Fall Means ...

In efforts to get caught up... this blog will be few words, but many pictures.  We have been up to a lot this Fall, trying to enjoy the last of the nice weather!  Going back over all the pictures of the last two week, I had two titles for this post.  

1.  John Deer Heaven 

2.  Fall Means... 

 To shorten up the narrating I went with choice two.  Here we go!

Fall means... Fires for s'mores.  Of course we cannot do it alone all the time, so we invited over some company.  Saturday night we had Nate, Brooke, Reese, Jamie and BRIGS over.  Brigs can come and play anytime.  We have two boys that idolize him, he is great with the kiddos, and they listen to him.  

 We went to one of Brigs's football games so Aiden and Ashton were in pure football mode with him.  Notice Aiden's outfit... you can't play football outside with Brigs without dressing like a football player.  *Aiden noticed Brigs's black socks... so he HAD to have some too!

*You might question my use of plural possessive nouns.  FYI, I am using the s's correctly.  Co-teaching in a 7th grade Language Arts class has made me refresh my grammar usage ;)

 Ashton is all about football right now!  Brigs took the two of them, lined them up head to head and had them tackling.  They thought it was SO COOL.  Like I said earlier, Brigs can come play whenever he wants ;)  I'm sure once we go to Brigs's first hockey game, they will be all about hockey.

 Brigs was showing the boys how to make a torch.  Oh boy...

 Something we have been talking about for the last few months... going potty in the "Big Boy Potty"!  Yes, we talk about this because Brigs plays football, he is a big boy and he goes in the potty.  So who is now going in the potty and wearing "Big Boy Undies"?  

This Guy - for the last two weeks.

 This Guy for the last three weeks...  

 Adam and I didn't even gett o celebrate out last box of diapers because it happened so fast!  Daycare said they were staying dry so the next day they went to daycare and school in undies.  Aiden blazed the trail first, then Ashton wanted to wear undies like his brother.  I can't say "easy as that", but I think it was a bit too easy!

Fall Means... running one of our last 5k's for the season?!?!

Sunday Missy and I ran the Color Dash in Eau Claire.  We were among 3,000 runners and we got CoLoReD!!!

(Before)

 (After)

Fall Means... Apples!  After the race, we showered and headed out to the Apple Orchard.  Such a nice day!

 Are they in "John Deer Heaven"?  I think so.

 Loving the animals...

 Elise thinks she is a pretty big girl by the animals!

 Elle loved the rope swing.  I believe she loved it last year too!

 Aiden gave it a try but wasn't so sure about it.

 It didn't surprise me that Ashton wasn't too crazy about it.  He doesn't really like to swing...

 John Deer Heaven?

 Why, Yes I think so!

 We put Aunt Missy in the bus with all the kids... Can you find her?

 Elise, Ashton, Elle and Aiden all ready to go!

 That is one HUGE chair!

 We ended the day with a hayride to pick some apples.

 While everyone else was busy picking apples, I did a mini photo shoot of the cutest little girl!  

Loving the sunglasses...

 Precious.

 While picking you are allowed to eat one, right?  Just as long as it is from a tree and cleaned and not from the ground!

 Big Bites!

 What a beautiful day.  Supper at McDonald's topped off the night.

 Fall Means... HOMECOMING!  This past weekend was Menomonie Homecoming.  The boys got their annual homecoming shirts and we were off to the parade!  There was not a candy shortage, that is for sure.

 Ashton had his waving hand ready the entire time.

 Both boys weren't so sure of the bands, so they needed some cuddles.  Ashton gravitated towards me when any mascot or person dressed up came by.  Halloween should be fun - not.

 This was pretty cool.  A Menomonie man made national news with the Tonka Truck he remade.  The boys thought it was pretty cool.

 Their favorite part?  The tractors!

 As this HUGE tractor was coming, Aiden was scrambling to get some candy in the road.  If you could have seen his face, knowing such a huge machine was headed his way - but he HAD to get all the candy too!  He was pretty proud that he accomplished his task without being squished like a bug.  It was huge.

 We kept our homecoming tradition with Ted's Pizza after the parade.  Then it was home with Nana while Adam and I went to the game - Rain was moving in and we had two tired boys ;(

 Saturday the rain held off just long enough to take pictures of Mikayla.  She is a celebrity in the boys' eyes.  In my eyes, she is growing up way too fast.  Look how much taller she is compared to Nana!  Her shoes may have helped a bit.

 Loving the pictures with Mikayla.  I couldn't keep them out of some of the pictures with her friends.  They would just run right up to be in the picture.

 So proud to call her their cousin.

 Beautiful, Classy, Smart, Honest, and Caring.  

Stop growing up Mikayla!  Next year she will be a Senior... What!?!?

 I was a little worried the boys were rubbing spaghetti's and snot on her dress...  Ashton kept trying to tackle her too.  That wouldn't have been such a good thing with the shoes she was wearing!

 I'm sure, actually positive, that Nate and Katie are very proud of her.  

 Yep - Ashy though it was his time to shine too.

 Our two silly boys that will be going to Homecoming before we know it.

 Mikayla with her "Dance Girls".

 Pointed toes ladies!

 Fall Means... Hayrides!  On Sunday we went to some friend's house for some fall fun.  Again the boys were in John Deer Heaven.  Battery operated toys - what more could you ask for?

 John Deer scooper?  Right up Aiden's ally.  

 Sandbox, trucks, and John Deer tractors = bliss.

 Animals - cool too!  Donkeys - even better!

 Aiden wanted to go look at the pigs.  This is as close as Mommy got with the camera.  Pheeeew!

 Aiden was brave and was feeding the donkeys grass.  I think he would have crawled into the pen had we let him.

 Tatum is two and in the boys' class at school.  I love how she was right in the middle of all the boys, getting dirty and playing!

 Time for the hayride around the country block!

 A little chilly but so much fun!

 Six of the many boys that will be going through school all together.  Crazy to watch them grow all together!

Lil' friends.  Caz, Ashton and Aiden.

 We ended the day with playing a little football.  Ashton had to tame it down a little, he just wanted to 'tackle' everybody.

 Again, Tatum right in the mix of all the boys ;)

Finally.. Fall Means... Packers.  

How do you dress on Packer Sunday while out and about to run errands?!?!?!  We have already gotten more use out of this year's Halloween Costumes than either two years prior - combined!  Worth it.  Worth all the giggles, high fives and stares while out in public  ;)

HAPPY FALL.  Next week Fall means Elise's 1st Birthday!!!