random update

• we're still loving all things pumpkin here. i made these last night for church, and they were a hit. highly recommend!

• looking forward to reading this book as a family every night for advent this year. i've heard so many good things about it!

• the tree isn't up yet, but i am slowly getting some things out. i think we're going to have a real tree for the first time this year. our 6 foot tree looked so funny in this house last year because of the high vaulted ceilings. it made our tree look like a little charlie brown tree. pretty funny. so, whatever tree we get will have to be pretty tall to fit the space.                                               
• i found this idea on pinterest last week. it was super easy. i just covered a plain bulletin board with a painter's drop cloth from lowe's (you could use any fabric), then used a staple gun to secure it, and added upholstery tacks. they aren't spaced perfectly, but i still like it. it's been a great place to keep some of the ever-changing art work from the kids.

i've been slacking on getting my runs in. i'm such a fair weather runner, but i wasn't always that way. in 1999, somehow i survived training for my first marathon in the winter. my friend kelly and i trained dec-may. we ran in all kinds of conditions, and we would often finish our runs with frozen eyelashes. i'm cold just thinking about it.
i'm a wimp now. it's time to break out the treadmill.
as much as i dislike that thing, i'm thankful to have one.

in other news, i caved and joined pinterest. i love it! i am amazed at the endless supply of ideas. some people are just so creative! i especially love getting ideas for recipes, decorating, and fun things to do with the kids. someday when we get to remodel our kitchen, i will be prepared with lots of ideas. you can follow me here, if you're interested.

i really want to put up the christmas tree! i love everything about christmas (well, except the crabby customers and extreme consumerism), but i'm making myself wait until after thanksgiving.
counting down the days until i get to see my sister. it's been a year, which is much.too.long!

wow. can you believe it's almost thanksgiving?!

i'm spending the evening cooking and baking tonight to prepare for a family thanksgiving tomorrow.
i'm making these rolls. i love this recipe! yeast rolls can be tricky, but this recipe is no-fail.

also making this pumpkin pie. it has become a tradition. it's not a typical pumpkin pie, which is probably why i like it so much. anything with cream cheese has to be good. right?!

today i am thankful for:

• my boy that turns 11 tomorrow. 
• a gloomy day spent inside a warm house doing school with my girls.
• honeycrisp apples - definitely my favorite! (i need to make apple crisp sometime)
• my sister and nephew coming back to visit for thanksgiving (can't wait!)

• the new kittens - so fun to see the kids so excited, especially after losing our dog Maggie this year.

blogging has taken a back seat to celebrating birthdays, gymnastic meets (a 1st place finish on bars for her recently), our cat having kittens (pictures to come soon), and having guests here from peru last week, and the rest of this week. we've had such a good time with them! tomorrow they are going to cook us some traditional peruvian food.

the kids are excited for halloween tonight. we'll have a kangaroo (the cutest costume ever!), a cowgirl, and some kind of athlete (he hasn't decided for sure what he's going to be yet).

october has been a beautiful month here. we've seen some amazing sunsets. this was one from just the other night. the kids and i drove down a gravel road, so we could capture it without buildings or trees in the way. we ended up just sitting there for awhile. made me think of psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

i'm still running. hoping to run my 5th full marathon in 2012 with some friends i met through blogging. not sure which one yet, or if it will happen for sure, but i'm really hoping we can make it work.

another fun birthday celebration this weekend. the rainbow cake was a hit. it took some time to make, but it was so much fun! i think it is my favorite cake that i have made. a close second would probably be the pirate cake i made for my boy's 4th birthday.

scarves

love this!