The Month of October

The kids are loving school and they each had a field trip to Vandermill (the most yummy place for all things fall).  They have the best donuts and fresh apple cider.  I love them so much that last summer when I discovered their yumminess I rode my bike there with the kids in the trailer.  They have a play area out front and train rides.  

 Here is Mari and her class lining up to head inside for a story and to see how they make donuts and cider. 

 Yum pumpkin donuts.

Trying to get a class picture.

 Owen enjoying the train ride during his trip to the donut place.

Mari was a beautiful ladybug for Halloween this year.  She is so cute if I do so say myself.

Mari's class.  I love the Cat n the Hat!

 Owen's class sang a song to us and it was toooo cute.  He was a fire man minus the hat.

We just got back from Missouri celebrating my sweet niece Eliza's 1st birthday.  We made a trip to the pumpkin patch as well and it was freezing.  

The kids loved this straw maze and made laps in it. 

 There's the birthday girl!  She is getting so big and thinks she can keep up with the big kids.

Aunt Sarah took us to see and feed some horses that a friend of hers has.  The kids loved it and so did the horses.

 The best picture we could get of the 4 of them  They are all smiling and looking at the camera, I say that is a successful picture.

 We also celebrated this beautiful girl who is turning 4 next week!  Where has the time gone.

Birthday Girl!!

Here are some funny pictures of our funny little man.  He keeps us on our toes and always laughing!  Love him. 

 He is rocking out with his homemade guitar.

This is my new favorite picture of him.  Greg wore this hat to a youth hayride and Owen is always wanting to be like his Daddy.

Going on the hayride with my babies.

We had dinner with some friends and then went trick or treating with them in what will be our neighborhood in a few short months. 

Mari, Maddie, Owen, Gabe, and Graham

We are doing great here even though it is getting cold.  I am missing all the sunshine that beautiful Breckenridge gave me even when it was cold, but we are looking forward to our new home and are continuing to adjust to our Michigan home.  Speaking of home our house should start the framing process in the next 2 weeks YAY!!  As for the kids, Mari will be 4 on Sunday and we are preparing to celebrate our wonderful sweet girl on Sunday with family and friends.  We love and miss you all!!

And it begins...

SCHOOL!!

 That's right Mari and Owen have started preschool.  They are going 2 days a week and are loving it.  It is so fun to see them get excited about going and have no issues leaving mom.  This gives me 2 hours to myself on those days.  It is great.

 The morning of the 1st day.

 So excited for school.  If you notice Mari had to have a wardrobe change.  Yes things have not changed and I'm scared to wake up and get ready every morning because school starts at 8:15.  As I type this I am panicking a bit for the morning.  Oh and did I mention she has picture day on Thursday.  Be on the look out for that picture.

 My wonderful family

 Mari in front of her classroom.

 With all her classmates

 Owen in his classroom

 He jumped right in and was like see ya mom.

 A great end to a great 1st day.

That is Owen's amazing teacher Casey in the background.

We just had some of our very good friends from Colorado come and visit.  It was good for all of us to have a little bit of home feel.  I am sure it wasn't the most ideal vacation for them and hope they come back.  Thanks for coming we miss you already.

An update on our living situation.  We are still living with Greg's parents, bless them for putting up with us this long.  We should be out if all goes well by the end of February.  We are in the process of building a home and can't wait to have a place to call our own.

That should about do it, until 3 more months.

Before summer ends

Here are some pictures.

 Aunt Libby came for a visit and had her horse Hollywood with her.  We got to go to the stables and ride him and help give him and bath.  The best part was feeding him treats.

The kids have loved playing golf this summer.  We got them some real clubs and took them to the driving range.  They loved it and both did really well.  Mari hit some pretty far!  Making their Daddy proud.

 Heading to practice chipping and putting.

 Another one of our summer musts was to ride the town trolley.  It was fun and very informative.

We also made it to a White Caps baseball game.  It is the minor league in Grand Rapids.  Very fun and kid friendly.  Unfortunately we were rained out.

 Just a few weeks ago the kids and I made a trip to Iowa and Missouri.  What a road trip, but I think I have created a new invention.  Keep an eye out for it!!

 We got to meet Baby Charlotte, she was beautiful.  We also got to spend time with our other cousins Lily and Neely too.  It was a busy and fun weekend.

 Mimi and Papa and all their grandbabies.

 This is how we spent our Labor Day.  It was perfect.  The water was cool and it was so hot out.  

The weather is still nice, but it is beginning to really feel like fall.  I am not to opposed to that since it is a gradual fall unlike that of Breckenridge.  I see you all have snow and it looks beautiful, but I am not ready for that yet.  However that is all the kids can talk about is skiing and snowboarding.  So we might be out for a visit sooner than later.:)

Our Annual Camping Trip

We finally found a weekend we could go camping.  Greg was able to take a Friday off and so we made it a 2 nighter.  It just so happened to be our 6 year anniversary weekend.  I can't think of a better way to spend it(unless I was on a tropical island).  The kids were beyond excited!  We couldn't get there fast enough.  After 4 hours of driving we made it to Fisherman's Island in Charlevoix, MI.  It is a beautiful area right on Lake Michigan.  We were a 5 minute walk to the lake.  It was a perfect trip with lots of fun.

  I thought I was packed and prepared for anything, but then realized I forgot a few things, so Greg went into town to get them.  That meant the kids and I ventured to the lake.  As you can see the shore was filled with rocks.  They loved throwing and collecting them. 

Playing at camp Owen went about a hundred miles an hour and never slowed down.  Mari was in and out of the tent playing and making the beds.  Needless to say they were in HEAVEN!!

Cooking hot dogs for dinner.  They have their mothers patience and couldn't wait for them to get warm.

or off the stick.

Then came the best part.  S'MORES!!!

Love her cheesy smile.

  Mari likes all the parts to a s'more, but just not all together. She eats everything separately.

Like his barrettes.

There was a trail and woods behind our site, so we "hiked" and gathered fire wood for Dad.

He did not want his picture taken, but he is still cute.

Getting ready for bed, but it is so hard to wind down after a fun day.

It rained a bit the 1st night and morning.  So we got up made some breakfast, of course went to the beach, and then headed into town.

Walking on the pier in Charlevoix waiting to sit down for lunch.

A great view at lunch with great company.

After lunch we walked out on the pier and played on the beach.

My favorite.

Once we got back we couldn't get to the beach for more rocks fast enough.

The water was cool but very refreshing.  Mari was so brave swimming out there by herself.

Owen opted to throw sand.

We had a little chipmunk friend visit.  So we gave it some nuts and the kids thought this was so neat having her eat out of their hands.  Mari named it "Eliza the chipmunk".

We finished up on Sunday with some breakfast, a morning s'more, and of course the beach again. Then we headed home for an early night. We had a great time and can't wait to go again. The kids and I will be going camping again at the end of the month in Mimi and Pa's backyard with Liam.

 I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband who can put up with me and all my craziness.  Thanks for choosing me, I love you babe.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!