Fall Festivities

Finally, some crisp weather! Granted, there are still those sneaky 75-degree days in the mix, but we are certainly welcoming the cool air, the morning dew, the heat dial on the thermostat at night, and enjoying the lower sun, the turning leaves and the time we can spend outdoors playing together!

It's been a busy October. We just barely made it to the Pumpkin Farm in time for Halloween!

One event that kept us so busy was the wedding of our good friends, Kerry and Craig. They got married in Houston in the middle of the month and we took a brief family road trip southward about five hours to join in the celebration of their marriage. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony. We were so happy to have been a part of it, and the kids did great, although they WORE their mother OUT! Luke, being the Best Man, was unable to parent-assist for much of the evening. Thank goodness for helpful friends (I owe Melissa and Kristin each an evening of childcare) willing to love on Mr. Flint while I literally chased Lyla round Craig's parents' enormous (and gorgeous) backyard!
Lyla continues to ask to go "back to the hotel." Why are hotels SO fun!? Flint was not too fond of that portion of the trip. In fact, every time we opened the door to our room, he cried. I guess he didn't like being couped up. We spent lots of time just walking around the halls "exploring."
We finally made it to the Pumpkin Farm on the 29th. Cutting it close, I know! And even then, we only managed to get there about 45 minutes before sunset. In any event, it was the perfect amount of evening sunny and Fall chilly. Lyla totally hammed it up for the camera so she could hurry up, get the pictures done and go play! We did our traditional shot in the wooden stand-ups, posed with some punkin's, then the girly took off to go slide, explore the hay-stack house, old tractors, little pedal-tractors and gawk at the corn maze. Flint had fun throwing various sizes of orange "balls" (yes, pumpkins) around and screaming at the other kids (mostly the little girls playing with each other, who were also doing lots of screaming). He'd seriously just stand there and shriek, all grins, trying to mimic them (or maybe flirt?). When it started to cool off, he became very snuggly and sleepy. That, along with Lyla's need for "her own food" resulted in a pretty quick trip to the pumpkin patch. We had Lyla pick out pumpkins for both Flint and herself, paid, then went across the street to Gia and Pap's to steal some dinner for the starving girly.

Sunday, we invited family over to assist in the carving of the great pumpkins. Whether or not our itty-bitty punkins were "great" is yet to be determined. Lyla designed both pumpkins on paper beforehand and decided what was to be drawn, where, and how big/small/scary/funny, etc. When she insisted on eye lashes for both pumpkins, I suggested maybe just her jack-o-lantern should have them. "But Flint has eyelashes, too. See?" She pointed to Flint's eyes. Too true, Lyla. Too true.

Other photos from October, the pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins are HERE!