Sweet Idaho Halloween

So, out here in Sweet ID there is really no effective place to trick or treat. So the community holds a Trunk N Treat at the school. This year Justin & Max wanted to be Half-bloods (from the Percy Jackson books) at Camp Half blood. They decorated their orange shirts, made swords, wore their watch/daggers...

So Geoff and the 2 boys went to the school, and a few hours later, came home with this --a TREAT I guess you would say-- in hand:

Yep!!! It's a pheasant. They decided about 10 minutes into Trunk N Treatin to go hunting instead, AND shot a pheasant. Max walked in the door carrying it just like above...and I laughed so hard. Welcome to SWEET HALLOWEEN!!!

Pumpkin Patch

As I drove to DeMordaunts house to pick up a campaign call list from Reed, Gayann invited the boys to go with them on their annual Pumpkin Patch trip. So I stayed (gratefully) and made calls, while the boys had a HAY DAY (literally!) at Lindon farms.

Thanks DeMordaunts. We LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE you guys!

MK Nature Center

Today our home school group gathered at the MK Nature Center for a morning filled with fun nature activities.

We began by making nature journals
to collect all of the days' nature art...

Fish prints...paint fish, cover with paper...wa la!

Make twig N grass paint brushes...

Gather & trace leaf patterns

Identify different types of fish

Observe different flowers and cones, seeds, and plants (It was a gorgeous day, and the Nature Center is right next to the OH SO Beautiful Boise Green Belt.)

... enjoy the Fall beauty and air!

and enjoyed the live Saxophone performance...LOVE IT!

Looking for Lomatium

This was the funnest morning ever. I wish every morning could start out this way. I have been taking an herbal class from Linda Bromgard (she's the BEST!).
A couple of us expressed a desire to scavenge our own herbs so we would be able to recognize, harvest and use herbs in the wild. So we began this morning looking for Lomatium.

We (Linda, Carrie Andelin and her 2 boys, and Tia Andelin--LOVE the Andelins!!!!) drove to the spot where normal vehicles go, and then all crammed in Linda's Italian mini truck to drive the off roads to the creek where the Lomatium grow. What a blast. I so want one of these little trucks!!!!
We could only go so far in little Italiano, and then we hiked the rest of the way. It was absolutely beautiful and smelled like freshly grated sage.

After a bit of hiking, we found our spot. This is what we found...

This is what it looks like when it flowers...
And here is a little about Lomatium
This is what the root (the part you use) looks like...
Justin digging it up like a pro!
And our return to base...

Piano lessons at La Mia Terra

La Mia Terra is a private School in Eagle. It's kind-of amazing that I even know they exist, let a lone that we participate here. La Mia Terra incorporates all the same principles of education that I try to implement at home. They are AWESOME! If I were ever rich and wanting to send Justin to a school, it would be to this one. For now, we trade produce for piano lessons. You can see in this picture ONE of the reasons I love this little school. The kids LOVE LEARNING because everything is fun! The picture of Justin above is him playing the Entertainer on the Monster Key Board. Who wouldn't love lessons here! ALL my boys love to come here.

While making sandwiches for Lunch (notice the mayonnaise to overflowing!) ...

Max makes a new discovery....
Mayonnaise covered almonds!! MMMMMM!

Tomato Soup

Up till 3am canning over 30 quarts of TOMATO/PEPPER SOUP...and I don't even like it. What a crazy mess!!! I must admit, however, that i LOVE canning because Geoff and I work together, and he makes it fun.

A Little Extra Precaution

I guess Justin didn't think Max's car seat was safe enough!!! I looked back after driving to our destination and saw this site. TOO FUNNY!!!

Put on the Armor of God!

A BEAR in the family!

I love the scouting program in Sweet! The leaders are fabulous...diligent and so much fun. Sister Tamara Walker is the Pack Leader and really has fun with the boys. Pack meetings are fun and adventurous.

Pack Meeting Games

This Meeting was extra special because Justin earned his
BEAR BADGE...
Sister Walker prepares Justin for a bear hunt!

Mom gets her bear pin!!!

Justin also earned the 100 Years of Scouting Award
(which is no small feat!)
Congratulations Justin! You've worked hard!

Weymouths and Shurtleff Vineyard

On Wednesday, I couldn't get Sister Weymouth and her newborn baby and 9 kids surrounded by mounds of unprocessed grapes--out of my mind. So boys and I went to her house for the day and helped her can over 100 quarts of grape juice. Wow! Quite a day!
Justin and Max had a ball playing in the canyon and tree house, and and and....the world is their backyard...so fun for kids!

I was so inspired by working with Tammy Weymouth, that the boys and I (and Becky Menlove) drove to Payette the very next day and picked over 6 bins of grapes.
That very night (thanks to the help of the Menloves & Weymouth's juicers) we canned 114 Quarts of grapejuice. We had 4 juicers going at once--two inside and two outside. It was gorgeous outside, and really quite fun to can.