Harvest Party 2013

We ended October with a bang! As I have done for the last 30 years of my life, I was at our Harvest Party. It does seem odd sometimes that now Eli and I are over the Harvest Party ... the same event that I attended as a child, helped at as a teen, and did what I could when Pastor Stan and Allison ran it. But, here we are!

Our first year running it, we were running around (literally) so much that we didn't even get a family photo. Boo. Last year, we rectified that situation and managed to get one = ) This year, it still was a challenge, and Eli was running down the hall to get one boy, while the other tried to convince me to let him go to "one more booth!" before Daddy got back with the other for the picture. And we had to find what booth Matthias was hiding in as well. Yep. That's our life - wouldn't have it any other way!

Reuben and his buddy Joshua

I had to get over being disappointed with our costumes this year. Eli's was pretty amazing, and he completely put it together himself - I can't take any credit. The boys were super happy with theirs, and that is what truly matters. But, there is a part of me that wants to go ALL OUT with costumes. And then the 2nd week of October hits, and I say to myself what was I thinking? I don't want to sew a ton of stuff? I don't want to take three boys into Hobby Lobby for ANY reason whatsoever!

And our costumes get simplified.

So, ninjas with our sensei is how it all ended ... and once we were all put together, I was happy with it. I always leave thinking ... maybe next year we'll ... Ha! Someone remind me next September to find something simple so that I don't have to feel defeated giving something up.

We had over 800 people come through the Harvest Party. Our biggest year that we can remember in the history of it ... and it went fairly smoothly all things considered. I'm so proud, once again, of Eli and how he runs events and loves his job. We are truly blessed!