Fall Dances and Football Games

Maryn is finally a freshman and with it goes all the fun of high school events.  She and her BFF, Katherine dressed up as the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter (their interpretation of it anyway) for the Stake Fall Dance.  They looked pretty cute!

 


She has also been playing every Friday night for the Dow High football games!  Nothing could be more classic and fallish than Friday Night lights!

Where I'm At

This is me lately.  Not the best pic, but not the worst either.  I always feel awkward taking my own picture, but I am realizing that life is too short not to. So here it is.

I have set up camp in the dining room to do most of my homework/studies.  So far, school is going well.  It's a lot of reading, which I knew would be the case, and I definitely need to take it slow.  I have a lot of trouble retaining information.  I can read something once, and forget it 10 minutes later.  So, I have to slow down, take my time, highlight like crazy, take notes, and then re-read sometimes after all of that.  It's tedious, but I'm plugging along.

I am taking a research methods and materials class this semester, and it seems to be going well.  I was able to choose my own topic which definitely makes it more interesting.  I decided to research mommy blogging and how their discourse is an important area of online composition, especially how their rhetoric influences other moms and legitimizes what might be considered un-important work (staying and home and "mothering").  It's been good.

Anyway, my days are much busier than I expected.  Most days I finish dropping Parker off, go on a walk, shower and get ready, sit down and work, eat lunch, work some more, pick up Maryn, then Avery.  At some point in there Mark gets home and we usually pick up Parker together.  Then it's helping with homework, car rides to practices, etc. and then starting dinner.  After dinner, we usually finish up with homework, chores, etc. and then off to bed for the next day!  It's been a lot more than I bargained for, but at the same time I am really enjoying the structure of it.  It's keeping my mind occupied, rather than sad and that's a good thing.

I was recently called to be the RS Secretary and that has proved pretty time consuming as well.  However, at the same time I feel like my spirituality is at a high right now which is blessing my life in all the other important ways.

Anyway, things are good.  I have my bad days too, but overall I'm feeling better than I have in a long time.

Grandma's Punkin' Patch

We tried out a new cider mill/fall attraction this year.  I got a coupon online, and we decided to give it a whirl.  There was lots to do at this place: pig races, park for the kids, Elsa and Anna karaoke, blow-up bouncy houses, corn-maze, and picking out punkins!  The only drawback to this place is that their cider and donuts were disappointingly expensive.  Leaman's Apple Barn definitely has them beat in that respect, but their activities were definitely on point! 

Behold, the splendor of Fall in Michigan! (Well some more of it, cuz I'm definitely not done posting these!)

Fall Festival with the Midland 1st Ward

So this is the first ward we've been in our entire married lives that hasn't done a Halloween party/trunk-or-treat/chili cook-off.  Mind blown!  Haha! 

Instead, the tradition here is to have this fall festival party out at a family's farm where everyone brings chili or soup in crockpots, bread of some variety, treats of all varieties, and there is hot cider for all!  We set up the food in their barn along with as many picnic tables as possible.  Then, there is a huge bonfire where people can set up camp chairs and eat/visit. 

There is another barn full of just hay, like mountains of it, and the kids just play to their hearts content.  There are two hayrides going simultaneously throughout the night around their property.  There are also horse rides going throughout the night.  It's just a lot of FALL FUN!  I do enjoy it; however, there is part of me that misses the Halloween party and the trunk-or-treat.  I am trying to not mind the fact that we don't do it, but I kinda do.  This was our 3rd Fall here, and I don't know if I'm completely sold yet. 

Anyway, here's some pics of this year's fun:

Seibert "Walk-A-Thon" (Fundraisers, Shmundraisers)

So now that Parker is an elementary student, we are back in the swing of school fundraising. I've become so jaded with this whole phenomenon after basically working my way through years of it with the older two.  I just want to write a check and be done with it.  Our lives are busy enough as it is, and we are poor enough as it is, ya know?!?  Anyway, this was actually a pretty fun fund-raiser as far as that kind of thing goes.  The kids only needed a one-lump sum donation to their walk-a-thon, instead of per mile pay-out, so easy, peasy. 

Parker went all out!  She didn't just walk, she RAN the entire time!  I told her she could slow down, but I think she just got caught up in the excitement of the event and had so much fun!  I did a couple laps with her too!  I must say having a kindergartener starting off makes me want to try a little more to have fun, for her sake more than anybody.

Our newest little Seibert Bulldog!

1st Trip to the Apple Barn of the Season

Welcome Fall!  You are balm to my soul.  I was so glad to welcome a new season this year.  Fall just makes me happier. 

This was our first trip, and although the weather is still pretty warm, it still feels great to enjoy some fall-ish traditions right about now.

In the Swing of Things

Fall is underway, and the girls are definitely in the swing of things.

Parker is loving kindergarten!  She has just blossomed this year, is learning so fast, and has adjusted very well!  We couldn't be more happy and relieved.  On this particular day, she came bursting out of the doors of her classroom showing this octopus that looks like DAD!  Haha, we both couldn't stop laughing at this one!

Avery made the 8th grade girl's basketball red team again this year, and is in full swing of practices and games.  So far, they are undefeated! Go Huskies!

Maryn is enjoying performing in the marching band at Dow High!  Even though she is one of many flutes in gigantic band of over 250 students, she still is managing to love this new thing in her life.  I think it's been a great way to meet new people, make new friends, and start feeling like she belongs to something important.  Go Chargers!

This is such a fun time of year, and things seem to be going as well as can be expected.  It's been a hard transition for me, so I am grateful that at least my girls are happy and busy in their lives.  It's a welcome distraction.