Winterizing

It is nice that harvest is nearing completion and John's work is starting to slow down a bit.  He didn't end up going in to work today, but instead stayed home from church with the kids.  Blaine has had a horrible cough the past few days, causing all of us to lose some sleep as he coughs and as he and I spend half of the night sleeping together in the chair so that he can sit upright a bit more.  We decided that it wouldn't be the best idea to take him to church so John stayed home with him.  And there was no way I was getting Ava to go to church with me then if Daddy was home with Blaine.  I think that the kids have missed him a lot during harvest season!  But we all spent some time together working outside this afternoon as it got nicer out.  Since it is November already, we decided to winterize things and move things inside.  So we moved the patio furniture, the hammock, the hoses, the trampoline and the teeter-totter inside for the winter.  The kids love that they can continue to jump on the trampoline all winter long inside the toolshed!

 Then Ava realized that there were enough leaves on the ground to rake into a good jumping pile, so she got the rakes and we made a fun pile to jump in.  We also covered the strawberry plants with straw - both kids seemed to like throwing straw all around - getting at least some of it on the strawberry plants:)  Then somehow Ava progressed to worm searching and collected tons of worms in her little wagon.  Thankfully, John convinced her that they would like a new home in the garden rather than in the garage in her wagon!

I think we are mostly ready for cold weather now - whether I like it or not.  Blaine gets excited every morning when we see frost on the ground - saying he wants snow.  Me, on the other hand, not so excited to even see that frost!