The Smell of Fall

I have really been enjoying this fall season. Although it snowed the first week in November I am optimistic that we won't be buried in it just yet.  I feel much more prepared for winter this year.  Danny got our winter supply of firewood early enough that he wasn't too stressed about it and he even was able to sell some of the extra wood he cut.  He does a lot of little side jobs that earn him a little spending money.  He usually uses that money to buy a gun or something like that.  This year he bought another pickup.  He bought a little Ford Ranger from Brad.  That is now his work vehicle.  It is working out really well for him.  The car that Dale was letting him use is parked in our driveway with a broken starter.  He loves his little pickup and I love having my car to myself.  It gets decent mileage and Dale helps with the gas.  We aslo get an insurance discount because he uses it almost exclusively for his ranch work.  It was a much better purchase than a gun if you ask me. 

Danny has been really busy this season.  He got both a buck tag and an elk tag.  He also shot both a buck and an elk.  We butchered the buck ourselves; not my favorite thing to do.  The Feiks helped us butcher the elk.  The elk was much bigger than the one he shot last year but nothing to brag about according to Danny. 

You may not notice his arms covered in blood...yuk

He is a really good shot and I am proud of him.  He has also gotten into coyote hunting alot lately.  He does it early in the morning before work.  The joy in that escapes me but he enjoys it.  He bought a coyote caller and even has a CD  that teaches different distress calls that attract coyotes.  Again not my favorite thing.  But hey, he is happy.

We invited some friends over to press apples for cidar a few weeks ago.  It was really fun.  We roasted hot dogs and apples and drank lots of cidar.  We came away with 8 gallons and sent 7 or 8 home with our friends. 

This is what is left after the cidar is pressed from the apples

The apples go in the tops to be ground into chunks

Then you crank down on the chunks and press out the cidar.

I was released from the Relief Society and called as the new Primary chorister.  I am really excited about it.  I'm hoping it will be really fun.  I get to go into nursery and sing with them for about 10 minutes each Sunday.  In January Mikelle will be in Sunbeams and it will be fun to be in Primary with her.  Chance will be in the nursery in February.  I can't wait for that.  It will be tricky balancing Chance during the 3rd hour of church for a little while but we'll make do.  I am enjoying doing new crafts and finding new ways to stay sane.  I have been using Pinterest to get lots of craft ideas and things to stay busy and productive.  I also found some tips on a cleaning schedule that helps me stay on top of my household chores in stead of barely staying afloat.

This time of year is really fun.  We went trick-o-treating of course and they looked adorable and had a lot of fun.  Chance didn't want to stay in the stroller and Mikelle was a little intimidated by the crowds.  We went on main street and there were lots of people. 

Taking a little break from the Main Street crowds and tasting the goods

You can tell he is trying to get out

Kelly, David and Jonathan went with us.  Mikelle loves her cousins.  Mikelle was a princess, not suprisingly, and Chance was a cuddly little teddy bear.  We went trunk-o-treating at the church as well and I let Chance run around on his own then.  He enjoyed himself a lot more I think. 

He cried a little trying to adjust to the bear suit once we were outside
there were no more problems

That would be brown eyeliner on his nose

She would not pose for me...little diva

She needed to wear a coat but it was still obvious that she was a
little Princess!!

Clearly she was very happy to be wearing a crown.

I put out some fall decorations in September and that included a basket of little pumpkins for my table centerpiece.  Chance instisted on playing with it everyday. 

The kids got to play in the leaves from our walnut tree and even though it has been really chilly they still prefer to be outside if they can.

 When I need some quiet time Mikelle sits down and watches a movie.  Her new favorite is Beauty and the Beast.  She could watch it all day if I let her.  Believe me it is tempting.

Chance LOVES stuffed animals of any kind, it's adorable

Watching Beauty and the Beast totally engrossed

Mikelle still loves her blankie but at least it stays at home

If Chance is a little sleepy he will sit and watch a movie with Mikelle for a few minutes.  He loves to sit in chairs like a big boy, especially the chair that daddy usually sits in.  I am sure you will notice that Mikelle is not really dressed in many of our pictures.  I usually have to bribe her to get dressed if we aren't going anywhere.  She just prefers to run around the house in her undies.  At least it's not a fight to get her dressed when we are leaving the house. 

Breakfast is the best time to do her hair

such a pretty little girl

Handsome little man

Wearing daddy's slippers

Chance and Mikelle are getting along really well.  I think the biggest factor is that Chance can fight back if he is being bullied.  I guess it isn't as fun to bully him anymore now that he hits or punches back.  So there is less of that and a lot more fun.  They love each other and it is really fun to see.

Reading Stories together

I am really looking forward to Christmas with the two of them.  Chance is big enough to appreciate the fun and Mikelle is finally old enough to teach about some of the Christmas traditions.  We'll be getting a tree and pulling about the decorations around Thanksgiving and it's gonna be a blast.  I really love this time of year.  Who doesn't?!