Giving Thanks

We had a great time with the Texas Husteds this weekend.

We ate lots of food.

We took Nature Hikes.

We celebrated Luke's Birthday.

We defended the universe.

I feel a little like Uncle Trent saying, Come down and see us y'all; we'll treat ya right!

Weekend events

Finally figured out how to pull photos from our new camera, so here are some shots from Sue and Blake's wedding two weeks ago. Our camera batteries were completely dead when we got to John and Kate's house, but we'll get some photos of those Husted boys this week! Picking up the turducken on Tuesday!

The flower girls

The ring bearer

The family group

My new haircut styled at the salon. By the way, this is a photo of the 3 Emily's.



My new haircut styled by me. Sad, I know. I'm hoping the wind was blowing from behind when this photo was taken. I'd ask for a flat iron and some quality styling products for Christmas, but maybe it will be grown out by then.

Last weekend soccer season started for the 8 and under crowd.
The Steeler

The Pink Tiger

The three older boys don't start soccer/basketball until after Christmas, so I took them to the Scottish Festival to run in races. You can see the results and some photos here.

Nuts

We had a lovely time when Nana and Pop came down for a visit a couple weekends ago. Their arrival coincided with the start of peak pecan season, so we spent alot of time out on the patio, sipping coffee and gathering/cracking nuts.
Well, mostly Pop cracked them, and we wish he would come back down, because there are SO many more to be cracked.
That's not even all of them. And by "all" I'm not including the ones still on the trees. I hope you all like pecans for Christmas, because that's what you're getting.
Proud new parents of a pumpkin roll:
Not six hours after Nana and Pop departed, we had a surprise "lunch & potty" visit from the Cooks! They brought whoopie pies (that's a delicious cookie, not a potty euphemism) and antics aplenty, and Luke and Charlie enjoyed seeing the cousins and Bosco, respectively. (Actually, Charlie has now decided that most of the Go, Dog. Go! dogs are named 'Babo.')

The rare and elusive 'Six-Eyed Cook', with a creepy 'Four-Eyed Weirdo' specimen lurking behind


This week was also the first leaf dump of the year - we decided to tackle them each weekend this time instead of waiting until they were all down, as we did last year... not the best approach, unless you prefer raking up snakes from the bottom of a 3-inch layer of wet leaf goop.
Luke's Best Idea Ever

Getting old

Happy Birthday, Uncle Seth and Uncle Joe Duffy!

 
Love, the Cooks

Par-tay

Do you recognize anybody in these videos?

Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQE3KnNEkMQ

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ1_UxQ-LRY

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvjoVHCutg4

Got to watch them all.

Some pictures from our trip

This picture is overlooking the Danube to the town of Durnstein. We crossed the river on a small ferry and then cycled back to the town of Weissenkirchen, where we were staying. It was in the Wachau Valley, very famous for it's vineyards. Up on the mountain you can see the remains of the castle where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned.

We were leaving the Czech Republic, crossing the iron curtain into Germany. It was actually quite moving to know that in not too distant history, people were shot for making this crossing.

This picture was taken in the town of Cesky Krumlov...a beautiful little town in Bohemia.

We saw and experienced so much on our trip...and are grateful we had the opportunity to go. Hopefully, we will be able to make another cycling trip in the future. We are currently trying to make a decision about going to the Holy Land in February with Anne and Bill.

We have enjoyed the upsurge in posts to the family blog! Dad and I have had more than a few laughs over the pictures and comments! We are a very blessed family!

We are off to Texas this weekend to spend some time with the Husteds.

Winter is fast approaching...we have had several deep frosts and most of the leaves are down. We slept in front of the fire place last night to keep warm! The cows are due to deliver at the end of the month.

Holy Husteds, Batman!

Nice costumes, Cooks! And, 50 pieces each + a communal stash of the leftovers?!? Wow, you guys cleaned up.

Here are the Husteds' supercostumes.
The Caped Crusader, with Safety Flashlight

The Boy Wonder

The Boy Wondering at a Tiny Pumpkin

There was some evildoer-extermination necessary in our neighborhood as well. Although in our case, it was the evil parents who didn't trick-or-treat long enough for 50 pieces of candy.



Halloween morning: Pumpkin carving/Hat wearing.

Halloween Photos

My kids are looking forward to seeing photos of their cousins in costume here. (hint hint)

Below is a photo of our official Halloween costumes. Claire was a ballerina and John was Indy on Friday for Dan's work party. John was happier to be the Hulk on Saturday, even though it was a little chilly to go out shirtless. We went trick or treating with our friends the Schwartzes in their neighborhood, which was full of kids, decorated houses, and generous treaters. They even had hayrides and  Smartcar rides. I let each kid pick out their top 50 pieces of candy, and then we dumped the rest into a communal pot: a shopping bag full of sugar.

And below are the Superheroes, ready to rid the neighborhood of evildoers: John, Patrick and Maria

Before trick or treating we found a gecko on the curtains and kept him for a pet for the morning. Claire named him Ziggy, and John cried when he let him go in the garden.

Can you can see the tears in John's eyes in this reduced size photo or not?

Here is Ziggy saying goodbye:

Ghostbustin a Move

Spirit Week

These costumes aren't quite as original as Daniel's. Last week was spirit week, and this was crazy clothes day. John's nerd outfit was a big hit.  Joe is supposed to be a leprechaun for St. Patrick's. Claire is not dressed up; she is wearing a tank top because it was nearly 90 degrees. But it looks like we'll get cooler weather for trick or treating.

Find a Book?

Do any of you know of a search engine or chat room or such that would help me find a book I either read or dreamed in junior high? I think the title was something like Dreamweaver or The Dream Weaver. Something about dreams and looms. No clue on the author. Anyway, each time I poke around on Amazon to see if I can find it, I get a little more obsessed with the fact that I can't.

Have I already asked about this?

This is what our children look like now

This is Luke.
He's three, but his birthday is coming up soon... and he knows it. As he said the other day (riding in a booster in Gramps's car for the first time): "I'm not actually four... but I feel like it."
This one is Charles. He is stubby, currently, but probably in a growth spurt, or else teething, or else has swine flu. Either way, something makes him crabby at night.

And here he is after diving off of a bed at my parents' house. Is he our family's John C? Perhaps, although he hasn't required any stitches. Yet.

Here the boys are playing 'witch' on the back driveway. We're still Catholic, don't worry.


And here is Chas helping John put together an adirondack chair from a kit I found on clearance at a craft store.

It's all assembled now, and very nice to sit in -- holding a mug of Taster's Choice closely and two-handedly -- on the crisp fall days we've been having lately. The rain today soaked my cheery yellow cushion, though, which makes me a little sad because I'm probably going to forget and sit on it tomorrow, and that will be less cheery. I asked Luke if I was being crabby the other day after I snapped at him at Tom Thumb, and he admitted I was, "a little bit." Then at dinner he asked me if I thought I was "done being crabby for the day." Luckily, I was. I'm not sure why I thought of that story. Probably because it's bedtime and the boys are being naughty, and I'm a little bit crabby right now. Anyway, that's what you've all been missing.

Belated Happy Birthdays

A belated happy birthday to stylish Elizabeth and Michelle! Thought of you even though we didn't call...

And here's another stylish photo of John and Kate to remind them we need to see some pics of Luke and Charles.

We also need to see some photos of Paul. I'm not sure what he looks like.