We Have a Snake Named Dog, Really

After work one day, I arrived home to a sweet sight - all of my babies outside, happy and having fun together. Then I realized the reason.
A Snake. They named him Dog.

Maddy sees snakes all the time walking home from school and today she was lucky enough to catch one. I really don't mind snakes, but COME ON!! Another animal?? Reptile??

Whatever.

They made a nice home for him in the turtle's cage inside the garage...

But that sneaky little snake escaped, I was POSITIVE that it was still in our garage, but no one believed me so off we go to find another snake.

I'm thinkin' I am a pretty good mom, right about now.

Off to the canal we go and the girls are upset because they do not see a single snake. Geez, I hate to see them suffer, so I am lifting rocks and peeking in the brush in hopes of discovering some critter to satisfy my children.

(I believe that having children is the beginning of a long process of losing one's identity)

While Pat is looking, he keeps assuring me the snake is NOT in our garage.
We'll see, I tell him.

Katie wanted us to move all the large rocks that actually hold the sides of the canal in place to find a snake and was a bit upset that we wouldn't.

It is getting cold and we've given up, thank heavens.

So long snake hunting, it was fun while it lasted.

Plus we got to spend some great family time together.

(Pat, Selina. Maddy, Katie, Bella)

We are a great team. I love my family.

(BTW, the snake IS still in our garage. My poor mother, who is deathly afraid of snakes, found him slithering across the garage floor on Halloween. Pat caught him, put him back in the cage and Dog the Snake was gone again in the morning. I hear him all the time when I open the door to the garage - his tail hits the water heater as he slips back into his hiding place)

I told Pat that thing was still in our garage!

Falling in Love with Fall

I think have said how much I love autumn. It was especially fun this year because we finally have trees large enough to produce an abundant amount of falling leaves. I like to leave them for a bit, then rake them.
This our witch and cauldron - made the witch myself a few years back, it was a self portrait.

Our porch tends to get a bit cluttered with decor, but I love it!! The girls wish I would put out SCARY things, but gruesome just isn't my style...

Yep, still pictures of the porch.

Now here is a scary picture.

Katie was heading out with us for a fall walk, but refused a picture - AGAIN.

I love the burning bush in the background, I wish it looked this way year round.

Happy Fall.

My Sleeping Beauties

I love surprises, among my favorites are finding my babies ASLEEP - I don't care if they are not in their room and have torn my bed apart - they are ASLEEP!!
Still has her dress on and some dinner on her chin. That's OK.

Still has that blankie and I can barely see her face. That's OK.

This is a beautiful sight.

The Pumpkin Patch

Our yearly trip to the pumpkin patch almost didn't happen. Traditionally, Kimm and I take our little ones for pumkin picking, losing ourselves in the maze and warm pizza afterwards, but we just couldn't get it together this year. I missed that small, sisterly ritual. Again, I am reminded of what not to take for granted.
One of my favorite quotes is by Ernest Hemingway, "Best of all, he loved the fall."
I LOVE this time of year. Crisp, cool air, leaves blowing by the windows, pumpkins, acorns, hot soup... It just seems like this fall was slipping away from me. It was frustrating finding a day that I could take my family to the Pumkin Patch. Maddy had already gone with the neighbors, and I was grateful, but slightly jealous that they got to be the first ones to take her for the year. My life has changed since last autumn, but, dang it - there are some things I just can't give up!

So I herded my grumpy family in the car on a Saturday afternoon after running a booth at "Boo at the Zoo" for work and before an evening movie that I was determined to see - (Where the Wild Things Are) - and here are the results.

~MEMORIES~

And best of all, I love my family...

Why My Camera Battery is Always Low...

I am always wondering why my camera battery is constantly low. I finally figured out why. I have an amateur photographer in the house. She takes quite the pictures. Here is Maddy at the computer, probably posting her every move on Face Book.
Peace Out, Dude.

Who do you think is taking a picture of her own "Peace Out"?

This is my lovely daughter, Isabella. She is a girl, not a boy - or a very weird looking child, although this picture would indicate otherwise.

Who is she/he yelling at??? I don't know. Where I am I? I don't know. Who is watching this creature? I don't know.

REALLY? A picture of a monster spider? REALLY??