October

 October was filled with a lot of fun activities!

Rebecah and Melanie.

Kimball eats a lot of bread and cheese in the Netherlands so I have decided that our family should branch out and try a wider variety of cheese.  It's a very simple dinner but the kids loved it.  I made wheat bread and it was SO good.  We have tried Havarti and gouda cheeses so far.

Hiking with Joseph at Delphi Park

Visit from Grandma and Grandpa Coffey October 11-14

Trip to Abbott's Farm for apple picking.

Rebecah wanted a little photo shoot.

Celebrating my 45th birthday.  Joseph worked the evening of my birthday so we celebrated the next day when Joseph was home and his parents could join us.

Eden's 8th birthday

Eden's Baptism

Eden was baptized on her birthday.  We had about 20 people at her baptism.  Grandma Coffey and Grandma Bev gave short talks.  Rebecah played the piano and Lincoln and Annika said the prayers. It was a nice service and we are so glad that Eden decided to begin her journey on the covenant path.

Grandma Bev and Eden

Making ninja stress balls with Grandma and Grandpa

A trip to the MOST (Museum of Science and Technology)

The weather was beautiful Friday and Saturday, but on Columbus Day when everyone was off school it was cold and rainy.  A trip to the MOST got us out of the house.

Making edible bats with Grandma

We had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa Coffey.  It was really nice having them visit.  We don't have company very often since we live so far away. 

Lincoln and Annika's 10th Birthday!

This is how Lincoln really feels about his birthday!

This is Lincoln holding in the excitement!

The soccer season ended.  Eden and Annika both had great coaches and had a fun season.

Annika's team party

Eden's team party

My friend Jenny lives behind us and down 3 houses.  She was pregnant with her 4th baby and I was on "baby watch" so I could watch her older girls when it was time for Jenny to go to the hospital.  I usually sleep with my phone on silent, but during baby watch I kept my volume on.  Except, that when the call came I slept through 3 phone calls and 3 text messages.  Jenny's husband ended up coming to our house and knocking on the door and that finally woke us up!  It was an EARLY morning for me.  I woke up about 2:30 am. 

Once Eden was ready for school she came and hung out with the Whiting girls and me until it was time to get on the bus.  Rachel and I were buddies all day until her dad picked her up mid-afternoon.

When Grandma and Grandpa visited they helped us set up our harvest tree.  We usually wait until after Halloween to set it up, but I like having it up in October.  I added some white lights to the tree this year and I really like it!

We have had such a warm fall.  On a nice fall day Joseph and I went to the Erie Canal trail.  I walked while Joseph rode his bike and we met up after an hour.  It was really pretty even though we were very close to the highway and city noise.

School Halloween Activity

The kids always love going to the school trunk-or-treat.  Lincoln and Annika met up with friends so Eden and I went around together.

Annika, Brinley, and Brooke

I couldn't convince Rebecah to go with us so I took a picture with Melanie, one of Rebecah's besties, to show her that she should have come to the activity.

Mrs. T-P is a fabulous teacher.  I think she's a special ed teacher, but she was in Eden's class last year and Eden talked about her all of the time.  This year Mrs. T-P is in Lincoln's class.  She plays with the kids at recess, sits with them at lunch and has crafts for them during indoor recess.

As part of Primary this year we had the children submit art throughout the year and after our Primary Presentation we had an art festival in the church gym with the children's art on display.  I wasn't sure how many people would stick around after church to look at the children's pictures, but it was well attended. 

Here are just a few of the pictures my kids submitted.

Now that Annika is 10 she wanted to get her ears pierced.  It was a late birthday present because we had to wait until soccer season ended.  Annika, Rebecah and I went to the mall on Halloween since the kids had a half day of school.  The mall wasn't very busy and we didn't have to wait.  Annika did really well with the piercings and she is super excited!

We had the warmest Halloween on record in Syracuse topping out at 82 degrees.  It was nice not to freeze while trick-or-treating, but it was really too hot to be wearing costumes.  The kids now have enough candy to last them all of November.

Kimball continues to enjoy his time in the Netherlands.  He went to a Heerenveen for a soccer game, Amsterdam, and a few other day trips.  He just finished a week in Oosterwolde for the Dutch Orientation course.  It was a week-long language immersion course.  He had a lot of fun!  He is growing with each new experience he has. He was on a bike ride with his cycling group.  He was bringing up the rear when an oncoming car hit him.  Thankfully, he and his bike weren't hurt.  The driver of the car had some paint scuffs from Kimball's handlebars.

Rotary Fundraiser--Midnight Walk

Trip to Amsterdam

Dutch Orientation Course

This was an intense week long language and culture retreat.  At the end of the week the kids were tested in their Dutch speaking skills and Kimball came in second.  Kimball said the girl who was top of the class had finished the entire Dutch coursework.

Dutch culture skit

The guys in the Rotary group this year.