More apple picking

Trip #2 to the apple farm was on a field trip with Noah's preschool class. It was a cold day, but we had fun!There was a little class for the kids to learn about how apples grow. They got to taste some apple cider.

It was so cold that we ate lunch in our car with the heat blasting!

After lunch, we learned about pumpkins, then went to pick one along with some corn and gourds.

Believe it or not, we have been doing other things besides picking apples this month! Here is Caleb with his best bud, Elmo, who he calls "MA!" (and can only say it in a very loud voice).

Caleb has also been practicing his walking. He really only walks from person to person with our encouragement. But he CAN do it, so I'm sure that soon it will become his main form of transportation.

Brett successfully ran a half marathon! It was too cold for the kids and me to go see him, so we made him this sign instead. (Like our two-toned garage door? Long story... but it is all fixed now.)

Caleb spent a good part of last week being sick with a fever (but not the flu!). He looked like this most of the week. Brett and I showed him lots of sympathy.... Noah, not too much.

And finally, apple picking trip #3! I see now that I did not take any pictures of us actually picking the apples. Maybe we need to go back again... j/k!

This is Caleb (and friend Kyra) at the beginning, right before he started fussing which lasted the rest of the trip.

Noah showing us his apple cider (the donut was long gone by then):

Still not happy, even after donuts...

On the home front, our backyard is becoming more usable with the addition of a patio!

We also had a fun visit with my parents this past weekend. They went apple picking with us (trip #3) and we celebrated my upcoming (gulp) 30th birthday. The boys love to spend time with them - and so do we!

Birthdays and Apple Picking

We celebrated two September birthdays in our house - Brett's and Noah's. Can you guess how old Brett is by his candles?We had a family party for Noah. Here is Noah with his train cake. You will see a lot of funny looking smiles on this post - he's at that stage where he's trying to smile but can't do it naturally. I forget why his fist is in the air.

Noah enjoying the aforementioned train cake. (He chose a piece with marshmallows.)

Opening presents

A few days later was Noah's actual birthday, so we had a mini celebration with cupcakes...

... and more gifts!

Enjoying one of his new gifts and trying to smile

Both kids love books

Today we went to the apple orchard. We have two more trips planned this fall (one on a preschool field trip and one with friends), but we felt like going today too... you can't have too many apples!

"I got one Mom!"

Brett and I remembered how last year, Caleb was in the Snugli when an apple fell on his head. No accidents this year!

Noah was so funny. He was very choosy about which apples he would pick. He looked at several apples before he would finally pick one off the tree. We're not sure what his criteria was, because twice he brought over a bad apple.

We also stopped at the pumpkin patch.
These next 3 shots are for all you mothers out there who have ever tried to pose more than one child at a time. It's pretty much impossible.

Look over here boys! Smile!

Look here Caleb! Noah, put your hands down!

We give up! Good enough!

My favorite shot of the day:

One last announcement: Caleb took his first steps all by himself this week! We are so proud of him! Yay Caleb!!!