We took advantage of a beautiful warm Autumn day and the girls and I took a mini-hike. I got some fun photos before the sun went to play behind some clouds. Emily loved the activity of collecting huge leaves. We found a large variety of different leaves and a few sticks. We hiked at Emily’s pace and in the directions of her choice, so we crossed one bridge six times. Both girls were ready for naps when we got back to the car, but sad to be leaving the nice hike.

Emily was learning how to use chopsticks to eat her dinner. Grammy was helping me out, so that I could offer attention to Julia. Emily was very enthusiastic about wanting to use chopsticks, but couldn’t hold it tight all the way to her mouth without help. She ate shrimp and squash with the chopsticks and the broth soup and rice with the soup spoon. She seemed to really enjoy the dinner as long as the cook didn’t make any fireballs.

We celebrated Julia’s birthday with a visit to a corn maze and pumpkin patch. The day was overcast and cool with a steady breeze. We dressed Julia in her Halloween cow hat for a fun look and to keep her head warm. She enjoyed her ride in the front pack around the maze and patch. Grammy and Granddaddy joined us for our fun farm day.

Emily enjoyed hiking the maze trails, walking through muddy puddles, and flying over big ones. She wanted to punch her card at each of the posts. And for some odd reason she wanted to walk in the back of the group. She loved riding the tractor wagon to the pumpkin patch and looking at the different pumpkins in the patch. Emily also tried her first corndog as she shared her mother’s one.

Playtime among the pumpkins and corn stalks. Four little girls have lots of fun in the fall sun.

Emily asked for a play date with Elena, so we made quick plans for a sunny day at the pumpkin patch for the girls to play together. We couldn’t have asked for a prettier day. The weather was sunny, cool, and not breezy. We shared the pumpkin patch with three bus loads of kids so we took a low key tour of the farm and corn maze and didn’t get any pumpkins. It was a lot of fun for the girls and the mamas.

Just some photos of the hugs and play that we shared while we visited Florida. The girls really enjoyed themselves. Emily was absolutely in love with Natalie. She called her ‘my Natalie’. They just played and played together. It was a good time just to spend with family although it seemed to be really short.