Autumn Happenings

I'm really tired of folding laundry so blogging is a good way to procrastinate doing it any more...at least for today. Other than laundry (which is my lot in life...sigh) I have had plenty of other things keeping me busy. Things a lot more fun than searching for matching socks. We visited the pumpkin patch last weekend and had a blast. The weather is finally cooling off, thank goodness. I am seriously starting to buy into the whole global warming issue. The retreat was also totally awesome. I'd have to say that it was one of the best weekends our family has ever had together. Oh, and the kids actually didn't pout too much over learning the syllabary. In fact, my kids loved it. I only wish my grandparents were still here to help me teach them. My sweet grandmother passed away 2 years ago. I still miss her.

In addition to all the exuberant enjoyment we've been experiencing, I've also been a little sad this weekend. A good friend of mine passed away this summer in a plane crash along with his wife. I came across several emails we'd shared and it really brought it all back. He and his wife were so sweet and I know their children and grandchildren miss them terribly. I hate that they were not only taken too soon, but in such a horrific manner.

Anyway, I am trying to focus on positive things, because they are so plentiful. Hallie is loving second grade and is doing so well. It's funny...Hallie has gotten really interested in human anatomy and biology lately. She says she wants to be a pediatric cardiologist or nurse (I guess that depends on how long she wants to go to school). We ordered some books about the skeleton and organ systems from the scholastic book club and she has memorized the entire human skeleton. She also loves to inform us of random medical facts, like how much blood the heart pumps a day or the different types of broken bones. She also has her eye on this for Christmas. Ethan, on the other hand, is quite squeamish. He can't stand to hear us talking about it and even the word "blood" is enough to make him cover his ears and say in a very distressed voice "You're freaking me out!" I doubt he'll even be in the same room with Hallie's potential gift. He much prefers to talk about space and rockets. He has decided that he is going to go to Auburn and be an astronaut. When I told him that 6 astronauts graduated from Auburn including T.K. Mattingly of Apollo 13, he said "Well, were they any good in the football games?" I had to explain to him that playing football was not a necessity for going to Auburn, that only a small percentage of the students actually play and as far as I know, none of the astronauts did. He seemed relieved. He said "That's good, because I think I'll be too skinny anyway." Yes, my son, genetically, the odds are not in your favor. Basketball, maybe?

Well, I better get going. Randy is waiting for me to watch a movie. He's so sweet. He had 4 trees planted today in our yard as an early birthday present. They include 2 my favorite Red Maples and 2 River Birches. I'm so excited. I keep going to the window to look at them, until it got dark, that is. Yes, I'll be 31 on November 5th. That sounds so old.

I'm really going now. Have a good weekend, everyone!