Pumpkin Patch

Every year, we take Isaiah and Mallory to the pumpkin patch to pick out their pumpkins for Halloween. I think the family favorite is the tractor wagon ride.

They drive you out to this field in the middle of no where, and they leave you to wait for the Great Pumpkin. Just kidding. They take you out to a field to choose your pumpkin, and another tractor wagon comes out to pick you up.

Um, maybe you could choose a different pumpkin, Little Miss. Gross!

Mallory was so cute waving hello/good-bye to the people on the tractor.

The corn pit was fun, even though the kids ended up with corn in their shoes.

Fall Fun

- becky

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is so much fun. It brings back so many wonderful memories from my childhood. Eating Arby's, collecting candy in pillowcases, dressing up in fun costumes...sigh...

And so, the traditions continue with my kids. :)

CANDY! Quick - let's get to the next house!

A very excited zoo keeper

Kamryn (the giraffe to the left of the zoo keeper) and our kiddos

All three kids did a great job saying, "Trick or treat!" and "Thank you!" at every house. Mallory said, "Watch your step!" every time she walked down the step on someone's porch - LOL!

3 very happy trick-or-treaters

Mommy, the lion, and the zoo keeper

Daddy, the lion, and the zoo keeper

What a fun time! We can't wait until next year! I got excellent clearance prices on the kids' costumes for next year!

- becky

Happy Halloween!

How fun for Halloween to fall on a Saturday this year! The kids enjoyed Trunk or Treat at church this afternoon. It was really cold and windy, but we did our best to dress for the weather.

Isaiah was supposed to be a train engineer, but we couldn't find an engineer's hat. So train engineer or farmer - whichever works for us. Costumes are ridiculously expensive, so we went practical - overalls and a flannel shirt. He can wear those again! Mallory's duck costume was borrowed from my friend Lynette's little boy, James. She was definitely warm enough!

Isaiah and Mallory with our friend Kamryn - the cutest little chicken ever!

After Trunk or Treat, we took a ride over the new College Ave bridge. It's finally open! Police had blocked off part of College Ave near the Paper Valley. Our best guess is that the Minnesota Brett Favre's arrived in town for the big game tomorrow. (The Packers opponent always stays at the Paper Valley in Appleton.)

Not to break tradition, Tim and I ate Arby's for lunch. Tim is such a good sport. I know it's a strange tradition from my childhood, but it's tradition, nonetheless!

It was so cold outside that I almost didn't want to take the kids out trick-or-treating. Isaiah kept saying, "Trick or treat!" as he was looking out the window, so we had to go to just a few houses. He did so well! It was so neat to hear him say, "Trick or treat!" and "Thank you!" when he got treats for Mommy and Daddy to enjoy.

Happy Halloween!

- becky

Pumpkin Patch...and Some Deep Thoughts

This weekend at church it is LWML Sunday. For those of you who don't know, LWML is Lutheran Women's Missionary League. I keep thinking I should join, but I'm having trouble digesting the thought of another meeting each month. I'm trying to figure out what to cut before the birth of our second child, not add to my plate. Maybe I should just check out a meeting. It is entirely possible (and likely) that I will find it well worth my time, as it does center around my relationship with Christ.

We had a guest preacher at church for this special event, and his message was outstanding. He said a couple of things in his sermon that I wanted to share with you. Isaiah did an outstanding job behaving, so I could listen. Except for the tiny little incident where he bumped his head on the pew. Ouch! Don't worry - he's okay.

1.) "It is the urgency of eternity that sets our hearts Ablaze with love for Jesus." How true!!!

2.) Keep in mind, the pastor (if anyone remembers his name, please remind me!) came to us from a Lutheran home for the disabled - Bethesda. "When some people see someone who is disabled, they say God had a special or different plan for them. Well, he does have a plan. Law and Gospel. Confession and forgiveness." Hello! It's the same plan for all of us - disabled or not. We are all the same.

So there's my deep thoughts. They really gave me something to think about. A good sermon is like a good movie. You walk around the rest of the day pondering it!

Enjoy the pictures!

" Look at all of the balls, um, I mean pumpkins."

Isaiah kept calling the pumpkins balls. So cute!

"I love my daddy!"

"I love my mommy!"

"I just can't decide which pumpkin I want to take home."

"Well, if I can only pick one, then I choose this one!"

- becky

Fall's Beauty

Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather was so beautiful, so we took Isaiah to the pumpkin patch and for a drive to look at the leaves this morning. The leaves are just about to peak, so they are just beautiful! (I'll post pumpkin patch pictures tomorrow.)

Lots of beautiful colors on the trees in the background

These trees are on a road behind Wal-Mart. The road is not very busy, so we could pull off to the side and take some quick pictures.

Of course, we couldn't go looking at leaves without letting Isaiah play in the front yard!

The trees in our front yard have lost quite a few leaves already, but they're still pretty full. You should see the sun shine through the colors!

- becky