Happy Fall, Y'all! (and so, so much more)...

There is nothing quite like staying up to date on my blog, right?  Hopefully my sarcasm conveys here.  Well, as is most everyone else we know, we have been super crazed the last two months.  It's all good crazed, though.  Tis the season!  

I have so much to fill you all in on, so sit back and enjoy our crazy.  There is a lot here (as tends to be our new usual) and as always- big things happening.  Lot's of planning and lot's of doing, making and creating.  I am going to start with an update on each of the kiddos and talk a little about each of them and their school year so far.  Then I'll proceed to the regularly scheduled programming.  

Is it just me or has fall hit really hard and fast and is abruptly becoming winter?  I'm not in ANY WAY ready mentally for this rapid change.  I LOVE fall.  I love most everything about it and I especially love fall here in East Tennessee.  But we started off with very little rainfall and very cold temps.   We have already had several freezes.  I have started to stall the horses at night again.  

We have already had to start up our fireplace.  Normally we wait until November to start it up.  Carl and Rosie are not complaining, though.  

We had freeze warnings two or three days last week.  It's too early... 

The Tilford Kiddos- 

Tristan...  Tristan is 13, almost 14 and is in 8th grade.  He continues to develop his own personality and most definitely has his own opinions on almost everything.  He gets along with his brothers and sister well.  He is still a people pleaser and has a kind heart.  He is struggling with the in-between phase of childhood/young adulthood and sometimes wants to do kid stuff but mostly wants to hang with the adults.  We are new to this terrain and would prefer he embrace his childhood as long as possible but also understand this is a natural progression.  His favorite color is black.  He wants to be in the military when he is an adult.  He doesn't know which branch or what exactly he wants to do.  He loves homeschool and wants to continue through high-school.  He excels in math and is improving quite a bit in language arts.  Science is his passion.  He loves history as well.  His favorite food is pretty much anything you put in front of him, in abundance, and when he is allowed, he loves Cherry Pepsi.  He is excelling in Ju Jitsu and wishes he would have agreed to try it sooner (we tried- he basically went to his trial class here against his will).  He wants to stay in Ju Jitsu as long as possible and wishes to become at least a 1st degree black-belt at some point.  He practices all the time at home and appears (from my untrained eye) to be really good at it.  He needs to improve his balance and flexibility in order to be really good.  Tristan gets his braces off toward the end of October and can't wait.  He can be a little judgmental and cross into "know-it-all" territory a little much for us.  He LOVES to learn and read.  He is very smart and still loves facts and bugs.  We continue to work on Tristan's confidence, trust and fear.  We are hopeful that he will overcome those obstacles over time.  He is about 5 inches taller than me now and continues to grow.  He can't wait to get back to swim team this summer.  We are very proud of Tristan's respect, manners and kind heart.  He is such a good kid and the older he gets, the more we see him becoming his own young man with a lot of special traits.  He allows me to take the least amount of photos of him compared to the others.  

Last picture with braces (they come off today).  

Quick update- This post took me so log to write that Tristan got his braces off and I was able to post the update.  

Lily...  Lily is definitely coming into her own.  She is very much a pre-teen girl.   The emotions are strong around here.  She is 12 and she is in 6th grade.  She is very good with Harlan and Nolan but she and Nico are too much alike to be besties.  She and Tristan get along well...  Lily is always willing to help and offers a lot but struggles to stay on task with her own chores.  She continues to struggle with "doing the right thing when no one is looking" although we do see some improvements there as she matures.  I think Lily can be confusing at times and come across as uncaring but we have come to realize that she just keeps a lot inside and processes things differently than her brothers do.  She cares very deeply but shows it differently.  She is a very good artist and is super creative.  She has a lot of patience with crafting and has an eye for decorating.  She loves to help me set up and decorate for each season.  Her favorite color is turquoise.  She wants to be a chef when she is an adult.  She is a very good baker when she follows the recipe 😜.  She wants to go back to public school to make friends BUT has started to say that she likes the schedule we have for homeschool and the freedom.  If we enrolled her tomorrow though, shed be thrilled. She is very good at language arts, especially when there is an art project added to the mix.  She excels at writing poetry.  She is improving a bunch on her math skills.  She loves science.  One thing she really excels at is getting up on time, starting her day and getting to the classroom on time.  Very rarely is she ever late to class.  Her favorite food is chips of pretty much any flavor/type, sweet stuff and pasta.  She tends to lean toward comfort foods (much like her mama).  Thankfully, she is still very active.  She loves sparkling water and when allowed, Dr. Pepper.  She can't wait for swim team next summer.  She is strong and brave.  She continues to "work with" Harrison (her horse) daily and is always willing to help when the farrier and vet come out.  We continue to work on Lily's confidence and self-esteem.  She has always gotten a lot of attention for her looks so we REALLY focus on inner beauty with Lily.  She is a good girl and we get a lot of compliments on her behavior, manners and respect away from home.  It makes us very proud of her.  We'd like to see Lily let more of her personality shine when not with her friends and will work to help her feel confident enough to do so.  She is a sweet girl and we are very proud of how far she has come in the past year (plus).  

Nico...  Nico is 9 going on 39 and he is in 4th grade.  He thinks he is the father of our children and an equal part of mine and Eric's marriage.  He is a very passionate boy who loves and cares deeply and shows it.  He also shows it when he is displeased, wants something or has been done "wrong" by another.  Nico is very brave, reckless and wild and I can't help but kind of love that about him, although it also scares me.  He gets along with his brothers and sister IF they are doing exactly what he wants.  Otherwise, he is content to play in the sandbox alone or ride his 4 wheeler around the property.  He is very good about working with Eric in his shop and will build things or stack scrap wood or hammer stuff for hours.  His favorite color is blue.  His favorite food is beef stroganoff although he'd live off of snacks alone if allowed to do so.  He loves Dr. Pepper when allowed to drink soda.  He likes his room messy and he sleeps with HUGE stuffed animals piled on top of him.  He wants to be a heavy equipment operator when he is an adult.  He is trying so much more in school even though he is so-so about homeschool.  He also would be thrilled to be enrolled in public school again.  He definitely has a math brain and numbers come naturally to him when he slows down enough to allow his brain to work.  He is improving by leaps and bounds in language arts and can read well now.  He still LOVES to be read to at night.  He also loves science.  Nico functions best with a strict schedule and routine and thrives when given a job or task to assist us.  He can't wait for swim team to start up again next summer.   He loves to have friends over and go over to friends' houses.  As intense as Nico can be, we always get compliments on him when he goes out to church or friends' houses or wherever.  We are also proud of his manners and respect.  He loves Ju Jitsu and wants to advance "as high as he can possibly go".  He's pretty sure he should already be a black-belt.  He LOVES to play board games most of all.  Keeping Nico on task is a full-time job and redirection is a constant around here.  He struggles with completing his chores and following the rules and his schedule (even though he does best on a schedule).  We continue to work on Nico's confidence and attention span.  We also work on handling disruptive situations better and working with him to manage when our life gets turned around a bit.  We hope that Nico's intensity and tenacity will serve him well as an adult.  He is such a sweet boy and still loves to snuggle or drop an "I love you" out of nowhere.  He is the kid that I get paged to the front of the Walmart store for...  Yes, that happened.  

Harlan...  Harlan is 4 years old and is in Pre-Kindergarten.  He likes his schedule to stay VERY consistent.  He loves his daddy and gramps.  He adores his dog Missy and even started telling other parents at school about her.  He is not the biggest fan of school and often asks to stay home.  He is intimidated by large crowds.  He took a while longer to potty train but is now fully potty trained, even at nighttime.  It happened the month after he turned 4.  He decided it was time so it was successful.  Even though he is a twin, he and Nolan could not be more different.  He is a lover, he is very smart and he wants what he wants and NOW.  During the day he tends to be a mama's boy but if he's sleepy, he only wants his daddy.  He only wants daddy to do his nighttime routine and get him dressed in the mornings as well.  When he comes to our room at night, he climbs in on Eric's side.  He already does math.  He is VERY well-behaved at school and is not as particular as he is at home.  He loves his iPad time and is addicted to the 4 wheelers.  He is very particular about what he wears but is easy to dress and can dress himself.  His favorite color is orange.  His favorite food is sausage of pretty much any kind and corn.  He also loves sugar.  When allowed he likes to drink any kind of soda.  Otherwise, he drinks enhanced water.  He loves Paw Patrol, Octonauts and Spiderman.  He wants a real web-slinger.  He can ride a bike, he can swim, he can jump on the trampoline and do flips and he is a tiny little spit-fire who rules our house.  He loves to play in Lily's fairy garden and play play-dough.  He also enjoys stacking wood and playing in the sandbox.  He still loves to ride the mower with Eric and falls asleep each and every time.  The zoo is his favorite place to go and is a constant request.  He is a lot of fun and I love hearing and seeing him grow and change and achieve all the milestones.  

Catching and holding slugs.  YUCK. 

At Watts Bar Dam. 

Please excuse my terrorizing face.  This is on a hay ride at a fall festival.  

Titus and Harlan. 

Nolan...  Nolan is 4 years old going on 24 years old and is in Pre-Kindergarten.  He can do anything we can do and is basically a grown man (in his humble opinion).  Nolan is such a sweetie and has the kindest heart.  He is so chill and goes with the flow UNTIL he is exhausted.  Then he is a typical 4 year old and undesirable behaviors surface.  He loves going to school and is very comfortable there.  He is messy and passionate and sooooo loving.  He does NOT like to get reprimanded at all.  He wants to do the right thing.  He was easy to potty train and was easy to nighttime potty train as well.  He is big for his age and is wearing some size 6 clothes already.  He is very good about wearing his glasses.  He is always involved in anything we are doing; any project we are working on, any work we are trying to complete, baking, crafting, building, barn chores, mucking, whatever it is, he is involved.  He is easy to put to bed at night.   He is VERY difficult to dress as he is too busy trying to do other things and not assisting in putting his legs in pants or feet in socks.  He can dress himself though.  He is very loud.  He is working on listening to instructions and not being oppositional.  He enjoys doing the exact thing we ask him not to do and loudly. He can stick with a project for hours and is capable of handling certain tools.  He loves a job.  His favorite color is white but he likes blue and red as well.  His favorite food is soup, rice and snacks.  He loves sugar.  When allowed, he loves soda of any kind but drinks a lot of water and enhanced water.  We are working with him to eat less messily.  He loves Paw Patrol and Blaze.  He loves his mama.  He is wild and fearless and addicted to the 4 wheelers.  He can be a little careless at times and scares us with his bravery and lack of fear.  He can ride a bike, he can swim, he can go across many monkey bars (and back), he can do flips on the trampoline, and he can build things with sand and wood.  He enjoys the zoo and parks as well as the aquarium.  He said he and Lily would be best friends forever.  He is so much fun and is learning, growing and advancing so much right before our eyes.  

That about sums up the kiddos for now.  Of course, each one is unique and special and we are so dang lucky that we get to be their parents.  Life would be so much less of everything without them.  

Twins...  I took the twins to the zoo after school one day and it was a lot of fun with just the three of us.  It was a beautiful day. They had so much fun playing in the water, on the playground and looking at just a few animals.  They had zero interest in the splash pad but love the little creek they get to play in.  

They are loving school (mostly) and doing very well.  Of course, they are picking up some bad words and habits that we'd rather they didn't but that is all part of life and we work very diligently at home to teach them right from wrong and good morals and values so hopefully that is more impactful than the bad stuff. They fall asleep sometimes on the way home but generally are chattering too much about how they were starving at school that day.  

Fun, fun, fun...  4 wheelers, bike riding and random other fun stuff that the kids are up to every day.  Lily and Nico got the twins to pull them around on their skateboards while the twins ride their tricycles.  We had a fire in our fire-pit on the last open burn day of the season and made s'mores.  The kids love unloading hay and playing on it and... the 4 wheelers...  The three big kids used their own money to buy them when we first moved here and rode them for a very short period before they each "broke down."  Well, Eric and I got tired of seeing them sitting in the shed so he pulled them out about a month ago and ordered some very inexpensive parts and fixed them.  He wasn't sure how to work on them or what exactly was wrong with each one but went little by little and changed parts and fixed a few very minor things and got them running.  The kids are addicted.  The twins are terrifyingly wild on them and each have now wrecked several times.  Tristan's 4 wheeler is too small for him but we let him ride anyway.  We are basically going to "buy" it from him and help him buy a larger one or a dirt bike.  He needs something more his size.  But they're having fun and ride them every single day unless we squash their hopes and dreams and say "no quads today!"  Eric didn't know he'd be a 4 wheeler mechanic but can now add that to his list of accomplishments.  

                                                

Nothing quite like bombarding you with videos...  Luckily they're short.  

Fall in East Tennessee...  As I have mentioned- maybe once or twice- we love fall.  We also love sunsets and gorgeous weather.  Here are some photos I have snapped while driving and some from home.  They show our transition into fall here in East Tennessee.  Also, a weather forecast.  I will have to snap a few more this week because the trees are on fire, they're just gorgeous.  The colors are so vibrant and stunning right now.  

Animals...  I have a bunch of random animal photos.  The horses in the back yard grazing, Callie and Bear walking together up the driveway after chasing someone on bicycle pedaling down the road, cats in any space they can fit into or that is new to an area, and cows that broke down our fence (actually a couple of fences).  Oh, we sold Ferdinand.  He did his job and was eating us out of house and home so he went to a farm about 40 minutes from here to fulfill his lifelong duty of being a ladies man.  We are thrilled.  The farmer who bought him also gave us a spot that he didn't need in April for a ranch kill and butchering.  So we benefited in two ways.  Also, we separated the mama and baby cows tonight for weaning (I mean, they're not babies but still nurse) and they are bawling their heads off!  Oh, and, both Bear and Missy had ear infections that I had to treat with monistat and vagisil.  Well, I had it out on the kitchen counter to remind me to do it and wasn't even thinking of it when we had the Casner Family over.  Well, after they were here for a few hours, I mentioned the ear infection and treating it and Sierra was like "Ooohhh!  That's why that stuff is out on the counter!".  I was mortified for just a second realizing what she may have been thinking and not remembering to put it away before "company" came over.  So, just know that if you come over to our house you NEVER know what you may see...  

Callie is so chill.  Missy and her baby, Felix. 

Nolan wanted in on the shot. 

Ivy and Bear, Bear.  I have a picture of Emery just like this when she was about the same age. 

Felix in our picnic basket. 

Here are the siblings after embarrassing us completely. 

Missy and one of her children, Cooper. 

Petunia, Patty and Violet.  

Felix will sleep ANY new place that he discovers.  

Hampers are a favorite napping place for Millie.  

Millie sitting like a creep. 

Before selling Ferdie.  He's on the far right. 

Buttercup.  I adore her. 

Harrison is ready for his closeup.  

Carl loves to burrow in.  

Lily turned 12 in September...  She got to have several special days and spend time with her girlfriends...   Lily had such an awesome birthday week.  Not only did we celebrate her birthday on the actual day, but then she got to go to a friends birthday party and sleepover and then two days later we had her birthday party and invited several friends and family.  It was so much fun for us all, big kids and small kids alike.  She loved her birthday.  It was very special.  Eric's parents were in town for the actual day and that was nice and she got to open the gifts people mailed to her, she got calls, texts and cards from so many people who love her and she loves back.  I cried when she opened the gift from my mom because it is the necklace she has worn for many, many years and I remember it from so long ago.  She gifted that and a bunch of other stuff to Lily.  Lily has always loved grandma's necklace and now she has it as her own treasure.  Also, Aunt Leslie and Uncle Brian sent her awesome stuff in the mail, Auntie Kelsey and Uncle Martin sent her a gift card, Aunt Nancy, Uncle Ben, Kaden and McKenna sent her the sweetest gift, the Flannery Family sent her a whole book series, and so much more.  The Garcia's came and were so generous and same with the Casner's as well as her little friends.  She got money and clothes and barbie stuff (yes, she still plays with dolls and we are perfectly fine with that), jewelry, art stuff and so much love!  Thank you to everyone who acknowledged her and her day.  

Food prep and Menu...  I have very few menus photographed (not that anyone really cares, lol) and I did very little documenting of any food prep I did over the past 60 days.  I make my own balsamic vinaigrette and I made guacamole which I only photographed part of the process, evidently.  I know this will shock most of you to hear since this post is huge and full of photos and videos but I really dropped the ball with photos over the past 60 days.  We have had a lot going on and I just did not do a good job with it.  

Gramps...  Part of what has kept me away over the past 60 days is Gramps.  We have had quite a rollercoaster with him and his health since July when he got his first infection (I posted about that previously).  Well, I will just cut right to the chase and tell you all he is fine now and healing and starting to live normally again BUT he was VERY ill.  He was hospitalized and in bed sick the whole month of September and first few days of October as well as sick most of August before we forced him to go to the hospital.  He just started driving again about two weeks ago.  So, a short summary of what happened is this;  he was hospitalized in July and diagnosed with MRSA and had a very bad outbreak of it.  It took three weeks to "recover" from it and he was on major antibiotics that they then extended by one week.  Well, they never put him on any probiotic when he was taking the first several rounds of antibiotics so he developed a C-DIF infection.  For those who don't know what that is, it is an infection in a persons guts (basically) that takes over rapidly and aggressively because all of that persons good bacteria is gone from the antibiotics so they can't fight off the bad stuff.  I kept asking him if he was feeling okay, he was saying he was fine but he kept not being able to do things he normally could do like mow the front pastures and drive his tractor.  He was tired and winded all the time and his back hurt.  Anyway, finally, after he slept for like 48 hours nearly straight through, I made him go to the ER.  They admitted him immediately and he was diagnosed within like an hour.  He was SO SICK.   We were terrified.  I am not going to lie, all of us were scared to death.  He had to have double bags of IV fluids in the ER, he was so dehydrated.  I went and visited him daily and he had to be put on oxygen and it was awful for him.  They released him waaaaayyyy too soon but I think his VA coverage ends after like five days.  Anyway, he was home and I was helping him and grocery shopping for him and making sure he was drinking and eating what he could.  It took a couple of weeks for him to eat again and he lost a bunch of weight but he is much improved and building his strength back up.  He thinks he may mow the fields in the next week or so (it's late for hay but we'll use it for straw or whatever).  He wasn't able to climb on his tractor or use the clutch because his legs were so weak.  He has been doing more each day and building his strength back up.  Thankfully he is still willing to take a probiotic and drink pedialyte to stay hydrated.  He likes the one with the prebiotic in it and takes his vitamins with it each morning and plans to continue that regimen.  He has improved so much over the past two weeks, my mind is blown...  OH, the biggest thing that showed me just how sick he was is that he had me cut his hair off because it was bugging him while laying down (it was very knotted from laying so much).  I couldn't believe it.  Anyway, he is on the mend now, thank God.  I have pictures of him in the hospital and a few days after being released that I sent to my siblings and people close to the situation but will spare sharing them here.  

Projects...  Ok, here is where we get to tell everyone about our latest venture!  We bought (and have been using) a Glowforge Pro laser cutter/engraver.  We are so excited.  We ordered it and like three days later it was here!  In order to use it, we had to hard-wire an internet line to the shop.  It is the coolest thing and we are thrilled to have it.  We hope and pray it'll pay for itself in about a year (or less).  We also have been completing so many other projects like the bead-board in the hallway toward the garage, an accent wall in the garage (the garage still needs to be freshly painted) and we installed the deep sink.  Eric also built a beautiful bench for he and I for taking our boots off in the garage and he built one for the kids to do the same.  We have been crafting/wood working fools.  Nolan helps his daddy at every opportunity especially if he can use the tools. Some of the things pictured here are gifts that we are sending out and giving to people in the next couple of weeks.  I have also made more things since starting this post and they're not pictured.  Eric is also working on three really cool projects that I'll share next time.  We also have our plans for making our ornaments for 2022.  It's all so exciting.  In addition, we planted a couple of roses in the yard.  About a week before our visitors arrived, I took the whole day and removed everything from the back patio and steps beside the garage and pressure washed the whole thing from top to bottom.  It looked so good.  It took approximately 2 days for a chicken to come poop on my clean sidewalk.  Now it has paw prints, mustard, ranch dressing, fruit roll-up, probably pee, mud and all the things on it.  It was beautiful while it lasted.  The kids and I also took a day while Eric was away in Iowa and gramps was in the hospital to clean out the barn where we keep our feed and supplies.  It definitely looks better.  Eric had his truck in Iowa with him so I loaded up gramps' truck and drove all the kids to the dump.  We had a whole load to get rid of from that small area.  It was so nice to purge and clean it up, though.  Tristan was a HUGE help and is really strong.  He carried all of the feed bags because I could only do a small amount after a while.  Lily helped a lot too.  

These turtles were actually a test of my settings to see what to program the machine to for cutting 1/4 inch MDF.  They were so cute that I painted them and turned them into keychains. Both Lily and Emery wanted one.  

The ghosts were made and painted MANY years ago by my grandmother.  They used to be on a stand that broke before my time with them.  I cut the dowel off the bottom, added a hook to the back and hung them up with my new sign that I made.  I used the "negative" to make a second sign that I gifted to Sierra.  

Our gorgeous new bench.  My hubby is so talented.  

This is a little hard to see but it is an ornament I was practicing on a scrap piece of wood I had already painted.  

Nico wanted this maze puzzle so I made it for him on the Glowforge.  Thankfully I had acrylic for the top and bought some little ball bearings for inside.  

I found these mini-roses at Food City in Kingston for like $2 on clearance.  

Nico and Eric running the internet line to the shop. 

We already had a spot through the bricks directly to a box under the house which made running the internet cable so much easier.  

Our beauty, the Glowforge Pro.  I call her Gwendolyn.  The setup has changed since then, I'll photograph and post next time.  

The bench for the kids for the garage.  

Apple time while cleaning the barn.  

Hallway after (during) bead-board.  

Our new deep sink!  I cannot tell you all how thankful I am to have this thing. 

We also plumbed water to the fridge so we now have ice and water in the garage.  

Nolan in his work uniform.  

Hallway before bead-board. 

The Glowforge in action. 

Visitors...  I am going to start off by saying that I regret not taking more pictures with all of our visitors over the last 60 days.  First, Eric's parents came in September and I took zero photos.  Then the first week of October we had Eric's Uncle Don (the kids' great-uncle) and his girlfriend, Katherine (the kids' great-aunt) and then immediately had Aunt Leslie and Uncle Brian.  We did take a few photos and I will share them here.  First off, Eric's parents came in September.  They came home with him when he drove back from a few days in Iowa helping them out with some more things they are working on.  They stayed for a few days, celebrated Lily's birthday and flew home on a short flight from Nashville.  It was a great trip.  Nice quality time spent all around.  Again, I think I was so distracted with gramps' hospital stay that my mind was elsewhere, but I wish I would have taken pictures with them (gramps was released while they were here).  

The first week of October brought Uncle Don and Katherine from Escondido, CA.  It was such a nice visit and we hadn't seen them for about five years!  They were so easy to have around and so relaxed and low-pressure.  They had visited Katherine's nephews' in Knoxville for several days then came to stay with us for a couple of days before heading to Iowa to see Eric's parents then on to see Uncle Don's son in Missouri.  We ate out one night, watched the twins play soccer, went to Ju Jitsu, chatted, explored, had the farrier and vet here and played with water balloons.  We enjoyed the warm weather and the changing colors of fall.  In just the few days they were here, the colors changed a lot.  Katherine played games with the kids, several times and we watched the kids (and the biggest kid of all- Eric) have a water balloon fight.  They visited us in the classroom and met all the critters.  They explored the property and went to drop off and pick up the twins with us.  We chatted, reminisced, caught up and bonded.  It was a really nice visit that we thoroughly enjoyed.  We really appreciate them coming all this way to see us and hope it can happen again as well as the other way around at some point.  

The twins dusted Aunt Katherine with their new dusters.  

Uncle Don, Aunt Katherine, Tristan and Lily went to the bench by the forest where Otis is buried and had a little visit.  

Aunt Leslie and Uncle Brian...  We had such a great time as usual with Aunt Leslie and Uncle Brian. We just adore them so much.  They always put out so much effort for our family and are so giving and generous.  They flew in the night before Uncle Don and Aunt Katherine left.  I picked them up in Nashville and we got home late at night.  They stayed two weeks but it felt like two days.  We had another low-key visit and mostly stuck close to home.  We all had only one request during this visit and that was to go to Gatlinburg and get out and walk the streets because last time we drove through and it was so beautifully decorated for fall and the shops all looked cute and we really wanted to visit.  We did that and had a great day there and in Pigeon Forge.  Throughout their visit, we celebrated Uncle Brians birthday, we crafted, baked, cooked, went to soccer, crafted some more, laughed, cried (me, as usual it seems), went for a drive, took the twins to school, watched a ton of 4-wheeling, played games, did schooling, visited, sat by the fire, carved pumpkins also with the Casner Family, took down the pool (which was rusting and falling apart 😔, visited Watts Bar Dam (a first for us), worked with horses, decorated for fall, chatted, talked deeply and just hung out.  We couldn't be more blessed to have the family we do that surrounds us with such love.   

The pumpkin carving was a lot of fun.  Scott & Sierra were hosting it at their place but we checked the weather and it was supposed to storm so we moved it to our garage.  Sierra brought all the snacks and a delicious white bean, chicken chili.  It was a great day.  We sat and chatted and helped the kids.  Each kid did their own design and used their imagination on their design.  

Well, that about sums it all up.  Of course, as I stay on here I can think of so much more to share and talk about but at some point I need to get to bed.  

Birthdays and Anniversaries...  We want to give a shout out to some special people in our life and wish them all the happiest of birthdays and anniversaries.  Some we missed (blog-wise) in September and October and some are coming about shortly.  

-Happiest of birthdays to my mom and the kids' grandma Webb!  We know it's long past but still want to acknowledge you on here.  We love you so very much.  

-Happiest of birthdays to Uncle Tony!!  We sure do miss you and hope to see you again soon!  We love you.  

-Happy anniversary to Auntie Kelsey and Uncle Martin!  We love you both so much.  

-Happy birthday to Papa Tilford.  Eric loved spending the day with you!  We all love you.  

-Happy birthday to Morgan W!  We hope you had spectacular day and hope to see you again!!  

-Happy birthday to Clem!  We hope your day was awesome!  Come visit us and your home state!!  

-Happy birthday to Uncle Jason!  We hope you had an awesome day and are doing great! 

-Happy birthday to Auntie Kelsey!  We wish to celebrate your day in person one day soon (fingers crossed).  We love you so much.  

-Happy birthday to my bestie, Ivy!!  We love you so dang much, little stinker!!  

-Happy birthday to sweet David T.  You are such an amazing man now and we miss you a bunch.  Lots of love to you.  

-Happy anniversary to Ivann and Andrea!  One year in the books and so many more to go!!!  We are so blessed you are in our family and love you both so much.  

-Happy birthday to Uncle Brian!  We loved spending your day with you and love you so much.  

-Happy anniversary to Aunt Christina and Uncle Tony!  I still remember that beautiful day all those years ago.  We miss and love you both. 

-Happy birthday to sweet Kaden!!  Keep up your awesome personality, dude.  We hope to see you very soon and we love you. 

-Happy birthday to my sweet friend Lynan.  Miss you tons!!  Lots of love to you.  

-Happiest of birthdays to my dear friend Terri!  I have got to come see you, I miss you like crazy.  Lots of love your way on this day and all the others too!  

-Happiest birthday to Eric's mom and the kids' grandma Tilford!  We hope you have the best day and get spoiled.  Lots of love your way!!  

-Happy anniversary to Aunt Leslie and Uncle Brian!!!  We love you beyond measure and hope your day is very special.  

-Happy birthday to my dear friend Natalie!  I sooooo miss our talks and days together.  I think of you often! 

-Last but not least (I am hoping to have another post done around this time next month); Happy birthday to Uncle Martin!!  We all love you so much and hope your day is awesome!  

Okay, that is it.  

Please email or text with updates on YOU ALL.  

Take care, stay healthy and stay in touch!!  

Lots of love!