Overheard

I was in the kitchen the other day and the girls were at the table coloring and singing Christmas songs.  It was pretty entertaining.

Anna:  "Deck the halls with thousand hollies..."

Kate:  No...no...Anna...it's, "Deck the halls with thousand ARMIES..."

So, I guess,  Merry Christmas!  And, watch out for the soldiers.

Love Notes

Anna loves to write.  Her favorite thing to do when one of us is gone (even if it's for twenty minutes) is to write a note and tape it to the wall so we see it when we walk in.  Well, I was gone last night to a meeting and when I returned home, I found a note written for Barrett.  Apparently Luke wasn't crazy about the idea of going to bed.  (I blame it on Alecia.  She spoils him.)

"I am sorry that Luke screamed."

The deciphering is a treat.  I hope we'll always be the recipients of her little love notes, no matter how they're spelled. 

Sunday Drive

It's been a little crazy around our household lately, so I haven't really even thought about posting.  But last Sunday we did take a nice little family outing to enjoy the tail end of the leaves.   We all piled in the car and headed off down the Colonial Parkway, which is every bit as charming as it sounds.  

Destination: Yorktown.

20 miles of this!  

I've been to Yorktown many times before, but I had never seen this home.  Right in the side there are cannon balls left over from the Revolutionary War.  So amazing!

Here's Kate clinging to one of the balls.

And nothin' like a big sis who will help you stick your face in front of a cannon.

The highlight?  The garden maze.  Off in the distance there are 

two shrieking girls with a father in hot pursuit.

Once upon a time I think it was fashionable to take a Sunday drive.  If they're all as distracting and enjoyable as this one, I think we'll bring them back!

We Like Leaves.

There is a tree in Colonial Williamsburg which, when it turns, it turns.   We played in the leaves for a good hour.  We tried building a pile to jump into, but Luke "The Wrecker" kept doing his job.

Playin' in the leaves takes serious effort.

Random Bits

I've already brushed my teeth twice this morning.  It's my defense mechanism against the chocolate lingering in Halloween bags, calling my name.

(I can't lie...it's a half-ditch effort.)

I made pumpkin seeds after the kids begged.  They don't like them and secretly I'm glad because I love them and now I can eat them all.

I still say fall is bittersweet.  The trees have peaked here and it's beyond gorgeous but I'm not looking forward to barren branches.  And I don't love picking up coats and shoes.

But I do love hot chocolate with marshmallows and cinnamon.

Barrett ate Shredded Wheat for breakfast.  Anna looked into his bowl and asked, "Is that hay?"

I'm putting on my cleaning soundtrack.  Maybe it's funny, but I love cleaning house to the Bee Gee's.   

"How deep is your love, how deep is your love....."