Halloween

On Saturday we went to Aunt Stacy's for our annual pumpkin carving,

and the cutest little princess parade you've ever seen!

Cinderella

Snow White

 The next day was Trick-or-Treating in Oak Creek.

 

Abigail was still waking up from her nap at 4pm and was okay with going to three houses, but after that just wanted to sit in the wagon and eat her treats. So I took her back and Lydia kept going for another 45 minutes...she loved it. Temps in the 60's sure didn't hurt!

Ah, Lydia's favorite part of pumpkin carving...pulling the seeds from the goo.

We went with coordinating Disney designs this year.

Smith's Pumpkin Farm

 

Smith's Pumpkin Farm! It's in Kenosha, but it's WAY better than so many others!

 Rows of themed displays using painted pumpkins or gourds. Just a few pictures: Madagascar

Winnie The Pooh

 Sesame Street

 A lot of them had music, as Beauty and the Beast did. Abigail had to get out of the stroller and dance.

 The Three Little Pigs

 and a whole row devoted to Frozen! There was definitely music for this one. 

Abigail wanted to stay all morning "letting it go" and dancing. Check out her face.

But we met up with my MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) small group and had to move on.

The kids sent apples through the shoot to the horse and goats. They also had a playground, giant jumping pillow, country store, hayrides, corn mazes, face painting. Had to leave the group early to pick up Lydia from school. I would love to take Lydia here too!

Swim Class

Who got to take Lydia to Parent & Child swim class? The one who was on swim team and was a lifeguard...Daddy! :)

 Ready to go on the first day.

Every child is clingy at first.

 Then they put their left arm in and "splash it all about." Lydia says her favorite part of the class was putting her "whole self in!" (That means dunking under water.)

 After three classes, Lydia discovered she was more comfortable blowing bubbles and swimming with goggles.

To learn the back float, she looked for monkeys on the ceiling and balanced a rubber ducky on her forehead.

After her last class, we all went out for ice cream! Lydia is a lot more comfortable in the water now.

Sliding into Leaves and Books

 We had a blast playing in the leaves with Grandma Linda.

"I'm a tree." 

"They're in my hair!"

And also enjoyed a part of Children's Book Fest at Bookworm Gardens.

We listening to a talk by award-winning author, Beth Finke; and Lydia met Curious George. (too big and scary for Abigail)

Posing in Creative Gardens

Fall Weekend

 Lydia was so happy to get new matching halloweeny outfits for her doll and her. Halloween is such a short season, I let her start wearing it October 1st.

 A road trip is made fun with a fall snack mix.  Lydia and my favorite ingredient was the candy corn. Abigail and Ben's was the m&m's. We were on our way to ValpoNerdWeekend 2014 in Fort Wayne, IN.

 Valparaiso was a perfect lunch stop (3 hours behind us, 2 to go). We saw the Welcome Center that went up last year.

 Fall colors were appearing around campus.

 We couldn't forget to revisit the Kissing Bridge. I guess we got a cute picture on it.

 Here's Ben and his two girls.

 We stayed at Brian and Anna's house with three other Valpo couples and went to Apple Fest in Kendallville.

Craft vendors, kooky music quartet, pumpkins, hot apple cider, skillet throwing, primitive exhibits, friends.

He's Baaack!

You know it's October when you can't get the Cupid Shuffle out of your head because the girls are dancing with that mummy again, and again.