Additional 'Charity' Ideas

Some of responses to The Devlin Backyard Project tickled my very sore thoart. I thought I'd add a few more to the list. I also don't think everyone realized I was making a funny, so to be clear: THIS POST, as well as, the DBP post are for laughs. As a general rule, this blog is almost always meant to illicit laughter (unless I'm updating health issues, etc). Anyway, back to my 'charity' list.

The Devlin Clean Clothes Movement: Funds generated go directly toward the replacement of the dying cloth cleaning appliances. Don't want us to have to go to the laundromat until we can afford hi-tech $1000+ each replacements, do you? Heaven forbid we take care of our own clothes.

The Devlin Clean Air Project: Funds here go toward the purchase and installation of heating (and cooling) of the basement. As well as proper window and crack sealing and venting to prevent Radon from getting in and not getting out.

The Devlin Clean Home Project: Funds here will go toward the hiring of full time housekeeper to do all heavy cleaning, leaving me free to do what I want.

The Devlin Playland: Funds go toward creating indoor playground for cold winter months.

The Devlin Medical Fund: You can help pay our medical bills, every year we spend at least $4000 keeping our clan in good health. Anyone want to take that on?

The Devlin Transportation Fund: You get to pay for our gas!

The Devlins Want a Handout Project: Basically donate here to fund our life. That way Mark can stay home with me and we can do whatever we want anytime we want while others graciously foot the bill.

Thank you for your contributions. Paypal is standing by (anybody actually know HOW to use paypal).

Jack-o-laterns

Sean's and Ryan's jack-o-lanterns. We went with "what shape do you want the eyes to be?..."

Ryan's second one.

Alex drew and carved "Frankenstein Ferb" all by himself. I just had to loosen it to pop out of the bits.

Andrew asked Mark to do a bat and then he did his second pumpkin all by himself.

Ok, technically I scraped all the yuck out of all the pumpkins. But the big kids drew their own and carved their own.

The Devlin Backyard Project

We've been solicited heavily from all kinds of sources for donations to various 'green' charities. They make no mention of how much goes directly toward said 'green' cause.

I told Mark, we should start our own green charity, "The Devlin Backyard Project." I could tell he like the ring to it. He said, "Every dollar given goes directly to the purchase of a tree."

We need a lot of trees.

What you need for a Haunted House

A creepy, spooky scarecrow!

And spiderwebs with spiders all over them.

Recent snaps

Yesterday was crazy hat/hair day at school. Guess which Alex picked!

Seany modeling his sweater. Ryan's actually the sweater lover, but this day he wasn't feeling it and Seany wanted to wear it.

First night back in his own bed and Andrew barely stayed in his bed.

Seany wanted to ride the horsey.

Random fall fest snaps

Seany behind a tree or maybe I'm behind the tree?

Ryan refusing to pose.

My two agreeable heroes.

Alex in the stocks.

Alex and Andrew checking out the blacksmith's handywork.

Painted Faces

Andrew announced, "Ok babies, I'm getting spiders on my cheeks. Are you getting spiders too?"

What do you think?

Seany with electric blue.

RyGuy with a more tradional look.

And Andrew with his "blue spiders to match my costume."

More Farm fun

"Mommy! Take our picture with this animal!" Andrew ordered (he does wee too much ordering).

Visiting one of the trick or treat stations. All the little girls (especially the princesses and fairies) wanted to be up in the coach getting a photo snapped. My brood just collected their candy and bolted.

Alex didn't like the rockwall back in July. But he's a brave kid and tried it again. He got within a couple feet of the buzzer before he slipped. We were very proud of him, not only for trying it again, but by besting himself by more than double!

The little kids played

On these amazing super cool forts, they had little peep holes in the corner forts for proper battling.

Seany after eating his first candy and not being allowed a second or a third or a ...

Young Living Lavender Farm Fall Festival

Alex aka Indiana Jones was too cool to ride the pony, until the very last second.

Our muscle bound power ranger, Andrew.

Seany aka SuperSean was a bit flirty.

And then we get to SuperRY. He was so busy petting his "horse" (not to be confused with a pony) that he didn't want to move on.

And these ladies and gentlemen are my heroes. Indiana Jones, "the blue Jungle Fury Power Ranger," Supermen, and my sexy hubby.

Young Living Farm is about 15 miles south of us. Its a real working lavender farm (other herbs also) about 1600 acres. They turned about 10 acres into a family fun place with a rock wall, old west town, playgrounds, wagon rides, paddle boats, picnic area, restaurant, fire pits, bandstand, etc. They even are adding a medieval English village with grand stands for jousting, archery, axe throwing, etc very cool.

Really fun for families! What I liked best was you just had to pay for the chicklets. The grownups got in for free. The kids trick-or-treated through the western town, Alex climbed the rock wall, the playgrounds are super cool. Just all around fun place to take them.

Pumpkinland fun

How many clowns in your family?

Ryan and his Daddy in the corn maze.

Sean and Alex made it to the CENTER of the maze and found the witch! They each got a teeny tiny candy.

Sean really liked the jack-o-latern.

Alex in an eye, Ryan in an eye, Andrew in the nose, and Seany by the tooth.

Pumpkinland

"Mommy, you need to take our picture in front of the big cat!" Andrew ordered.

"Look! Its the huge pumpkins! And there is one for each of us!" Alex cheered.

Pumpkinland is a fun place at an Orem nursery. We've gone every year since we moved here. They offer a great little kids experience complete with corn maze, haunted highway, 2 play grounds, rabbit, chicken, a molting turkey (I'd swear he molted last fall too), lighted alley, and inflatables that we never get to do (since its always wet).

I made the mistake of believing the weaterman

So Sean and Ryan were dressed for an artic freeze and when we got outside it was like 60 degrees.

Testing out the new playground

Ryan and Seany at the cafe table.

Ryan and Papa Pat peeking through the window.

Ryan on the duo glider.

Andrew on the glider.

Sean and Alex trying out the swings.

Andrew helped out too

Andrew (with a little help from his dad) got into this bobcat(?).

He 'used' the levers.

And would you believe he took care of those rocks for me?

While some men worked, others did not work

Sean used his tractors.

Andrew tested out the 'bowlance' beam.

Backyard progress

The completed playyard area.

The lawn area.

Construction time with Alex.

Fort building with Daddy, Papa Pat, Papa Dave, and Alex.

Very important beam placement.