in case you were wondering...

It was the first year for both Maggie and Gracy to play volleyball. The season started out a bit rough...but they did win a couple of games in the end. How awesome is it that both of the girls had the honor of serving the game winning point in the 2 games they won!

Gracy was quite outgoing, and was faithful in yelling "READY!" before each serve. She also yelled, "OUT!" whenever she thought it might be out - even if she was on the other side of the court and the ball was really in... :)

Maggie...well...in the beginning of the season she had some trouble remembering she was playing. She would sometimes daydream while on the court and let a ball or two land at her feet. Eventually she figured it all out and came out pumped up and ready to play.

And can I just say WOW! about their coach! He has got to be the most patient person on the face of the earth! I don't know how he does it! A girl would try to serve - toss the ball in the air and miss it. I mean miss it completely as if she were swinging at something else. And he would say something like, "Great job! You kept your arm straight that time!" I would be thinking WHAT?! How did you even find something positive to say?! As I told him, this is why God made him the coach, and me the parent biting her nails in the bleachers. I couldn't do that. He is amazing. I'm in awe. As encouraging and positive as he is, the hormonal 4th and 5th grade girls still managed to break out a few tears now and then. Poor guy. He had to explain that coaches need to tell the players how to improve. He deserves some sort of high honorary award thingy.

We went apple picking back in September. We had fun trying all the different varieties in the orchard. I'm happy to report that this is the first year I left the orchard with less than 50 lbs of apples. I think I'm finally getting that whole moderation thing...


Maggie likes to climb the trees to be sure she gets the perfect apples



Yes, Gracy is actually talking on a cell phone while in an appletree...someone needs to tell that girl she's not a teenager yet! haha! Actually, she was talking to Pop-Pop, so we'll let her get away with it this time...




My sweet pumpkins!

Maggie & Gracy's little friend Anna had a birthday party a while back (yes...I'm behind on the posting...) and boy did they have fun getting the rockstar treatment! Hair, nails, dress up, dancing, oh my!

Perhaps Ms. Cindy spent too much time with the sunflowers this summer....

Ben gives his approval to the sunflower house


This sunflower came out of the ground...let me just put it back in here...


Playing inside the sunflower house is THE BEST!

This one looked like it had a heart in the middle

Check this out...I'm actually standing by the sunflower house...

More beautiful sunflowers...

While I wish I would've taken the time to post these when I first took the pictures, I sure am enjoying remembering the warm sunshine on my face and the bright blue sky...

I took an online quiz...that's proof enough for me! Someone alert my kids! They need to know this stuff!

You Will Be a Cool Parent

You seem to naturally know a lot about parenting, and you know what kids need. You can tell when it's time to let kids off the hook, and when it's time to lay down the law. While your parenting is modern and hip, it's not over the top. You know that there's nothing cool about a parent who acts like a teenager... or a drill sergeant!