Perfect Fall Days

 We are finally hitting my favorite time of year - fall!  Sunny days when it isn't hot are about the best thing ever.  Especially with colorful leaves in the background.  Sadly, the rain is supposed to hit in full force this week so we spent lots of time outside today!  the girls played in the backyard after church.

 And after Heidi's nap the girls and I headed to The Farm in Brownsville to visit with Nana Carol (Mark was gone fishing).  Heidi & I walked outside while Allison played I Spy with Nana Carol.  Then we took a trip to the apple orchard and came home with lots of apples - of all sorts of varieties!  The girls had fun actually pulling them off the trees.  We finished the evening off with dinner at the farm and then took two tired girls home and Mark put them to bed for me!

It certainly was a beautiful day on the farm!

A visit from Miss Leslie

 Leslie came down from Seattle for the weekend and these two girls had a fabulous time.  I might have, too!  It was a very low key weekend with lots of visiting - we had two other college friends drop in, we went to tea at the local tea shop, visited the local carousel (which is getting very close to being constructed!), stopped at a quilt shop and the pumpkin patch farm yet again.  Heidi was quite attached to Leslie by the time she left - snuggling with her after her nap today.  We can't wait to see her again! 

Fall Painting

 We're experiencing some amazing fall weather so we're spending many evenings outside enjoying it.  This past week I pulled out the painting supplies and let the girls go at it.  Heidi was impressively capable and hardly made any mess at all.  Allison used the stamps and very carefully stamped an orange apple with a purple stem and green leaf and she cracked me up when she announced 'Boo-Yeah!' Must be something new she picked up at school! :)

Love that face!!

Expert Driver

 Heidi has become quite adept at steering the big stroller around our house!!  She loads it up and waves good-bye and takes off!  And we can't help but laugh!

Applesauce 2014

 We loaded up on a variety of apples at the pumpkin patch this weekend and Allison & I set out to make our first batch of applesauce.  She is finally old enough that she can keep up with me cutting (I core and section the apples and she cuts them into smaller pieces and puts them in the pot).  She was feeling so confident she wanted to try to section one apple and that didn't go so well but I'm guessing she'll have it down next year!

Pumpkin Patch 2014 - a.k.a. Biggest Photo Op of the Year!

 We took the girls to the pumpkin patch this weekend and met the Wagners there.  I always try to block out the first weekend in October for the pumpkin patch - because we generally still have good weather.  And this weekend did not disappoint!  We arrived at 9 am sharp and pretty much had the farm to ourselves.  The girls loved it, as usual, especially driving the tractor (for Allison & Bekah).  And Heidi is very attached to her pumpkin!  Allison was told by Mr. Nate that she could take home any pumpkin she could carry.....she could carry hers but just barely.  And she tried to get dragging to count as 'carry.'  Mark didn't let that fly.  We were done plenty early so we loaded up on fresh produce from the farm and donuts (pretty much the most amazing donuts ever - and that means something coming from a Kroon) and headed home to make applesauce.  What a fun day!