bite and broke down in tears of pain. Dad took her to the bathroom to check it out. Turns out her tooth was really loose. She was rather anxious but we reassured her that everyone looses teeth, and that when it comes out (it could be a few days) she could put it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. That made her happy.

The next thing I knew she came running into the room with her tooth in hand!

I asked if Dad had pulled it out. The answer was NO.

!!???!!

This from Anne? The same Anne who fights to the death rather than let me even come near her slivers?

The story came out that she was just wiggling it and it fell right out into her lip.

I was not prepared for this. Don't they start losing teeth in Kindergarten or 1st grade?

Where did the time go??

She immediately started wiggling and working on the other one. This one is going to take some time--and patience--now that we know what is coming.

*Just in time to be missing tooth twins with her cousin Olivia!

I know, I know...

picture overload. We all know I'm a person of few words though.

Too much has been happening. We're busy, busy, busy. Randy and I put the girls to bed and get to work. It has been fun making our place our own. Slowly, but surely.

Also, we've been doing a little of this:

and this,

and this.

There've been a few birthdays around here.

Happy birthday to Lucy!

Here she is in the birthday hat! The birthday hat is very exciting.

We love the hammock.

Last Saturday, to celebrate birthdays for Anne, Ruby, and Lucy, we went to Philadelphia for the day. We saw some great fountains and cool buildings.

And we enjoyed the Academy of Natural Sciences.

In this picture, they are walking on the tread mill to make that dino on Randy's back run. It was pretty cool.

Yuck!

Ruby loves to give a good tea party.

{and birthday party, and any other kind of party that comes to mind}

So for her birthday we had a tea party with her little friend.

This picture was taken as they waited (not so patiently) for their guest to arrive.

Sorry, all the pictures of the table were blurry. :(

They made fancy tea hats to wear.

Isn't she lovely? Happy 3 to Ruby!

And here is one of the night stands Randy made for our room!

Lets hear a hip, hip!

We also installed a filter for our well, made a countertop, and installed our fire pit. We love our home!