Trick or Treat!

This year, our family featured a Kermit the Frog...

...and a fairy princess. (Yes, this was the same thing Kate was last year. But as she said, "this one is cuter because it has glitter on the skirt")

Casting a spell...

Andrew was very jealous of Kate's wand, so we gave him a spatula. This seemed to do the trick.

Kate was on a mission this year: she loudly said "trick or treat" at each door and came home with oodles of candy.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Pumpkin Carving

This year we took our pumpkins to Grandma & Grandpa Vogel's to carve them there. We started with Kate's little one. She decided that she didn't want to make it scary, so that the kids wouldn't be scared when they trick or treated at our house.

2 sweet pumpkin faces.

Then it was on to the big pumpkin. She decided that it was ok if this one was scary. Here are the 2 girls showing the boys that we are tougher than them: we weren't afraid of the gooey guts!

Daddy & Kate finishing it up.

A job well done!

Morning Ritual

Each morning, Andrew gets super excited when Jason makes his oatmeal. He (not so discretely) requests to be removed from his high chair and joins daddy on his lap.

If daddy is too slow at giving him a bite, he has been known to commandeer the spoon to feed himself.

Who can be cranky in the morning with this face around?!

Pumpkin Patch

Another glorious afternoon spent enjoying a favorite fall activity: the pumpkin patch! If you remember, Andrew was only days old the last time we were here. I can't believe how quickly the year flew by.

Kate's judge of a good pumpkin was whether or not she could carry it. This one was deemed unfit shortly after the photo was taken.

This one was perfect.

Andrew's judge of a good pumpkin was how it tasted.

This one was perfect.

After finding our pumpkins we got to roast marshmallows at the fire pit. What a fun treat!

They also had a giant slide that both kids loved.

We are all going to be SO sad when fall is over!

Palisades

Though the temperatures do not feel at all like fall, the changing leaves meant that it was time for the annual family reunion at Palisades Park near Cedar Rapids. Kate found a fuzzy caterpillar that she named Charlie. Charlie provided lots of fun & giggles.

This little boy also provided lots of fun & giggles.

The after-lunch hike.

Andrew's newest thing: he stays in this position until he gets your attention and you laugh at him.

Sibling love at the site of mom & dad's engagement many years ago.

It's always great to spend the day with family that we don't see often enough!

Wedding Fun

Jason's brother, Kevin, got married this weekend. The wedding was beautiful and Kate did a fabulous job as the flower girl, and Andrew surprised us with 2 great sleeping nights at the hotel. I managed to snap a few photos in between wedding pictures in the park.

Kate took her job very seriously. If she dropped a petal that landed off of the white runner, she would pick it up and put it where it was supposed to be. Needless to say, it was quite a long trip down the aisle!

CONGRATS TO UNCLE KEVIN & AUNT JESS!