Saucy!!!

What a difference a year can make! Last year we picked apples in the FREEZING cold and this year we were all..."glowing" by the end of our trip to the orchard on an 80 degree day! Two other differences this year, Emeline and Auntie Kate! We are SO SO happy Kate and Austin that they are living close by now so that she can join us on all our fun excursions!





We picked and picked...and overshot a bit on our haul this year. We maybe misremembered what we had done in the past and got 3 bushels this year (6 bags!!). It didnt seem like that much, until we got home and started making the applesauce!

But of course we had to make a pit stop at the pie pantry before we began all the hard work!

I didnt post any pics of the process because its a heavily guarded family secret...

no really it is!


Or maybe we all were so gross after 6 hrs of steam in our faces and 57 containers of sauce that I thought some of the ladies may shoot me if I posted them!

Pumpkin Patch

This year we took the girls to a patch not far from our house to choose their pumpkins. It was a little muddy and cold, but we got the job done and the girls enjoyed looking for just the right one.

We all worked hard to carve them...the girls drew the faces they wanted or (used stencils for the shapes) and Brad and I cut them. We teamed up on Emelines pumpkin, but I'm sure next year she'll be able to get more in on the action!

Fall Fiesta

The last couple years, our friends the Anemas and ourselves have thrown a fall party at our barn. This year, we had all the kiddos dress up in their costumes which made it that much more fun :)


We started the night with a hay ride from "Farmer Tim"...one of the perks of living in the sticks!



Then we had pizza and a bunch of fall treats.

Then we had a candy hunt outside and a fire out by the fire pit. The we brought the kids in to do some fall crafts...A ghost and a spider :)


At the end of the night, the kids were so hopped up on sugar they began an impromptu dance party :)

We're so lucky to have such a fun group of friends (with some awesome kiddos) to spend time with! Can wait till next year!

Fall Camping at RIver Ridge

Brad had a great idea a few months ago...he planned a fall camping weekend for after the baby was born. He was going to take just the big girls so I could have some time at home with just the babe. So sweet, right? Well, Emeline came and we all adjusted pretty well and when it came right down to it, it seemed silly for us all not to go! We packed up and headed to River RIdge which hosts a Halloween weekend the first week in Oct. The weather was in the 80s in the day and 50s at night which was PERFECT! We had such an awesome time! There were tons of activities and everyone was in the Halloween spirit! All the campers decorated their trailers and participated in the pumpkin roll. The pumpkin roll involves each lot bringing a pumpin which bears their lot number and putting it into a trailer. All the pumpkins are then shoved out of the trailer at the top of a huge hill and sent careening down the hill while everyone lines the street! The first pumpkin to the bottom wins a free nights camping! Then the kids find theirs back and climb back up the hill to trhow them down the grass hill which ends in a parking lot and tons of smashed pumpkins! The kids run down and make sure every last one is broken to bits! We also went to the craft barn and did some trick or treating! Anabelle was so cute, after I painted her face, I was her looking at herself in the mirror and she started to cry! She was scared of her own face! What a sensitive soul! Emeline did great the whole weekend, she only woke up once a night and slept in the closet right next to our bed :) Cant wait till she can join in the fun!
















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Sweet Emeline- One month

Wow! Time really flies when you're getting to know a new love!
I am already seeing Emeline growing and her face changing and wish I could stop time! Many ask who she looks like and I cant really say that she leans any which way. She has her own little look about her! Some have asked about Emeline's name, it actually was suggested to me on a babynaming board and it really grew on Brad as i as we were considering names. We both loved "Eme" (pronounced like Emmy) but wanted a longer given name that was beautiful, feminine, not super common, and yet had history. Emeline (pronounced Em-uh-line) just really stood out from the rest and fit well with the big girls! :)

The transition for the big girls has been going well too! They love to love on her, but haven't been too overbearing yet. We have been so thankful for all the love we have been shown as we transition. No lie, I have only had to cook twice since I came home from the hospital thanks to awesome friends and family. It has been so helpful as three certainly has found a way to fill my day :) We finally have gotten into a rhythm which includes Emelines eat, wake, sleep, as well as the big girls school playtime and gymnastics and finally mommy's housework. :)

This little peanut really has stolen our hearts from day one! . I really feel this is the first time our lives have been at a place where I have really been able to enjoy and soak in all the newborny goodness! Even the middle of the night feedings have been much easier to tolerate this time around. :) We are thanking and praising God every day for the fact that she is eating well, sleeping well (as a newborn can be expected to sleep) and is healthy. Cant wait to see what God has in store for our little lovey!

Sent from Above...

We are so happy to introduce the newest member of our family, Emeline Jo Iverson. She was born this morning at 6:20am and weighed in at 7lbs 7oz., 19.5 inches long (not too shabby for a babe born three weeks early! Everything went very well and we feel so blessed to add this happy healthy bundle to our little corner of the world!

The girls are so excited about their little sister. Sabrina could not wait to get her hands on Eme while Anabelle was much more hesitant, but in awe. The brought sweet gifts for Emeline and mommy. Our first shot of our expanded family!


FOr those of you who played the name game, Jamie Durham guessed correctly! :) GO Jay!

Now off to get some sleep!

Clue 5

When our jellybean is a bit older, she will love that there is a children's book with her name in the title!