Carving Pumpkins!

We finally got around to carving our pumpkin for Halloween. Both kids really enjoyed helping and were pleased with the finished product.

Before....

Picking out the seeds

Scooping out the "guts"

...After!!

Princess Time

Lauren's favorite thing these days is playing dress up with her princess stuff. Her friend Kylynn came to visit and the two of them had a blast dressing up and playing in the "castle" (Lauren's room). The next day Lauren was invited to a Princess birthday party and could come dressed as her favorite princess. She was too excited to nap before the party! She had so much fun and is still talking about it! Luckily, we have talked Lauren out of being a princess again for Halloween and she is going to be a Butterfly. (:

Princess Kylynn and Princess Lauren

Playing in the castle

Tried to get a shot with Princess Addisyn too!

Dressed up as Belle before the birthday party

Mom and her princess

Lauren with birthday girl Ellianna

Some of the princesses at the party

More Fall Fun

We went out to Rennie Orchard today for more fall fun. We picked apples and went through a sunflower maze. The kids played in a tee pee and a playhouse and also did a smaller hay maze. It was a lot of fun and the kids were worn out by the end! The weather was still chilly, but the sun was shining making it a perfect fall day for fun.

Lauren

Camden

Lauren and Camden in the tee pee

Camden walking through the sunflower maze

Lauren did very well walking through the maze and not getting lost

Brother and sister

Dad and kids

Mom and kids

Lauren picking apples from the tree

Camden picking apples from the ground

Enjoying an apple after some hard work

Sharing with her brother

Pumpkin Fun

We went to Gallagher's Farm last weekend so the kids could pick out a pumpkin. It was very cold so we did not get to stay for long. Hopefully the weather will cooperate in the next few weeks and we can do the corn maze and a possible hayride.

Which one?

Camden liked ALL of them!

The kids picked out their pumpkin and rode in the wagon

Standing by the pumpkin tower

Trevor and Lauren

Trisha, Camden and Lauren

Lauren being silly

Having pumpkin donuts and cider afterward

Old Friends

It is amazing how time flies and all of the sudden it's been 4 years since you've seen some of your good friends. Our friends Matt and Nicki from college were up in Traverse City last weekend and we were finally able to get our families together. It was so great to visit with them and catch up while the kids played together.

Nicki, Matt, and Max Rinckey

Max and Lauren riding cars

The kids playing

Lauren, Max, and Camden
(Impossible to get them all looking...)

Remembrance Run/Walk 2009

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month which is something that hits very close to home for me. My mother is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2006 and underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy in the months to follow. I am very lucky to have her with me today as she is a huge part of our lives. For the past 4 years my mother and I have participated in the Remembrance Run/Walk to raise money for breast cancer research. It is a 5K walk through the beautiful Vasa Trails of Traverse City. My sister-in-law Leslie has joined us for the past 2 years. Luckily the weather held out for us this past weekend and we had a great time.

Cyndi, Trisha, and Leslie

My mom and her good friend Nancy

Cyndi, Nancy, Trisha, Leslie, Kelsey, and Mandy