Kindergarten!

We cannot believe it, but our little man is going to Kindergarten! Hooray! He looks great in his uniform.



He's got his backpack loaded and ready to walk in.




Walking in to Mrs. Nickels' room, we stopped for a quick photo. Doesn't he look excited?!




After missing the "official" 1st day (and 2nd day, and 3rd day...) with a nasty fever virus, Mrs. Nicklels was so sweet to welcome him and greet him in a special way for his special 1st day with this placard on the door.



Quick family photo, Brooksie was obviously disinterested.


Happy camper!






Brooksie decided to wear her "uniform" which we received as a hand-me-down from another St. Paul family. She did seem to enjoy deressing up for Carter's first day. I think she misses him though.

July 2010 Beach trip, photos pt 1

Snow Day 2 pt1

Snow Day 3! Introducing...

Our new family member!



He's as tall as Carter (that was our goal),



he wears a cowboy hat,



and his name is "Steve".

Great times with my little buddy, a true cherished memory. I'll never forget our snowy Sunday afternoon with Steve the Snowman.

Snow Day! pt2

Snow Day! pt1

Pumpkin Patch 2009!

The pumpkin patch has become quite a fun tradition in our little family over the past few years. Between all the rainy weekends and other events this fall, we decided to roll the dice, forgo afternoon naps, and set out for Gentry's Farm after church this past Sunday. Every year, the kids fall asleep during the beautiful drive out Old Hillsboro Road, and this year was no exception:

...three minutes later...

So we headed straight out to the patch to hunt for our pumpkins. Anna Brooks was intent on finding a "Cinderelly" pumpkin, a blueish green variety, and Carter was giving all of the stick-tite bushes roundhouse kicks. But we did catch them for a few great photos in their pumpkin sweaters!

After hauling our pumpkins back to the car in our stroller (since we left out of the house in such a hurry, we forgot our red rider wagon!), Natalie and I found ourselves lost in the corn maze with only two little explorers to help us find our way out. Carter loved to run ahead, tell of "dead-ends", and find "secret ways". Anna B just loved to run after her brother, turn back to us, say "dis way!" and wave - she waves at us all the time these days!

Then we headed over to the maze of hay in the barn, and we literally bumped into our dear friends, the Sieferts! Carter absolutely loves Sydney and Anniston - he's only inviting boys to his birthday party, except Sydney and Anniston, of course. Then all the kids just ran around the fields, smashed crab-apples and glowed in the setting sunlight under the low sky or a perfect fall afternoon. There is something magical about their running and smiling...