The Zoo goes Boo!

Three is a great age for Halloween-- pumpkin painting and carving, costumes, and trick or treating.  The shortened toddler memories of the twins make all of these things just like new this year!  We've really loved taking advantage of all the harvest events this autumn with multiple pumpkin patch trips, but the kids really enjoyed going to the zoo Friday with Sammy.  They haven't stopped talking about it!  They previewed their cowboy/cowgirl costumes at "Zoo goes Boo" and even got to do a little trick or treating. Never has a little licorice been so loved!  This next week will be very busy, with 3 additional costume runs, but I don't think they'll get sick of playing this game as long as candy follows.  Easily swayed is the heart of a preschooler!

Just the Two of Us

Gary and I recently realized that we never spend any quality one on one time with either child. Part of this is that twin factor, and part of it is just leading very busy lives. While we both take the kids to do things, it's always with their sibling. And, somehow, any time we've taken them apart from each other, it's some sort of errand running task. While we've decided to do one-on-one night twice a month as well, this morning's plans falling through offered an immediate opportunity for some "quality time".

Katie and I have been trying to maintain some adult time to see each other at least once a month. However, as sometimes happens, child-free wasn't an option today. So, I suggested a local pumpkin patch/petting zoo/apple orchard/ doughnut spot. We arrived just as they opened, just Ben and me. What a perfect opportunity to see Ben on his own. After some time with Maeve, a doughnut with "sparkles" and a little cider, we left together. He was so anxious to get home to Mia and find out what she had done alone with Dad.

My caring little man is growing up so quickly! I cannot believe how big he's getting these days. His little babble melts my heart. It's the same little smile on his face as the goats lick his hand as every year, even though he's grown so. He's such a little boy now, which seems to be my orchard visiting theme. Though he's been insisting that he's not a baby every time to you try to help him lately, he hardly needs to vocalize it.

ETA: I had to come back and post this next photo.  After going back to last year's post about the orchard, I went back and found the fuzzy haired photo of B the first year we went out there.  I remember it well because they were truly toddling at that point.  It's amazing how fast they change!

New School Year's Resolutions...

Well, it's 5 weeks into school, and many of those big ideas I've had about the new year have passed by already!  One thing I've been trying to do is get out to Creswick a couple of times a month.  While I haven't gone every pay Friday (which was my plan), I have gone a few times!  Sammy dropped the kids off at school and we scooted out again tonight.

We were lucky that their middle school aged daughter was out this afternoon.  She helped Mia feed the baby cow and tried to catch a chicken for the kids to pet, which cause crazy, hysterical laughter!  There's so much to like about this family run, close knit feeling farm.  It makes me happy to go there. :)

up, Up, UP

All my kids (Gary included) headed out for a little bit of kite flying this weekend. They had so much fun. Shortly after this picture was taken, however, Mia let the kite go and it became entangled in the tree in the backyard. Like many things with our duo, it was fun while it lasted!

Team Up Thursday: Landscape

Okay, I know I need to branch out a little.  Too much time spent at school (or thinking about school) lately has left me with yet another school themed photo.  But, it's fall and I'll try to do better in October!  This week's theme was "landscape".  I thought about doing something obvious, like the landscaping at our house.  That would be a little too revealing though, like taking a picture of my underwear.   My intent was to go with the "blot on the landscape" in my classroom.  My eye is always drawn to that desk, with it's piles of papers to take care of, apples from a certain student, pencils and pens that didn't make it back into the holder, and pop cans that haven't yet made it to the recycling.  Each year I promise to do better and end up with the same landscape.

Ah, Theresa's photo reminds me of how I'd like to spend my weekend!  Orchards and harvest surround us all this time of year.  Which leads beautifully into next week's theme: fall.