Auld Lang Syne

Where did the days go?  We are but a few days from the end of the year and I've made nary a post for months.  Thank you, Wilma, for waking me from my reverie.

Huntley Family Reunion -- what a blessing!

I got a new job in August in a Functional Communication classroom of students with autism and that took my focus for September. We then had the supreme pleasure of having my parents nearby for a little over 2 months which was a joy and delight. Then suddenly it was Advent and here we are.  I have little in the way of pictures  to share -- I was technologically challenged for several months --but will end the year with a few sweet notes from Autumn. Guess I need my parents and brothers to send me some photos!  Please forgive me for the really blurry iPod shots! Just a handful of sweet memories!

Pajama day for the Blitz with Ms. Mahoney.  Kinder is the BEST.

Sunshine's first day of school

All the Littles think a "store-bought" veggie tray is a gourmet treat! 

The makings of Thai Salad; just one of a hundred lunches we took to school!

Fancy hair tattoos courtesy of Pepper

Nothing makes us happier than hand-me-downs!

Kindergarten is exhausting!

The Captain's first day of school at Mom's School. 

Pepper's first day of college

Lunchbag. Pepper and I had a one-week before school sewing marathon.  This is the only thing that got photographed!

Fabulous cousin time at our Cousin Camp Family Reunion

It has been a whirlwind few months and I am grateful, grateful as the year draws to a close. I hope your new year is blessed!

Seasons

I cannot believe it is almost Halloween already.  Wasn't it just a minute ago I was frantically making Wizard of Oz costumes for everyone?  Oh yes, I meant to sell those costumes this year.  Ooops.  Maybe next year!

Well that was then and this is now!  After our "second honeymoon" cruise to Alaska, life was a little too chaotic for costume making.  We have an "everyday hero" theme planned for this year and all the costumes are "boughten" ones.  The Blitz will be a fireman and he loves his new boots so much he wears them 18 hours a day.  Tinkerbelle will be a nurse; her love of the medical profession started after that trip to the hospital in May.  The Captain is an army hero; our family appreciation for members of the military seems to have rubbed off on him.  Sunshine will be a police woman and Pepper, Rosie the Riveter.  So fun.  Daddy seems to usually pull off a costume at the last minute.  He's my hero everyday so maybe he can just wear his blue jeans!

We are really enjoying the autumn.  Not the weather, of course-- it's still summer here--but we are enjoying the rhythms of school and fall ball and all both entail.  The Captain is a ball player now.  Picture a little absent minded professor in center field and you've got the picture.  It is actually totally adorable and completely entertaining and I can't believe I haven't posted a picture until now.

Sunshine is back at it too; she is not always enjoying the season but things will get better.  Her team is not gelling as well as is often the case and most of her friends were on the other two teams, but all is well.  I haven't gotten a picture of her in new uniform but maybe this week.  She plays at 8:40 in the evening and apparently, my brain has checked out by then!

School is going great!  Pepper is practically a college pro now and is taking two dual credit courses, English Comp and Art History.  Of course she is also taking all the regular fare at home, math, science, etc.  She has been practicing her driving and will get her license in December; neither of us can wait.

The big news, though, is that Mamaw and Papa are here from Idaho and we are soaking up the Huntley time. That explains the radio silence of late; we are just too busy playing Bingo and Pinochle!

Hope your fall is a beautiful fall too.