Leaves

We live in a neighborhood with wonderful old trees.  It makes for a fun fall!

Service With a Smile

It's not very often that I can get multiple children motivated to go do some service (sad, I know, but true).  However, getting them to rake the leaves in our sweet neighbor, Marcia's, yard, got them out there!

Slices of Heaven

 When the weather is warm enough for short sleeves in November, you take advantage of it!  For us that means heading over to a nearby park.  The girls had a great time exploring and soaking in that fabulous vitamin D!

I love the focus on Juliana's face.

...And the dismount!

She didn't stick the landing, but we'll give her the gold for her happy face!

 Then there's her counterpart, Miss Britta, lots' of funny and happy faces.

Britta ended up discovering some leaves.  Lots of good, crunchy fun.

 Britta then found the path and decided to venture out for a walk.

 Juliana joined her and I think that these two little sisters walking along are just precious.

Apple-picking 2015

This year we went apple picking at the Flynn's orchard with our friends, the McArthurs.  They recently moved to Omaha (for only a year *sniff sniff*), but what a fun family!  They have five kiddos--four girls and one little boy.  Their oldest is Em's age and the two girls are good friends.  Kari also has a buddy as well and their little boy is Ju Ju's age.

So, after piling as many people as possible into the gator (with the rest of us trailing on foot), we set to work picking lots and lots of apples!  We LOVE this tradition and are so grateful to Pat Flynn for continuing to open up her property for everyone.

"Look!  Apples!"

Pretty Emily, growing up so (too) fast!

My handsome fellas

My beautiful girls!

Check out Christian's funny face--he must've found a yucky apple!

Silly Kari

Big girl, Britta, starting to walk!

This photo may be the one (and only) picture of everyone looking at the camera and smiling.
If you have a big family, you know what an anomaly this really is.

I'm pretty sure at least part of Heaven looks just like the Flynn's property.

 More silly Kari.

 We're back and moving on to the cider-press!  The bees think cider-making is pretty great too and poor Christian got bitten or stung right on his ear!  Luckily, Pat had some baking soda and ice and that helped him to feel better.

 The kids all love this gigantic swing on the most perfect tree.  Christian went on it with the littles and Emily and Gracie took it to new heights!

What a fantastically-fun evening!!!

Apple Picking 2014

 Our apple picking at the Flynn's tradition continues!  We went early this season as I am (over) due at this point to have this baby and we wanted to make sure we got it in :-).  We invited some of our neighbors along to join us in the fun and it was a beautiful evening (in spite of the mosquitoes being bad this year).

 The kids all got right to work and the trees were just dripping with HUGE, delicious apples!  (The extra rain we've gotten this year brought the mosquitoes, yes, but it also produced some terrific apples!)

 Juliana loves apples--she really liked getting them right off of the tree!  (They're all grown organically so all you have to do is watch for bird poo or worms :-).)

Christian and Cubby thought this apple looked like a bum-crack.
Yes, they're very mature boys.

Brian and Kahlan

Sullivan and Christian

Family picture!

My friend, Andrea, and her boys, Sullivan and Conway.
(Husband and daughter were at soccer.)

My friend, Audi, and her sweet family.

Emily and Kahlan being silly.

 After picking, all of the kiddos wanted turns on the rope swing hung from this huge tree out front.  Such a terrific evening!!