Setting the Standard...

We've been super busy lately...which is why I've not been posting like usual. However, here's some catching up!

Pumpkin parties continue to go full blast, despite the yucky weather. Last Saturday (Liz's birthday), it was cold (in the 40s), rainy, and overcast the whole time. We still had an amazing turn out. Yesterday was cold (barely in the 30s), windy, and snowy....and I'm amazed at the amount of people who came! Of course, they would often take breaks and warm up in their cars....but what surprised me were the number of little children out there. Okay, mine were, too, but Luke is part of the skit, and Susanna kept coming to warm up....

Last night, I slept around the clock. Went to bed not feeling up to par and had a low fever today, so Tony took the kids to church while I continued to sleep....almost 12 hours! I'm still feeling kinda out of it, but temp is gone, praise God! Think maybe this has something to do with burning the candle at both ends?

We did take a bit of a family break last weekend and headed toward the Cities Sunday morning to visit several orchards and a pumpkin patch. Part for business (Greenstar contacts...whoo-hoo! At least one new customer for next year and a possible new one for this year!), part for pleasure.

But back to setting the standard....when I finally got out of bed this afternoon, I ventured downstairs to find my wonderful husband cleaning our very dirty kitchen. Hand washing dishes that didn't fit into the dishwasher, wiping counters, etc. What a guy! Not only that, when he was done and finally settled down in one corner of the couch, Susi plopped between us, put her head in my lap, feet in his lap and told him "rub my tummy....like THIS" (holds out clawed fingers...she like when he really rubs her tummy!). A few minutes later, "Okay, that's enough. You can rub my feet now." And he did. After a glance and chuckle towards me. And every time he slowed down, she reminded him "Keep rubbing!" And he'd continue. I just told him, "Remember, you are setting a standard. A very HIGH standard for what she will expect from a man in the future. This will help weed them out...." She then looked at me with a smile and said, "When I grow up, I think I'm going to be a princess!" That changed from last night when she hugged me and told me, "When I grow up, I want to be a Mama with two children! A boy and a girl." After listing off several nonsensical names, she settled on naming them.....Luke and Susanna.

And meanwhile, Luke continued to play with her doll house....

And Tony still has yet to rub MY tummy, feet, and back!

Welcome to Our Pumpkin Parties!

Our Sunflower Maze

Dennis & Phil from Q-FM

Our Silly Scarecrows!

Some of the Things You'll See Along Our Wagon Ride

Some of the Things You'll See at Our Pumpkin Parties....

These are just a few of the activities going on every Saturday from now until the end of October....I'll post more later on!

Susi's Prayer

Tony was running late for supper and told us not to wait for him to start tonight...so we didn't. I asked Susanna if she'd like to say grace, and she quickly agreed. Here's what her prayer was:

Deaw God, please make me some chopsticks so if my lips get dwy they can get betta and help my boogies to go away in my nose so when I whine and fwet they won't come out. Help Luke to be good and not peench my nose and me to be good, too. Kill satan and do whatevew you want wif him. Have a good twip with youwa special angels and deaw God, I love you. Amen! oh yeah, and for me and Daddy and Mama and Luke and Daddy and me. Amen!

I didn't know what to say, so I just dug into my pesto.....

(and yes, things are getting better...although we've been dealing with some stealing issues...although she's decided that she doesn't like when I take away her most favorite doll without asking...and she's not had any more peeing incidents, thank God! However, scissors are once again taboo as she now has a very short lock of hair on the top of her head....)

The Carter Clan

It's been awhile since I posted, and I don't have time to write much today, so here are a couple pictures of the "Carter Clan" for you to enjoy (as I go work at the Market today then get ready for our annual canoe trek down the twists and turns of the Straight River to Grandma LaMae's house and a wonderful picnic!)

At Smokey Hills Wilderness Retreat Chuckwagon Show

July 4, 2009

(the only two Carter family members missing from this shot are
Al Kehler who was still in Rome and
Jim Sleesman who is still serving our country in Iraq)

And earlier that same day, getting ready for the parade!