Bowling Mania

Now that we finally have the proper Internet and can download pictures faster, I must get caught up on our happenings. We went bowling on Halloween day with some friends that were passing through on their way back to London.

Mason is always happy to be bowling, but he loves it even more since he started the 4th grade and they go to the bowling alley for their community time every couple of weeks. He really is spoiled in his school!

Brennan finally was understanding about the game and through quite a few down that were right down the middle. He does take after his siblings, in that he has to lay down and view the ball going down from the side.

Taylor was also willing to throw it instead of using the ramp and she found that she was quite good as well.

Carter is getting better and better, he also has a little competitive bug in him, watched the scores the whole time and was trying to figure out how much he needed to win.

This is Elder Kats, who was the one passing through. As he has been mentioned on the blog before, lets just say....we have adopted him as our brother. :)

Mommy and Taylor having a break from all that bowling.

Elder Kats with his companion at the time, Elder Hatch

Uncle Mike was also still with us, the kids were so excited when he was around. Brennan was going through pictures on the computer with me yesterday and even remembered his name--I think that is the first time that has happened outside our immediate family.

The next time we went bowling was the first week in November. The kids were out of school for their half term and we were recruited to help some 20 odd missionaries to get on the base for a day of fun. They were meeting as a zone, and the kids were in heaven with this many Elders, and the added bonus of some Sisters!

Carter took the camera and had a fun time going around snapping some shots. I appreciate the fine example all of these men or women are when they come to our home or when we just meet them for a fun afternoon. We have made some dear friends and are grateful for the opportunity we have to spend the time we do with those that are about the Lord's work in the London Mission.

Carter was especially fond of the sister missionaries. Taylor wouldn't leave their side either. They always have the Elders in our home, so I think they like having the sisters around.

Halloween...finally

So I am just getting these pictures from friends, so sorry for the delay. This was Halloween at the church Trunk or Treat. The kids had a blast and were so excited for the fun night! Carter was a creepy skeleton, Mason was dracula, Brennan was a warlock--even though you can't see his whole costume and he wouldn't let me paint his face, Taylor and Mom were witches..no dressing up required, best costume ever :) Dad was a pirate. Enjoy!

Guy Fawkes Day

We did have a great night celebrating Guy Fawkes day with some fabulous fireworks in Bury St Edmunds(the town we live).

The kids and Hollie with the Schmidt family. The boys found a great muddy field to watch the fireworks from instead of paying for up close and personal tickets. It was a grand time!

Elder Machen

The blog has become the official place to keep track of all the Elders we meet. Elder Machen left in October and we had a great night trying to get a picture of everyone with him. :) It really just ended up being a fabulous night of silly pictures.

This is Elder Pulotu, the kids think he is so silly, and Mason especially loves to attack him and strangle him to near death with a Mason super hug.

Carvin' it up

We had a fun Halloween weekend and even carved pumpkins this year! The kids were so excited to carve the pumpkins that we went and picked up at a local farmer, which they spent awhile trying to decide the perfect pumpkin for them! All of them did the actual carving in most cases and they had fun being allowed to use a knife for once. We tried to get Carter to eat some, but he chickened out pretty quickly.

Taylor was having a great time until I put pumpkin gut slime on her hands. Then she decided she would draw a sad pumpkin face. So that is exactly what she did!

Brennan was super stoked about the "nasty guts" and thought it was pretty stellar getting his hands deep in the pumpkin and pulling it all out.

Mason just giggled during his cleaning out process, he always thinks this part is funny.

Taylor wiping her hands on her dress, because where else would you put a slimy mess?

Carter couldn't get enough of the guts and wanted to help clear everyone else's.

I obviously helped Brennan with his pumpkin face. He is a little obsessed with all things "scary" so that is what we went with. He loved having a "scary face" and kept pretending to be scared of it.

Carter also thought his was very intimidating.

Taylor wanted to be like her pumpkin and be a sad little child carving a pumpkin.

Mason and Dad's completed masterpiece with the completed candle inside. Mason was thrilled when he saw it all lit up and smiling back at him!

I have decided that castles are like the grown-up man playgrounds. Uncle Mike came here the first week in October and we were able to get one day of castle exploring in. We first ate at this little pub right outside the castle gate, and I failed to take pictures of our food like a good commentator would have, but it was yummy. Uncle Mike had to sample the local beverage selection and then we told him he needed to climb the castle. This is no easy task and a little assistance was needed.
I must have taken the one with him actually in the window with his camera because I couldn't find it. It was a great climb and no one got hurt! :)

We saw another window, I told you it was bad from the beginning. We were lucky it wasn't a busy day, and could roam and wander at our pace and leisure.

Mason has been giggling with excitement since the first day Uncle Mike was here. I think it is because he is so excited about all the delicious and spicy food he has eaten as Uncle Mike played Chef in the kitchen. Such wonderful service! Anyone who is going to cook like that can stay at our place as long as they want!

You may recognize this castle as Framlingham Castle, which has been on the blog before. It tends to be one that we can make a simple and inexpensive day trip out of and the kids both little and big love it.

This sums up how Brennan felt about leaving the castle.

After Framlinghan we made our way about 12 miles closer to the coast and visited Orford Castle. Framlingham is an example of a castle that is really just the outer walls still left and Orford is a very neat and well preserved example of a keep.

Upstairs in the keep was the Great Hall which is now used as a little museum type area where they display all the items they have found around the area of the castle over the years. Coins, pipes, tools, and many other incredible pieces were on display.

The Keep

Uncle Mike having a go at pestering Mason. I think that they had a great time with one another.

I love this little bum picture because it shows what castle exploring is all about. To visit these wonderful and fascinating places still puts me in awe at what they could accomplish with the little they would have had. I love that our children get to see these things as they grow and I hope they never take advantage of it.

We love this cottage on our drive and although we couldn't get a full picture of it, we still wanted to share it. Love this place!