Evening Sunset, Handwork, Kyle's Schoolwork, and Stella

A couple of pics I took myself...me by the solar panels at night,

and me and Stella by a beautiful Fall Sunset.

This is a cross-stitch that I just finished for our friends in Hawaii. My design :) Next time I will make the hearts solid colors and try to make the honu (sea turtles) bigger.

Below is Kyle trying to do his school work with a very interested little sister.

Kyle is so patient...

See Stella with the pencil...

Now she's ready to write...or throw a tantrum because she wants the camera. Notice poor Mary (the doll I made) face down on the floor.

Me and Stella...

Watch out she has a whip! Look at that face!

Ahhh...there is a better, happier face!

THIS is why we had to remove the kitchen to the other playroom for awhile. She has learned how to climb it...not so safe! She wanted to do a chalk drawing.

Stella and the Solar Panels

If you didn't know this about me, then you'll probably figure this out...I'm obsessed with our solar panels :)

(Above picture shows frost on the panels) Why? Because I love HOT water and I love being warm and now I seem to have both those things in plentiful supply. Yay! The last couple of mornings it's been 20F outside, but 71F inside...all from the solar radiant floors. Yesterday evening it was 49F outside and 77F inside...this morning its 45F outside and 73F inside...with no additional heat other than our solar hot water panels. We've never been this warm! Stella loves it too :) I know it's common for parents to gush about their kids, but honestly I've never met a cuter kid!
She's happiest in the morning when she wakes up (just like me!) and she loves to pick on Kyle. She doesn't torment Reeve like she lovingly does Kyle.

The lump in the bed is Kyle and it's about 8am on a sunny Sunday morning (October 3rd 2010) and Stella is ready for Kyle to get up!

We've nicknamed her "Godstella". She means business!

Ahhh, but wait, Tommy is calling her to come look at the solar panels.

"Here I come Papa!"

Above is her smile for the camera.

Kyle: "What time is it?" Stella: "It's time to get up bro...that's why I've been stomping on your head bed."

Here she comes, full of Stella Gusto!

Frost is melting on the solar panels...

The little panel on top is the solar electric panel that runs the DC pump that pumps the nice HOT water from the panels to the house and then back out to the panels to get re-heated in the SUN.

Frosty morning, and Stella still refuses to put pants on...or shoes. Tough kid.

Here she's realizing that it is COLD outside and her feet are cold and she's asking Tommy to pick her up.

 Wow! It's hard to believe it's been over a month since I posted anything to the blog! I've been on a learning curve with trying to figure out the best way to save my pictures. I tried Flickr, but then I had to download all my pictures twice if I wanted to post something to the blog. I'm resigned to the fact that Picasa it is, and I've been trying to figure it out. I like the privacy settings of Flickr better, and hopefully my friends/family aren't bugged by getting emails about my Picasa photo uploads.

The above picture is from Orientation Day at Reeve's school. He just had 4 days off and really was reconsidering going back to the daily grind. It's been good for him, but we all miss each other by the end of the week.

Now for some photo catch-up:
We now have nice HOT solar heated INDOOR shower water, but it's always fun to remember those times, not too long ago, when we were roughing it...

Above Reeve taking an outdoor shower and below Tom having an outdoor shower in the moonlight.

 Stella reading a book in Kyle's bed...

 wait the blanket is not quite right!

 There, that's better...but, the book is upside down!

Tommy and Stella hanging out in the last warmth of summer.

Sitting by the hidden raised bed...full of weeds...if you look really hard you can see some Red Russian Kale!

FULL OF WEEDS!

Ahhhh....there is one of the raised beds weeded (I didn't have a "before" pic for this one).

Here is Stella standing on the raised bed that is now 3/4 weeded....this is the same one that was full of weeds above...

Our solar panels...We LOVE our solar panels!!

Last butterfly and Kyle pics...this one he found outside!

If you look closely you can see a deer in our backyard!

Yet another picture of Stella with a book! She loves to look at them.

Everyday since about June (well we've skipped a handful of days since then) we've been going on a mile walk right before supper.

Stella LOVES it, and it's been a really good routine for us all.

The boys can get their last bit of sillies out before we eat and then settle down for the day. Kyle is a ham.

Kyle lost his shoe!

Stella can make it about halfway before she gets a free ride on Tommy's back.

More posts in November! I promise :)