happy birthday...

a day late. We spent a wonderful weekend celebrating our favorite seven year old. The boy who loves to play outside, his brother and sister, reading, and being silly. We love you, M!

october catch-up...

And here is another catch up post. I have good intentions of keeping this more up to date but lately posts come in the form of big photo dumps. Here is what we were up to for the second half of October...

We spent a really nice fall break here at home. We hit the Headless Horseman, played at the playground, did a little hiking, and had a date night (to see Jay Leno!). 

Here John was using a stick to "fish" in the puddles.

We had several run throughs with costumes. Our little farmers...

Then we visited Lolly and Poppy for a weekend. The kids trick-or-treated at their house to show off their costumes.

Then the main event. Halloween this year was cold and rainy but these guys didn't mind. They would have kept going and going but momma was not prepared in the footwear department and I wimped out. They were so in the spirit this year with Lauren proclaiming her costume the fairy bird princess and the littler ones dressing up for their school parties and parades. 

And some randoms. John, who always falls asleep on the floor over the heat vent, was sprawled out on his bed just like this the other night. And Lauren loves to ride her scooter with a little ice skater kick on the glide. The boys finished riding their horses for the season (Miles with Starbucks), Lauren sleeps with a million "goodies" every night, and my little hiking buddy. 

fall so far...

Our fall is off to a busy start. Last month I had my 20th high school reunion. My dad had his 45th (!) the same night.  We've done a bit of hiking, hit Trader's Point for some ice cream (Miles got a good story for his creative writing unit from that one. A cow pooped. On my shoe.), spent time at the horse barn (the boys are getting really good and learning some tricks), dressed up, biked the Tour de Carmel, visited the Highland Fall Festival, played fetch with some really big sticks, and celebrated our favorite three year old. 

We had a little tea party to celebrate Lauren's birthday. Here she is with all of her girl cousins in their tea finery.

 Big brothers were excited to celebrate with Lauren, too, and were super excited to give her their gift.

Continuing the celebrating, Lauren and I visited Ft. T and had a girls tea with a surprise crash by my dad at the Bonbonnerie. 

And finally, to accompany the girly pretty dress wearing, ribbon in hair pictures from above. Lauren insists on wearing a pretty dress every day but loves little more than to puddle jump in it. From her birthday (crying, "give me outside shower") and from the other day. On her birthday she was actually riding her scooter through the muddy drain. And her leggings came clean! 

happy birthday...

 This spunky little towhead brings so much laughter and joy to our home, and keeps us on our toes, too. I truly cannot believe it has already been three years since we heard "it's a girl!" Happy, happy third birthday, sweet Lauren!

stuckey farms...

This was our 7th annual trip to Stuckey Farms and the first with all three kiddos. Someone has been out of town or in school the last couple of years.  My sister was visiting making it even more fun! We sampled apples, picked a bunch, took a tractor ride, and got a bee sting (that was Miles who handled it like a champ). We're having our first dessert with them tonight!