Sheppard family reunion

This past weekend we drove 2 hours to Franklin, Georgia to Auntie Susan's new home.  She married George Watkins on Valentine's Day this year and now they live on 500 acres of beautiful Georgian land.  We arrived late which is why we aren't in the big group shot but we had such a beautiful time.  My great uncle Johnny and Aunt Lynn came from Australia and they have the kindest spirit about them.  Perhaps it is partly their charming accents but it is just soothing to be around them.  

We also had Glenn and Jackie Sheppard there from Missouri.  My great great grandfather Joushua Calvin Sheppard is Glenn's great grandfather.  (I hope I am getting this right!). They had two out of three of their children there, Trent and Krista.  Krista and her husband Mark live in Kansas City with their 3 children Arianna, Hudson, and Hunter.  Trent lives in Boston with his wife and 3 children.  We felt so happy to be around them.  Even through we may be distant cousins it instantly felt natural and genuine to be around them.  

I am so grateful for family ties and for keeping them and nurturing them.  I loved the common love we all shared for our Savior around the campfire last night.  John brought the guitar and we sang How Great Thou Art, Come Thou Fount, O My Father (requested by Aunt Lynn), and so much more.  John and I sang Murder in the City more beautiful than we ever have before.  I love taking our talents wherever we go and sharing them together.  I felt so proud to have my love by my side.

The children ran and played in piles of leaves, wrestled with the dogs, looked at the roosters, ran up and down hills and through the fields.  We had s'mores around the fire accompanied by John's guitar and a big white ring around the moon above us.

Later that night Susan, Cristy, Nanny, and Candy and I (some in the hot tub and some not) chatted on in to the night.  I didn't bring a bathing suit so I just hopped in in my pajamas.

Everyone brought their family history and we filled a room of pictures, documents, and family trees.  

I have grown to love family history this year more than any other time in my life. I am so thankful for where and who I've come from.  It is an honor to be alive.   

as big as your face

This past weekend we took Avett to Washington Farms for a little pre birthday celebration.  They had a sunflower field where you could cut any stalk down for $1.  John found one with 15 sunflowers on it and I found one as big as my face! Avett had so much fun exploring and walking through the fields and trying to pick up the pumpkins.  He would say, "I so strong!"  Evie was is a rough mood since she has recently decided to give up naps and her sleep schedule is completely off. She fell asleep 20 minutes before we got there and was deep asleep when we had to wake her up.  When we were paying for our warty pumpkin and sunflowers she saw popcorn for sale and cried for some. We didn't get it so it turned in to a melt down. Such is life with children.  

When we walked over to the pumpkin patch the weather was perfect.  It was slightly chilly with a breeze.  I'd say it was the perfect October day.  This is such a fun month and I just get giddy over any sort of fall activity.

apple picking

This past Friday Evie and I went apple picking with my mom at her husband's house.  We picked Yates and Fuji's.  My mom rode us around in their four wheeler and I would stand up in it and hand down the apples I picked for Evie to put in the bucket. She wanted to eat them straight off of the tree, so we let her.  That night I made two lattice top apple pies from scratch.  It doesn't get more homemade than apples right out of the backyard and a homemade buttery flakey crust with Plugra butter.  

I just love that fall is creeping in.  The mornings are perfect here but by 3 it's normally 79 or 80 degrees.  I'm so excited for when it cools down for good.  I love that October starts tomorrow.  That means so many good things are coming: my birthday, General Conference, holidays, fall weather, oh and WE ARE HAVING A BABY!  This could be the week!

Here are some polaroids from our apple picking.

fall things

There are so many reasons this time of year is special to me. I can't believe a year ago I was pregnant with my sweet girl. I loved being pregnant in the fall. It's crazy how I can hardly remember what it was like to be pregnant though. I know I loved it and I know it was the most beautiful I've ever felt. But the details are hazy. I miss feeling little kicks inside of me. I would do it again as soon as I could, being pregnant is wonderful.

Fall is almost here and I can hardly wait. The calendar may say it is fall but Mother Nature sure doesn't know it yet. This 80 degree weather is putting a damper on my deepest desires to wear boots and blazers. But today I sweated it out and wore one any way. I went to the Corn Maze and Pumpkin patch with my sister, mom, and the babies. I'm so excited to be doing fall things.