It's already November!

Somehow I've missed 2 months! This is going to be a random post about the last few weeks, so here goes...

Since the boys have started school, I have been super busy.  I've been doing all my normal stuff, but I've also been trying to work on stuff at the house. As soon as school starts I get the bug to decorate for fall and I made a piece to go on the mantle. I LOVE it and I think it turned out great.

Reed gets out of school 1 hour later than Hudson, so we've been trying to find some ways to pass the time.  One day I needed to run to Wal-Mart and  Hudson and I tried on some hats... 

 In early October, my mom, the boys and I went to the State Fair.  We played carnival games, looked at exhibits, ate fried things and took selfies. 

Hudson's homework each week is a list of different activities to help him practice his reading and math.  One of his activities a couple of weeks ago was to practice writing his vocabulary words in salt.  He did his homework and asked what to do with the salt when he got done.  I told him just to leave it and i would take care of it.  A little while later, Reed came through the kitchen as I was busy with dinner and left me a little note.  He's such a sweet kid. :)

Things I often find in my house - random toys in random places.

On Homecoming night, our youth group had a party after the game at our church and they played bubble soccer.  It was easily one of the funniest things I've seen.  They would run into each other, bounce off and fall and roll around.  The funniest was when they would flip over and have their feet straight up in the air.  I haven't laughed that hard in a while. 

 Going into middle school, each kid has to choose band, art or choir.  Reed chose band. In his "instrument fitting", he ended up being a good fit for playing the reed for the bassoon, so that's what he chose.  He has been doing GREAT and he really enjoys it. We went to his first band concert in mid-October.  

He is really doing well and I love hearing him practice during the week. They do a chair test each week on Fridays and he has gotten first chair the last 3 weeks in a row.  Proud of that kid! 

Hudson and Reed both had friends over a couple of weekends ago and they all piled in front of the TV in the movie room and played Minecraft.  I wish I would've invented that pixelated mess of a game... that dude is crazy rich.

Hudson and I at his school field trip to Casa Mañana to see Junie B. Jones.  Such a cute play and we had a great time!

After picking up Reed that day, we were on the way home just a couple of minutes from our house and I saw some smoke. There is an old, abandoned trailer house that has been sitting there for years.  I saw the smoke and slowed down to see what the deal was and saw some small flames coming out of a front window and the front door.  I knew the house was abandoned and would probably be up in flames pretty quick, so I called 911.  I took this picture about 2 minutes after I pulled overt call.  That thing was like kindling.  

This is the smoke from our pasture.  Luckily, it had rained like CRAZY the previous few days, so everything was wet. As you can see, it backs up to our property, so we could've easily had a crazy grass fire that would've been really hard to contain. Pretty grateful for that rain!

Halloween hit and we had an Ant-Man (with a too short costume - he could've used the next size up, but they didn't have it and he HAD to be Ant-Man)...

...and an orange mohawk.  Red didn't go trick or treating again this year.  He had no desire until he talked to a friend about it 4 days before Halloween.  We told him no and he was not pleased. I've been called a party pooper of a momma from some others, but I just think a middle schooler is too old to trick or treat.  He sure is a cutie, though. :)

Silly trick or treating selfie...

And I took this cute picture of Brian and Hudson watching TV the other night in our bedroom. Hudson LOVES his daddy... he is often stuck to his side like this.

Now that it's November, I'm gearing up for Christmas stuff.  I know it sounds early, but remember, not only does our advent calendar start on the 1st, but Joy the Elf comes on the 1st!  I'm sure she has plenty of shenanigans in store for us this year.  Hudson has already been randomly talking about her for a couple of weeks now (which I love).  I'm looking forward to see her again  (it's like childbirth - you forget the pain and exhaustion of it and just remember the good stuff.) :)