HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Savannah's pumpkin has the bat mouth, Sammy's pumpkin is the spider, mom and dad's is the big one, and Jeffrey's is the star wars rebel alliance symbol.

We are heading to the trunk-or-treat at the church, which was Friday night. We had a hot day almost 80 degrees that day....very strange hot, windy weather. Jeffrey is a Clone Trooper, Savannah is Snow White, and Sammy is Winnie the Pooh.

We went trick-or-treating on Saturday evening. Sammy changed to a Gorilla costume, because is was so cold.

Windmill Farm

These are my crazy little animals: Savannah the horse, Jeffrey the cow, and Sammy the little piggy.


Sitting outside the shop at Windmill Farms with all the gourds and pumpkins, awaiting our hayride. Sorry, no actual pictures from the hayride. It was very muddy due to all the rain we've had. Sammy was concerned at times. I don't think he liked the bumpy ride. Each kid got to pick out a pumpkin at the patch.

Playing on the wooden, Omish made playsets.

HAPPY HARVEST EVERYONE!

the Super Slide

This is the Super Slide at Young's Jersey Dairy. Sofie (a friend of ours), Savannah, and Jeffrey. Jeffrey was afraid at first, so I had to go down next to him. Then Sammy wanted to go down with me.

Sammy looks really scared. I think he almost cried.

Then we went down a second time, but Sammy wasn't too sure about it.

The kids just wanted to keep going down the Super Slide.....over and over and over again!

Young's Dairy Farm/Activity Center

Again this fall, Mark's residency program had an activity day for us at Young's Jersey Dairy. We had a great lunch, played mini-golf, went on the super slide, saw the animals, rode on the kitty tracker train, and the guys even got to hit a few balls at the driving range.



Sammy loved mini-golf. He hit the ball rather than putted. He knew his ball was the yellow ball and stuck to it. He would place his ball next to the whole and hit it in. Then he would exclaim, "I Made It!!!"

This is Sammy after the 18th hole at the ball return. He wasn't too impressed that he didn't get the ball back.

Mark and Jeffrey hit a few balls at the driving range, while the girls and Sammy sat down for a rest.

We saw cows, sheep, chickens, pigs, goats, and ducks at their little farm.

Finished Fall Project

So, I had been wanting to do this for a long time. I took down the verticle blinds in my front living room and painted my white walls. It said "waiting room" and felt sterile more than a living room to me before. Now, the room is so much more warm and cozy. It's amazing what a coat of paint can do. Nothing else is new in the room, but it feels so much better. Well, except the new window treatments. I had to replace the totally outdated verticle blinds!


The tan color on the walls is the same color that I have already painted the dining room, both bathrooms, and my bedroom. I am trying to bring a more uniform feel to the house.

I also painted my entry and hall the same tan color. I actually had to paint all the baseboards and trim around the doors too. Plus, I repainted my front door white. I did the hallway all by myself and then a friend helped me with my living room. This was my fall project and I got it done so fast. Maybe I will think of something else to do.....

Faces Painted and Balloons

We went to an Ortho Program picnic. Sparkles the Clown came and painted the kids faces and made things out of balloons.

Jeffrey got the animal skull.

Savannah had the dotted butterfly done on her face. She really did not want to wash it off later that night in the bath.

Sammy was afraid of the clown at first. He covered his eyes and kept saying "oh no, oh no!" He quickly warmed up to her after she made him a puppy on a leash out of balloons. However, he kept popping everything she would make for him. He soon felt so comfortable around Sparkles the Clown that he would go up to her and tug on her clown skirt so she would make him another balloon creation. Sorry, no pictures of Sparkles. I didn't bring the camera. These are shots taken at home after. I always forget to bring the camera!

Sammy did end up getting this Spiderman face painted on his hand. After he saw all the kids get their faces painted, he wanted something too.

Sammy's In Trouble

I was outside mowing the lawn (because I am an awesome wife) on a Saturday, and also because Mark was on home call, and I didn't want him to get all sweaty outside and then get called in. So anyway, the older kids were outside with me, and Mark had one responsiblity to WATCH Sammy. Well, this is what happened........Sammy got into the diaper bag and emptied the travel size powder everywhere. I don't think Sammy had any idea he did anything wrong.

Sammy finally tried on the batman mask and is holding the batman sword!

YES, Sammy is a boy! I just found this old halloween costume of Savannah, size 2T, and we thought it would be funny to see Sammy wearing it. Besides, he loves to dress up even if it is a PURPLE PEGASUS!

Sammy loves Lightning McQueen. Here he is in his McQueen pajamas, his McQueen hat, and he is watching the Cars movie too.

Just being goofy, but Sammy would rather watch the Cars movie instead of look at the camera!

Primary Temple Trip

Our primary had a special temple visit this past month. All the families caravanned down to the Columbus, Ohio temple. We met in the stake center next door and listened to our bishop give a short talk about temples. We went for a walk around the temple and let the children touch the sacred outside marble walls of the temple. Then we learned about the different rooms in the temple back at the church and watched a slideshow of pictures of all the temples around the world.

Sammy loved walking around the temple grounds and seeing all the pretty flowers and butterflies.

Wegerzyn Gardens

We discovered this really cool place to take the kids. Wegerzyn Garden Metropark in downtown Dayton. Besides, beautiful gardens, they have this whole kid garden area. We played in the waterfall and rocky creek area, the musical maze, and the sand pit. Sammy loved getting all muddy in the sand pit. We went with great friends and we will go again soon.

My little Sammy is 2 years old now!

Sammy is getting so big so fast. He turned 2 in June. He loves to play outside and slide down our slide. He loves doing puzzles and building things with mega blocks. He loves watching Woody and Buzz, the Incredibles, Cars, and Thomas the Tank Engine. He loves to get his shoes on and go somewhere in the car. He is speaking so many more words all of a sudden. He is even willing to repeat words I say to him. He is a great little boy to have around.