Happy Thoughts in the Fall

Oh, glorious, glorious fall!  It's hard not to enjoy life in the fall.  Here is what is making me smile these days.

1. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  I've eaten my weight in them this week, but it's okay because they are veggie cookies!

2.

  After 3 weeks of piano lessons Cannon is a composer.

Here's his catchy title--"FlashDash".  I wonder if he's ever heard of Flash Dance?

3.

Big brother wrestling with little brothers.  It's loud, dangerous, and will most certainly end in tears; but it's too much fun.

4.

Here is a note that Faith wrote to Cannon recently.  A friendly reminder that we never judge little kids attempts at writing on their own free will.  Clark and Bethany spell just fine and theirs used to look a lot like this.  I will translate- Dear Cannon, You are my BFF.  Do you want to play servants today 'cause I do.  When I am done with my school I will get you to play servants.  BFF.

5.

Bethany and Elinor built a luxury manor out of Legos this week. 

I want to live there!  Look, the pool is so big it has its own speedboat!

6.  

  Here is Cannon's inspiration for composing "FlashDash".   She is one of my very talented and very sweet little piano students.

7. 

Abe is sporting the pirate earring Cannon got at his friend's birthday party last Saturday.  Abe has worked so much this summer and we've missed him terribly.  He spent a weekday afternoon with us this week-- what a treat!

8.

Abe took the opportunity to teach Cannon how to ride a two-wheeler.  

 Cannon caught right on and Faith declared him the quickest learner of all the kids.

9.

Elinor and her good friend working on her electricity and circuits class.  She loves it.  

10.  

The girls love to read at bedtime.  They are reading the Percy Jackson series again.  And just as I know they won't play with Legos forever, I know they won't have American Doll posters and snuggle with stuffed animals for much longer.  They'll grow up, and that's a good thing too, but I see absolutely no need to rush things.

11.

Cannon is playing on a very simple fall soccer league.  As I have mentioned before, my children do not excel on the soccer field.  Let's take that a step further.  My children don't really excel in any team sports.  We have a very long history of being a part of chronically losing teams.  No matter.  We enjoy the experience anyway.  Perhaps even more so, because there is never ANY pressure to win  

But Cannon was all confidence before his first game, and he does have a little more ability than some family members. But, truth be told, by the second game he was happy to take his turn sitting out and snuggling with his mama.  All of my children like the game of soccer in theory, but in practice they aren't as interested.