Harvest Candy Gathering

We went out "harvest candy gathering", or as B calls it, "harvest candy grabbing", this evening.  Gotta' love the big plastic bags they use.  Funny thing is, they came home fairly full!

 We had (l to r) Carrie*Ingalls, Nerf Guy, A White Angel and Laura*Ingalls.  (Make no mistake about the angel.  She was a white angel.  When I suggested that she wear the angel costume, she said, "No, Mom.  That costume is gold.  I have to be a white angel."  I asked, "Why white?"  She quickly replied, "Mom!  Every picture I've ever seen of an angel, the angel is white!  If I'm not white, no one will believe that I'm an angel!"  So we had a white angel, from her white paper halo to her white sneakers.)

Not long after we began our harvest candy gathering, we ran into some friends from church.  It was fun to walk the neighborhood with our friends, Cheyenne and Autumn.  They had a neighbor with them too.  His name is Jonathan but the girls called him Duct Tape Boy.



Backyard Guests

Dad had some backyard guests to welcome him home from work today.

 "Oh, hi there.  I see you're home now."

"So we'll just be on our way now."

There were two deer even though the photos only show one.  Some trees are being cleared just a ways down from our subdivision.  I wonder if we'll see more deer in the days and weeks to come as their homes are cut away.

Quick Cousin Visit

Our travels took us through 3 states, 1699.2 miles in 5 days.  Yes, we were in the van ALOT!  But it was worth it!  We enjoyed the beauty of NC as well as...

 ...and...

 Oh yeh, we love to see this sign!

And a trip to TN must include some cousin (on Mom's side of the family) time.

 "Oh, Uncle Brent!  You are SO funny!"

 The girls enjoying some racetrack time while the boys...

 enjoy a racetrack of a different kind.

 Sweet cousins.

 These boys celebrate their birthday one day apart.  So Cousin E waited until he saw B to give him his gift.

 Dad bonding with the boys.

 And Cousins M and EK decided to give H her birthday gift a few days early.

 We arrived at dinner time on Sunday.  Monday morning Dad told the kids that we would wait until after lunch to leave.  Happy smiles from one and all!  But they can always find "one more thing" to do when it's time to leave.

"Shhhh!  Don't tell Mom where we are and we'll go home with you!"  Silly Cousins E and EK!!

 "Now you email me and I'll email you.  And you write to me and I'll write to you."  These two have such good times together.  This visit just wasn't long enough to do any crafty projects.  Next time, we'll have to plan better.

It's so hard to say "good-bye". 

I just wish I had a clear photo of Cousin E running down the sidewalk waving to us.  He's such a boy!

We love you Uncle S (who avoided all the photos and had to work Monday), Aunt H, M, E, EK and A!!!!

Let's see...there were 2 grandparents, 3 uncles, 2 aunts, 6 cousins, and lots of friends.  It was a long trip for a short amount of time but we had SO MUCH FUN!!!!  And we got home 8 minutes before mid-night so the kids were awake when "the day changed" so that thrilled our little ones.  "We've never been awake so late!"  It's the little things in life.

NC State Fair Gourd Painting Results

Below are the finished products of the painted gourds from the NC State Fair.

 C's Pumpkin won a 4th place ribbon.

 E's Snowman won a 3rd place ribbon.

 H's Apple won a 4th place ribbon.

 H's Fall Birdhouse won a 2nd place ribbon.

There were some creative gourds in the competition again this year.  All three girls were pleased with their ribbons.  Now it's time to plan for next year...



Who Do We Thank?

All this fun was brought to us in part by...

 ...none other than...

UNCLE STEPHEN!!!!

Tractors and 4-Wheelers

We can't visit "the farm" without riding the tractor and 4-wheeler.  It didn't take long before Pawpaw had both of them out.

 Dad had tractor fun, Pawpaw had 4-wheeler fun.  B is taking Dad for a ride while H gives Pawpaw a tour of the farm.

 Dad and B rollin' along.

 Now it's C's turn to show Dad how it's done.

 Dad and C going, Pawpaw and H coming.

 What's different about this and...

 ...this?  That's right!  H convinced Pawpaw that she could do it all by herself.  And he told her that if she got higher than 3rd gear, he'd come chase her on the tractor.  (I'd kinda' like to see that if there weren't safety issues involved for my daughter!)

 Here go Dad and E...

 ...and here goes H on her first "solo drive". 

 And there she goes.

 Look who's kickin' up some dust!?  Pawpaw assured me that she could do that in 3rd gear.

 4-wheeler parked.  Now driving tractor.  (And I just got to drive it the very same morning.  What's wrong with that!?)

H wasn't the only one who got some 4-wheeler time.  Here goes E driving Pawpaw around one of the pumpkin fields.  Notice Pawpaw's hands are on his knees.  C and B drove too but I didn't get any photos this time.  Trust me, they had plenty of fun!

More Pumpkin Patch Fun

There were so many leaves that the kids decided to rake them into a pile for jumping.

 They finally got so many leaves raked that the girls each had their own "room" in their "house".

 Our fall cuteness!!

 Who wouldn't want to stop and buy a pumpkin at a place like this!?

The house where Pawpaw grew up, where Uncle Stephen now lives.  A great place for the Pumpkin Patch!



Pumpkin Patch

We had so much fun spending the day at the Pumpkin Patch.  Thank you Pawpaw, Nana and Uncle Stephen for letting us help you all day!

 Pawpaw had plenty of helpers to gather the last of the pumpkins from the field.

 "This is hard work!"

 After being in the family over 14 years, Pawpaw finally let Mom drive his tractor!

 "We're having to earn our lunch!" - C

 After moving the pumpkins to the side of the patch, the wagon was loaded.

 Nana just thought she avoided my camera the whole day.

 The fruits of our labor.  Now to get them *off* the wagon.



Helping move the pumpkins from the big wagon to sell them.