Fall festivities with Grandma and Grandpa

A couple of very inportant people came to town.

We call them the G's,

popularlily known as the Grandparents.

They came to visit and experience a true New England fall in all its glorious colors.

Burning bush

these delicate berries would make fabulous earrings.

Birch

Maple

The Essexs train and river boat ride

The very cargo that we rode in was where an Anthropologie
photo shoot took place. I had to document that I was there too.

Ethan and his Grandpa Mike goofing off like old pals.

Aidan and Grandma

The best part was when the ticket collector came by to give our tickets a punch.

Aidan and Ethan got extra punches for not smashing their faces against the window.

I caught this moment of Ethan as the rest of us admired the old steam engine.

Grandpa Mike read somewhere that

the Westport Coffee and Donut Shop rated the

5th best donuts in the country.

It's one of new favorite family treats.

Aidan is trying to catch a fallen leave in mid air so he can make a wish.

The wind was at a stand still so Ethan found this cluster of

trees and started shaking the branches.

I love the helpfulness.

"Here mom"

Then we road the carousel. Ethan always ride on the his favorite white tiger.

I don't know why we decided to take a family photo next to this sign.

I think Aidan's scowl is a good reminder that family photos happen regardless.

If you haven't seen our fruitful pear tree, you should stop by.

Mike picked these fallen fruit that blew off the tree

(something my own dad would have done)

during a wind storm just days prior.

I so enjoyed hearing the crunch of every bite he took and

watching him smile while eating a few pears.

I was rolling egg rolls inside the house and came out to watch my family enjoy the fire and play games on the lawn.

(It was really a joyful weekend together,

Family, Food and Fall

- 3 of my favorites in life:)

4pm

Eeek!!!

It's 4PM and I have no clue on what to make for dinner...

Hay Ride 2010

This our last official fall as a family of four even though we talk about baby as if she is with us already. Kyle and I treasure every minute free second we have together to soak in Aidan and Ethan and their cuteness before our attention is divided once more.

The best seat ion the hay ride is also the most toxic - right behind the tractor. The fumes nearly made made me hurl. Aidan and Ethan were too busy watching the tractor to react to the fumes.

Pumpkin cookie and apple cider

makes a great lunch!

Pumpkin and baby belly.

Pretty

Ethan and Pup Pup goes to Preschool

On Ethan's first day of preschool, he gelled his hair. He picked out these sneakers by himself at the store. Ethan calls them

"do it self shoes".

One,

Two,

Velcro my shoe.

Aidan use to go to Little Ivy Nursery School.

Ethan calls it "my school, not A's school"

Exhausted from learning,

he walked into the door,

asked for a popsicle

and payed down to enjoy it on the cool stone floors.

" Mommy, Pup Pup is tired.

I better put him to bed"

It looks like Pup Pup is not the only one who needs a nap...

KINDERGARTEN

Here's Aidan on the first day of kindergarten. Isn't he adorable? All smiles and ready for the new independent challenge. The school bus is the first big adventure of going to kindergarten. For two years Aidan has watched the school bus drive by wondering when it would be his turn. That day finally arrived. Attached to the orange ribbon was a tag that flagged Aidan as a kindergartner to the bus driver.

Aidan picked our his own outfit. He also made sure to wear the friendship bracelet our sitter made for him. Thanks Michelle.

Ethan who started preschool one week later was having a dry run of our morning routine. Ethan loves to hold something in his hand from home when we leaves home. Its such a three year old thing to do.

Apart of our succecssful morning routine is to allow the boys time to do what they need to do before heading off to the bus stop:

patience while getting dressed,

eating a healthy breakfast

and they always need time to play.

People always say Aidan looks more like me.

This picture is proof he has a good mix of Kyle too.

PJ (fellow classmate) and Joey (4th greader)

also share the bus stop with Aidan.

When the bus came Aidan got in line to hop on.

He never looked back.

When the bus pulled away their was a moment of silence that fell on those of us standing by the stop sign. The sun blazed right into our eyes. We all squinted to stay in focus. The expression on Ethan's face was confussion of being left behind. I was sad for him.

Our fridge

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