Fabulous Fall Family Fun

Pictures from a few weeks ago.

(Cause we try to squeeze as much in as we can in the month of October!)

We went to our second pumpkin patch of the season. I think I enjoyed the cow ride more than Matthew!  

Fall Foliage!

I took Abbey and Matthew to the park by our house so we could play in the leaves. It was a beautiful day to enjoy all the beauty around. 

Then we went to Bear's Den Trail center and took a little hike to an overlook where the view was just amazing.  Ah-maz-ing!

Matthew found a little tree stump just his size.

Matthew - the tree worshipper?

 

See the view behind us?
Ah-maz-ing!

I'm so glad we were able to enjoy all this beauty because a few days later, Hurricane Sandy rolled in.  Now there's probably not a single leaf on those trees. 

The days are getting chillier and some days you can feel old man Winter looming in the air. As we get ready for Thanksgiving, it makes us reflect on what w are grateful for in our lives.  First and foremost, I am grateful for my family and my faith. 

I'm grateful for fabulous fall family fun!

Apple Pie In a Jar!!

As if the previous apple picking wasn't enough, we ventured back for round two.

This time it was granny smith and fuji apples.

Matthew actually got to pick some this time.  Last time he just sat in the wagon while we did the picking.  He got a 'lift' from daddy so he could reach the higher apples. 



My pumpkin in the orchard.

 

Look at how much difference a year makes.

If only I can get him to keep a hat on his head now!

(And I really should put some lipstick on to add some color to my face!)

  

And what do we do with all those apples??

We make apple pie in a jar!

We made these about two years ago and we just used our last two jars recently.

So yummy (food storage)! Ha!

 

Here's the instagram version of what we did.

For the recipe with instructions check out Reluctant Entertainer

(We had dinner guest over and I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the pie before we at half of it.)

 

I love seeing all the apple recipes posted on blogs recently.  Lots of yummy ideas out there!



Fall Fun at the Bluemont Fair

The fall season always brings lots of fall festival fun!
This was our first time at the Bluemont fair.  Bluemont is a small little town and it was the perfect day to enjoy all that it had to offer.  Lots of crafty vendors and yummy foods. 

Matthew enjoyed petting the soft alpacas and running around on the grass.
We tasted Hickory syrup for the first time and ended up buying some!

I just loved being out and enjoying the beautiful day together as a family.
Much to the hubby's dismay, I see more fall festivals in our future for the coming weeks!

Sneak Peak: Family Photoshoot

We took family pictures on Saturday.  Matthew was good at first, then he was over it real quick!

We may do a re-shoot since I feel like we didn't capture THE family shot (that's Christmas card worthy).

My photographer was awesome!!

My little guy is 9 months today!! 

Life is a little busy right now so I will have do his 9 month post later this week. 

My little Punk'in

Around this time last year, I was 5 months pregnant with my little pumpkin.
Now my pumpkin is a thriving 8 1/2 month old!
I am very lucky blessed!

Mama pumpkin with her baby pumpkin.  Daddy was suppose to be a scarecrow, but he said it was way too hot to put on his flannel shirt and straw hat (such a party pooper)!

We didn't take Matthew trick or treating this year (because we really don't need the extra candy around here).  We stayed home and gave out candy together.  It was fun to see all the kids in their costumes.  Matthew actually wasn't really interested in the costumes at all. He just wanted to eat the candies himself.

My pumpkin needed to refuel 'cause you know it's hard work passing out candy.

I love my little pumpkin and can't wait until next Halloween so we can dress up again.  Now I need to run off to Tar.get to get a good deal on a costume for next year!  (Just trying to plan ahead and SAVE $$).

What to do with a 50 lb Pumpkin?

Carve it and put your "pumpkin" in it!!

I finally made something off Pinterest!

Of all the stuff I've 'pinned', this is the easiest to make!
(more like assemble together)

Who doesn't love s'mores??!



Source from Pinterest

One Pin down, tons more to go!

My Pumpkin at the Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch two weeks ago and I am just now getting around to posting pictures.

I took Abbey and  Matthew and we spent five hours there!  It's hard to take two kids by yourself.  (Steve has class on Saturdays now until the end of the year).

We had a great time though.  My pumpkin was taking it all in and was all smiles to everyone.

 

I found the perfect (50 lb) pumpkin for my little pumpkin.

Wait til you see my pumpkin in it!

Apple Picking

....One of my favorite fall activities.

Enough said.

  

September Already?!!

FALL YA'LL

(Steve and Abbey at the pumpkin patch - 2006)

September always marks the start of Fall for me.  This is my favorite time of the year, when we trade in the hot summer days for cool crisp air.

Leaves start to change color.

Opening the windows and feeling the breeze through out the house.

Fall festivals and pumpkin patches.

Apple picking!

Caramel apple cider (from Star.bucks) with extra caramel. Yum!

Soups in the crockpot.

Digging out the light sweaters and jeans.

Decorating the house with pumpkins.

I love it all! It really is when I'm the happiest.  And this year, I get to enjoy it with my little pumpkin.

Bring it all on.

(P.S. Thanks for the advice on baby food.  Steve LOVED Debbie's comment. Thank you Debbie for delurking.)

Happy Fall Ya'll

Happy Fall Ya'll!!!

Just sharing some Fall pictures that I took of Abbey!

(Dress, headband & tights are from Gym.boree.  Boots are from Target. And I am not getting paid for this endorsement!)

The fall foliage is really starting to peak around here!  Can't wait to capture it all.

Fall Festival Weekend

Another beautiful weekend spent enjoying the Fall weather!

We went to a fall festival that was sponsored by a non profit organization in our area.  It was held on a family farm and they had free food and games for kids. 

Abbey loved playing the games because you get a prize (candy) every time!

Here they are playing a game called 'my cup runneth over'.  They had to squirt water into a glass and Abbey beat Steve!  She was so happy.  Her prize was a little yellow rubber ducky.  

Silly Faces!

What's a fall festival without a tractor ride?!   

Holding on tight getting ready to ride the horses/ponies.

I can't believe we're half way through October!  Every weekend has been filled with fun activities for us.  I made sure not to over do it this weekend.  After our fall festival, we went home and took naps, then we spent the rest of the evening canning our apples that we picked from last week (more to come on that)!

Pumpkin Patch and Halloween

We finally made it to the pumpkin patch last Friday. Steve and I were able to take off work early to go see Abbey's Halloween parade at school.  Afterwards, we took her to the pumpkin patch.  It was nice because it wasn't crazy busy so Abbey didn't have to wait in line for any of the moon bounces/slides. 

I love the expression on her face!

More funny faces on the hayride.

Petting the animals with uncle Steve.

(yeah, we weren't a big fan of the smell)

We all got a free pumpkin!

Moving on to Halloween pictures....

Abbey wanted to be Tinkerbell again this year. So we recycled her costume from last year and here she is...

Steve took Abbey trick or treating and I stayed home to pass out candy.  I got to see all the cute little (and big) kids in their costumes and of course, the babies in costumes too.  They were all so adorable!!