Pumpkin Patch

Last Saturday we bundled up and headed out to our favorite pumpkin patch. Despite the gray and gloomy weather, we enjoyed the Haunted Forest, corn maze, hay ride and games. They were almost completely sold out of pumpkins so we wound up buying just one pretty green one. Next year we'll be sure to head out there earlier in the season!

Rob, Haley and Jake "lost" in the maze.

I spy a little pumpkin!

Jake takes in the view from the hay truck.

Ooh! So spooky!

Ghosts and goblins beware - Jake is not afraid of you.

Haley pulls Jake and our pumpkin to the car.

Fall Pictures

Today we headed out to one of our favorite parks to take some pictures...I didn't get the perfect shot of all 3 kids together as I was hoping, but we had fun anyway. Tomorrow we head to the pumpkin patch - I LOVE pumpkin/children pictures so be ready for the photo onslaught!

Friendimony

Our very good friends, the Barnes', came to visit last weekend on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Minnesota to visit family. It had been over 2 years since we'd last seen them, but we all just picked up where we'd left off. The kids disappeared and would have played for days, and we stayed up later than we should have talking and catching up. We love you, Barnes family!

The girls - Morgan, Haley, and Abbie. Haley and Morgan have been friends since they were just a few months old.

They were excited about the "sleep-over"...and did eventually sleep.

Abbie...

April and Dave, and Alex.

MinneSOtah...and MingMing too!

Last weekend was scheduled to be our annual Minnesota Renaissance Festival weekend. Rob's sister Katie and cousin Melissa were flying in to meet us at Minneapolis and we took advantage of Haley having a half day of school to leave early on Friday. Jake woke us up at 4:45 that morning because he was so excited, and we were on the road by 6:30. I don't know if it was the early rising or not, but Jake and Alex had a full-blown cold by the end of the day.

When we woke up the next morning and saw that it was rainy and cold, we decided to skip the Ren Faire and keep the kids dry and warm instead. We spent the morning at Ikea and the afternoon and evening at the Mall of America (or "Mall-a-ca-merica" as Jake calls it). The kids were able to ride rides to their hearts' content, and Rob and I enjoyed some shopping. Haley also got to spend her hard-earned and long-saved allowance at the American Girl store; she was literally skipping with happiness. Although we were sad to not spend the day with Katie and Melissa, they did join us for dinner and some of the rides that night. Next year we'll be sure to go earlier in the season!

I see so much Breckon in him in this picture.
We got lots of comments from people with Alex and Samantha in the stroller like this.

This is Rob and the kids on the log ride...

We were excited to see MingMing from the Wonder Pets show - I love how Jake was peeking around the corner at her.

Jake was just barely too short to go on some of the bigger-kids rides. He is now making quite an effort to eat his vegetables so he can ride the bumper cars next time.

Summer's End

Autumn has come and gone - we are expecting our first snowfall on Saturday! Hopefully it will melt quickly and we'll be able to visit the pumpkin patch without our snowsuits on. Here are some random pictures from the last few months.