HEY. If they can do it, I can do it, too.

Ok, so it's not time to start decorating with turkeys and saying "Happy Thanksgiving."

But if the stores can start playing Christmas music and have Christmas displays up and it's not even Halloween, then I can change my blog background to this ADORABLE little turkey and polka dots.

I love all things polka dotty.

And I love brown, chocolatey brown. In fact, I'm craving some chocolatey happiness as I type this.

Anyway. I just love love love this background, and I don't want to only use it for November. I'm getting started early. So what? I'm a procrastinator about tons of other things, so maybe this evens it all out?

No? Party pooper.

And we have a mouse.

Bleck.

Last fall/winter we had a visitor, too. He lasted a meager two days, I think. Now to make short work of this guy, too.

Yesterday when we were eating dinner, I thought I heard a "clink" of the dishes in the kitchen - and all of my children were staring at me from around the table. So, it wasn't them messing around in there.

Then this morning at 4:00 when I got up, I heard it again when I was leaving my bedroom. And then - gasp! - the little poop dob on my counter.

Ok, rodent. The war is on.

*looking over my shoulder and whispering* Do you think the guinea pig will take this personally? I mean, it's not like they were close. She wasn't going to see him at the reunion this summer or anything.

That's one way to put it.

My 6 year old was startled very badly. With her eyes wide open, she said, "My heart was running around in there, crashing into all my bones!"

I love how expressive she is at times. And original.

Ben accepted Christ as his Savior!

It was his turn to sleep with me. He just brought up the subject himself, lying there. I wish I could even remember what question he asked.

Anyway, we began talking about sin, was he a sinner, etc. He answered right away - understood everything. I was frankly surprised because of how much less mature he is than the girls were at this age, and they got saved at a later age.

So then I asked if he wanted to pray right then. "No. It's bedtime. I'll do it in the morning."

Morning came. He remembered and still wanted to. Just to make sure, I went through the questions again. He really understood. So he wanted to pray. Now, with the girls, they wanted me to help them with what to say. Not Ben. He jumped right in and said, "Jesus, please forgive me for my sins. Amen." And that was that.

I told him he was now my son AND my brother. He laughed and said, "That's silly."

I'm so happy. I've had the privilege of praying with all 3 of them. I've asked God to let me pray with all of them, and so far - so good!

Weather vanes and weather radar are so yesterday.

This morning I woke with a headache. (And no, it wasn't a child, lol.)

My head is usually a good indicator that we have new weather blowing it. I'll get a nasty migraine a day before. And today, I woke with one.

So right now, I want to lie on the couch to close my eyes. But I'm also hungry. But I don't want to make it. Any chance I could snag a passerby as they walk past my house so they could come in and take care of things for me?

Hmm, here's an idea. Since I've obviously put those weathermen in my area out of work, maybe they'd be willing to take a part time job as my cook? Ah well, it didn't hurt to ask.

October started off with a bang

Just ask my poor 3 year old.

I had to take her to the ER last night for two staples in her head. She hit her head pretty good while playing outside. But what a tough little girlie she is - no numbing and yet she didn't cry! She actually didn't even make any noise. I think if I got two staples in my head, I would've at least made some sort of noise. She just laid quietly.

I was instructed last night to wake her every two hours to make sure she doesn't have any other issues from the head injury.

After two wakings, I quit trying, because she was sleeping with me... she kept crying out every time she'd roll over onto that side of her head AND she started kicking me in the jaw repeatedly while she was sleeping. Yep, I think she was fine.

Woohoo!

Monday and Tuesday I spent at a friend's house, sewing. I'm not a quick seamstress, so it took me two days to only make a jumper and a skirt. Ah, but! I learned how to make an invisible zipper, how to put in binding around the neck and armholes, and how to make your own pattern for a skirt.

The jumper is denim; the skirt is brown corduroy. I really need to take pics so you can see. Being really dark fabric, though, I doubt you'll see much. Mostly I want to show off the detail of the jumper. I know this sounds boastful, but I did a really good job. It looks so very good, and I really thought I'd mess it up horribly. I'm discovering that I can actually do this stuff!

I've always said I'm not domestic - I don't enjoy cooking, cleaning, or sewing. I like homeschooling, and I love spending time with the kids. But here I am, starting to look pretty domestic, lol. I've started grinding my own flour, making homemade bread, sewing clothes for the kids here and there... I even made flannel crib sheets last year with no pattern. Of course, it turned out super simple, but I was pleased that I did it myself.

Funny how things go.