Pumpkins and Jack o' Lanterns

We've had bad luck this October with rain on the weekends. Our apple picking family outing was super wet and our pumpkin picking experience decided to follow suit, except it was MUCH colder and we weren't very prepared. 

Saturdays are really our only chance to get out as a family, so we couldn't just NOT go, so we went. We literally picked pumpkins for like, 5 minutes (more like grabbed the best closest pumpkins we could find) and booked it back to the car. I was really bummed about the weather because I had hoped to do the hayride and corn maize with the kids....maybe next year... 

 Shae saying, "Can we get back in the car?"

 The Halls were a little more prepared than we were and actually wore coats. Smart people right there. 

 Although we didn't have the super fun fall pumpkin experience, we were all happy to have our pumpkins and come home for some yummy hot cocoa with waffles and bacon on the side. Mmmmmmm.

We had also been having a hard time finding an evening to carve pumpkins since Darin has been swamped with school and I'd been pretty busy myself with work and relief society and organizing a last minute Joy School group...but last Thursday we had some plans fall through and ended up all being home so we decided it was now or never and we finally got our carving on! 

Darin picked out the most massive pumpkin ever. 35 pounds! That is a lot of pumpkin.

 Belén with her "flap flap." 

 Shae with Chase! Who kind of looks like he has a disease with those green spots from the pumpkin.

 I did the witch and Darin did the "poem guy" as Shae calls him (Edgar Allen Poe). Although we had some friends think it was Donald Trump (Nnnnoooo waaaaayyyyy).

Happy Happy Halloween from our pumpkins to yours!

Visit to Indian Creek

It has been so rainy lately! Making it a little hard to go visit all the farms and pick all the fruits and enjoy all the beautiful foliage, but we do what we can. We did get out one morning in between rain storms. It was super muddy and wet, but we were out of apples and I just can't bring myself to buy them from the grocery store this time of year when the farms are full of them (and they taste so much better!) When we did finally get out, we decided to go to Indian Creek Farm for the first time. This is a popular one around here that is only 10 minutes away from downtown Ithaca and we have somehow never been. The kids loved playing in the little play area and I was so happy to find some beautiful apples to bring home with us.

They got ridiculously muddy and were so stinky after playing on this muddy hill with these trucks, but they LOVED bringing them to the top and watching them roll down. Poor Belén, it was quite a bit of work to get to the top with a truck in hand, but she made it.

 Shae's happy dance after a successful roll.

I think I can, I think I can

 He was full of happy dances this day. So happy to be outside.

"Wing, wing!" This girl loves the "wings." Especially ones with wings.

Apple Apples Apples

I love this time of year here in Ithaca where apples are everywhere. But before we get there...I have a few pics from a few weeks back when the kids and I went down to Stewart park and walked over to the empty farmer's market. It was one of the last really warm summer days of the year and it was just such a fun morning out with these two goobers.

 

 Tried to get a lake selfie. The view at this park never gets old.

 We had a BLAST running around the empty farmer's market. I don't know why we have waited till now to do this. 

 How have we never noticed this cool little tree house right outside of the market? Probably because we only go when it is super busy. Such a perfect little play area, and a really nice walk/jog from the park. Have I mentioned how happy I am to have our double stroller again? Man, I missed that thing over the summer.

 The early toddler run is one of my favorite things about this age. 

 Shae stood watching these guys till they were done. He thought it was SO cool.

And now on to apples. Two weeks ago the kids and I took our first trip out to Grisamore to get apples. We really love this farm and had such a fun morning together picking apples, looking at the animals, playing outside the barn, and walking through the raspberry bushes snacking on any berries we could find.

 My "let's see who can smile the biggest"tactic didn't work so well this time...Belén's face.

The kids could play in these things all day.

 This girl just keeps growing. I can't believe how old she looks to me.

Yesterday we took a family trip to Little Tree Orchard with some friends. It was a rainy day, but we had fun nonetheless. The drive alone was worth it. I could just drive and drive for days with these pretty trees changing colors. 

 Shae was so excited to take a picture with me here, but apparently didn't want to be the "mom" in the picture.

 She didn't mind.

 Then Shae wanted to get a picture of me and Darin. Awkward...

 I forgot my camera so didn't take too many picture (oh poor poor phone quality pictures), but we had a really nice morning. The apple cider donuts were divine. We tried pear apple cider for the first time, it was incredible. We picked apples and had a lot of fun hanging out in the barn playing ping pong and Foosball. Fall Saturday for the win.