Growing Pumpkins

Man, I fail miserably to post! 
We have the best down home pumpkin patch in our backyard practically.  It truely is one of the nation's best actually - in the top 10 of pumpkin patches.  I am not sure who keeps that list?!
I did not even get great pics this year.  But I thought I would throw these up as our pumpkins are growing!

This man is 7 now! 

So he is Evan, and 7 and (usually!) a slice of Heaven!

I usually get a way better smile than this!

Oh, don't even get me started on that tongue!

I don't know why he started doing this lately for pictures!

And this wee one!

This is the best I could do - as we all know

17 month olds do not stay put!

Than my camera battery died shortly after...

Anyway, we were here for some festive fall cheer!



The String Beans Concert

We went to a little concert.

The String Beans.

They are fun for kids.  I got a kick out of it too.

They had bubbles, can you see?

I may buy a CD.

Can you tell she loved it too!!!

She did not know what to think!

After we got home we watched this video some times.

Evan kept cracking up about the buffalo.



Enjoy!

Ferry to Washington Island - Wisconsin

We traveled north this summer.  To Wisconsin, in Door County.  We got there and went further yet, to Washington island.

 She was ready to set sail

She was ready too 

We had a lot of space to ourselves on the upper deck!

(The boys were too scared to be on the top...Evan says he has a fear of heights...he is just my Mr Safety Boy) 

So, I snapped my usual star of my photos!

Did I mention we took our car

Dad tried to venture out for a bit.

The little brother sees the older brother apprehensive

and of course little brother becomes apprehensive.

(He otherwise would not be)

May the wind be at your back and the sun shine upon your face

as you travel by ferry with your car

and then get in the car

and drive

"Seriously people, get out of my way"

I am pretty sure that is what she was thinking

Our Lady of Good Help Shrine

We traveled to Wisconsin this summer and this special shrine was right in our path.  I did not really "plan" to make a special trip there, rather God planned it for me.  So, we stopped on our way to our "real destination".

When we arrived, the gift shop had just closed.  But we got to go inside the Chapel and under the Chapel where the apparition is said to have taken place.  Although at the time of the apparition that spot was a forest as Our Lady appeared to Sister Adele in the forest.  I took a few pictures here and there, but I always feel so strange taking pictures inside churches.

 

So outside here are Lydia & Cy with Our Lady of Fatima

Outside with Jesus.

I am not sure if that was "appropriate" to let our 3 year old ride the lamb.... 

They had nice grounds and it was quite peaceful.

Our Lady of Good Help definately heard my prayers this day as I have been praying for 2 years and now since my visit to this special place my prayers are being answered, nothing less than a miracle!

Our Lady of Good Help, pray for us!



My Purplicious Girls

I snapped a couple pics of the girls in purple


I am lazy anymore and not even crop...

nice drain pipe in the background...

I love this flower from our balloon flowers.



Fred Flintstone

This poor guy.

Grass all about his face

Just try'in to get from here to there

But there is just a

wee

bit

of a problem

Even Fred Flintstone got to have equal sides of wheels...

4th of July

We made these festive kabobs

(don't mind the ones with grapes!)

We also made these pretty popsickles. 

Although, next time we must scale them down a bit.

Slightly huge

They were the only size cups I had!

Aliza supporting festive attire

The kids club house has the best lighting,

but she just runs crawls crazy up there!

The whole gang.

Minus 2 kids almost exploding from a firework gone astray

 into our garage, we had a nice day.  It was such a close call, like about a 14 inch call, thank Heaven no one was hurt! 

A Family Trip to San Diego

I love the beach.  Someday I tease Evan that he is going to build me a cottage (just a little one) on the beach.  I wonder if people who live near the beach take it for granted - if it becomes an old hat for them.
We had a very nice vacation/business trip.  I have so many pictures, I am looking forward and at the same time dreading putting them together on Shutterfly in an album.

He loves the water & sand

He was not so sure the first day

I think she enjoyed her 1st trip to the beach.

We had a picnic one day and fed a squirrel a cheeto.

This squirrel would have sat on our picnic blanket had we let him!

worn out kiddo

She is my "easiest" to snap a picture of

who is that girl?

Happy kiddo

I love these simple moment pics - nothing fancy, not even looking at the camera

He was having fun

please do not eat it

please!

I do not even have words for this one,

except for melt my heart

She turned 5 on me on our vacation....boo hoo!

While dad was doing business at the coin show in Long Beach,

we went to a local park for awhile

then headed over to the Aquarium of the Pacific,

which was very neato indeed!

And I may add we timed it perfect as all the school field trips (school was still in session for them)

were leaving and the summer crowds had not begun!

touched some stingrays

posed

Evan not happy to be posing

played

"I Spy"

I love this guy.

so pretty

pink is my favorite color.

we had a small melt down at one point.

But did become happy especially when we bought him his "souvenir"

happy as can be on the longish walk back to the car ~

but I got free parking!

We went to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano 

we have read Song of the Swallows

so I wanted to take the kids there.

went to a stinky beach - Cy did not like the smell

it actually was not that bad and I have a sensative nose myself

stroller worked well on this beach

Evan always-always lingering...

We played at the park at this beach as it was cooler and evening was setting in.

Aliza loved the slide - just ask her dad how much...

97-98 times??

Skipper

They got to turn some thingy ma jig

How confusing is this?

Can you spy the workers?

"Straw Hair" at the Corvette Cafe -

cute place, the staff sing & dance

and there is a balloon guy

that makes lightsabers (and other things)

If he is not lingering,

he is frolicking

we took our umbrella,

next time I want to remember our little tent.

I think that would be fun.

I love Cyrus behind Evan

really enjoying the warm sand and sun!

And this wee one kept doing this!

I already want to plan another beach trip!