Anna's Gingerbread and Leaves!

That is what our Sunday consisted of. It really should have been just leaves, but, by the grace of God (literally...as it always is) the leaves were short work. We started the day by going to another new church. As we were going to pick up the boys from Sunday school, we got to talking to a greeter, Kevin. When we told him where we lived his response was, "You must have a lot of leaves!" As it just so happens, we do, and he offered the use of his leaf blower - this very cool high powered fan on wheels that is awesome for clearing out ground cover. He wouldn't let Shawn leave without his phone number - very nice man. Well, fast forward about 2 hours. Shawn is outside getting ready to start raking. We hadn't called Kevin - not really sure why, just didn't. Anyway, who comes walking up our driveway at that precise moment? Kevin, Bob, a man in his small group, and Kevin's teen daughter, Kara. They were armed with a backpack leaf blower, the push fan, a tarp, and three rakes. Isn't God awesome? The bazillion leaves that were once in our backyard are now on the curb ready for the second leaf pickup - all done in a fraction of the time it would have taken Shawn and I and our dinky rakes. We had them all in for coffee and snacks and Kevin proceeded to educate us on our wood stove also - very useful as we really didn't have any idea just how all of the levers worked together to function efficiently. Wow.

After the outside work was done, the boys tackled their gingerbread houses. I recommend Anna's - if you are in the market - available at IKEA. I used Cakemate decorator icing in the cans and some fun Christmas marzipan pieces from Walmart. Easy, fun, and very yummy! Conner is doing his best Godzilla in the first picture and I just couldn't get a plain old smile out of Grady, so enjoy the funny faces!

We are heading south for Thanksgiving to see the whole fam so this holiday will be filled with quite a bit of travel. Hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

There's a light at the end of the tunnel!

So...this is how I've been spending my days thus far. I'm just about done with our bedroom and the boys' rooms. I just finished the laundry room - Shawn had to switch out the wall recepticle for the dryer plug so I didn't have a dryer until this morning. I am really liking the smaller space and the boys seem to be adjusting really well. Conner's first day of school was today and he said he really enjoyed it. He's made fast friends with the girl next door and a boy up the street...both in second grade. Grady had a great time at the new gym while I was on the tour - they have lots of fun classes for the kids each day so there is plenty for him during our time there. Shawn and I are liking the new neighborhood - we miss our old neighbors but have some very friendly ones here as well.

We're In!!

I'll post some pictures this week after I get more work done. The first floor looks pretty homey and ready for visitors and soon I will be moving on to the boys' rooms and our room. Shawn's parents are here giving us a hand with move in stuff so things are moving better already. Later.

Happy Halloween!

What fun we all had yesterday! Shawn and Conner, as Shaggy and Fred, and Grady as Iron Man, went full force through the hood filling the plastic pumpkins to the brim with treats. Our neighbors across the street had a bonfire and a halloween movie playing on the side of their house so those of us stuck handing out the candy had some entertainment! The Cote's came over with some good home cooking and a basket full of New Hampshire treats to send us on our way to PA. We are so thankful to have been part of some great neighborhoods during our time in NH. They will be missed.