Meeting Baby Cecelia

We finally got everyone healthy in the family and Jim returned from many business trips so we could take a trip up to Ohio and meet our new little cousin, Cecelia--or CeCe or C4 as she was called this weekend.

I made her this cupcake hat.  It is newborn sized, but she is so tiny that it could come down to her chin.  She will have to grow into it.  When we met her, she weighed just 7-6.  That is smaller than Evie and Annalise were when they were born and this kid was a month old at the time.  Tiny.

We met up with the Seibert family at a firestation for a benefit pancake breakfast.  When we got back to their house, the men all went out to pick up C's cake.  The girls all posed for the picture.  Can you believe how big they are getting?  All except for the shrimp in the middle.

Another cupcake hat.  No wait, that's Aunt Jenni's pumpkin muffin from Langes (it tasted awesome, Aunt Becky).  That muffin is as big as her head!

Out at Sauder's farm, it was the woodcarver's show and also Butchering weekend.  What kid doesn't want to go stand out in the cold to see a hog butchered? 

C4 was all bundled up inside of her mama's coat and she slept right through the toenails getting pulled off the pig and handed out to kids. 

Our kids were  in the front row when the pig's head was cut off.  It was a really sharp knife that sliced easily through all the meat.  When he got to the spine, the head butcher just rammed his fingers into the pig snout, grabbed ahold and twisted the head right off.  And then plopped it into a rubbermaid tote.  So our kids can't make it through a Disney movie without an emotional breakdown, but they can watch a pig head get twisted off.  Circle of life I guess. They like their hot dogs.

This was the last we saw of the hog.  All of the exciting stuff was over then.  Does this bring back good memories of FHS, Miss Erica?

We stopped by the Potter's barn and watched him finish some vases on his wheel.  A technological leap in comparision to our friends at Connor Prairie.

As if pancake breakfasts, giant muffins, and hog butchering weren't enough, Cecelia Ann was baptised this weekend too!

Proud Mom and Dad.

The Seibert Family.  Zoom in on Oliver--it's worth it.  I suspect that the next few years may be a little hectic around their house.

Cousins.  This one is for you, AB.  We missed you.

Cecelia and her pround parents, grandparents and great grandma.

While we were snapping pictures, there was a choir of angels up in the choir loft.  That big one is kind of funny looking.

This was probably the only time all day that Cecelia wasn't being held.  I tried to get a nice picture of her in her baptismal gown.  But, she didn't like be put down so someone scooped her up right away.

Four Generations.

Cecelia's godfather is Nick Meyer.  He's everyone's favorite jungle gym.

Boo-ing

Once, a couple of years ago, a pumpkin filled with candy appeared on our doorstep before Halloween.  We were "Boo-ed" by a neighbor.  A letter inside told us to share the spirit and boo someone else on the street.

The kids were remembering that year and we decided to start the Boo Bag for our street.  They made signs that said "We've Been Boo-ed" for the front door and decorated the explaination letter.

Here's what our letter said.

And they didn't even wait until the cloak of darkness to drop to Boo a neighbor.  They snuck up and rang the doorbell and ran as fast as they could.  Another day, we were Boo-ed.  I asked Evie what she thought was more fun and she said she like to boo the neighbors best.

Massive update

You know that you are behind on updating your blog when even Uncle Kevin and Aunt Elizabeth are up to date.  They even have 4 rugrats running around now!  So I guess we better get moving on what we have been doing the last few weeks.  Annalise tried to wear my boots to the Indiana State Museum over fall break.  She succeeded in looking like Julia Roberts in Pretty woman.

We went to the Indiana State Museum specifically because there was an event called GeoFest going on.  All about fossils, gems and minerals.  This is right up the girls' alley.  There were lots of stations with activies they could do.  In all the stations, they received a rock.  Mom's purse got heavy after a while.  In this station, Annalise is finding microfossils.

She took her micro fossils home in the form of a magnet.  Cool.

Evie brought what she thought may have been a dinasour bone that she found in the pool parking lot.  We asked around and found out that it was just a type of limestone that is pretty common in Indiana. In fact, here's a display of 36 differnt specimens.

They also had the chance to make their own geodes by wrapping a crystal in cement.  They brought it home and when it was dry, they busted it open.

Also a special display was all about CORN!  Indiana.

The girls with Mother Maize.  We learned lots about corn (stuff we didn't already know).  By this time, we were wrapping up 6 hours of Indiana history and the were just about worn out.  We headed to the car.

Somebody fell asleep.

We rounded out a beautiful evening with a fire and watching the stars come out.  We also finished the last bag of marshmellows for the year.

It was cold so we kept our laps warm with kids.

Prairie Tykes

Last week, Annalise and I went to our favorite living history museum, Conner Prairie, for a preschool program. 

It was all about pumpkins.  We were supposed to go a month ago.  The plan was to visit the Dr. for her 5 year old check up, then picinic at Connor Prairie and hit a class about farm animals.  Instead, Annalise's body had a reaction to the 5 immunizations and she passed out. Don't worry, she was fine, but spent the afternoon cuddling on the couch.  I think it just scared her.

Mom and Annalise time.  One more year till kindergarten. Then what am I going to do with all my time? (Jim says "Get a job").

The kids played games and sang songs about pumpkins

Then we got to go hunt for a pumpkin in the patch. Except that it rained for 3 days prior so the garden was really muddy.  They just put the pumpkins in the grass.

Annalise finds one that will be a good jack o lantern.

It was a fun day.  I think she just liked doing something on her day off of school that wasn't grocery shopping.



Hot Air Balloon Flyover

The last two evenings, we have had the most perfect fall weather.  In the fall here, we tend to see a lot of hot air balloons.  Lately, the wind has been blowing just right to make them fly right over our house.  They are low enough for us to hear the roar of the burner.

All the kids were outside when we spotted the first one.  They didn't want to come in for dinner so Jim and I sat down to eat in peace.  The next thing we know, the neighbor is knocking on our door and said she saw all the kids running down the street to see if it was landing on the pipeline (it didn't).  So we all hauled it outside and stood around long enough to see a second balloon fly over.  And, Evie decided she had to chase this on on foot.  That little pink shirt running down the street is Evie.

Annalise was afraid that Evie was going to go on a ride on the balloon.  Fortunately, it landed pretty far away from our neighborhood so we don't have to worry about her flying off to Oz.  The second balloon landed close also.  This is Annalise and the balloon as it descends.

Girl Scout horseback riding.

 We had a super fun weekend at the Taller house.  Two soccer games, two parties (one with swimming!) and the Girl Scouts went horseback riding.  The two family members who didn't qualify for Girl Scouts went on a date to the candy store.  Guess what color of candy Annalise had....

Out at the State Park, the girls had a long wait.  But when it was our turn, we learned about horse safety and grooming on this kind horse named Turtle.

The members of our group listened closely to all instruction.

They curried the horse to remove the dusty and dirt from his hair.

 And they brushed his tail.  He was a great horse.  We were probably the 5th group who groomed him that day.  Very patient with the girls. 

Then we saddled up for our ride!  Evie was excited to be riding a horse named Dan. 

And we are off!  Our trail ride was about 30 minutes long.  The color in the woods was beautiful.  We went up and down lots of hills and even crossed a stream twice.  The horses knew exactly what to do and all we had to do was sit back and enjoy the ride.   We are not cowboys though, because we all had aches and pains when we got off. 

International Walk to School Day

So today was the day kids around the world skipped riding the bus and walked to school.  Evie asked me if the kids in China walked to school also.  I replied that they probably walk to school every day.

 I didn't think Annalise could make the 2 mile round trip without some serious whining so I sent her over to the neighbor's house with her packet of instant oatmeal.  Don't feel too sorry for her.  She got to play with 1 year old twin babies.  Fun for everyone.

 I thought it was funny that Evie was in a head wrap and gloves and the neighbor girls were dressed for summer.  Yes, it warmed up later in the day, but it was 51 degrees when we left.  A little too cold for flip flops in my opinion.

 And then they started the sprint to school with the parents lagging behind.  I didn't see Evie until she reached the dangerous to cross round about.

 It was a beautiful fall morning to walk.  A lovely sunrise over our little suburb.

We parents caught up with the kids at the round about.  I played crossing guard so no grumpy businessman in his shiny BMW would run them over.  And that was the last we saw of the kids. By the time the parents made it to school driveway, the kids were inside already.  Evie reports that so many kids walked to school, the PTO ran out of "prize bags" (an apple and water and eraser).  That was great to see and hear!  It was fun and we hope they do it again soon!