Picking Apples and Pumpkins

On Saturday we went apple and pumpkin picking at our local produce market, Conte's. Emily and Andrew picked about a bag of apples and then each picked out two pumpkins. After picking, we had apple icecream. Now it's time to make applecake (and maybe various other apple recipes, too!).

Playdate with Tyler

Last Wednesday, we had Tyler and his mom, Heidi, over to play. The kids had a great time playing with toys and riding bikes, while Heidi and I chatted. The best part of our visit was spent decorating ghost cupcakes that our friends brought over. Thanks so much for coming to our house, Tyler and Heidi. We had a nice time!

Fun Raking Leaves

Last week, Emily and Andrew swept leaves off of part of the driveway. Then put them in the wheelbarrow. Their new interest in cleaning leaves makes me think we can enlist them in the big clean up in a couple of weeks. Bruce and I need all the help we can get!!

Grandma's Birthday Celebration at the Zoo

On Sunday, we went to the Philadelphia Zoo with Grandma to celebrate her birthday. We saw giraffes, tigers, a hippo, bears, elephants, and numerous reptiles. We also had a nice lunch and birthday cake.

We are so thankful for Grandma and her longtime great idea to go to the zoo. We had a terrific time!

Playing in the Rain Puddle

Last weekend, Emily and Andrew spent some time playing outside in the driveway. Of course, they were immediately drawn to the large puddle at the end, so it was time to put on their rainboots for some fun!

Getting the House Ready for Halloween

On Thursday, Emily, Andrew, and I decorated the house for Halloween. We had great fun! Unfortunately, I did not get any shots of the kids but intend to when they are in their festive garb.

Mom Mom and Pop Pop's 50th Wedding Anniversary

Last Saturday, we went to the William Penn Inn to celebrate Mom Mom and Pop Pop's 50th Anniversary. We had the perfect set-up in a cozy room that fit only two large tables. This set-up allowed for everyone to walk around and mingle or take pictures. And, of course, Emily and Andrew had ample space to run around and sprawl out on the floor to make drawings.



The highlight of the night, besides the incredible food, was watching Mom Mom and Pop Pop reminisce over their new scrapbook. We thoroughly enjoyed watching their smiling faces and listening to their laughter as they relived many special memories created over the years.

Thank you for including us in your very special day, Mom Mom and Pop Pop! We had a blast!

Dress Up

In the spirit of Halloween, the kids decided to dress up yesterday. It all began with Emily dressing up as a pirate. Andrew was so amused that Emily dressed in a "boy costume"--yes, he got that--that he asked if I would help him dress up like a princess. (Sorry Bruce!) As you can see from the pictures, we went through the entire costume bin and had lots of fun.



The kids are still trying to figure out what they really want to be for Halloween. Last time we checked, Andrew wanted to be Buzz Lightyear, and Emily wanted to be a girl pirate. We only visit Target every other day, so I know they have plenty of opportunities to make their decisions!

Emily's Second Soccer Game

Emily played in her second soccer game last Saturday. This time she played three periods. She went after the ball once or twice but after the game reported that she felt a bit confused. When she and I practice, she does extremely well at dribbling the ball and scoring on a goal; however, she seems to have difficulty focusing when more than two people are on the field. I know that ina couple of weeks I will report that she gets it!

Emily and Andrew's First Swimming Lessons

Yesterday, Emily and Andrew took their first swimming lessons with Miss Allison. (Miss Allison taught the Mommy and Me class that Emily and I took starting when she was about 14 months.)

Emily's lesson was first. She showed Ms. Allison all she knew and then learned how to improve her leg movements, breathing technique, and started doing the forward stroke. Emily did an amazing job--as expected.

Andrew impressed Miss Allison when he was able to swim solo with boards on his back right after she strapped them on. She said it takes most kids a couple lessons to get used to the boards, so he must be strong. She tried to put his face in the water, but he said he was not ready this week.

Both kids LOVED their swim lessons--in fact both asked to go back today. Unfortunately our camera has been a bit moody lately, so I did not take any photos. I will try again next week. (For fun I included pictures from Mom Mom and Pop Pop's pool.)

Cousin Jessie's Birthday Party

Last night, we attended Jessie's 15th birthday party. At the party, we all ate lots of great food--epecially Andrew--and watched Jessie open many fun gifts. Of course, Emily's favorite gift was the new Ariel movie that she talks about watching with Jessie daily. We hope you had a nice time at your party, Jessie. We certainly did!

Emily's First Soccer Game

Emily played in her first soccer game yesterday. She played defense during the second quarter and offense during the fourth quarter. She made a couple nice kicks. At the end, Emily's team won, but we don't count this too seriously.

Emily's First Day of School

(I think Andrew is very confused about this school business!)

While school starts an hour later this year and the drive is a bit closer, I still had to wake our little princess up. After a waffle breakfast and some quick pics at the house, we headed out the door. Emily was so excited at drop-off that she did not look back as Andrew and I walked away.



At pick-up time, Emily and her teacher shared that today was a great first day. Emily made some pictures and some new friends. She especially liked spending time with another student in class, named Jenny, who lives right around the corner. Emily is excited about her new school and already looks forward to heading back tomorrow.

Mom Mom, Rachel, and Abby's Birthday Party

On Sunday we attended a birthday party for Mom Mom, Rachel, and Abby. With 3 guests of honor there were definitely plenty of festvities, including 3 special desserts. We hope all 3 of you had a very happy birthday as we enjoyed being part of your special celebration day!