The kids have been on a Lilo and Stitch kick after Eva decided she wants to go to Hawaii. They ordered the first one and then there are two others that we found at the library. I have to say, I wasn't thrilled with the prospect of bringing Lilo and Stitch home when I first saw the cover of the video a couple of years ago, but it has since grown on me and I particularly love the end scenes in the original when the aliens and the social worker and Lilo and Stitch and her sister and her boyfriend all seem to have this lovely makeshift family. It is sweet and extremely funny.

Grandpa has come and gone and we had a lovely time visiting. He stayed a day extra this time and it was nice to have a quiet last day. Of course there was miniature golf and we took a walk at the Arboretum and ate pizza and Mexican food. Jack had daily morning walks and Samuel and Grandpa played many Shadow games with knights and legos and castles. Eva joined in some this time as well. There was a lot of checkers played and some chess and quite a bit of Uno and Go Fish.

Samuel's riding lessons have started back up after his teacher took a long family vacation over the summer. He is thrilled to be riding again and is trying to figure out how to get a horse of his own. We are going to a horse show tomorrow at the stables where he takes lessons to see some of the other people ride. Some of them are quite good and there are people of all ages and levels.

Today I made some more minestrone and some tomato dill soup- to eat and to freeze for winter. I still have a ton of tomatoes and I think I am just going to freeze them this year and not can any of them. After the peaches and pears, I am just not up for any more canning and I have my freezer in the garage that still has enough space in it for tomatoes.

I bought some kale plants and chard plants to put in the garden and can't wait until we start getting some more greens from our produce basket. I have been making lots and lots of tomato juice with my juicer- tomato and carrot and cucumber...

So that's how it is. Food and knitting and organizing. And really getting into the swing of fall. I love fall and really just cannot get enough of the clean air and the beauty of the changing leaves and the big clouds and changing sunshine to rain and back again. I miss my flip flops but have enjoyed putting on my fleece and sitting outside in the cooler air in the mornings.