Pumpkin Patch 2011

We ventured down to Half Moon Bay to pick pumpkins this year.  Our October is so full this year with fun adventures that we had only one weekend in which to make our pumpkin trip, so it happened to coincide with the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival.  We made plans to meet our friends Aidan, Bailey, Jack, and Charlie there as well.

Despite the crowds in town for the festival, we actually found a very mellow and uncrowded patch.  In my yearly quest for the best down-to-earth, no-frills pumpkin patch, my research this year led me to Bob's Pumpkin Farm.  I absolutely loved this place and we will definitely go back.  Not only were the pumpkins super affordable, but the kids were able to see pumpkins actually still on the vines.  AND, there were no bounce houses, haunted houses, or other silly, gimmicky Halloween stuff.  Just pumpkins, some hay bales, and a few animals.

So, now for the bad news:  in an effort to avoid the traffic into Half Moon Bay, we opted for a "scenic" route through the mountains south of the more well traveled 92.  Well, all was going according to plan - we left on time, got our Starbucks, fed the kids breakfast in the car, and were a mere 15 miles from our destination when poor Mia became carsick :(.  I sort of thought it might be coming because of how she was fussing, but I had NO idea what we were in for.  After a 35 minute delay in which we made our best attempt to clean things up, and a now forward facing toddler, we were back on the road.

So, in case you're wondering why Luke is wearing a perfectly adorable Halloween shirt and Mia is dressed like a hillbilly ... well, now you know :)!

Oh, and for the record, Mia now faces forward in her carseats.  I learned after spending many, many hours cleaning her carseat that I do not want to do that again, and so if facing forward might avoid future carsickness, then so be it!

Yay for pumpkins

Wheelbarrow rides with pumpkins

Luke and Aidan

Scary kids :)

Luke, Aidan, and Bailey

With our load of pumpkins

LEAP!

My little animal lover

Cute bunny rabbit

Such buds - Luke and Jack

Blue eyed beauties Bailey and Mia

Sweets Bailey and Charlie

Mia swims!

This fall we enrolled Mia in swimming lessons at AVAC.  Luke has been taking lessons there for a while, and consistently for the past year.  He has grown immensely as a swimmer, and Mia has been a great sport about tagging along and watching big brother's lessons.

However, she has made it very clear that she is DONE watching, and that she was ready to get in and do it herself (by the way, this behavior also occurs now when we drop Luke off at school and Mia does not get to stay).  So, for this session Luke has his lessons at 11:15, and Mia's class starts just 15 minutes later.

We are about 4 weeks in and she loves it!  I was so grateful when one of the other moms who is often there taking pictures offered to take a few of Mia and send them to me.  They really show how much Mia loves the water.  She is already very comfortable in the water and is happy to do all of the activities.

Jumping in!

"Big breath"

The boys (Luke with his good friend Vidyut) hanging out while they wait for the other lesson to end

Backfloating with Mr. Anthony

Tahoe with Friends

My girlfriends from college - I am so incredibly lucky to have each and every one of them.  We were friends then ... but we are REALLY friends now.  For those of your who are women older than 30, you know what I mean.  A good girlfriend is hard to find.  Six good girlfriends is pretty unheard of.  Now try 6 girlfriends who ALL get along.

So, these 6 grew into 12 as husbands were added.  And now, well now our group consists of 12 adults and 12 children.  We like to make crazy attempts to get ourselves together and "have fun."  Don't get me wrong, our times together are always good times ... but 12 kids is just, well, chaos.

This year we rented 2 houses in Tahoe in order to accomodate everyone.  It worked as well as we could have hoped.  I think we would all agree that we would have preferred to all be together in one house, but that is simply no longer possible without renting a mansion.

Without further ado, here are some of the photos from our fun/chaotic/family/friends reunion in Tahoe.

Our weekend started out like this:  Snow in the beginning of October(?)

Mia quickly fell in love with Baby Gavin.  I think she might have thought he was one of her dolls

Lunch for 24 at Rubicon's....

...followed by a tour at the Northstar Firehouse

Luke and Mia quickly learned that they are ipad deprived

Park play time

Hudson & Baileys' Dragon and Princess birthday party



And, what's a good party weekend without a little topless dancing at the end?

At the end of the day, how many girls can say that they have 6 good girlfriends?  I am so blessed to be able to say just that ... and having our husbands and kids form friendships, well that's just the icing on the cake :)

Kitty Cat Love

Linus is a pretty amazing cat considering all he puts up with.  He is pretty tolerant with the kids, and even seems to really enjoy being around them, especially Mia.  On this morning the kids were playing on the floor and Linus was snoozing in the rocking chair .... but once Mia saw him there, she rocked him for a bit, and then they both jumped in to join Linus.

A few minutes later....Linus had enough!