Nostalgia wins

 I have very fond memories of going to a local pick your own farm with my dad for many, many years growing up.  So, when Chris and I realized our weekends are packed this fall and there wasn't going to be a time to take the girls this week we decided we'd throw legalism to the wayside (who wants that anyway?) and skip church to go :-)  We got there when it opened and had a great time.  We got pumpkins, apples, took a hayride, Ella mastered the Hay Maze, and the hot apple fritters were amazing. There's defintitely something to be said for enjoying God and family in the sanctuary He created once in a while rather than in a more formal one :-)

Preparing to rock the Hay Maze

It cracks me up that Chris was FEET taller than the maze!

Chillin at the Barn

My Peeps!

Not so sure about Hay

Maize Quest!

We took a little road trip yesterday with our Life Group (small group from church that we hang out with/study the bible with every other week) for a fall fun day!  It was great as the pics will show...

 

                    

Having this picture of the map in the camera proved INVALUABLE while we were in the maze! It was hard!

Sadie slept through the maze

Yomi leading the way

Ella LOVED being at the front of the pack and choosing which direction to go :-)

Aaron liked holding on to the "wave it if you get lost" flag :-)

At attempt at a family pic in the maze.  One kid sleeping, one not looking. Not bad though :-)

The three 2010 babies, Sadie, Eislyn, and Mikayla

Family Pic attempt #2-Sadie's asleep but at 9wks old, that's probably the best we can ask of her!

Our Life Group!

Another fall farm!

Fall fun continues :-) We found a new fall farm destination and I think it's my new favorite-so much for the kids to do and so cheap (actually free this time-thanks Shaun and Nana!)

There was an obstacles course and hay maze


A Noah's Ark shaped Playground the kids loved


Trikes


A Hayride :-)

A 9-acre corn maze

Ella was OBSESSED with this 2 story tall slide. She went down probably 50 times!


My lovely friends Jen and Amy

Love this pic Jen took of Ella in the corn kernel pit. Such a fun farm trip!

Fall Crowns

So, while we were at the Tire Park I saw some kids with leaf crowns on and decided I had to figure out how to do it! So, I'm passing on my leaf-crown-making instructions because I think they're wicked cool :-)

Step 1: send your child to gather large, still flexible leaves with stems


Step 2: Lay out leaves and choose the most uniform in size, pretty, and flexible


Step 3: Separate stems from leaves


Step 4: Use stem to "sew" leaves together


Step 5: Lay out band of leaves to make any final touches, then fit to size of child's head and weave final stem to connect


Step 6: Wear 'em!

Tire Park 2

We introduced the cousins to the Tire Park near us. It was a BEAUTIFUL fall day!

Ella has gotten taller and braver since last time we were are this park when she could not do this!

Christopher got a kick out of this inchworm while Ella looked horrified

warming her nose

She spent a long time laying out, counting, and guarding her acorn creation from her cousins




A lesson on fall leaf crowns to come...

Pumpkin Fall Fest

We had a fun time last Saturday at a local pick your own/fall festival farm. Here are a bunch of pics!

Not many recent pics of Amy and me-my great friend and sister-in-law :-)

Hannah, Lexi, and Christopher-Ella's best buddies :-) There was a traumatic/dramatic event just before this where Ella got her head shoved out of the way so another kid could fit in the whole and Ella burst into tears and came running to me. So sad but she recovered quickly :-)

My Brother-in-law, his Mother-in-law and my nephew.

We brought Ella's friend Lexi with us to the farm and they had a great time.

My sister came too and had a great time with the swarms of children who kept saying "hold me! hold me!"

Hannah getting her face painted-this girl LOVES pink more than any 3 year old I know. That's saying a lot.

Love this one!