Pumpkin Patch

Every year we go to the same pumpkin patch to get our carving pumpkin. The girls love it and have been looking forward to going all month!

Because we were so late getting over there this year, we didn't have that great of a selection but we were still able to find one pumpkin that works for us!

After dinner, we set to work carving it up! I bought a little kit at the store that has a kitty cat stencil complete with little gems to add some bling! I think this will be the last year we can get away with a "girly" pumpkin.

Don't be nervous - Savannah is wearing make-up, not sporting a bruise!

I think the pumpkin turned out great and so we took it and the little pumpkins that we painted last week out to the porch!

We can't wait for Halloween!!!

Apple Orchard Adventure

On the second day of our weekend get away Carrie had a real treat in store for us. She took us about 2 hours north into North Carolina to an apple orchard on top of a mountain. The view was amazing!

Of course the first thing the kids wanted to do was play on the playground.

We actually had to hike quite a ways to get to the apples but it was worth the effort!

Savannah filled 3 buckets - all from the ground!

Papa T scaled the tree to get apples for the girls!

My girls worked very hard for those apples! What amazed me is they were cheaper than buying them from the store! Only $1 per pound.

We wanted to go on a hay ride but we missed it and we didn't think the boys would hold out for another half hour so we pretended to take this tractor for a ride!

After the orchard we went into Historic Hendersonville and had a nice lunch outside. Savannah was a little bothered by the sun so I lent her my shades :)

After the long drive back to Carrie's house and a relaxing dinner, Carrie and the girls whipped up an apple crisp over vanilla ice cream using the apples we picked! My oh my was it delicious!

Weekend Get Away to South Carolina

This past weekend was a long weekend for the girls at school so we took the opportunity to drive up and visit Carrie! Dad and his friend Elaine drove with us. Our goal was to see Chase and to see some beautiful fall leaves! And boy did we!!! :)

The leaves were gorgeous! The picture doesn't cut it, but it gives  you an idea. The girls and I were giggling hysterically just looking at them!

Dad and Elaine

These early birds were up by 6 am

After the long drive the evening before, we decided to stay around Carrie's house the first day. Elaine spoiled the kids completely rotten and took them to Toys R Us. Kate made out on new clothes and a bracelet and Savannah got a pair of roller skates! Owen got a cash register toy and a glow in the dark soccer ball just his size.

I was fearful letting her try these but she survived with no ER visit :)

Thankfully they are adjustable so Kate was able to try them out too!

Owen and Chase had a great time playing in the yard together.

Carrie and Kate did this - so sweet!

Other people's toy are always a hit! 

Overall it was a short visit, but it was great to spend time with everyone! Check back for my next post - our trip to the apple orchard on the top of a mountain. It was awesome! 

Painting Pumpkins

Our family has a little pumpkin tradition dating back to the first Halloween that we had Kate and Savannah. We each choose a small pumpkin to represent us and we paint them. Then we put our little family of pumpkins out on the front porch to display!

This weekend Savannah's school had a little pumpkin patch as a fundraiser so we stocked up on our little pumpkins there. As it was truly a "little" patch, there was really no place to take photos :(

Picking Peppers

Earlier in the summer Mike and the girls embarked on a little pepper adventure. They bought and planted two types of peppers. They were all very excited about watching them grow and producing peppers. Yesterday they finally got a chance to pick them!

And so we are having peppers with our dinner tonight!

Kaitlyn's Science Fair Entry

This year is the first year that Kaitlyn is required to enter an individual Science Fair project. From Kindergarten through third grade she did a project with her class for participation only. This year, it is being entered and it's being graded as part of her Science grade.

After much debate Kate decided to do an experiment with nail polish! This project was as much mine as it was hers and I am SO thankful that we are done!

Here's her display:

Injured Mama

Yesterday while I was preparing dinner, Owen was doing his usual thing playing in the sunroom. He has recently started climbing and has taken to climbing on the chairs so he can look out the window. It makes me a nervous wreck and yesterday it finally happened. We had a fall - it wasn't him, it was me!

He was climbing up on the side of the chair and he looked like he was about to fall. I rushed across the kitchen to grab him except I slipped on a little puddle of water (that he made with my water bottle from the gym) and fell. Owen managed to get off the chair just fine, but I didn't fare so well. Check out my injuries:

Most likely a broken toe

The picture doesn't do justice to the bruising!

One puffy and bruised knee

And of course it's my left knee and my right toe so I don't have a good leg to stand on!