Fall

Showing off his leaf.

She was waving at me.

She was trying to stick her socks in the vacuum tube. (Why the vacuum tube was outside with us, I do not know.)

Sebastian took this picture.

Sebastian Stories

We recently had the Hintenmeyer student's over to our house for dinner.  As he and I were cleaning up the back porch, he saw his seashells from our recent trip to the Outerbanks and decided that he would tell the "students" all about our trip.  He decided that he would tell them about it while they all sat around the bonfire, and then he said, and I quote: "I would like to speak that tale to them while warmth is blowing and a fire is lit, and I will tell them all I remember."

Obviously, Sebastian has been listening to the Narnia chronicles on CD a lot lately.  He loves to play and listen at the same time.  He will then come out of his room and pretend a portion of the book with me.  He is currently listening to The Horse and His Boy.  Right now he is rushing around the house yelling, "The False Jade! The False Jade!"   Then he called, "To hear is to obey!" and he rushed over to me and kissed my hand. 

The Beach

In mid-October, we made a trip to the Outer Banks with my parents. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the beautiful house we were staying in was right by the beach. This was Sebastian and Evelyn's first time seeing the ocean and they both had a wonderful time.  Sebastian was especially sad to leave. (I must say though, I am not pleased with our camera quality.)

Walking down the public walkway towards the beach.

The beach right by the house.  This was our first afternoon and there were a few people there, but mostly, it was just us.

This was a very windy day, but not too cold.

The house were were in is the one on the far left.

Dad, mom, and Sebastian walking towards the pier.

She loved playing in the sand.

The beach in the other direction.

It was warm enough to get in the water, though, a bit nippy when we got out, due to the wind.

I'm the genius who didn't take my suit.  I thought that it would be too cold in October.

Apparently I made faces like this as a baby.

View from our balcony.

More view.

Looking down from the top balcony at Patrick and Sebastian coming up the outside stairs.

On the balcony.

Playing in the house.

Sunrise (NOT sunset). Yes, I was up this early every morning, thank you kiddos.

Playing outside

The top balcony (this was the third floor up).

The lighthouse.

The lighthouse keeper's house.

Going out to dinner to celebrate our 7th anniversary (which was the next day).

Playing with Costumes (and other things)

 I am very behind on posting anything on this blog, but I am going to try and catch up. Here are a few from early October when the two were dressing up in costumes.

Evelyn's Halloween costume, on loan from our goddaughter.

Little Doctor Evelyn

Policeman hat and knight's cape

I love the little bare feet.

He said he was a "Cheetah Doctor"

They were cuddling, it was cute.

In the dryer.

Armor

Sebastian made himself some armor the other day.  I love children's imaginations.

Grandpa's Hat

This hat once belonged to Patrick's late, paternal grandpa.  Sebastian loves it, but Evelyn got to try it on too.

Bedroom Decorations

For a long time, I have been attempting to figure out what sort of decorative thing to put over our bed.  The difficulty with this task is that our bedroom has vaulted ceilings, so whatever I did needed to be large.  Our first choice was some really great religious artwork, but we can't afford that.  One day I saw a picture of empty picture frames. So, I looked at my Goodwill for some frames, waited awhile for more frames to come in, got some more, spray painted them, distressed them slightly and voila, it is finished.

The "before" shot.

Sebastian helping and showing the size of the wall.

The finished arrangement.  Though, Patrick will help me straighten them this weekend.

Thanks to the inspiration of my friend Amy, I added white gauzy curtains to soften up the current curtains.

Finished product.

I am happy to say that the bedroom is done.  The only thing I need now is a nice little accent chair under the window for sitting and reading, or holding children in the middle of the night, whichever.