family-filled October

Well, we are nearly halfway into October and I have been totally MIA.  The past two weeks have flown by and been filled to the brim with great days and lots of love.

 Lewis was baptized and we all got to watch the love of Christ exude out of him.  It took place a Lew's church at school but it also super special that he asked my dad to perform the baptism.  He had forgotten to ask dad beforehand and so he suddenly remembered in front of the church.  Dad was very happy to do so.  The whole family was in attendance and I couldn't have been more proud of my baby brother.

After the service we went back to Lew's apartment and had the lunch of rice and beans (and chicken) that mom made and brought with us.  

By Friday night we were headed off to Zac's football game in Warsaw.

 Whitney went with us.  My solution to the wind blowing my hair all around was the scarf around my neck.  We were loving all the fall foliage along the way.

 We made a pre-game pit stop in downtown Warsaw where they were having their October First Friday celebration.  Poka music!  Our cousin Sandra and her little boy Johnathan were in town for the weekend.  He was having a ball!

The next morning it was back to Warsaw for a family get together.  My grandma recently broke her hip and so this was her first outing since she has been in rehabilitation.

 Jason was pretty thrilled to have his Rachael home for the weekend.

 My own dear Rachel made her very first ground cherry pie - grandma's favorite - for the occasion.  It was super yummy.  She did good, real good.

 Sam loved this little guy too.  Sam is so scared of babies (he's afraid of breaking them) but toddlers are an entirely different story.

 Cousin George and Zachary.

 I know this is an awkward, mid-sentence photo but I just love it.  It just reminds me of the stacks of photos mom took of us when we were little, except it is two decades later, Sandra is still holding a baby but he is hers.

 We share similar fashions.  Her skirt is fab.

We had a great Sunday brunch, all the brothers and J's Rachael around the Telschow table.  I made some beautiful regular (non-Sharon-friendly) pancakes and took a stab at some vegan pancakes.  They taste good but still need some textural work.

 When it came time for Lewis and Josiah to leave last night (Sam went home Sunday) mom bribed them with cookies and they left in the morning instead.  She was very happy.

Now it is time to soak up the fall.  The brothers won't be home until Thanksgiving.  There is only one game left in the regular season of football, I am looking forward to that.  The fall drama is rapidly approaching and I will soon be working away on the sets. 

After weeks of rain, rain, rain it has been beautiful outside.  The smell of fall is everywhere and an after work cup of tea has been my new evening ritual.  I take it around 4:15, shoot me a text if you want to join the party.