WE ARE MOVING...

Blog addresses that is...

You can now find us at

http://stansellfamily4andcounting.blogspot.com

Our New Hobby...

Call it Hobby, Family time, Family fun, whatever you call it, it's something that our family can do together. We enjoy shooting bows. It all started last year when Goose decided he wanted a bow for Christmas. Then when the kids stayed with Mom and Dad this summer Dad got the kids a bow. During our Riggs reunion, I was able to shoot my Mom's bow and I really liked it. Goose and I were excited that we found something that all of us could do together. I'm excited for the memories we have already made and the ones we will make...

I think Miles is going to be our "trick" archer. He pulls the string as far back as he can and a lot of times he drops down on a knee. He really likes shooting...

Watching it fly...

Syd Syd's turn, she requires a little more help than the others, but I bet she catches on pretty fast...

Yay! She doesn't care whether it goes 20 feet or 1 foot, she loves it every time...

Ten...our little lefty! She is actually shooting a right handed bow.

She has actually gotten pretty good, I'm thinking we might need to get her a lefty bow, so she can really shoot.

I love her face in this one, plus you get to see the arrow taking off...

A happy arrow collector...

SQUISH!!!

I love when point and shoot pix turn out right. I was holding her and just turned and pointed the camera...so sweet...

She loves being outside, but this was right before her nap, so she was being extra cuddly...

Goose shot the kids last arrow, they like when he shoots them high...

The kids shoot their arrows into the open field, Goose and I shoot into a target.

I have to say, He is a really good shot, which is not easy with a recurve. They don't have sights like that compound bows do. We are thinking that he may go elk hunting with my Dad and brothers next year.

Be afraid...Be VERY AFRAID...

Ok, I know, I'm no Xena warrior princess, but I hit what I'm aiming at and that's what counts.

Yay for Family fun! I know it's a little unusual, but we enjoy it...

It's hard work...

...getting teeth!

Madi wants to show her new ones off

Two on the bottom...

Ok, so maybe she didn't want to show them off, but as soon as I picked her up she was happy. If you look closely she has a third tooth coming through on the top left(our right). The other three on the top look like they may break through any day now. Poor baby, they are really sensitive.

Hopefully these teeth will hurry up and break through and stop causing such a fuss!

Sunny November Day...

The kids enjoyed a nice warm sunny day yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I like nice days, but I do wish our weather would decide if it was the end of summer or Fall. It's hard to keep up, plus I would like to sort through their clothes and put some away.

 Yay...

 It is the funniest thing watching Miles zoom around on the tricycle...

 So sweet...

 So Innocent...

 Happy Face...

 Syd loves catching a ride with Bub...

 My big girl...

 Miles definitely prefers being the one driving...

 Pouting...

 All better...

 Such a big helper...

 Off to have more fun...

 Professional rock collectors...

The kids had a great time as always outside.

Super Miles...

Miles has been using my nursing covers as capes since I made them when I had Madi. Goose thought I should make Miles his very own "real" super hero cape. So that is just what I did...

I guess now I need to work on him a super hero outfit...

 He liked the "M" I added. He said, Yes, now I will know it's mine!"

He loves his cape, but you guessed it...Ten and Syd have already requested I make them one too! Guess I better not put my sewing machine up just yet :-)

Trick or Treating...

After this year I have decided that Halloween is the most exhausting day for me...I think it's because too many things are packed into one day. With that being said, the kids and I had a good day.

First, I need to give credit where credit is due...While I am the one that made the costumes, I'm not the one that came up with the idea. Ang did! That's right, this years cute halloween theme is all because of my sister. She sent me a pic about a month or so ago and suggested that the kids would be super cute as a barber shop quartet. At first I brushed it off, I was going to let them pick their costumes this year, but then Goose saw the pic and he liked the idea too. I'm glad I came around to their thinking, because I agree, they looked super cute!...and that is the rest of the story :-)

We actually started off our day at Goose's work, Susie gave the kids enough candy that we could have gone home then and there, but of course we couldn't, the kids were too excited. 

I actually hadn't planned on trick or treating the square this year, but since I had plenty of time to spare, we went ahead and did two sides... 

Carol, from church, was handing out candy from her store. The kids were happy to see her.

 Waiting for more candy...

Ten heard some kids talking about the costume parade and told me she wanted to do it. Almost the minute she mentioned it, Miles insisted that he didn't want people looking at him. Ten put her arm around him and said, "it's ok, if you walk by me, they will look at me not you." It was really very sweet. He immediately relaxed and told her, "ok".
They won 1st place. Ten was super excited. Once Miles realized they won tickets to the cinema, he was pretty excited too. Syd and Madi were just along for the ride.

After the square we headed to our church for Awana game night...

Pouty Face...she didn't want her picture taken...

She was being so still! I don't think she has ever been as still in her life. She must have really wanted that butterfly.

The ball pit...her favorite! It was for 3 and under and she BARELY fit, but clearly, she didn't care...

Football toss...She had fun playing the games, but she was most excited that she knew her verses, when they say their verses they get a cool prize.

I swear he gets this from his Daddy, I'm way too cool for this to come from me :-)...

I think he is working out a strategy...

Funky Bean Bag Toss...I guess...

We have one block that we Trick or Treat. It consists of 3 guys that Goose works with, a lady the Nancy works with, and one of the doctors that helped deliver Madi...Honestly I don't really like the door to door T&T, but since we know the people, I'm ok with it.

Their spoils...

We also made stops at Grandma and Granddad's, Aunt Darlene and Uncle Nelson's, and Grandnanna and Grandpa's.

See what I mean? Halloween is BUSY!

The Stansell kids Barber Shop Quartet...

My little Trick or Treaters are ready...

Candy...here they come!!

Pumpkin Carving...

We bought these pumpkins when we went to the pumpkin patch. With Goose's work schedule and half of us getting a nasty stomach bug, it has taken us a couple of weeks to get these babies carved. Needless to say, it as a little chilly that evening.

Goose was sweet enough to cut the tops... 

He thought the pumpkins stunk so after the tops were off, he said his job was done.

Ten dug right in...

My happy little pumpkin carvers...

They had fun digging in the pumpkins...

Someone forgot to tell Ten to look at the camera...

Left to finish alone...the kids got bored.

Goose's photography skills at work...

All our finished pumpkins...Miles' dragon. Syd's happy face. Madi's "S"(really it's just her pumpkin by default, yes I realize I should have carved a "M"). Ten's  Cat(that I think looks like the bat from Anastasia". My pumpkin, I used a template that Ten got in Sunday school.

Goose and I thought this was cool. He slowed the shutter speed down so slow that it made what was a pitch black night look like it was early morning hours.

The kids loved their pumpkins, but since I did about 90% of the work, I would say maybe we should have waited a couple of years. :-)