Goodbye October.

 

Four babies in, and I am still surprised at how time flies that first year. Suddenly October was upon us and with it the fair and pumpkins and costumes and parties. And, now just as suddenly it is coming to an end. September was pretty much the same way, and the few months before it really just seem to have all blurred together. This is my favorite season, so I wish it would slow down. The weather is pretty much wonderful. The leaves are starting to turn and fall, and well, there are pumpkins. I love pumpkins.

 

 

There are also the costumes. It's so fun to put them together and/or make them for my little ones. They get such joy out of dressing up, and they will use and reuse their costumes all year round until they are literally falling apart. Then they'll come to me crying and ask me to fix them.
 

 

The only costume I made this year was Levi's. He has been asking for a Toothless (from How To Train Your Dragon) costume for months. As usual he was very particular about how he wanted it, so I let him stay up late one night to help me make it.
 

 

 

 

My mom bought the girls "pumpkin princess" outfits. When we went to our church's Fall Festival Lillian decided to go as a kitty pumpkin princess, and Sophia went as a butterfly pumpkin princess.
 

 

 

 

After a week of fun Fall events, we had our own little family "Pumpkin Party" tonight with my parents. The kids and I carved a pumpkin to bring to the party.
 

 

Joshua dressed like a bee for the party, but that lasted all of a nanosecond before he insisted his costume be taken off.

While Stephan kept the kids outside this afternoon I made a caramel apple pie for our dessert. You can tell I was all by myself in the kitchen because I actually had a chance to play with my food and then take a quick picture.

Since we don't live in a neighborhood anymore trick-or-treating is a hassle. Last year we started doing candy hunts at home instead. It was such a hit, and it's looking like it might become a bonafide tradition around here.
 

 

 

 This year we added in a hayride too.

 

 

It was a first for Joshua. He wasn't so sure what to think of it.
 

 

 

 

 

  It's been a fun month. I'm a little sad to see it coming to an end. But, hey, November is up next, and that's a fun month too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Punkin' Pickin' I

Saturday, I thought it would be really awesome for us to go to a pumpkin patch. The kids and I already had plans to go to another pumpkin patch with my mom later, but this was one of the few days that Stephan would be able to go. So...we went. Can we say "over-packed schedule"? We were two very tired parents by the end of it. It wasn't a total loss, and we did actually enjoy our day for the most part. However, it was overkill. Totally and completely. Of course, I decided that we neeeeeded to check out a new to us pumpkin patch. It was only way over an hour away (problem #1). Then to top it off, unbeknownst to us, they were having a festival over the weekend (problem #2). We drove up to cars as far as the eye could see. Stephan's first words upon arrival, "We are never coming here again."
The kids did have a blast, though, and once the two grownups came to terms with being in such a crowded place, we were able to enjoy things a lot more. And, hey, a few closely cropped photos make it very nearly look like we had the place to ourselves! Oh. my. how deceiving looks can be.

Levi and Sophia were so excited to find another wooden cow to milk. Actually when we walked up and Sophia saw all the vendors and play equipment, she gasped and said, "We're at the fair!" I'm pretty sure the wooden cow sealed the deal and convinced her that she was right.

If you're ever trying to get my kids to smile, saying "smile" is not the way to do it. That just elicits this response...

After lots of playing and train rides and milling about we headed for the line to get on the wagon tour. To their credit Mitchell Farms has things neatly organized and laid out so that despite the crowds there really weren't any super lengthy waits.

Unfortunately, this is where the photos end. About halfway through the wagon tour the bottom fell out (of the sky). When the tour was over and it was time to pick out our pumpkins the rain had lightened up a bit. We grabbed our pumpkins and ran to the van....wet and tired. Poor Levi. We warned the kids that they would have to carry their own pumpkins, so they should choose wisely and pick something they could carry. Levi insisted on the largest pumpkin he could find. He carried that pumpkin all the way to the car. There were tears involved. There were even moments when I wanted to rescue him (not that I had enough hands to do that), but after a few meltdowns along the way he persevered and made it to the car with his giant pumpkin. Oh the lessons of childhood! They are hard on both kiddo and parent sometimes.

Because of Stephan's work schedule it's almost always difficult to plan pumpkin patch trips so that he can come with us, so every year I say the solution is that we're going to plant our own pumpkins. Somehow that never happens. So Stephan came up with a new plan for next year. We're going to buy a bunch of pumpkins, stick them out in our own pasture, hook up the trailer and tractor, and go to our own personal "pumpkin farm". Or maybe next year will be the year that I finally get my act together and plant pumpkins.

Halloween

As usual my parents joined us for our Halloween festivities. It just wouldn't be the same without them.

We got a real treat, though, because Stephan was able to be a part of it for the first time. Before, he's always had to work.

A bat, a flower, and a ladybug also spent the evening here. I'm sure you can guess who was who. When the bat tried on his costume he promptly informed me that I had forgotten the tail. I had no idea bats had tails. Did you? They really do. You can Google it if you don't believe me. I sure had to. That boy definitely knows more about his animals than I do. I'm pretty sure I say this every year, but he is really going to have to start making his own costumes if he keeps insisting on such accuracy. ;)

Sophia was the first to wear the ladybug costume. We had to squeeze Lillian into it and buy her some new pants to match, but I think she rocks it pretty fabulously.

The kids had so much fun trick-or-treating. I wish I had Sophia on video saying "twee" at each door. Oh. my. she was so darn cute. Forget the tricks. That girl knew it was treats she was after. (Of course, we had to swap her for some allergy friendly treats when she got home, but she didn't mind a bit.)

And, when all the fun was over and the kids were tucked away in bed, the candy fairy came for a little visit (kiddo invited and approved). She tucked away all of the leftover candy and left a couple of presents behind to be found in the morning. Oh, I do love the candy fairy.

Hope y'all had a happy and safe Halloween!!

Autumn Things

Life has been very full lately. This time of year always is, but having 3 kids makes it even more so. I blink and a month is gone...not in an oops-I-forgot-to-pay-attention way but rather in an oh-my-there-is-so-much-going-on way. Is it possible that time speeds up exponentially with each child? I think so.

Of course, there are some autumn-y things happening around here. Tis the season and all.

Pumpkin picking...

And costume wearing. That's King David walking with an angel...

Levi wanted to be King and boy David for our church's fall festival. So along with his regal robe and crown he has a sling and a bag of "rocks" hanging from his belt. I wish I had pictures of him "slaying" Goliath (a.k.a. Baw-Baw). Too funny.

The festival was tonight, and as usual the kiddos had a blast. I think they would have bobbed for apples all night long...

I still have another costume to finish up for Halloween. Levi wants to be a bat, and Sophia is going to be a (non-mama made) flower. If Lillian can be squeezed into Sophia's old ladybug costume that's what she'll be. Otherwise, I guess she can go as baby Jesus again. That's what Levi dubbed her for tonight's festival.

How's your October going?

Halloween Weekend

Phew. We had a wonderful weekend, but this mama sure is worn out! Saturday we went to our church's Fall Festival. Before the sun went down my dad and I ushered the kiddos outside for an impromptu photo shoot. They were moving targets....

We headed back indoors to enjoy some fun games and good food. Levi...oops, I mean the Dragon, especially liked apple bobbing...

Monday rolled around at an unusually fast speed...possibly due to the incessant questions about when we would go trick or treating. Our town puts on a Halloween festival each year. I'm not a fan of crowds, so I've avoided it until now. However, my dad was volunteering there, so my mom and I took the kids around while he passed out candy. It was actually very well planned and not at all the overwhelming experience that I had imagined.

You'd think that would have been enough, but Levi wanted to do more. When we got home (well past dark and bedtime) we did some trick or treating around our block. Just as we were nearing our house Levi fell splat on the ground. After that he decided he was done. That is until we got into bed, and he cried because he realized it was all over.

Personally, I was ready for the all over part. Now for Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations to commence!

P.S. Levi is definitely going to need to learn to sew. He was insanely picky about every last detail of his costume. There were things he requested that I just couldn't even figure out how to do (at least I couldn't figure out how to do them and keep the outfit comfortable)
P.P.S. Sophia's costume was tedious, but I love it.
P.P.P.S. Sadly, Stephan never gets to do Halloween with us. Sniff. Sniff.