Fall Festivities

It's Fall... and although it is one of my favorite times of year for many reasons (family visits, colors of leaves, crisp cool air, harvest, festivals, halloween, candy, etc...) it is also kind of a bummer!
Like a Sunday evening before you have to return to work... you're loving that it's Sunday, but already beginning to dread (if you're like most people) the following work day.
Except in this analogy, Fall is my Sunday, and Monday would be Winter... which I am dreading.

Sure, winter has it's good times too.  I mean, who doesn't love sugar cookies, hot cocoa, snow angels and presents under a tree... but for us Mid-Westerners... winter is also very long, dark and cold.
Something this California transplant will prbably NEVER learn to love! :)
So be it... I'll quit dreading Monday now, and focus on Sunday... FALL!  :)

Every Fall we get our family photos done!  This year we had them done by my friend Amy. http://www.AmyOPhotography.com
She does really great, artistic style work!  We LOVE the way she captured our family in a very true and candid, if not artistic way!  And she was so patient and great with the kids!! Thank you, Amy!!

We visited Tom's farm, as we do every year!  Only this year, I forgot my camera!  I could have kicked myself... big bummer... so instead I will paint the picture for you!
Candy apples (which I did happen to photograph once we returned home), farm animals, corn maze, a corn-box (much like a sand box, but with corn kernels instead)  The kids loved it!  Also they had blow up Pumpkin for jumping in, pumpkin patch, Apple cider donuts and home-made fudge..... mmmmm!
We had a great time, as we always do!  Also, took the kids for their annual tick or treating to the retail shops, the Commons... just in case halloween is too cold!  AJ was Woody, and Jack was Buzz Lightyear (of course!)  He is Buzz Lightyear obsessed these days, we can not wait for Toy Story 3 to come out!!

Mark and Tricia (Jeff's Godfather/Uncle and Aunt) come out on Halloween every year too!  They just went home the day before yesterday, and boy do we miss them!  I've re-named Tricia the "Baby Whisperer!"  I don't know how she did it, but she got Maddie to sleep in her crib for hours!!  I have only gotten 15 minutes of putting her down period, per day... and she's not nearly as happy with me as she was with her Aunty Tricia!!  I will have to get her to teach me her secrets!
One might think I'd feel slighted by my daughter's direct preference to another... nope, not really!   You see, I got to go shopping, for hours, by myself... ALL by myself!!  That is a rare and welcome treat, let me tell you!  And I am proud to announce that the kids Christmas gifts are bought, and they didn't see any of them! Woo hoo!  Mark and Tricia also took the boys swimming at their hotel, which they loved... and out to eat, several times... which you know they loved because anything involving food is A-OK by them!  They are my children, after all!
Thank you SO much, to Mark and Tricia for coming all that way to see us, for all of your help with the kiddos, and for spoiling us rotten (as usual!)  We love and miss you both so much, already!!
Please enjoy these snippets of our Fall, and hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!