trespassin' with kids...

I've been wanting to take the kids out on their own little photo shoots while scouting different locations. I spotted a barn door the other day and since it was such a pretty morning, I took Sarah out for the price of a roll of Smarties (she's no hard sell).

After the barn, I spotted a corn field with some good light and veered off the road and into the grass. Is this sort of thing legal? I couldn't decide what picture I liked, so I posted a bunch. Enjoy.

I'm posting these over at the photoblog too, so sorry for the double-duty if you're somebody who checks both blogs. Hey...this kind of cuteness cannot be contained to just one blog!

the wheels on the bus (a field trip)....

Lauren's Grandma, (aka: my mom), took her on her first field trip of the year to an apple orchard. They even rode the bus together.

Now, my mom was a teacher for 30 years or so and she said she didn't remember how noisy a school bus can be. Today, a couple people asked the bus driver how he handled the noise. I cracked up when I heard his response: "I used to work in a chicken coop."

What a riot....wait...did he just call my kid a chicken??? Anyway...enjoy the pictures.

It's not always easy work to eat an apple.
This is a bean bag toss. I think we've got a basketball player on our hands here...
My mom and my baby girl...
The whole class. Lauren is in the back in the center.

too much of a good thing...

I haven't taken any pictures of the kiddos in the last couple of days and for that, I'm sure, they are grateful. There is another love in my life these days, so I thought I'd post about that. Candy corn.

Because I love it so much, I haven't bought any yet this season...for fear I would slip into a candy coma. So, instead I bought the candy pumpkins for the kids, because they are way sweeter than the candy corn and I don't like them as much. Well, last night I caved and probably downed about 19 of them in one sitting, which equals 70 candy corn. My tummy doesn't feel so good this morning. I think I broke it.

Maybe I'm just building tolerance for the holiday season ahead. What does not kill me will make me stronger, right?

Don't worry...I'll blog about the kids soon. You can only take so much ode to candy, I know.

show n' share...

On Thursday, Sarah has to bring in an apple to preschool for show n' share. Today, it's my turn. I don't have an apple, although Honeycrisp would be my pick...but I do have some family photos over at the photoblog if you'd like to see them (click here).

we dun got some culture...

The Mr. and I thought it would be fun to accept an invite from Calvin College to attend the kick off to the 75th anniversary of the theatre at Calvin. We really had a fantastic time! They brought back a '00 alum who has made it big on Broadway. She really wowed us with a collection of songs depicting her journey from Calvin to now. We sat so close, it would be $300 seats in NYC. Impressive.

And, oh man, the food was scrumdelicious. We had to appear discreet in going through the food line 3 or 4 times (they really need bigger plates is all). It was pretty fun to get all snazzy for our night out...but we did race home, change into sweats and park ourselves in front of the tv to watch the VP debate. We've got a tricky month head with that election. I'm rooting for the underdogs, so here's hoping I can get an early birthday present on Nov 4th!

getting a little fresh air...

After a full day of lounging around the house, I bundled up the kiddos and headed to the park. Yes, I said bundled. There's a saying in Michigan...If you don't like the weather; stay five minutes and it'll change. Yup, 5 days ago we were in shorts and yesterday, I shook the dust off the winter coats and put 'em on.

On a related note: It's always exciting to check the pockets of your coat after months of storage. My pocket treasures included a pacifier (gold), seven cents, two licked clean lollipop sticks and a tissue (ewww...).

How cute is this lounging picture of Julia...

The kids thought I was boring stopping at a field before the park (scouting shoot locations), but they had a pretty good time picking beans in the lame ol' field. Before we left the field I was asked to hold the "soft leaves" and handfuls of beans they found. Now, I better remember to empty my coat pockets of those things or that could be pretty gross next year.

The three musketeers...

Ummm, yea...how do I not take a blurry picture of Sarah?

Lauren did go to school all day...so she was entitled to a little lounging.

My little pink bunny...

oh october, how I love ye...

There is not one single thing I dislike about the month of October, whereas I could pick a beef with something about each of the other 11 months. The leaves, the smells, the weather, the clouds, the apples, the clothes, and let's not forget about the candy corn. Oh my, I love this month.

I just get giddy thinking about it. Maybe it's because I lived in Florida most of my childhood and didn't know leaves did this sort of thing. I was 12 when we moved to Kentucky and we had woods in the backyard that would just go ablaze in color! Fall was longer there too, which sometimes makes me feel bitter about Michigan weather. Darn that old man winter knocking on the door!

Well, now, I'm am just geeked that I've got a partner in all this autumn-lovin' livin'...('cause we all know Jeff's just in it for the football) My lady Lauren was just counting down the days until it was appropriate to wear her pumpkin shirt and October 1 was the day. Here she is...