Hannah Update

Here is Hannah's 4-month picture from October. We started giving her cereal last month, she wasn't sure what to think at first by by now she has become a bigger fan of the daily spoon & bowl routine.

Halloween 2011

Last year Tyler got to be Thomas the Tank Engine for Halloween. He was only 2 so didn't really understand the tradition so I picked it out for him. I took him trick 'o treating and had no idea how much he would enjoy it. He did great and when I said it was time to head home, he said, "Oh Man!" for the first time. Then over the summer he saw his costume in the closet and asked to go out to get candy again with his bucket. It is hard to explain to a 2 year-old that the holiday is only one day a year. Here is a Halloween 2010 photo BEFORE the candy.

This year he was all prepared and kept telling me he wanted to be the engine named PERCY (Thomas's best friend), so I found a Percy costume. Then he kept changing his mind going back & forth between the two engines. He ended up being Thomas for the ghost walk in Clarinda and Percy for the Boone Trick 'o Treating night. He loved going to people's houses and saying trick or treat this year! About half way thru the neighborhood we found Tyler's friend Juliana with her dad so we joined forces for the rest of the night and finally snapped a picture of him in his costume for Halloween 2011 AFTER the candy this time.

Hallowgiving 2011

My hometown has a ghost walk on Saturday when kids in their Halloween costumes walk around to the businesses on the square and collect candy. We participated for the first time. Even Hannah got dressed for the occasion - no candy for her though.

Pretty Page County Courthouse in the background

Thomas the Tank Engine was running out of steam by the time we had waited in line for the walk to begin.

Each year on the last weekend of October, my dad's side of the family comes together near my hometown to celebrate an early Thanksgiving. Since it is close to Halloween - we have dubbed this event "Hallowgiving." Close to 50 family members come for a day full of family fun and lots of great food. Sometimes all that food and fun and wear the (big and little) kids out!

 Quiet time for some of the kids, including Tyler and cousin Kelsey

 Betsy and Kelsey enjoying the afternoon craft - painting a pumpkin jar.

 Trust and Faith painting together

Conner

 Kelsey

 Katie

The next day we went on a dry creek bed walk on the Geer Family Farm. Tyler and Kelsey hunted for treasures for their baskets.

 

 

 Grandma & Kelsey checking out a wolly worm

 

 Climbing under....

 ...and over

While in Clarinda my family aslo got a family picture taken on the farm for my parent's Thanksgiving letter. Tyler and Kelsey played ring-around-the-rosey after the photo shoot.

 

 Then it was snack time in Great-Grandma's kitchen

 Then we braved the windy day to go collect some field corn for my Mom's squirrels to enjoy over the winter. This field had been damaged by hail, so there was a lot of corn on the ground to find.

 

Fall Hike in Boone

We have been busy trying to play outside play during every one of these warm fall days (before winter is here)! A couple of weeks ago Tyler asked to go to the park, so we drove to the big park here in town and then decided to wing it and take little hike down one of the park trails. It led down the ravine to a small bridge and creek at the bottom of the hill. Tyler had a BLAST hiking, climbing, playing in the water, and getting messy on this unexpected adventure. Hannah and I, however, decided we are bringing the infant 

carrier next time we go for a hike!

 kicking leaves

 Climbing trees and then asking me to take his picture

 

 checking out the waterfall

 Getting his feet wet!

 Scenery

 Little girl in the leaves, giving mom's arms a break.

 Fun Family Time!

Apple Orchard (take two)

Tyler and Hannah enjoyed another wonderfully warm day at the Center Grove Orchard in October. This time Grandma Janelle came with us.We started out with apple cider and cider donuts.

 Then Tyler was ready to play in the corn pool. Hannah had fun watching before jumping in herself.

Next up was bouncing on the giant pillow.
Hannah had fun watching that too.

 Grandma & Tyler tried to find their way out of the hay maze.

 We fed the animals....chickens, goats, turkeys, and ducks.

 

 

 And after all of our fun, we ended with a hay ride.

 

 And before we left, Tyler let me get this video.