October began with a fun little poetry and song recitation from Ava's class on her birthday (more on that in her birthday post).
On the second day of October, we celebrated the Feast of Guardian Angels by going to Mass (the two littlest and I). At Mass I asked Sophie who she wanted to offer her Mass for and she pointed at a young man sitting not too far from us. After Mass, she asked to go to the adoration chapel and again wanted to pray for this same man. So sweet. His guardian angel must have told her he needed some extra prayers.
October 4 is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, one of my favorites (How could he not be when I graduated from the Franciscan University of Steubenville?).
We were again able to make it to Mass and the chapel was empty, so we had it all to ourselves to say our Litany out loud afterwards.
The school had their fund run and were able to catch Ava's class running their laps at the end of the day and run a few laps with her.
While we waited for school to get out for the day after the fund run, we collected fall leaves and took silly/sweet pictures.
When we arrived home, Kolbe gave me his leaf bouquet. What a sweet boy.
Fall foods were baked frequently. Here are just a few examples: applesauce and pumpkin bread.
Sophie got really into Dominoes for awhile and wanted to play almost everyday.
Kayla planned and made appetizers and dinner one evening. These are her "pizza bites" (ritz crackers with a little tomato sauce and cheese on top).
Pasta with white sauce, dinner rolls, and fruit salad for dinner
October 7 was the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, so we went to a park for some fun (the weather was nice!) and then made a big M&M rosary. Since there are five kiddos, they each got to eat a decade and of course we prayed together.
Clouds for days......
Thank you, Jesus, for the beauty of your incredible creations.
We had a very short fall this year, but this was a lovely day. Fall leaves and sunshine
Kolbe, Sophie, and I headed for a nice walk to a nearby park and enjoyed it to the full.
This boy loves hugs and snuggles. Me too!!
A lovely sunset I caught one evening
This beautiful bud was blooming just before a snow storm blew in. So lovely and unaware that the next day it would be completely annihilated. Isn't that how we all feel sometimes in our lives if we're honest?
Kisses from my sweetie pie
Here comes the snow...in October. ugh.
Reading and journaling one lovely afternoon.
We were surprised at the library one afternoon when we went to grab a bagful of books. There was a teenager there who was making balloon animals for the kids for free. And it was nearing the end of the day so there was no line! Kayla got twin dogs. Ava got a yellow flower.
Sophie picked a green flower. Elise didn't want the pick, but she chose a flower as well. Kolbe had a sword at one point that popped and I think that's a dog that he's holding that was made to replace the sword.
We chatted while the animals and flowers were being made and it turns out the kid goes to a nearby Catholic church and is hoping to be a priest one day. He was so sweet and we told him we'd pray for him and he promised to do the same. What a wonderful extra surprise we got that day during our library visit.
Chris' brother, Nick, recently bought a house and had a housewarming/Oktoberfest party
We helped prepare food and drink beer (and he had some ciders for me!)
Ava insisted on all these pictures. So cute.
Nick's roommate Jerry is an excellent artist and he drew pictures for the girls, which they loooooved.
On the anniversary of the day the sun danced at Fatima, I made up some quick little coloring sheets to use while we said our rosary together.
We made these fun (and easy!) cookies to represent the miracle of the sun dancing.
The kids loved it and it was so easy to pull together! I love easy liturgical living ideas.
We headed to the Children's Museum one day for some fun.
They have so many cool hands-on activities for kids and the kids always have such a great time (we got the membership this year!)
Art room!
adventure course!
What a fun place!
We also began gratitude journals. The idea is to write at least one thing we were grateful for that day (we usually do it after the girls get home from school). We did really well being consistent for awhile and then with all the school breaks in November and December, we got out of the habit, so we're just now getting back in gear. I love to see what they come up with each day and I do one too!
Kayla has asked if we can attend a daily Mass each week before school. We usually go on Tuesdays to a church near their school that has an early Mass. It also has a "relic room" with relics of a bunch of Saints. It's like getting to go see a bunch of really wonderful (and HOLY!!) friends each week.
And after Mass we grab donuts and have a special little breakfast together once a week before school.
Letter crafts.
F is for flower
I think this was D is for Daddy.
These two don't nap for me anymore....
except when they do nap for me. On me.
We got a few nice afternoon naps on walks too in October. Mommy got some good exercise pushing the double stroller and Kolbe napped and usually Sophie rested.
I love hanging out with these two at home.
They are simply wonderful.
I helped plan and organize a Knight's rosary event. Glow-stick rosary. After the rosary we hung out by the fire pit and roasted marshmallows for S'mores.
This is my favorite tree in our neighborhood.
Those colors blazing always bring a smile to my face in the fall.
Blessed is She sent me a new water bottle when my kids broke mine and I didn't even ask. I just posted that it had run it's course and that it was much loved and they sent me one which just made me smile. Shine is my "word for the year" so it was perfect.
Fun with friends
Celebrated the feast of St. John Paul II with some water color paintings of some of his quotes.
More fun with neighbor friends
And then it got COLD!
Beautiful
But cold. But beautiful.
I attended a mini-conference for women to find out your gifts, so you can better serve the church.
Chris went fishing with some buddies from the Knights
He also made these creative choco tacos for our Mexican themed night. We watched Coco, had tamales, and these fun dessert tacos.
It snowed several times in October. It's going to be a long winter, I think.
But I have this view out my back kitchen window. These are dried wild flowers that the girls brought home for me when they went camping with Chris this summer. I love them, especially with a beautiful snowy backdrop. So pretty and peaceful.
Fun with some of our fav neighbor buddies.
Tall bird, Short bird game
Ava had to come up with a way to make the Egyptian pyramids for a school project. She chose marshmallows and toothpicks.
I was so proud of her. She did it all by herself.
Kayla wanted to bake one day, and of course her sisters wanted to help. I love this shot of Kayla and Ava working together.
More teamwork.
And there's always teamwork for licking the beaters.
Success!!
The school had a Curriculum Day. Each class dressed up as people they had been studying in history or literature and played games from the time period and had themed food. We helped make a Roman tic-tac-toe game and some roman numeral cookies for Elise's class.
last minute, I got to go and help out at the party as well. So much fun! The other girls had a lot of fun at their celebrations too.
Sophie just wanting to pose with some of our fav Saints
And of course the month ended with Halloween. We trick or treated with some friends and had them over for chili beforehand. Our kids went with a Disney prince/princess theme.
Sophie was Princess Anna from Frozen. Kayla was Cinderella.
Ava was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Kolbe was part bear/part Merida's little brother (one of the triplets, if you've seen the movie).
Elise was Snow White.
I love this sweet neighbor of mine. Just the best kind to have. Not just a neighbor, but a dear friend.
The sky was lovely as we began trick or treating.
And there's October in a nutshell. I miss fall already.
