Finding the Perfect Tree

This morning we all set out on an adventure to cut down our own Christmas tree. This is something we've talked of doing for several years, but due to money and/or time, we just have never done it. The kids were SO excited and Rachel kept asking if we were to the "Christmas farm" yet. We drove into the farm to so many trees!



Rachel ran up to the first tree and gave it a big hug. "I love this one!"



Garth wanted to get this because as he said, "We could fit a TON of presents under this one!"



This is the one we selected. It is nice and full and is the perfect height for our ceiling.



Benjamin had great fun "helping" Garth with the saw. He also enjoyed helping him tie it on the top of the van.



I will post pictures of the decorated tree as soon as we get it finished. It is beautiful in the living room!!

Look-A-Likes

Who do you think Ruth looks the most like? Here are the other kids' baby pictures.

Ruth:



Sarah:



Rachel:



Benjamin:

Yesterday...

...I found pumpkin spice cream cheese at the grocery store! It is so yummy, I am tempted to eat it by the spoonful.

...I felt very safe since my son built a trap in the backyard to prevent any large animals from attacking me.

...I used more paper towels than any other previous day.

...I made 20 hairbows, with the help of my eldest daughter.

...I realized that my husband makes better chicken fingers than I do.

...I had everyone loaded and buckled in the van before I realized that the car battery was dead and we weren't going anywhere!

...I snuggled with my middle daughter before her nap time and enjoyed her little giggles of excitement.

...I struggled to keep two little girls quiet during family devotions so that the older two would not be distracted in what they are learning.

...My eyes filled with tears as I listened to my favorite little boy read a story to me about a cow that was stuck on a fence.

...I enjoyed a pumpkin spice latte while doing my grocery shopping ALONE!

Joanna Grace

My brother and his wife welcomed their third child, Joanna Grace, into their family today. Jon is in medical school and just began his OB/GYN rounds today, so Joanna was his first delivery!

Pumpkin Patch

Piglets! The kids loved watching these little critters oink around.



Sarah and Benjamin conquered the corn maze!! There were 12 posts that they had to punch on their card and they found 10 completely on their own, working together.



We love our baby Ruth!



Rachel had a great time playing in the straw maze, the play house, and the wagon with her cousin Jaden.

Fall Fair

An annual event for us is a fall fair. It kicks off the fall season for us...our favorite season of the year. Here are some various pictures from that day.







No trip to the fair is complete without cotton candy!



Rachel took her first ride on her own horse on the carousel...and LoVeD it!



Sarah went on the roller coaster by herself (it was her ride of choice) and said she was too scared to scream, but loved every minute of it.



Benjamin chose the magic carpet ride.



Rachel chose the teddy bears. She really wanted the yellow one!



We had a great time in the barns, looking at the cows, horses, sheep, goats, and even a camel!

5 Months

Like her new shirt? ;-)

$35 CSN Stores Giveaway Winner

The winner of the $35 CSN Stores gift certificate is Carrie who said "I have Corelle dinner ware and love it. I would love to win! Thanks for the giveaway." Congratulations, Carrie! Please contact me at becky [dot] henson [at] gmail [dot] com with your email address.

Random winner chosen.

Ergo Baby Carrier Giveaway

Over at The Modest Mom, there is an Ergo Baby Carrier giveaway going on. Head over there and check it out! I would love to win one of these.

Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway going on at my blog for a $35 gift certificate to CSN Stores.

Benjamin's Shark Teeth

A couple of weeks ago we noticed that Benjamin's front two adult teeth on the bottom had grown in behind his baby teeth. A quick call to the dentist told us that we needed to get this checked out. We googled it, too, and found out that this "condition" is called shark teeth. This most definitely pleased our little 5-year-old boy!

At the dental visit the dentist took a couple x-rays and determined that the roots of his baby teeth had not dissolved at all, so it would be necessary to pull the baby teeth out. Then hopefully the adult teeth would decide to move forward on their own in due time.

Wednesday was the big day. We talked through the procedure with him so that he would know what to expect. Sarah has had a couple cavities filled before, so he was excited to show her that he could be as brave as she was with the needle (anesthetic). The dentist numbed his mouth with a paste and then inserted the anesthetic. Benjamin didn't blink an eye or flinch a bit! (I must admit he is braver than both his parents in this area.) Once his mouth was numb and he was talking funny, the dentist went to work and had both teeth out in less than 3 minutes.

Once his mouth woke up fully (a couple hours later), he was sore but enjoyed a milkshake and pudding for supper. He's back to eating like any normal kid now and we are hoping those adult teeth start moving forward! The dentist said his next two teeth on the bottom should start loosening really soon as well, so we're hopeful they cooperate.