Jon and Kate + 8....Sorta

The kids are having an sleepover....while our friends Lyndsey and Ryan steal away for a hotel overnight together!
Yippee.  Its Friday Night Movie Night on the big screen.
They are watching the latest Veggie Tales release:  The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.

Fall Festival Party

This year we had a princess, a bumble bee, a Victorian princess (not to be confused with a princess) and a rat.  The rat had no time for the paparazzi and would allow neither unstaged nor candid photos to be taken.  HM.
....except for the first 25 seconds he was in his costume.  

(thank goodness my hand is always attached to the camera)
Here are the kids from the hood.  Having some (healthy) pizza before the sugar intake commences.  Once again, if only you could see Gabe's face.  I said, "NO photos people!"

Fall Foliage

These pictures are compliments of Madeline.  This is their favorite tree in our yard and they have watched each day until every leaf turned red!  Yesterday, they grabbed the camera and started snapping away.

Abby said, "Isn't it amazing how God makes all the leaves turn such cool colors?"

Yes, it is pretty amazing.

And the Winner is.....

(do you love our raffle basket?....aka the girl's trash can)
Congrats Shelby!  I don't know you so hopefully we've just become friends.  ;)

You'll get an email from me with your 5 (lucky) raffle numbers.  

I just had to sneak back and look up Shelby's original comment and here is what it said:

"....my kids and I are planning lots of RAK's so I'll let you know what we do.  If I happen to win your give-a-way, I would like to donate my tickets to my friend Gayly.  She has been waiting waaaaaaaaay too long for her SN kiddo to come home!"

Only the coolest girlfriend does a RAK as her entry.  You rock girl.

And just in case you need a laugh, here was my RAK-gone-bad today.  I have a friend that shares an obsession, oops, love of Great Harvest bread with me.

I decided to pick up a loaf of cinnamon bread for her since I just happened to be in the area. (I was NOT planning to go there for me, nope)  I walked in to get her bread (nothing for me) and SHE IS STANDING THERE buying bread.  So, I just walked out.  

After buying a couple loaves and some cinnamon rolls.

Oh, you can read that?

CONGRATS SHELBY!  I HOPE YOU WIN!!!

Boys Will Be.....

Anyone tired of this yet?  Cause I'm not.  I'm really not.

Remember Beating the Mulch? 

Oh wait, that wasn't my son.  That was an unruly-child-with-no-clothing that I found via You Tube.  Never mind.  My mistake.

How about this one then?  

Or the one where someone (most certainly not me) forgot to Double Check the Lock?

His latest shenanigan involves the trash.  It would.  He loves to find little (or big) trinkets around the house and chuck them.  Sometimes he even "hides" them under a cereal box so they are hard to spot.  I've taken to donning cleaning gloves and searching through each bag before I take it out to the garage.

(Oh, please tell me you didn't just believe that.  Really?  I don't even own those yellow gloves!)

Today's discovered treasure was 2 socks (if only they had matched!), the blender lid (that's where that is!) and the popcorn popper.  Yes, the popcorn popper.

When I went to let him know what I'd found, I might have found him eating a half-eaten, somewhat burnt, breakfast waffle.....from deep in the trash.  Might.

LAST DAY....

....to enter the blog give-a-way, do your RAK (random act of kindness) and win....FREE STUFF!

See below for details.  

Have a great-random-act-of-kindness-day!

Free Stuff? Anyone?

Does anyone like Kate Spade?  Jewelry?  Canon Rebel cameras?  Handbags?  

A Sony camcorder?

Cause I'm doing (my first) blog give-a-way.  I was going to link you to my SIL Amie who is also doing one but after reading the stories of Brent and Owen, I had to donate to the cause as well.

The only thing you have to do to enter this drawing is a RAK -- by October 28th.

(random act of kindness)  

Don't you just love doing these anyway?   Pick anything.  Big or small.  One of my favorites is to pay for the food of the person behind you at Wendy's.  

Post your name and email in my comments section (comments will not be shown - all info will be kept anonymous) and you will automatically be entered.

I am purchasing 5 raffle tickets from To China For Owen.

The winner will receive all 5 tickets on October 28th.

(which is the day Brent would have turned 13!  Happy Birthday!) 

Of course, you'll want to head over to read about Brent's story, an 11 year old hero who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system.  He went to be with Jesus last year and his family is honoring his love of giving by doing a blog give-a-way.

After that, head over to read about Owen, a little guy who will be heading from China to his forever family very soon.

Come back and share your story with one of us too.....its always fun to hear how you are able to bless another person.  

And, of course you can enter Amie's give-a-way too.....just be sure to do an extra RAK.  ;)