The Royal Trumpet Tooter and other good stuff

I can't remember if I mentioned our decision to keep Nora home another year before Kindergarten (she turned 5 in July).  It's been so fun watching the girls play together during the day and interact with each other.  And, because Nora is a middle child, she tends to get lost in the crowd of her brother and sisters.  She has been loving the individual attention she gets during Lena's naps.

Our living room rug often turns into Block City during the day.  Lena loves to role-play and will take the little girl doll from the dollhouse, or Nora's Hatchimals, or just other blocks to be people, and have them act out little scenarios.  Nora usually builds swimming pools or campers or playgrounds with her blocks and then Lena copies a smaller version for herself.

 They also love to color and draw.  We go through so much paper in this house.

Clare was encouraged by us to take Band this year.  She is loving it so far.  She picked the trumpet and has been having fun learning it.  The kids have a story called "The Royal Trumpet Tooter" so the little kids asked if they could "toot" on Clare's trumpet.  I wish I could post the video of Lena using it because she wrapped her little feet around the "bell" while blowing into the mouthpiece.  She actually produced some pretty good sound - from the kitchen I thought it was Clare.

One of the best things this fall is that all three big kids know how to ride pedal bikes.  Clare taught Nora over Labor Day weekend and then Karl - who up til then had been too afraid to learn - quickly decided not to be outdone.  So now thanks to this bike stroller from Matt's sister Leah we are able to go on bike rides together.

Some days I'll walk and push the stoller so Molly can get a walk in too. Poor girl is getting too old to keep up with the bikes.

 We have had bountiful apples this year!  Nora and I cranked out 7 gallons of applesauce last Monday and we made more this weekend.   Hate to let all that free food go to waste.  (Though I will admit that I get a little tired of applesauce making after awhile and so do the kids.  But we enjoy it all winter!)

These girls have been enjoying morning tea with Mommy.  I'll make my black tea with honey and cream and they'll take turns picking out an herbal tea that they steep in this container here before pouring into their mugs.  Here they're smelling the "Black Cherry Berry" that Nora picked out.  It's fun to have morning tea with my girls.  I think in the winter we'll have to bake some little cookies and make mini sandwiches and go all out.  I say winter because I don't have time for that stuff in the fall.  I asked Clare to bake cookies on Saturday because I was busy cutting up apples.  She picked a recipe with maple syrup and coconut and did everything herself except put them in the oven.  I really appreciate that she loves to bake and can do it well.

Karl is such a darling big brother to Lena.  He is so good with her, kind and thoughtful.  When Lena gets tired, she grabs all her things -- water bottle, fishy pillow, flower bunny, bunny with the bow, her donkey, her baby with the ladybug onesie, and her heart blanket -- and settles herself on the couch. Here, Karl is saying her bedtime prayer with her (in the middle of the day!).  Her special toys are on "bunkbed" stools on the other side of Karl.

I just love these kids.  This blog is a way for me to pause time that is rushing by way too fast.  I want to remember all these cute little moments when they've grown up.