Big Day for Padyn

It's hard to tell, but Padyn and her BFF got their ears pierced today. She is pretty proud of herself...feeling very pretty.

BFFS

What a difference two years makes...
C and P on the last day of kindergarten...

...and on the last day of 2nd grade.We don't have one for the last day of 1st grade because C was in Australia with her family. Totally messed up my photo record keeping.

And next year? This will be the duo to be reckoned with. Crazy incoming kinders...

Photo Saturday-Roaring Camp

I apologize for not posting photos yesterday, but I knew I would get several excellent ones today on our adventure, so I made you all wait. And so now, you may witness our day at Roaring Camp. We met up with some of my college roomies, one of whom was passing through from So Cal on their way to visit family in the Bay Area. So, those of us in Nor Cal rushed down to Santa Cruz this morning so we could have some time together.

Here's our quick lunch before boarding the train. Ten kids, all between 7 and 6 months. So. Much. Fun.

All aboard. We sat on the "wet" side of the train, but no one really noticed their wet bottoms.

Mommy and Juls...

Sach and Jack...

Picture perfect afternoon...

Through the trees...

A boy and a train...

Taking a break from the train...

Here they are all...all ten of them. And, of course, Chris. He was our only Daddy that could come today. He had to be in the picture or else we couldn't get baby Ryan in the shot. And yes, this is the best photo. Have you ever tried to take a picture of ten children? The next one in the serious has a kid running away and the following one has a child crying, I think.Ready to head back to the station...

Train trestle. Thanks for taking the pic, Chris.

This was slightly creepy, so I had to get a shot of it. I'm pretty sure this dude works for Roaring Camp, but in this neck of the woods, you never really know...

Showing off its steam...

I think she had a good time...

Back at the station, we had a little play time before heading home...

Our boys in orange...Brother Bear and Robbie.

Show much fun on the tree...

This was pretty fun. Both Calvin and Robbie brought some cars along to play with. Without any adult intervention, they lined them up opposite each other on the edge of the horseshoe sandbox. Then they stared at each other, as if daring the other to go first. They didn't actually play together. They just stared for a while. I love boys.

Thanks, Juls for organizing. We had such a great day. I love you all!

Happy Saturday.

All Hallows Eve

Appearing at our house on Halloween this year was...

Crush, the sea turtle from finding Nemo...Spider Girl...

and two Batgirls (Padyn in the pink, Bella in the black). We were joined by our neighbors, Luke Skywalker and Kitty. And down in the last picture you can see Trevor as Thomas the Train.

And yes. Those are Christmas lights in our front yard in October. They have been up all year. They are our front porch lights. That's just the way we roll...

Photo Saturday-Cool Patch (seriously-that's the name of the pumpkin patch)

Last Saturday, when it wasn't raining, we heading out to the best pumpkin patch in the universe. It's more than a patch, really. It's a whole fall extravagance. World's Largest Corn Maze (which we did last night, but that's another blog entry), thousands of pumpkins still on the vine, haystack pyramid, haystack maze, 4 man tricycles, little pink houses, and course, the corn bath. Really, we should have just gone for the corn bath. That's where all 11 children wanted to spend their time. That's right...these children right here...



I took my camera, all ready to get some get great pumpkin shots to add to my collection from years past. Unfortunately, 6 shots in, my battery died. And one more shot later, my back-up battery died! Good thing there were a few other mommies there with their cameras. Otherwise all I'd have to show you would be this photo....



and this photo...

...and this photo that sort of proves that Robbie is now walking.

Oh. And this one.

And thank goodness I got this photo. I really need to capture these fashion moments, don't you think?But I would not have been able to show you the first photos of all the kiddos, or of these next few in the corn bath. Really. It was the best $3 per kid I spent all week. We were hoping to go back today, but somehow I don't think the corn bath would be as fun wet as it was dry.

Corn AngelPadyn's BFF being buried in the corn.

I'm not really sure of why this was so much fun, but these girls loved putting the kernels in their shirts. I think the joy came from releasing the corn rather than collecting it.Sorry the weather isn't cooperating or I'd have more photos for you today. Luckily the patch is open until Nov. 7th, so I'm sure we will be making at least one trip back before the corn (and pumpkins) disappear until next Fall.

Happy (wet) Saturday.

W Girls Visit-Final Photos

Saddly, the W girls and their Daddy had to go home yesterday. We were all very sad. Fortunately, though, we still have more pictures we can look at. Here are a few more random photos from Fairytale Town on Monday....

Padyn sliding down the "rabbit hole."

Coley with Mother GooseThree of our beauties posing for the Wizard of Oz...

Kate refused to have anything to do with this......or this. I don't think she likes bridges.

According to Jalyn's reasoning, 7 Indians lived in this teepee because their were seven seats inside.

These three wanted matching pigtails. Not Katelyn.

The W girls...they would have been happy to send every waking moment in this pool. They are fish!

We miss you guys!