Dred Journey

6 months along. Still not totally tabbed up. The feel like rope - kinda cool. A couple of the beads have been embedded in the dreds. They won't be coming out until we cut them off! Some of them are the funniest little shapes. One has 2 tails, one is super skinny until the very bottom where it blubs out, one has loops in it, another twists and my favorite one is long and slender but has 2 right angles. Looking forward to the day when they don't need to be rubbed (not that we do it that often now). I love that I can look back on this chronicle and see the poofy-fuzzball morph into this!

Covered

The clumps are from the plow clearing the driveway. The furrows are from the deer.

Back yard neighbors. On the right you can see one of our nightly guests.

Reminds me of a Christmas Card. I might have to take a print to them for Christmas!

I love where we live!

Molly Turns 10!

Oh how we adore this little lady (and her fantastic family!). She's grown up so much since we first came to Bozeman. I'm so thankful to get to be a part of their lives in small ways.

Ladies Night Out with Joel Patrick Moore

~ The Invite ~
Joel Patrick requests the honor of your presence at a gala event celebrating his birth.


Mama Naomi has asked that no gifts be given at the occassion, please. Simply bring your favorite bottle of wine to share. Tea, coffee, & wassail will also be served along side a buffet of delectable cheeses & accompaniments.

Joel will be present for cuddles, coos, & remarks. He invites other nursing/newborn babes to join him as well.
~~~~~~~~
Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ray LaMontagne, Miss Ella, & others did their part to set the mood for the evening.

Wine and cheese, crackers & breads, Fruits and nuts, chocolate and women...

The reds. Aged Cheddar, Bordeau infused Gouda, French Goat Brie, Danish Blue, Lacy Baby Swiss...

The White - didn't get much action. But the cheeses did. Asagio cream spread, Deeply veined Gorgonzola, White Cheddar...

Such a perfect evening. Sweet and cozy, and filling in every way.

Hello - Goodbye

Sara, Matt, Bella & Lucy were home for a couple weeks to ronvate the new RV before heading off on a new adventure! Lucy has grown so much. Little, happy, chunky-monkey. Sara and I squeezed in a few moments to relax and chat over tea.

Mostly we made faces at Lucy so we could see that fabulous toothless smile!

Just a day or 2 before they left, we all gathered at the ole homestead to say our goodbyes and to see what magic Matt had worked on the new rig. I love fellowship. So much fun to gather in the warmth of home with good friends and delicious food to laugh and chatter and play.

James really likes the "play" part, and Lucy was seriously infatuated.

I still don't like 'goodbyes', but they are getting easier with Matt and Sara. I know they'll be back with us soon. God uses them in so many ways as they lay their lives out there before Him. It's hard to be selfish with them when I know others need their gifts and love too.

Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat

Minda and several of her friends went trick or treating for the food bank. 600+ pounds of food cam in that night. 2 or 3 pickup truck loads were given to Fred and Wilma Flinstone, a mad scientist, a Victorian Dandy and his lady, and ... to a Myth. (maybe you didn't really see what you think you saw...)

Scenes of the Day

I haven't figured out this new format that blogger loads photos in, so the scenes aren't in order...

Meeting Marion

Shaun and Anna flew up to Spokane with the kiddlets for Joel and Courtney's big day! Hard to believe it was only a few short years ago we were celebrating their special day!

Wasn't long before our nephew and niece were in our arms. Conner played with the 3 other 2 year old boys, but he ran up to me twice just to pat his sister and rub noses with me! He gave Uncle Jim knuckles several times just to hear him 'explode'. Marion fell asleep soon after I took over from Joel and James, and I didn't give her up for very long the rest of the evening.

I'm blessed that we were able to see her at this age and that they are close enough that it will only be a few months before we see all of them again. They change so quickly! We last saw Conner in April, he was talking, but now he is speaking in sentences and has quite the sense of humor.
He knew us all by name! I can't describe the joy of being called by name by that raspy voiced little man.

Cassia was really the only one I passed Marion off to besides her mama. Can't wait to see my daughter as a mama, she is such a natural, just like her Auntie Anna. We didn't get many photos since our hands were occupied with all the preciousness. I can't wait for Christmas!

As Long As You Both Shall Live...

Pumpkin Patch

Sara K., Jess, Liz, Joanie, Amber, Sarah S. and I headed out into the clear, cold morning yesterday to take the kiddos to Rocky Creek Farm's Fall Pumpkin fest.  Hay rides, tractors, forts made of haybales, carmeled apples, face painting and, of course, pumpkins!

 

My favorite moment of the day was when Jess handed Noah a carmel apple.  Top heavy in a little fist, it tipped directly over onto his shoulder.  He just left it there and turned his head to get all that sticky goodness into his mouth!! Classic!

Bates and Rachel.  Batesy didn't want to sit on the pumpkin until he got a good look at Rachel! 

Beautiful, sweet Hannah.  I absolutly fell in love with this little girl. 

Sara and her festive little-bit-o-jack-o-lantern, Amelia!  Doesn't Sara have the best smile?  You should hear her laugh!  It's even better!

The truck - decked out in Fall Finery!

Hay ride to the "patch"

All the pumpkins they grew froze, so they trucked some in and set them inn the orchard for the kiddos!  Joanie brought Kale-bug since mama had just gotten home from the hospital with JP.

Lily was the big girl of our bunch. She is just precious.  Kind and happy, caring and silly - all the things the others can look up to and love!

Days with Amelia