Check Your Geography

I have always loved school. Before I started school I would pretend that I had homework. Even after I started school and before they handed out homework I pretended that I had homework. Are you getting a glimpse into my strange mind here?

I've always loved geography, and the blank maps where you fill in the countries or . . . States. So just for fun, I found a map of the United States with no state names and tried my hand at filling them in without a list of states. I missed seven. I tried it again with a list of states and only missed two, well technically I transposed them. But I guess if you only miss two that's more than likely the case. My husband on the other hand missed 16 his first try without a state list and I won't even tell you how many he missed the second time but I will tell you that he listed Vermont three times, still missed it. So I guess you could say that my superiority complex is securely in place this morning. Just don't ask me a math question. . .

Give it a try, (right click on the picture and print it) let me know how you do and perhaps I will give you a little gift.  I know you won't cheat because, as my Grandma always tells me, "I know you'll make the right choices." See how much faith I have in you . . . so don't blow it.

Here's your state list:

1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. Utah
45. Vermont
46. Virginia
47. Washington
48. West Virginia
49. Wisconsin
50. Wyoming

Winter Preparations and Pumpkin Patching

 We have been working hard to get ready for the winter. We took on some chickens hoping for eggs, we are still waiting, and we have been stock piling wood. 

The girls love feeding the chickens.

The girls found my window crayons. I just wish I had read the box before I let them use the crayons, they have a tendency to stain.

Aunt Nay helping to stack the kindling.

Aren't my children helpful.

We also squeezed in a trip to the pumpkin patch. I was beginning to think we were going to miss that this year.

 

Another beautiful family picture of the Half and the Dall with sweet HamHuck.

My Beloved with two of his five siblings.

Hayride to the pumpkins.

The Vancouver cousins.

I just realized that I cut my Beloved's head off in every shot of this. Oops

HamHuck striking a pose,

and another. 

If cousin can do it so can I.

Ballerina

Belloise, as I was taking this picture I noticed her begin to slowly rise in height as she stood on her tip-toes. Silly child.

~And So That's What She Did.

P.S. Give aways to resume in November.

The Old Apple Tree Festival

A few weekends ago my Beloved stopped working Saturdays, at least for now. So we went to The Old Apple Tree Festival. We'd never been before but it sounded fun and I love this area of Vancouver.

My brother-in-law, Half and his wife, the Dall met us there with HamHuck.

I love HamHuck. I mean really, look at this kid! He is such a cutie patootie. Not to mention I just can't stop pinchin those cheeks, and the curls. . . ooh they slay me. And the nicknames are endless for this handsome little man.

These cousins! They sure love each other.

"Uh cousin?"

"Did you toot?"

"Oooh hahahahahaha."

As nomads.

Ooooh-la-la

I love this picture. Let me tell you why. Aside from the fact that it shows my beautiful family, my hot rugged husband, and delightful little girls. It also looks like I am about to grab my Beloved's hiney.

Maybe that's because I did.

Perhaps.

~And So That's What She Did.

Hodge Podge

I tell you, I have not been in the blogging mood. I had a few ideas for blogs but they passed so quickly I couldn't even write them down before they were gone. So instead of having a theme or idea or even a flow to this post, it's just a whole lot of pictures from the past few weeks.

As a side note I did get a new camera to replace the one that had no view finder and the screen stopped working. Come to think of it this one doesn't have a view finder either, but it is a Canon therefore I trust it whole heartedly not to stop working for at least 4 years unless my children touch it before then.

Secondary side note: I have an unnecessarily large computer screen -my brother-in-law insisted it was needed at the time- so this layout, picture size and all that looks fine to me but if it gives you problems please let me know.

Here the girls are playing beauty shop, after playing about six other things judging by the mess of their room.

I love this facial expression especially when it is accompanied by a strained breath in and her eyes up and off to the side.

This is at our new library, I'm not sure I like it. It's all modern and big and almost feels a little cold, sterile and impersonal. But then again I haven't ventured out for story time yet, so my opinion might change.

Belloise loved all of the nooks and crannies they have to climb in and through.

Ballerina stuck mostly to the play kitchen.

They have all kinds of little things to discover around every corner.

The girls have been in the mood for picnics lately. Belloise was sleeping when we decided to head out for this one. Check out that jungle behind us. Yeah we haven't done much yard work lately. Although this last week I took pity on my husband and his terribly long work hours and took care of the weeds and grass in the front and top portion of the back yard. Well most of the grass I ran out of gas with about two swipes left so the yard is sportin' a mow hawk.

Penny graced us with her regal presence during our picnic.

Belliose has become interested in doing more chores than the two on her current list.

I decided to move my piano out of the back room and move the dinning room table out into the room more. I love it, My Beloved hates it. No he loves it but he hates that he has to reinstall the chandelier because he forgot to attach the chain the first time and now we can't swag it over the table until he does that. As an electricians daughter I am utterly useless when it comes to electrical stuff. He also is not a big fan of the fact that he has already smacked his head on it twice that I know of. I clear it by a good 9 inches myself.

And we went back to the library another day. Belloise loved the wood puzzles.

I overheard the sweetest conversation between Ballerina and some girl at the library. The girl didn't want Belloise to play with the kitchen plates and things and Ballerina went right up to her and told her "y-y-y-y-you don't need to talk to her like that, sh-sh-sh-she's my little sister." and as if that was all the girl needed to know she let Belloise play in peace.

Ballerina loved the felt garden.

This is Belloise' "OH WOW I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN SO LONG!" look I'm pretty sure she's never met that child before in her life.

We also have been spending a little time at the park. Belloise loves this hat even if it is too small.

And the frog or as she calls it aaaaah

We even had a visit from HamHuck

I love this little guy.

Mmm cousin kisses

Later in the evening we noticed a lizard had gotten itself caught in HamHuck's hair

Sing it cuz'.

~And So That's What She Did.