Pumpkin Patch

Another fun fall tradition is going to the pumpkin patch. Normally I take the kids on a random day they have off from school so the crowds are fairly small. It seems to work out well and it is something fun to do together on a no school day!  This year, Juliette had Benny the Bull from school.  This is when she gets to keep the bull for the weekend and take pictures with it and write in the class journal about what they did together.  She was very excited that she got Benny on a 3 day weekend!  And, ironically, we brought Benny the Bull to this same pumpkin patch last year when Abbey got him!  Here is Juliette with Benny!

All 4 pumpkins (with our Benny holding Benny the bull).

Matthew was pretty excited that they had tractors you could climb in and pretend to drive!

My cuties :)

Matthew on the sea saw.

The big sea saws are pretty fun.

Then we rode the wagon out to the pumpkin patch.

And everyone picked out a pumpkin.

Fun times!

We came home with enough pumpkins to have our own patch!

Kids being silly - conga line!

Then of course we had to stop and get the apple doughnuts for our treat before heading home.  It was a beautiful day and a really fun time with the kids!

Apple Picking

We continued our annual tradition of going to Elegant Farmer to pick apples in the fall - a family favorite tradition!  These three were ready for the wagon ride up to the orchards.

Daddy and Matthew (and a photobomber!)

Sweet girl!

We got our baskets and were ready to go!

Riding the wagon...

Finally time to pick some apples - he was big enough to reach them this year!

The bigger kids liked to climb the trees or use ladders to get the high ones.

Wow - good picking Matthew!

The weather was a little rainy, but it is not easy to find a day in our schedules to go do this, so when that day comes, we go no matter the weather!  Juj brought her rain coat and luckily it didn't really rain too hard or too long.

Good one!

Abbey loves to climb up those trees!

It's a Matthew-sized apple!

Climbing trees!

Love this picture (and this boy)!

Double fisting apples....

Sweet Juj!

Abbey is always helping Matthew - she is such a good big sister!

Those baskets got heavy so we needed some teamwork to carry them.

Again, being a good helper to Matthew.

Matthew on the ladder - he looks so little compared to the big ladder!

Got a high one!

Awesome teamwork!

Abbey and I walked down so we took some pictures while waiting for the others to come on the wagon ride.  She's so cute!

And she's getting so big too!

It was another fun family day - love these kids and our family traditions!

Fall Activities

As we settled back into a school routine, the kids' activities started up again.  Abbey liked baking during any free time we have (which is limited).

Both girls played Park District soccer and Ben played travel soccer again this year.  Matthew, having been to a LOT of soccer games for his siblings, decided it was time to dress the part and join a team.  Although he isn't old enough yet to join a team, we did let him wear the jersey so he felt part of his siblings' teams!  Put me in Coach!

We celebrated Paul's birthday.  For his birthday, I got him tickets to a cubs game to go with friends - Dads' Day Out at the Ballpark!  He really enjoyed the game and it was on his birthday, which was fun.  So we celebrated as a family that weekend with his favorite carrot cake, made with love by his kids (and me)!

Abbey and Juliette did all of the cake decorating this time - I think they did an awesome job!

Happy Birthday Paul!

Matthew had his own classes too.  He loved his gymnastics class!

Ben played soccer for his school again this year (as well as travel club soccer).  But he loved playing for school because it was with his friends.  This year, they won the Catholic School JV Championship in an exciting shoot out!  Ben and Daniel celebrating the awesome win!

The winning team!

Juliette crossed over from Daisy Scouts to Brownies.  I continue to be one of her leaders, which is fun.

What a great group of girls!

Juj and some of her friends after her soccer game.

We love that our kids are active and involved in sports and other activities.  It definitely keeps us busy!  We are so thankful that Matthew is such an easy going and fun loving child - he loves to go along to all the games and be part of whatever his siblings are doing.  It sure makes things a lot easier that he always wants to go too!