Halloween (3.8 years old and 2.2 years old)

October is probably one of our favorite months of the year.  There are so many fun activities to do.  We took the kids to Lake Farm Parks for their Halloween hayride. We really enjoy their Christmas celebration so we thought we should give it a try. It was a nice evening for it.  We went on a hayride for about 15 minutes though the park and they had several different Halloween displays.  It was cool.  After the hayride we walked around.  Austin and Sydney would even go up to the people dressed up.  We were really impressed.  We also watched a glow light dancing show.  That was really neat.  It was a fun night.

We have also enjoyed apple picking with Austin and Sydney this year. It's fun to let the kids pick the apples. They love getting on Daddy's shoulders and picking them.   Austin is really good at helping peel and slice the apples.  He goes "superfast" with the peeler.  Also always too fast and Brian tells him to back up.  We have made some apple pies with the apples.  It turned out good.

One of the field trips for the local preschool parents club was to Petitti's.  They got to plant a flower inside a carved pumpkin.  I thought that was a really cool idea.  Austin loves planting things so he really enjoyed it.  They put stickers on the pumpkin too.  Sydney really enjoyed that because she loves stickers.  Most nights before bed she gets 2-3 stickers and puts on her shirt then she will go to sleep.

The kids picked out their pumpkins.  We carved them.  Austin and Brian had an idea to do have Austin and Sydney's hand print on one of them.  Brian had a difficult time making it stay but he did it.  They enjoyed carving them.

We have been so busy with the kids we didn't really didn't celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary.  I was kind of bummed about that but it worked out.  Brian took me to Target that night and let me go shopping.  I got some cute jeans and boots.  I was happy about that.  I had something made for him however I still haven't gave it to him because I haven't got a frame.  We did go to the Cavs season opener with the return of Lebron.  Brian and I were very excited about that.  It was a nice night out for us.  We don't go out together very often.

We also went to Boo at the Zoo.  We got to go with Kaitlyn and her family.  It was fun except Kaitlyn got sick and had to go home early.  Austin and Sydney had a great time though.  They had a craft station and they really enjoyed that.  Then they got a flashlight after they completed all of them.  They also danced around at a dance party.  The weather was raining all day but it never rained at the zoo.  It worked out nicely.  We really enjoyed Boo at the Zoo this year.

We also went to trick or treat street at the IX center.  They had an indoor trick or treat station with 10 different places to stop.  That was their first experience trick or treating this year.  They enjoyed it.  Then they had several rides for the kids.  Sydney was too short for a lot of them which was a bummer.  However she was tall enough to ride the roller coaster that was terrible.  She just kept getting bounced around and Brian was holding her protecting her head.  She hated it.  Austin loved it!  They also had a haunted house that we walked though.  It was a good time.

We went trick or treating at my parents house.  We came down for dinner and then we went out trick or treating.  We took the kids around the small block.  Then Sydney was done and she wanted to go back to Meemaw.  So we dropped her off and Brian and I took Austin around the big block.  He really loved that.  He would go up to every house and go trick or treat.  He was also good at remembering thank you.  It was a fun night.

The kids have been doing swim class this session.  Austin is in preschool 2 and is doing so much better.  Sydney is still in the parent and me class however she really wants to swim by herself.  The instructor taught Brian how to let her go and tickle her tummy so he swimming for a few seconds by herself.  She loves it! They said she can start in the preschool 1 class now.  However since we are going to miss a few classes we will wait until January to enroll her into preschool 1 class.  The swim instructor said she is going to be swimming by herself by age 4.  We will see.  We are so happy they love to swim.

On Halloween we went to the kids school for their Halloween party.  They were Micky and Minnie Mouse.  It was so cute. After their party, I went home to pack for Disney.  After school, we had trick or treating at our house.  Brian took the kids out while I stayed at home.  I feel that I should give out candy.  We are getting candy so I should hand some out.  We never get many kids (that makes me sad) but Sherry and I always hand out candy together.  The kids were out for the full 2 hours trick or treating.  A fire truck even stopped by and gave them candy.  They had a lot of fun.

The beginning of fall fun (3.7 years and 2.2 years)

I am loving all the activities we are doing this fall and so are the kids.  With being in two mommy groups it gives us plenty of opportunities to do different things.  We have been extremely busy but we wouldn't have it any other way.

We took the kids to their first Indian's game this season.  It was fireworks night so it worked out great.  We are not huge baseball fans but it's still fun to go to the ballpark.  It was $1 hot dog night.  Sydney loves hot dogs.  We had dinner in our seats and then walked around most of the game.  We went back to our seats at the end of the game to watch the fireworks.  Austin and Sydney love fireworks.  They enjoy being able to stay up and watch them.  They need to have their ears covered but they will sit and watch them until they are over.  Once they are over they always want more!

We went to one of our favorite fall festivals at Patterson's Farm.  When we arrived we were sad because they were out of apples and we couldn't pick our own.  But Patterson has many other activities to do so we did that knowing we were going apple picking after our day at Patterson.  The kids had fun on the slides and playground.  They liked the corn maze.  The really enjoyed going in the corn fields and trying to find corn.  We also got a nice family photo in the corn maze too.  Brian has awesome photo equipment that enables him to take great pictures.  I sometimes get annoyed because I am chasing the kids while he sets up but the pictures are worth it.  Sydney liked the sunflower fields.  Austin got to drive some of the cars around the track.  They got to go up on some trackers too.  We had a great day at Patterson.

Then we went to Eddy's to pick some apples.  They love picking their own apples especially since they get to stand on Daddy's shoulders to get the apples.  They had a system this time.  Austin got the apples and throw them down to Sydney.  Sydney would put them in the bag.  They love getting apples.  Austin loves the apple pealing we got at home.  He is always asking to peel apples.  He likes making applesauce with Daddy.

Austin recently had his ear tubes checked.  They are both in.  The right is starting to come out a little bit.  The doctor is hopeful that it will remain in for this winter season.  If we can make it though this season I think we should be good for Austin.  Sydney was close to having ear tubes but luckily she made it.  We will see what happens this winter.

I take the kids to story time at the library every week.  We have come so far with this.  Last year the kids baring participated in it.  They would be running around the room or hitting each other.  Austin would always have to be on my lap.  This year they really do a great job.  They will even sit close to the teacher to see the books while I am sitting in the back of the class.  This is a huge step for Austin.  Sydney is more outgoing and will do whatever.  Austin is more hesitant.  After story time, the kids get 3-4 books each that they pick out.  They love coming home to read them.

The first Saturday of the month Home Depot has a kids building project.  They have been going for about 5 months now.  They enjoy it.  They both really enjoy art.  We help them build the project.  Austin is good at using the hammer.  Sydney needs a little more help but she is getting good at it.  They really love painting their projects after they are done.  It's nice that Home Depot does that.

The other night, Pizza Hut had kids make their own pizza night.  Austin and Sydney got to make their own pizzas.  They enjoyed that.  They evened like eating it.  It seems like the only eat pizza at school or when we are out.  It was a fun night out.

I took the kids on a field trip to Sirna's Farm.  We got to go on a hayride.  Then the kids rode on ride pulled by the tractor.  Austin was hesitant at first but once he knew that I would walk next to it he did it.  It was a cool ride.  Then they played in the corn pit and put ducks in water race.  We ended the tour walking though the corn maze.  Within 5 minutes of being in it, Sydney fell and got all muddy.  She didn't seem to mind though.  They liked it so much we went though it twice per their request.  They got two small pumpkins to bring home.  It was a fun morning field trip.

That evening we went to a local fire station open house.  It was the best day ever for Austin.  He loves firetrucks.  He watches Fireman Sam on Amazon and he loves it.  Seeing the fire trucks up close and getting to sit in them makes him very happy.  They had fire hats for kids too and balloons.  They had a bounce house to climb up and slide down.  We didn't know if Sydney could do it but she did it.  My dad came with us.  He had a great time too. Meemaw has been in Alaska so she couldn't join us.  It was so nice of the community to do that open house.  It was an awesome evening

The kids really like reading right now.  Sydney's favorite book is Spot's Big Book.  It has colors, numbers, and pictures in it.  Austin likes new books.  He likes reading new books and learning about the story.  That is why I love taking them to the library on Tuesdays.  It's fun to come home and read all the new books we got together.  Some weeks they pick out great books other weeks not as much but we only have them for a week.