BEAUTIFUL fall colors...

WOW!  That's all I have to say.  I went home one day last week and was so amazed by the beauty around me.  I couldn't stop thinking about it so I got out my camera and drove around town.  I probably looked like a lunatic to whomever observed me pulling over on city streets taking pictures.  Oh well...

a very colorful yard :)

Wind and rain brought down some leaves...this street had a nice driving path.

These are my favorite...the trees that couldn't decide what color to be...so they have multi-colored leaves.  LOVE IT!

Mack encouraged me to be sure to get pictures of trees of all colors.

yellow

red

orange

The boys have enjoyed time outside in our backyard... love these guys!

Of course, Mack jumped in the leaves!

Football season

Our football season has come to an end.  We were 5-6 this year.  We love football season and have enjoyed supporting Scott and the football team.  However, Mack and I are REALLY looking forward to having Scott home with us ALL winter!

Mack fell asleep on me before half time at one of our last games.  I enjoyed every moment. :)

Scott poured his heart into coaching our team to be good players on the field and great young men off the field. We are so blessed to have this man lead our family!

We love our Indians!

family night...

We got out of the house last Saturday evening and went to Quincy.  We shopped a little and then had dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings...a Murdock family favorite!  Sports ALL around and enough noise to let loose and have fun together.

family pics...

 

Out-take...these boys melt me...

We got out the tripod this year and went to school for a nice brick background...this went quick and smooth...what more could we ask for?

 A fun afternoon!

Mr. and Mrs...

Trick - OR - Treat

We trick-or-treat on beggars night here.  So we dressed up and hit the town Wednesday evening.  It was chilly and raining...we went to the square for trunk or treat and visited some friends.  Mack had a blast.

Here he is...firefighter Mack.    

tough guy...

my lil' hero...

in action... 

So, trick-or-treating was great.  Now, let me reveal the TRUE story.  We Murdocks have had a bout with the stomach flu.  Teaching really helps keep our immune systems active and strong.  I was sick last week on Thursday.  Mack got hit with it five days later on Tuesday.  There was a moment when he laid on the couch and croaked out "Mom,...I...can't...wait...to...go...trick...-or-...treating...and...get...lots...of...candy...!"  He said this with as much excitement as a sick little boy could muster.  (It took him about 2 minutes to get out that one excited sentence!)

I began mentally preparing myself to be the bad mom who would have to tell him that we couldn't go...
However, he had a quick recovery and bounced back right away.  (I, on the other hand, had a 24 hr. virus and then was stuck to the couch/bed for three more days.)  House has been clorox-ed and lysol-ed...

Scott has been right in the middle of his playoff season.  I prayed for him to avoid this altogether or get sick and get it over with...(knock on wood) he has avoided it completely!  Unbelievable and fortunate for him!

Pumpkins & Treats

We finally cleaned and

carved our pumpkins.  

Mack was NOT very excited to help 

dig in & clean out the pumpkins. 

He decided he wanted a 

mad jack-o-lantern...

and a happy jack-o-lantern...

this one cracks me up!  

I have never carved such 

a big pumpkin before!

We had fun and enjoyed being 

creative & messy.

We also made treats for Mack's party at 

his babysitter's & for my first graders...

Frankenstein & Dracula popcorn bags:

Ghost dum-dums:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Amazing...

Mack is amazing ... I am so thankful for this happy, smart, funny, sweet, joyful, trying, clever, loving, silly, loud, questioning, persistent, playful, strong-willed, adorable, fast, ornery, caring, and curious little boy that I get to call my son.  

Sometimes we get so busy with life and doing stuff that I need to remind myself to slow down, be patient, and enjoy EVERY moment.  

silly

adorable

fast

ornery

A few weeks ago we were at a football game and sat behind my friend Nancy.  She was wearing a shirt to support her son.  This is what was on the back:

Mack got really excited and said, "Look mom - Nancy has the same name as you, M-O-M!"

(kinda melts your heart, doesn't it?)

so sweet