Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch on Oct. 6.  It's tradition and a fun way to start October!  I think pumpkin patches are most fun for 2-4 year-olds.  Luke was thinking he's a little too cool for this now, but ended up having a good time testing out his muscles and seeing what he could lift.  Ella walked around pointing out the "cutest" ones.  My favorite part of the pumpkin patch is eating their hot homemade donuts.  yum.   

Callie was exactly 3 months old on this little outing.  The girls were looking cute before we left the house, so I had to get some pictures of them in their matchy matchy skirts.  Ella was super excited to be twins with Callie.   (Thanks, Lauren!)

El was showing Callie how "swishy" their skirts are...

Couldn't leave Luke out of the action!

 

Littlest cutie all by herself :)

And on to pictures from the patch.

 

 

 

She had a good time trampling the corn maze.

 

 Too cool for this place.  He was ready to go home. 

 

 

 

First Indoor Soccer Game of the Season

  Another thing that went on in Sept was that soccer started!  Luke scored at his first game and was so excited.  He has been enjoying the practices and has some fun kids on his team!  Here are some pics from his first game.

 

Going Ape in Thetford Forest

Thetford Forest is just a few minutes away from us, and last month Jake and Luke did the Jr. "Go Ape" course.  We spent the afternoon walking the trails and playing at the parks.  Found some blackberry bushes there too... with ripe berries.  Yum!  That was fun until Luke swallowed something that scratched his throat.  Here are some pics of our little adventure.  I'd like to do the adult Go Ape course with Jake sometime.  The Jr. course was fun for them, but the bigger adult zip line looks really fun!

Luke was super excited to do the course.  We thought he was going to do it on his own, but once he was all suited up and ready to go he realized he needed his dad to go with him.  Looked a little too scary to do it alone! 

 

The course took them about an hour to complete, and then they ended with a big zip line.  I got a few pics when Luke was whizzing by.  Some of Jake too.  haha.  Those crotch harness things look sick! 

Ella, Callie, and I hung out at the playground while the boys climbed.  Funky shadows, but I liked this pic of Ella.

First Day(s) of School. 2012 Edition

  Mr. Luke!  He is in Ms. Santiago's first grade Spanish immersion class.  So far he likes it.  Most of the kids in his class are kids that were in Ms Morales's class with him last year.  Here he was on his first day of first grade.  The girls and I usually walk him to school. They are good walking buddies.  Ella is usually flying ahead of us on her scooter.  Scooter rides put her in a good mood, so it's a good start to our weekdays!

And Ella's first day in the Ladybirds class at preschool.  She was nervous about her new class and didn't want summer break to end.  Did not want to go that first day!  She is liking it now though.  Her cute buddies Amelia and Liberty are in her class.  If they are there too, she loves it.  Her teachers are Miss Leanne and Miss Katie.

Her first day...  not a happy camper that morning.

So, this little cutie and I spend Monday afternoons, and Tuesdays and Thursdays together while the other two are at school.  It's worked out nicely so far! 

Four!

Ella turned 4 last month! 
The Birthday Girl! Right as we were hopping in the car... trying not to be late for church. She picked out this "birthday dress" the day before. 

Favorites at 4. 
color: pInK and PuRple, food: sPaGheTti, treat: stARbuRsts, PoPsiCles, jeLlYbeAns, and NeRds, and ALL the treats in the whole wide world! drink:  gAtoRaDe and aPplE juIce, tv show/movie: sTraWbeRrY ShoRtcaKe aNd CoOkinG sHoWs (cAkE BosS), Book: PRiNcEss bOoKs, friend: LiBerTy, AmElia, and OliViA, fav thing to do: pLay doLLhoUse, fav thing at school: pAint, fav thing to wear: heLlo kitTy wEllies, song: WhEn I GroW uP  (from matilda) 

We had some of her close buddies over for cake and presents that evening. 

 

 

After her little friends left, she and Jake got busy putting together her new dollhouse.  Fun day!  At 4 you are sassy and cute, a great sister to Luke and Callie, and so fun to be around! Ella Morgan, I sure love you! 

♥mom  

Miss Callie Olivia at 2 Months! 9/6/12

I dressed Callie in the same outfit I took pictures of Ella in at 2 months.  Couldn't find that purple flower headband though, so we changed that up a bit!  Anyway, she has reminded me of Luke and Ella at 2 mo!  Just for fun, here they were at that age.
Miss Ella:

 Luke boy!

And for the record, at her 2 mo appt, she weighed 12 lbs 8 oz and was 22.5 inches long.

Visiting Downton

 I should be going to bed, but I'm up waiting for pumpkin muffins to finish baking.  There's a lot of complaining going on around here when it comes to breakfast lately.  EVERY morning, actually.  I'm hoping muffins will get us off to a better start tomorrow.  For a certain picky 6 year-old, eating something simple like cereal is nothing short of slow and painful torture.  Drives me nuts sometimes!  I don't get it.  Anyhow, while I wait for them to bake, I'll blog about our Labor Day visit to Highclere Castle... home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and the filming location for Downton Abbey.    The kitchen here has been updated since the Carnarvons still live here part of the year, so some of the rooms in the TV series are filmed at a studio location (the kitchen and servants quarters).

I had been wanting to visit this place since Jake and I finished the first season of Downton last spring.  Kristen recommended the series to help get my mind off of some weird ultrasound findings (turned out to be a false alarm... I'll have to blog about that another time) and Jake and I were hooked.  Visiting this place is a little tricky, though.  The days that tickets were available were few and far between.  We bought tickets for one of the last days it was open this year- Labor Day.

It was fun seeing so many familiar rooms and staircases from the TV series.  Inside, there are people that tell you the real history of the rooms and of the house.  There are signs posted to let you know which areas are used in Downton Abbey.  Most rooms looked pretty much just like they do in the show.  No pictures were allowed inside, but we took a lot outside on the grounds!