We have a problem Houston...

So, on Friday, I tell Josh, "Hey, have you seen the snake come out from under the rock at all today?" Nope.
Saturday. I ask Ammon, "Have you seen the snake today? I haven't seen him all day." Awww Mom! He's under that rock!
Sunday. I ask Ammon, "Will you please pull out all the rocks in the tank and find that snake?" One by one, each rock removed, and each time, no snake.
Ammon, "Now that's wierd. Where could he be?"
Yeah. Good question.

I. Am. Crazy.

Yes. I am crazy. I've been told that about a zillion times. But this time it's the truth. We have a snake. At least for now.

Our lazy cat finally caught something. I wish it was a mole, but she left a "dead" garter snake at our front door. As grateful as I was, I told the kids to kick it into the dirt, and that blasted snake started moving! So Ammon snatched it up, we checked it for injuries, and thanks to a co-op friend who has a pet snake from a summer camping trip, and my weak will for the day, we ended up keeping it.

It's not a bad little pet. He lives in our old fish tank. He doesn't poo much. No noise. No odor. He eats little goldfish about once a week, that cost around 13 cents. I could do this! I even held the little buddy.

Now to get our own Indiana Jones to hold him. (you know, because Indie's scared of snakes) Do you think I'm talking about Liam? Nooooooo..... try about three and a half feet taller...

Finally!

Finally! Aria has enough hair for piggy tails! Ok, barely enough hair, and maybe they look a little more like bug antennae, but she's still super duper cute I think. And she keeps them in! I've been using cute headbands and little flower clips to make her more feminine, but she LOVES ripping those things out. Come on Aria. Work with me.

Then this past week she was called a boy. Twice! Once with Josh and once with me. I guess all the pink isn't quite enough. Or maybe it was because she was muscling some 4 year old around. But I digress. I felt a strong need to fix up this girl's hair and found some great little rubber bands at Sally's (thanks Rose for reminding me of that place..I always forget) and with a little patience, a spray bottle, and a tiny doll comb, we came up with this. Love it?

pumpkin patches

We field tripped the pumpkin patch this year..ahh...It sure feels like fall when you go to one of these places. This year was a little bit different. It was sunny (usually rainy), dry (usually muddy) and warm (I'm usually wondering why I didn't pack warmer coats and gloves and scarves...)

It was the most beautiful day!!! Here the kids are enjoying the corn room. And..I'm finding corn ALL over the place at home now. Shoes, floor, diapers...

Liam LOVES trains. Probably right up there with the garbage men and fire fighters.

This is a cow train. Isn't it super adorable?

Shayla and her little buddy

Aria was practically pulling the stroller over to get herself on that train, so she sat with Ammon and LOVED it.

Both times.

We all got to pick a pumpkin, do duck races, the corn maze, bumpy slides, tractors, farm animals, cow train... We could've been there all day long with the activities and beautiful weather. If I would've packed more than three bananas to eat that is....

garbage day is a special day...

So Liam LOVES LOVES LOVES Thursdays. Because Thursdays are garbage days. Our recycle gets picked up in the morning, and Liam is right there at the window watching it all. Then after lunch the garbage man comes and Liam runs outside and waves at the garbage man, and then walks right up to the edge of our yard and watches the truck until it's out of sight.

One day I asked Liam, "Do you want to make cookies for the garbage man?" Oh boy. He jumped on that. So we made cookies and we bagged up the best of the best and I was going to set the baggie on the counter until I heard the garbage truck coming. Unacceptable. Liam had to carry the bag outside, and wait for the garbage man himself. So he waited. And waited. Luckily, it was just under a half hour of waiting. But Liam was patient.

Here he is being so patient. Holding the bag very carefully after I just harped him about not breaking the cookies by swatting the bag all over.

Showing the goods. It was SOOO cute when the garbage man finally came.

So the garbage man comes, and Liam is just standing RIGHT next to him, staring at him, in awe. He forgets to hand him the cookies, I have to pretty much take Liam's hand and guide it up to the garbage man. He smiles, tells Liam thank you, I think he may have even patted him on the head, and then put them in the cab of his truck. What a wonderful day!!!