Carvin' the Ol' Pumpkins

Daddy helped with getting the cuts just right! Vanessa chose Minecraft creeper face and Zane chose Minecraft skeleton face. For us (really Daddy) that might have been the fastest and easiest carving session ever!

As a Halloween "treat" we had an enormous visitor the other day. He was hanging and spinning webs along the side of our back patio. He was huge. And bright orange. 

Mashing In

 Avery had their annual Monster Mash last Friday. A couple months ago Vanessa reminded me that she still had never dressed up as Pebbles. So we went for it this year. Zane wanted to be a Power Ranger, that is until the night before I left town for Nashville and after just finishing Vanessa's top. Vanessa convinced him he should Bamm Bamm. Friday, before the dance we whipped up a pair of shorts and leather sash. They had fun.

Much like last year, Vanessa was hanging by threads by Friday night. She was exhausted and you could see it in her eyes and zoning out. Even so, we stayed a little longer this year. The third graders still have a thing for chasing each other in circles instead of dancing, especially the boys and Vanessa. And free access to the wall climbing thingy remains a hit.

Fall Variety

Was this about apple butter or playing with chickens?

AA (Autumn Adventures)

Pickin' Gorgeous

There's not much to say, but there is a lot to look at.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefor I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so Christ's power may rest on me." ~ 2 Cor 12:9

Baby Boy Betz

We had an extensive ultrasound the other day. We got to see every inch of the little guy! He kept one hand near his face -- you can see it up by his ear in the picture above. He kept his chin tucked down. He was very active.

We caught a few glimpses early in which we thought the baby might be a boy. The sonographer waited till the end to verify for sure. And sure enough he presented in a very clear way. We're viewing his bottom with feet tucked up toward the upper right in the picture below.

When we shared with Zane he was extremely excited. He processed it all afternoon. One point he came in the kitchen and said "Oh yeah! We're going to beat Vanessa with two boys! Yeah! We're going to take her down! BAM!!"

Zane was then excited to share with Vanessa when we picked her up from school. I made him promise to wait till we took her friends home. Okay, I bribed him. It didn't matter though because Vanessa came out of the school with her friends following close behind and immediately asked, "Well, is it a boy or girl? It's a girl?! It's a boy? Tell me." Her friend said she was going to guess boy from the look on Zane's face. We confirmed. Vanessa quickly started talking about possible names to distract herself from how she was convinced. Her friend suggested Steve after Minecraft. Zane likes Tommy after a Power Ranger . . .

Hacky Sack

Receiving a new hacky sack always prompts some new trying it out! The kids get some every so often. Daddy always had skill controlling the footbag.  He bounces it off a knee, a shoulder or a head. I even mended them. Almost 40 and his circle more often consists of his children. Truly a sweet thing . . .