Fall Fun Weekend

Let's get the big question out of the way—no, Baby's not here yet. The painless contractions I've been having for weeks have seemed to get a little stronger when I'm seated (like during the movie Friday night when Matt and I went to see "Ides of March"—really good) but they go away when I'm walking around, so definitely not the real thing yet.

We've had a weekend of fall fun, starting with our visit to the pumpkin patch yesterday. This was a real, "pick-your-own" farm, so while the pumpkins were a bit picked over and mostly only green ones left, we had the fun of hunting for our pumpkins and paying next to nothing compared to the grocery store, which is where I get pumpkins when we don't get around to going anywhere else.

 (Glad I had Kate wear orange, since there wasn't much else orange in the patch!)

 We each picked out one that we liked, and then Kate chose a tiny little one for Baby Sister. 

Kate's face in this last pic reminds me of one of our pumpkin patch pics from her first fall—some of my favorite photos of her ever. (and I see Matt was wearing the same shirt. ha!)

And, a total aside, it has been months since she's let me put her hair in pigtails. It felt like a sign of "growing up," even though I knew the real reason was fear of the comb hurting her scalp. Then, somehow it happened Monday morning (though she initially threw a fit because she wanted a third ponytail on the very top of her head, and I refused) and then she wanted ponytails every day for the rest of the week!

Last night was the neighborhood Halloween party, Kate's first opportunity to wear her costume. Since we're not sure if Matt and I will be able to take her trick-or-treating on the 31st, we're glad there are a couple other events to enjoy. (And if we're out of commission this Wednesday for the church's Trunk-or-Treat, maybe we'll be able to take her on Halloween—or at least Matt will, while Claire and I stay put on the front porch, giving out candy.) So... dum-da-da-da... here is Kate, the cutest little witch!

 (and our pumpkins, in shades of green)

The party featured good food, a costume contest (thus the number stuck in the brim of Kate's hat, though she was more into the desserts), and a pumpkin-carving contest. I voted for the vomiting pumpkin, since I identified with it so well after these last nine months.

This afternoon, Kate and I baked cookies—Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Chunk. They're not limited to the fall, but they do suit the season especially well. (I found this recipe on the back of the Craisins bag about ten years ago, and they're still printing it on there, if you want it!)

 Kate was an awesome stirrer. 

And, if you're not pictured-out, let me share a couple from last weekend's fall fun, when Nala and Popi visited and we went to the Music & Molasses festival.

 Nala and Kate fed some goats.

 Kate learned to weigh vegetables (though she still asks, "what time is it?" when she sees one of these scales in a book we read a lot!)

 Kate enjoyed a sorghum lollipop (apparently sorghum and molasses are the same thing?)

and we took a mule-drawn buggy ride in a surry with the fringe on top!

What fall fun have you been having?