October, it can't be?!

October, it came too soon. I am so in denial that I'm still labeling photos as September and a friend pointed out that I left one of my calendars on July. July=good, warm, lovely... October=bad, cold, unpleasant! I really do crave the warm weather and when others are uncomfortable due to the heat and humidity I am happy. I have always been this way, when other kids got grounded for things like bad grades or fighting with siblings, I got grounded for repeatedly turning the heat up to 86 degrees. Winter will come though no matter what I do to try and stop it. Here’s hoping it’s a short, mild one this year.

This week we were busy. We started the week on Sunday with an event at the Indian Museum. We were there to help and support Rudy who gives some of our children survival and outdoor skills classes. The event was not too busy while we were there, so my kids did a lot of playing, what boy doesn’t want to fling arrows and axes!!! We had to leave in the early afternoon and I hear that the event got much busier which was nice for the museum.

Also on Sunday we got to see,,,,,,,,,,BUSTER, as in Comet’s litter mate Buster aka the brown pup. I could not believe how easily the pups seemed to remember each other. After a couple barks it was a mad few minutes of jumping all over each other, running, tumbling and general merriment! The pups had a ball and it got even better when their Mom Kiwi came over to join the fun. Kiwi sure had a wonderful littler of puppies and we think of Comet’s litter mates often. It was great to see Buster, he lives the furthest away, in New Jersey, so really his name is “Busta” LOL. This was the first time we had seen Buster since he was 10 weeks old and headed to his new home. It was nice to meet Buster’s family too and of course to see Kiwi’s “parents” Janet and Lou again.

On Monday we added Tae Kwon Do to our schedule. Long ago, well a few years back, all of our children were in Tae Kwon do. Colin and Tristan didn’t have a chance to get very far with it since they were so young. We are hoping they will be able to do well this time around. I am always up for more chances for the kids do do things which keep them physically fit too. I didn’t get pictures of Tae Kwon Do because I didn’t want to bug the boys during the first class, I will eventually bug them and peek in for pictures though!

Tuesday was an at home day. We have taken this week to fill in a gap in the curriculum we’re using. Last week we were suddenly thrown Switzerland, the Netherlands and all of Scandinavia all at once and the teachers manual only allowed a week for all that, It felt to rushed so we learned about Switzerland and the Netherlands last week and this week we learned about Norway, Sweden and Finland. Ad my grandfathers family came from Norway I didn’t want to just skim over that area. I told Tristan he is a Viking and he said but I want to be a Roman!

Wednesday we were on the go again, this time for an educational Lego class. Our homeschool group has scheduled these monthly classes and I have two Lego-maniacs so I signed them right up for that one. Hayley and Tristan had a lot of fun playing with the teachers massive Lego assortment. This class was about cars and how to make them faster. The kids made various types of Lego vehicles and then tried racing them down a track against others. Then the teacher explained why certain shapes, wheel sizes etc affect the vehicles speed.

Thursday we were off and running again, or at least hiking. We went on a hike up Mount Uncanoonuc with the area homeschool tween and teen group. This was a great hike and lots of families turned out for it. The kids had fun and were often seen waiting around, at designated spots, for the adults to catch up. We brought along two of the dogs, Freeze and Comet and they too enjoyed the hike. The view from the mountain top was great, it is said you can see Boston from the top and we did see a small grouping of tall buildings wayyyyyy in the distance.

Friday and again on the go. It was a hectic week. The boys had a Boy Scout Jamboree to get ready for and attend. They spent the early morning hours packing and then we headed out to help their friend with his Eagle scout project for a couple hours before heading north to the Jamboree. This state Jamboree only happens once every four years and sounds like a great time so I'm glad the boys got to go.

Saturday those of us still at home, the younger boys were still at Jamboree, went shopping. We needed some pet items, some groceries and Trevor had wanted/needed some new bedding. That took the better part of the morning and early afternoon. Once home we took the dogs for a long romp in the woods as they needed to get out some energy. As Bobby had to work and Colin and Tristan are camping I was struck by how odd it is to cook for only 3 people!

So that was this week in review. It was a good week but busy. I hope next week will be a little quieter and we'll be home more.

Photos of the week.

Comet and Flower snuggled up.

Various photos at the Indian Museum while helping The White Mountain Primatives:

 Comet enjoys some "3 sisters soup":

 Comet rests in between the museum and a visit with Buster:

 Sunday afternoon Comet got to visit with Buster, they had a blast!

 Tristan and Comet and Buster and his young lady, I believe her name is Emily. Both of these children love their puppies sooooo much!

 Janet who is Kiwi's "Mom", with two of her not so little anymore pups, The pups all still love and very much remember Janet and also her husband Lou who is not pictured:

 Yay, Kiwi is here to join the fun!

 Back home and it's late but the dogs wanted an evening walk. We went to the lake and found that yet again the beach is all flooded. There has been so much rain again.

 Lego class:

 Tristan the mighty magical warrior type guy (not sure what he was dressing up as!:

 and his uhhhhhh helper??????:

 The Thursday hike with the tween and teen group:

 Yes we know you kids always got to the rest stops wayyyyy before the adults!

 Tristan helps his friend David with an Eagle scout project on Friday. This one was unofficial and all parents were right there that is why Tristan is using power tools:

 Anyone wondering about the pool tadpoles???? Yes almost all of them, literally thousands, changed into tiny tree frogs and went on with their lives. around 30-ish of them did not finish changing in time and were not doing well with the below freezing nights. What did we do, well anyone who knows us knows exactly what we did. Got them out of the pool and set up a habitat in the house!

 Yes, this is a weird picture below of mealworms aka darkling beetles. We had a little "issue" with all the other bugs we've raised and a merit badge counselor who said he didn't think my boys did it. They have raised countless caterpillars to butterflies or moths, ladybugs, tomato hornworms to moths, had ant farms and beetle barns and they carry aound insects for fun. But if that counselor wants to challenge us we'll do it all again. There is not much for insects that will be able to be released at this time of year but we can try to breed crickets since our lizards and tarantulas eat them anyway and also mealworms to darkling beetles. I will be documenting these everywhere and what a surprise our counselor will get because we are going to BRING MEALWORMS and CRICKETS to a boy scout meeting in the near future. He said he did not get our emails about the ladybugs and butterflies last spring and so we have to repeat the requirement. At first I said but it's too late in the season and he soberly nodded his head, I dare say he wants us to fail! Then I thought of insects our pets can later use and don't have to be released. He always says he doesn't get our emails or forgets to answer them. There will be no doubt about our insects if he sees them in person now will there. Yes I have a slight anger management problem about this. But I am turning it into something fun.

 and last of the week here is silly Comet now 23 weeks old digging, sniffing, he saw a Chipmunk go into a hole in the ground and was determined to find it. He finally gave up after about 20 minutes!