Flipping For Fall

Yesterday was a great fall day. Sunshine and leaves. Molly and Lindy asked me ro rake the leaves in a pile, but there isn't enough yet. So they decided to pick up what leaves they could and put them on the trampoline. They had a big time.

Fall Festival

Yesterday we went uptown to the Fall Festival. The store welcomed trick or treader's. So the girls got to put on their costumes. Pretty cute fairies, I think. Their favorite part of the outfit is the glitter I sprayed all over them.

Checking out the free cotton candy.

Trying to win a spider!

Below is a video of "The Boom Squad". I believe they were from the Evansville area and they came to preform for us. I really enjoyed them. I understand the group had ages 4 to 16. They were truly entertaining.

Chinese Tea Party

Last weekend we went to a Chinese Tea Party at a state park. It was a beautiful day and the girls had a lot of fun.

Mamaw went with us.

Watching the entertainment. There were some local children singing Chinese songs.

There were several activities they got to do. Here they are coloring and making Chinese lanterns.

Each kids got to decorate a Chinese tea cup to bring home.

Lindy is coloring chopsticks.

They also took each child's photo.

Along with the activities and entertainment we also watched a "master" tea maker. It was fun to watch him make the tea and explain the different kinds of tea. Lindy tried the green tea. She made a face and covered her mouth and said "yuck". Molly wouldn't touch it. They also had Chinese desserts for the kids.

It was a fun filled day.

Autumn Moon Festival

"When the moon is full,

mankind is one!"

In China and throughout many Asian countries people celebrate the Harvest Moon on the 15th day of the eighth month of their lunar calendar. The date in the Western calendar changes yearly. This year it fell on October 3.

The festival is the second most important festival after the Spring festival for the Chinese people. The Harvest Moon Festival is a day of family reunions much like a Western Thanksgiving we celebrate in the US.

The festival dates back to the Tang dynasty in 618 A.D.. There are many different way the Chinese celebrate. Most important is the moon. The Chinese believe that on that day the moon is the roundest and brightest signaling a time of completeness.

Traditional foods for a Chinese Moon festival are red in color, which symbolizes good luck. Lobster and salmon, apples, pomegranates, roasted peanuts and moon cakes.

Every year we have been lucky enough to celebrate with our adoption friends. This year we all gathered at Gracie's Chinese Buffet on Sunday Oct 4th.

Grace, the owner, always has something for the kids. This year she gave all the kids a nice set of chop sticks. Lindy was determined to use them.

I hope someday we can learn to really use them correctly.

Molly, Kaley & Lindy

Molly took this picture. This is Gracie.

Reading Night

Pre-K students were invited to a "Reading Night" at the college. We were served pizza & cookies. It was nice to not cook that night.

Then the girls enjoyed the cowboy themed evening.

Molly was eager to get her picture here.

Lindy couldn't wait for her turn. They got snake tattoos when they were done.

There were many stations for them to partake in. They sat around a "campfire: and listened to a great story. They tried "roping" a cow. They layed "under the stars" on sleeping bags and sang twinkle twinkle. And they crafted a cowgirl with paper and glue sticks. Lindy even won a book in the door prize drawing!

Albion Heritage Days

Last weekend the girls and I met Mamaw in Albion to see what Heritage Days were all about. It was a very cold day, so it was hard to enjoy what was there.

This lady was making rag rugs.

There was a small petting zoo. Molly & Lindy actually fed the goat some corn right out of their hands.

The miniature goat was cute.

But the cow wasn't interested in them.

There was broom making, basket making, wood carving & a blacksmith to see. The girls also made crafts used back in the day. If it had been warmer it would have been more fun.

We decided to drive on to Fairfield and visited my sister and her family. Ate a bite at Wendy's and made a Wallyworld stop.

Picking Apples

We traveled to Evansville today to take the girls apple picking.

They had a great time. I didn't enjoy walking on all the rotten apples, but otherwise it was fun.

Sitting amongst the pumpkins at the orchard.

Mamaw bought a caramel apple for them each.

Lindy ate all of hers. As a matter of fact we have to tell her that she is done eating the apple. If you don't watch her she will eat the core too!

Molly on the other hand, licked all the caramel off her apple and only ate half of it.

We picked a big bag of apples to eat. The girls and I are going to make applesauce soon.