Fall Festival

Addison's school, The Children's House, had their annual Fall Festival last week.  Addison got some squeezes from Grandpa Steve.

Little cutie all dressed up for Fall Festival.

We actually had jacket weather in October!  We have spent many Fall Fests wearing shorts in the past.

A few changes since Luke attended The Children's House...the apple bobbing contest is now the pick a mini pumpkin contest.  With your hands and not your teeth.  Probably a really good change during prime flu season.  Yuck.

Addison and best bud, Amanda.

Face painting, games, crafts and of course treats.  It was a great day for "Fall Festibal" in Addison speak.

Beautiful October

So blessed to have these three beauties.  

Stephen got home from work around 5 on Sunday and decided it was too pretty to not go on the boat. So we decided to grab some takeout and off we went to enjoy the sunset.  

Going, going...

Sunsets are mesmerizing to all ages.

Stunning.

The best is listening to the kids explain to each other how God felt like painting the sky tonight and what beautiful colors and strokes he used.  We hope they always can appreciate all of the beauty around us and know it is God's gift to us.  

Fall Traditions

October always brings the rumblings of car engines here on the coast as thousands of antique cars come to Crusin' the Coast.

Per tradition, we always take the kids to walk around and pick out their favorite cars.  The girls never fail with picking all the pink and purple cars.

I loved this old school bus, it was so cute.

Crusin' is a huge week long event here on the coast and brings tons of tourism money in.  The first few days, we enjoy watching the cars, "Look at that one! Wow, look at your window! etc."  Towards the weeks end, I am a little over all of the roads downtown being closed as I try to take the kids to school so my Crusin' patience tends to wane.  I think Stephen knew my patience was maxed out because as we were walking to look at the cars, hundreds of cars are still rolling by, with the largest, rumblest engines imaginable.  I went off on one of my tangents about how this would be so much more enjoyable if we did not have to watch for cars driving by and covering our ears,etc. when my better half politely informed me that it was called "Crusin' the Coast" not "Parking the Coast."  Humphh.

Fall also brings our annual Caramel Apple Party!  

Now that is a boat load of apples.  Ha!  A boatload, get it.  The apples are in a boat.

Luke and his buddy, Gar, checking out the toppings bar.  The party just keeps getting bigger every year and I told Stephen if anyone else gets added to the guest list, I am going to try to convince the mayor to make this an Ocean Springs Community Event and put it on the city's bill instead of ours:)  

Addison may or may not have had three bowls full of caramel and sprinkles.  It's good to be the youngest.

Look at the big girls.  It makes me heart hurt to look at this picture and see how big they are getting.

I always attempt to get a group picture of the kids but it is always tough to gather them all.  Here is a sampling of some of the kids!  

This party has really turned into a fun tradition and it does make us happy to hear so many of our friends tell us, "Fall doesn't start until the Boskovich's have the Caramel Apple Party."  We have enjoyed bringing this fun tradition I remember from growing up in Wisconsin (Elegant Farmer, how I miss you) to south Mississippi.  

Stephen and I really noticed how big the kids are all getting during this party.  All the boys had an intense game of football going on, the big girls walked laps and giggled and do what 10 year old girls do.  It was a great time with lots of friends and beautiful weather.  

Seattle Trip

Stephen had his annual ACEP conference in Seattle this year and I was lucky enough to tag along.  

Pike's Public Market was very colorful- the fresh produce, the flowers and the people.  Quite different from small town Mississippi.  

The first night in the city we ate at Sky City on the top of the Space Needle.  We enjoyed watching the sunset from the observation tower and then had dinner with Greg and Andrea, our friends who also came to the conference.

Fun with Greg and Andrea.

The doctors had lectures all day but when they finished their day, they were ready to PARTY!   Wow, ER doctors know how to have a good time.  The night events were really fun and Andrea and I were thrilled to be VIP.  

The parties were held all around Seattle so we could pick and choose which party we wanted to attend to enjoy our drinks, food and bands.  

We all loved the Chihuly Glass and Garden museum.  It was absolutely awe inspiring.  The artist made these amazing glass sculptures that just blew our minds.

This was about 25 feet high.  Amazing, all blown glass.

During the day while the guys filled their minds with new ER techniques, Andrea and I got our fill of bakeries, shopping and hiking.  We had a great time talking and laughing our way through Seattle.

Another event, this time at the Flight Museum.

All these ER doctors were lined up like little boys to take a turn in the jet.  So funny.

Seattle was great but we were both really itching to get home to our babies.  We missed them much more than they missed us because they had sweet Ashley with them, having all sorts of fun.  

Birthday Blessings

I certainly do not look forward to my birthday as much as my children look forward to theirs...however, they do look forward to mine almost as much as theirs.  So another year older, (37! gasp, sputter, sigh) and it was time to celebrate!  Stephen and I took a glorious morning kayak ride while the kids were all in school.  Glorious might seem like an extravagant word for a kayak ride but I think everything is glorious when I get to do it without my kids.  Kidding.  Sort of.

A picture my friend took earlier in the day of Addison and I celebrating her little friend's 4th birthday.  It was great because Addison and I got to have cake and ice cream twice that day!

I recently heard a mom talking about mom's needing to get in the pictures with their children because we often do not (I am fairly certain it must have been Good Morning America because I get all of my news from Sam, George, Robin and Lara.  Love me some GMA while sipping my coffee).  I am all for that idea...preferably on days that I am showered, hair blown dry, a little make up on and some earrings in.  If I am not in workout clothes, bonus!  So, let's see.  That should mean, by my own rules, that I can hop in a picture with my kids about once a month or so.  

Now don't get excited and write me to say, "See Jenni, look, you are showered again and in a picture." Nope, same day just a few hours later.  I am looking not quite as bright eyed and bushy tailed.  

Opening presents with the kiddos.  They got me all things tennis and monogrammed-they definitely know the way to my heart.

We rounded off the day with dinner and cake, homemade by Stephen and the kids, at Grandpa's (my birthday buddy).  Oh look, another picture.  Same day, few hours later still, and looking even more disheveled.  Oh well, Happy Birthday to me and Grandpa!