Falling

Well, it turns out Michigan is gorgeous in the fall! It's a much better transition into winter when you're here for the entire show, rather than arriving just in time for snow, snow, snow, and - wait, what's that forecast? - oh yeah. Snow. LOL So here are some photos of the trees you can see from our house.







Of course, what little guy wouldn't want to get out while the weather is still warm enough? Here he is!



And this one is just too adorable for words!



OK. Enough about the great outdoors. Here's what's been going on inside! (Hint: Most of it involves Jack's tractor imitation.)

We had a house full of boys the other day. Bailey and Bryson descended on us in all their wonderfulness, and Jack was too excited to contain his joy. (Yes, he sounds like a tea kettle.)



Reading with Da!



Emptying Mama's clean laundry - for a good purpose.

Well, that's it for now. Bye!

Punkin/Pumpkins

Today we took our first annual (I hope) family trip to a pumpkin patch at one of the local farms. (Hooray for local agriculture!) Jack was his usual self; which means it's best to tell the story with pictures.

Even though it was cold (upper 40's/ 6-8 Celsius), it was a gorgeous day when we set off for the pumpkin patch. In an effort to avoid the tornado effect often produced by our free-range toddler, we attached a long-tailed monkey to Jack's back, thus giving the wee man room to run - but not too much.



Having recently developed a life-altering obsession with tractors (thank you Doodah), Jack was immediately focused on the John Deere and wagon coming to pick us up.



We sat near the front of the wagon so that Jack (and the monkey) could face the tractor. (Actually, the monkey was checking out the play area, but he wasn't allowed in. Monkeys throw things, you know...)



Was he happy? Yes!



"Don't bother me, woman! I am watching a TRACTOR. Do. You. Understand??? A TRACTOR!!!!!"
(Notice monkey is still watching the play area.)



"MOM. I CAN'T SEE THE TRACTOR!" - Jackson
"Ooooh ooh ooh aah aaaaah!" - Monkey



After he stopped crying about the tractor leaving us, he started running to each individual pumpkin and going, "Ball!" After he tripped over vines about 15 times, Da decided it might be easier to do a shoulder ride.



Jack: "Ball!"



Mama: "See this? It's a pumpkin!"
(Monkey distracted by other children)



Jack: "Ball!"



Our three candidates/victims.



The farm provides wagons for carting pumpkins/Punkins.



"Monkey! Move it! It's a little crowded for the four of us!"



Inside the greenhouse, they had LOADS more pumpkins. Jeff wheeled Jack around one of the aisles, but Jack was still trying to figure out why we'd left the tractor; so he wasn't as enthralled as Jeff and I were.



But he still managed a second for cuteness!



We liked it!



And this is just how much we liked it:
"WAAAAAH! Brrruudn Brrruudn [his version of a tractor noise]!" (Translation: "I WANT THE TRAAAAAAAAAAAACTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!")



Now where is that monkey...?