Pumpkin Carving Time!

Our amazing neighborhood has an annual tradition of gathering at our cul-de-sac park to carve pumpkins together and have a chili potluck.  We first cleaned our pumpkins out at home before heading down the street.  The girls loved the mess!

Both girls were determined to do all their pumpkin carving on their own and they were successful!  I had to help with a few stubborn pieces that didn't want to come out, but the girls did almost all of their own work!

Kate was very determined!

A glimpse of our awesome neighbors.

Kate's pumpkin is on the far-right and Maggie's small "kitty" pumpkin is next to it. (I carved the flower pumpkin.)

Not all the neighborhood kids are in this picture since some headed home when it got dark, but here are some of the proud pumpkin carvers.

Up next, Halloween!!!

Fall Festival at Preschool

Maggie had another exciting day at preschool.  Today was the school's Fall Festival.  The kids get to come to school in costumes, parade around school and trick-or-treat.  Afterwards the kids have a special snack and a morning full of fun activities like decorating pumpkins and painting with vegetables.  Maggie dressed up as a beautiful mermaid and she looked so gorgeous!  

Pastor Matt asked Maggie if she could swim (since she is a mermaid) and so she showed him how to do freestyle.

Maggie's class had fabulous costumes!

Each child got to stand up in front of the class and show off their costume.  Maggie was all smiles. :-)

Fire truck visit

Maggie had a super special day at school.  Not only did I get to help out in her class, but the school was visited by local firefighters and their fire truck!

I got to watch Maggie play with her friends outside while waiting to see the fire truck.  It was wonderful watching her dig in the sand, make "sand soup" and run around with her friends.

Maggie, with her friends Caitlin and Ilsa.

Time to line up to see the fire truck!

 The kids got to see inside all the hidden compartments on the fire truck that store all their important gear like air tanks, fire extinguishers and first aid kits

 Maggie got to even sit behind the wheel!

A Bobby Dazzler Weekend

We have a local pumpkin patch nearby named Bobby Dazzler.  It has been a couple of years since we last visited since we tend to go to Impossible Acres due to the adorable baby animals at their petting zoo.  However, this weekend the girls were treated to Bobby Dazzler's twice since Gramma and Papa needed help picking out pumpkins and I wanted to check it out too! 

The main goal when I took the girls was to give them a pony ride.  I was assuming the ponies would be hooked up to a small circle that they walk around but we were in for a surprise!  The ponies were actually real horses that were lead around the entire pumpkin patch.  The girls LOVED it!

 The cow tractor ride was a huge hit with the girls too.  The tractor takes them around the entire pumpkin patch and surrounding corn fields in moo-ing cow barrels.

Gramma and Papa treated the girls to amazing face painting.

I love her facial expression!

Maggie makes an adorable kitty!

Thanks for a fun afternoon Gramma and Papa!  Until next year Bobby Dazzler!

San Francisco Excursion

We spent the day in San Francisco on Saturday for a family wedding.  Our first stop was to see the Golden Gate Bridge.  Kate was so excited to see the bridge since she has read about it in her American Girl book.

The wedding was held in Golden Gate Park.  It was a VERY casual wedding with lawn chairs and BBQ.  Maggie spent most of her time exploring in the trees.

Maggie and Auntie Megan went exploring too (notice the small figures in the middle of the picture).

Here is the view of the meadow where the wedding was held.

Kate went exploring too.

Uncle Peter is always goofy!

We love our Auntie Megan.

 Of course the blue skies appeared as we left San Francisco, but it made for a gorgeous drive home!

Maggie's Field Trip To the Pumpkin Patch

Maggie's preschool took a field trip to the pumpkin patch yesterday.  Maggie was super excited for her first field trip and I got to be her chaperon!

We attempted to get a picture of all the pre-k kids, 3 classes in all.  Maggie is middle-right.

Maggie took about 1 minute to find her pumpkin.  She was so excited to pick a "big" one and she gifted it to Will since he calls Maggie his "Maggie Pumpkin."

Caitlin is Maggie's best friend.  As you can see in this picture, Maggie was having a hard time holding her pumpkin.

Through the corn field and to the maze

Maggie loves petting the baby goats

Peter, the baby calf

Maggie loves holding the black and white kitten.

I liked the baby piglets.

Getting ready for a tractor ride. (Maggie is bottom-right)

On the tractor and ready to go!

Maggie and I both had a very special day with her class, at the pumpkin patch.  I feel very blessed that I have the luxury of easily going on field trips and watching my children enjoy special events in their life.  Thank you, Will, for all the hard work you do for our family so I can capture moments like this!