The year in pictures

Ok not really the year, maybe just the late summer/fall. We have been too busy with activities of various sorts, and I haven't been feeling well so that adds up to lots of pictures and not a whole lot of writing.
These first pictures are of the indian houses the kids were working on all summer. And I must admit, while I wouldn't want to spend a rainy night in one, they did a pretty good job of making them authentic-looking. Check out the bark action and everything.

Climbing trees happened quite a bit, too.

We harvested most of our garden to protect against frost. This is the last of the cucumbers.

We got LOTS of potatoes, lots! The kids had a blast digging them up. "This one looks like a boot!" "I got one that looks like a teddy bear." "Look Mom, a gun!" "That looks like a solar system." "An Ardvaark!" Not sure what kind of potatoes they are but they sure are fun!

Ryah's class went to the pumpkin patch with their families. I had to get everyone in front of the height sign. The girls had dancing eyes the whole time. They enjoyed it all. I forget that they never had the opportunity to pet farm animals, go through a hay maze or ride a hay wagon. It was fun to watch!

The only problem it was beastly cold and we were ill-equipped! But that wasn't too much of a wet blanket.

Caleb- 5 1/2 feet tall.

Ryah-3 1/2 feet tall.

Miriam- 4 1/2 feet tall.

Alina- 4 feet tall.

Jonas- 4 1/2 feet tall.

Anastasia- nearly 4 feet tall.

Kristina- 4 1/4 feet tall, almost.

Elijah- 3 feet tall, 3'2" with hair, 5 feet tall with that smile!

Elijah holding his pumpkin and trying to get warm.

Alina TRYING to decide on a pumpkin.

Miriam wanting the "prettiest" one.
Ryah just wanted to go back on the wagon. Not too interested in picking a pumpkin, any one will do. Riding the hay wagon. This is her canned smile. I was trying to get a good pciture of her dancing eyes but was trying to juggle too many things and kids for that to work well.

She loved the ducks, but only after she was relatively confident that they weren't going to bite her. She must have had some bad experiences with animals in Ukraine, especially dogs. Which is funny because I had no idea, even with Sheba in the house, until we went to a friends not too long ago who had 3 dogs. She is TERRIFIED of dogs. T.E.R.R.I.F.I.E.D!!! Don't ask me why Sheba didn't bother her.

Elijah couldn't get enough of the animals and wanted to hold all of them... especially the kittens.

Anyway, that is our fall in pictures.