Happy Fall...already?

I've been told the first rule of blogging is not to apologize for absences.  So I won't.  I've noticed when I step away from the blog is when I'm emotionally in a bit of a tailspin or life is crazy busy or I'm tired of being on the computer.  This absence has all three qualifiers.  The downward emotional tailspin was caused by watching a few more pieces of my heart go to school each day.  Sure I still have 2 here but 7 are not.  I've been scrapbooking online 8 albums from our Disney trip as well as keeping up 8 day to day albums for 8 grandmunchkins.  Hence the overload on computer time.  The Disney albums are done and the 8 day to day albums are pretty much caught up and require a half hour a day or so to get pictures and comments in per event per album.  I am, however, now doing our church bulletin weekly and some weeks are a bit more work than others.  As for the crazy life.  Well, the pictures below explain that.  While I won't apologize for my absence, I'll apologize for the photo overload.  There are knitting projects, birthdays, fall activities, and life that happened over the last 2 and a half months.                          

 A few of my finished knitting projects.  They are on ravelry if you would like more details.

 While I knit and care for the home, my husband fishes.  Successfully!
And below are the pieces of my heart I'm lending to the schools each day.  I'm thankful their parents let me have them each day.  While I wish they were with their parents and lent to me, in this world that's not possible so I will hold out my hands and be thankful for each moment they are here.

There were 2 special birthdays.  Our sweet daughter and Great Grammie.

 A trip to the pumpkin patch was in order as the air cooled and the leaves changed.

 And on Halloween we were visited by a Princess, Tigger, 2 Ironmen, Steve, a Nerd, a Care Bear, and a witch.  Did I forget anyone?

 Happy Fall!  "A second spring where every leaf is a flower".

 Raking and gathering commences.  We have an art project in mind for those leaves.  Stay tuned.

A quick glimpse of the last few months.  I'll try not to stay away so long.

There are some really great things about fall!

It's time to harvest the filberts.  Also known as hazelnuts.  My husband loves the filbert harvest.  He gets to get really dirty and play on tractors.  What's not to love?  He worked on this farm years ago and the farmer went home to be with the Lord some years ago.  His sons have taken over the farm and call him back to help with harvest.  The answer is always an eager "yes"!  The only thing that keeps him from fishing is playing on the farm.

 This year I was able to take the 5 year olds out for a field trip.  They learned about the harvest and best of all...they got to drive the sweeper that sweeps the nuts into rows.  And they got really really dirty too.  They wore masks like Graypa, and ear protection, like Graypa.

 If you look above this little girl's mask you can see twinkly eyes and know there is a big grin Under the mask!

 While waiting for a turn, the filbert trees are perfect climbing trees.  And what boy doesn't love to climb trees?  In sweaters Mommy knit to be rough and tough for boys that are all boys.

 Do you know what else is great about fall?  The pumpkin patches are open!  I knit a pumpkin hat for Mr. C's first trip to the pumpkin patch.  I finished it as they walked in the door for breakfast.  It's a tad big but maybe he'll get two seasons of wear.  Details on my ravelry page.

 Pumpkin patches are hard work so let's fill them up with a good breakfast.  Breakfast casserole, sausage, orange juice, and, for energy, donuts! 

 I think the donuts are kicking in.

 The first day of real rain in 4 months but the clouds held on to their drops while we were out pumpkin hunting.  Perfect day for the pumpkin patch.  Could it be that because there were raincoats, the rain stayed away?

 On our way to the corn maze was was great time to stop for a Daddy hug and photo op.

 Unfortunately, the 4 months of no rain and then an inch of rain in one day, made the corn maze a corn bog.  It was a no go this year.  But there was plenty of other things to do.

 Taking the train to the pumpkin patch for starters.

 It took very little time for Miss S to find her pumpkin.  Only requirement was that it was BIG!

 This little one inspected the pumpkin.  I thought for shape.  I was wrong.  It was inspected for size.  "Is it big enough?"

 But one of the grandmunchkins wanted a "baby" pumpkin.

 Graypa thought he had the cutest pumpkins in the patch.  I would have to agree with him.

 Another pumpkin seeker looking for a BIG one.  That was THE requirement for the perfect pumpkin...BIG!

 The pumpkin patch would seem the perfect place to get family pictures.  Not in this family.  It was a "Where's Waldo" photo shoot.  We finally got one of each family....without Waldo making an appearance.  But it is a good thing I have an SLR, that shoots lots of pictures, fast.  I caught the family picture while Waldo was moving to another location.  I love my family.  And they make me laugh.  But they would never let me be a professional photographer.

I love fall.  I think it's my favorite season.  And next week, another of my favorite fall happenings...the Guild retreat!  Knitting and classes and a break for a whole weekend!
I've been sewing up a storm finishing up all the fabric stash I have and putting some quilts together as I finish up the quilting hobby.  More later, with photos.

So how much fun can you have in the fall?

Apparently quite a bit if the pictures of the pumpkin patch outing are any judge. We've gone to the pumpkin patch as a family the last couple of years. Breakfast casserole, load up the cars, do the corn maze, pick the pumpkins, explore whatever else is available there, lunch, and head home. One of my favorite times of year. One of my favorite family events. Really, they were having fun. Perhaps tired of the photo session, perhaps a little hungry, but really, having fun!

Ahhh, that face describes the event a little better. Or does it?

Notice the 15 year old in the back. Chalk this one up because we actually had all 9 grandmunchkins there! That was really the icing on the cake. And this isn't your typical 15 year old with the little ones. He is really good with them and seems to enjoy being around them!

Sigh....there are no words. Unlike my grandmunchkins, my munchkins definitely are tired of my camera. This is there idea of giving me a good picture...sigh again.....perhaps blackmail in later years?

News flash...seriously, a man asking for directions! We were hopelessly lost in the corn maze and made it out to where we started but we were trying to find the middle. We never did find it but it wasn't because someone didn't ask for directions!

And after all the fun, I finished my 17th knit for 2011! And knits 18, 19, and 20 are on the needles! This was a test knit for the barbarian horde, an Australian designer. I can see myself making more of these...Valentine's Day? In reds or pinks. More details and a link to the pattern on my ravelry page.