Fall Fun: 2015 Edition

When I sat down and looked at the calendar, the dates were few and far between for us to make a pumpkin patch visit for this year.  We took advantage of the Friday we had off of school the week of parent-teacher conferences, and even though the kids could have gone to the sitter (and a day to myself sounded like a lot of fun) we hoped for small-ish crowds at the Cider Mill and took the fam.  And it was fun.  So fun.  My people are just the best.

We started off with cider and donuts...because that's what you do.  And they did not disappoint.

Then over to the corn maze and fall fun area. 

The Cider Mill wasn't a thrifty option...it's pricey.  We stayed for most of the morning partaking in all they had to offer in an effort to make me feel good about the large chunk of change dropped for admittance to the corn maze/activity area.  They had all your standard pumpkin patch staples: corn to play in, jump pillow, hay bale maze, pumpkin patch, hay ride, hill slide, etc.  There are so many fun fall festivals and pumpkin patches around, we usually try a different one every year.  While I'm glad we went (mostly for the donuts), we will hit up another option next year.   

The kids LOVED playing in the corn in the silo. 

The jump pillow was a huge hit! 

Hill slide fun.  Throw your hands up in the air!!

They are known for their large corn maze, targeted toward people older than our crew.  Cade was SO excited to do the maze though, we had to at least give it a try.  He was in charge of the map (kind of) and led us deep into the maze where I was sure we would roam forever and I'd have to carry both kids around until we could be life-flighted out.  But that wasn't the case at all.  Cade led us right through the maze and out the exit in record time!  Phew!!

 

We've had all sorts of fun visitors lately!  Aunt Gentry joined us for a weekend of MNU Homecoming festivities.  

 

We love attending the pancake feed and kids zone at the MNU Homecoming!

It was a little chilly this year so we didn't stay too long.  And the kids made me pinky-promise I wouldn't take any more pictures after this.  (Pinky-promises are their new thing.)

A few weeks ago, MaKenzie came to visit to take in Cade's last t-ball game.  We love visitors!  (Also, I'm wearing my blardigan in this pic.  It's the softest sweater ever, but the jury's still out on whether it looks a little too much like a bath towel...)

MaKenzie was able to partake in our yearly pumpkin painting.  This is our 3rd year to paint pumpkins...I'm fairly certain my children wouldn't know that pumpkin carving is actually a thing. 

The finished product, a porch full of painted pumpkins!

The kids suggested we go on a bike ride after I picked them up from the sitter one day.  It was so much fun!  They are just at such fun ages.  I'm loving their independence.  That being said, they both wondered why I wasn't riding my bike...which really wasn't even an option.  I had to do my fair share of catching falling bikers and helping them cross streets to get to the park, etc.  We're not quite ready for all of us to be biking, but them biking and me "spotting" was such a sweet time!

A few trunk-or-treats left to take in before actual Halloween and wrapping up our fall fun of 2015!  Cade is pumped to be Darth Vader while Reese will be the cutest Rapunzel around.  The wig is so hilarious!!!  You'll see.

Fall Fun 2014
Fall Fun 2013
Fall Fun 2012, kind of.  Cade got sick so we didn't go, but this post mentions it. That counts?
Fall Fun 2011
Fall Fun 2010

Lately...

Just a photo dump of what we're up to this fall.

Lately, according to my phone...

Crazy hair night at AWANA:  The kids have started going to the Wednesday evening AWANA program at First Baptist Church.  I grew up going to AWANA so I'm so excited for the kids to be in the program!  Reese is a Cubbie and Cade is a Spark.  They take their Bible memory very serious and enjoy working on their verses throughout the week and listening to the Cubbie and Sparks CD while we are in the car.

North Homecoming:  the theme this year was Disney so we decided to blow up our family photo from Disney World and put my advisory students pics over ours.  It turned out pretty funny and we got 3rd place in the door decorating contest!

I'm the Jr. Class sponsor again this year.  Our main gig is planning the Prom but decorating the Junior hall for Homecoming also falls under my jurisdiction.  I have a great group of kids this year for officers.  We went with a Classic Mickey theme and took 2nd place.  I'll take it!

As part of our fundraising for Prom, I coordinate the concessions stands for the home football games...and I occasionally have help.

We watched the lunar eclipse a couple weeks ago...it cracked me up to see the comments on social media about waking kids up to see it or kids already being in bed.  Our kids were definitely not in bed yet...and not necessarily because of the eclipse.  We just all have late bedtimes around our house, which I'm sure will have to change once they are in school.

The family got together to celebrate Grandpa Mike's birthday.  We were all so shocked when all the kids looked right at the camera and smiled all at once!  A birthday miracle!

Got a wonderful package of fall goodies in the mail from Grandmama!  The kids were so, so excited!

I'm trying my hand at Snapchat.  Feel free to add me: jkeeley10.  

The kids LOVE playing with the funny filters.

and maybe I do too.  My main beef with Snapchat is--the messages delete after someone sees it, which is the point of it, I know--but then it's not like I'm capturing the moment or spending time preserving memories.  It is literally a waste of time.  Because after you put it out there, it goes away.  And that's just not really what I need in my social media.  But the filters are fun.

Cade and Reese recently attended a birthday party at a new trampoline park place called Urban Air.  And this place was AMAZING!  I've heard it's pretty expensive, but since it was a party it was free for us that day.  Everything looked so cool!

Reese also attended a birthday party that had "Elsa" (from Princess at my Party).  She led dancing, activities, a scavenger hunt and painted their faces!  It was pretty cool.  Reese was star-struck for sure.

Swinging with Dad.  Matt is just the best dad around.  It's so fun watching him with the kids.  Seriously, he's the best.

T-ball practice.  Cade's team had practice once a week, which he always looked forward to.  It was our first time having something reoccurring like this for Cade on the calendar.  Makes it seem like he's growing up so fast!

The fall is flying by so quickly!  Hard to believe we're halfway through the semester already!  Holidays will be here before we know it!

Fall Sports

This fall Cade participated in t-ball and Reese participated in soccer through Olathe Parks and Rec.

It's always a shock to me and takes me awhile to realize that this is not going to be the most entertaining sporting events to watch.  It's like...oh yes...they aren't going to be good at this.  This is going to be slightly painful to watch 3 innings of preschoolers learning the basics of t-ball...

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm my child's biggest fan and it was cute to watch and definitely fun seeing them improve as the season went on.  But let's face it, a preschooler's coordination leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Hard to tell, but Cade is down in his defensive stance in the in-field in front of the coach.

Playing first base.

Being coached by Dad.

Reese's soccer was a parent & child league where they spent 30 minutes each Sunday doing soccer drills with the kids and parents.

Matt was happy to participate...until he broke his foot.  Then I had to step in...I swore there would be no more "parent & child" leagues for me ever since Cade's swimming lessons while I was pregnant with Reese.  But you gotta do what you gotta do.

Matt often helped with coaching in the dug-out, which ended up being quite the task to keep the kids in order and engaged in the game.  Like herding cats a bit.

Ready to score!  Toward the end of the season, Cade took to sliding into home plate.  So funny!

Gimme five!

Each child gets a turn at bat and automatically makes it to first and runs the bases.  Every time the ball is fielded it is thrown to first base just to teach them the basics.  Even if someone gets out, they still get to run the bases.  Even if the runner has already made it to first, they still throw to first just as part of the learning process.

Cade and Reese loved that all the grandparents made it to a game during the season!

Look at her wrist-bands...Reese is so hard-core.  She took her soccer very seriously and tried very hard to do EVERYTHING that the coaches said to do.

Reese was so proud of her medal!

Cade was thrilled that his cousins came to watch a game as well!

Aunt MaKenzie made a visit for the last game of the season!

Great season, Crushers!

Cade says he'd like to play football next...how to tell him the deadline for that has already passed...