Peach Tree Farm

Amelie's school took their annual trip to Peach Tree Farm, and James and I came along. Unlike last year, it was unseasonably warm and everybody wore shorts.

Just LOOK at these pumpkins!

There was a hayride and song-singing.

James was a fan of the hayride, but not so much the actual hay.

Scarecrow, meet Amelie.

Picking out a pumpkin.

Amelie actually got to pick one for herself and one for James. She got a small green one for him that looked really cool, and then we learned that a pumpkin will ripen off the vine when it gradually turned orangish on our stoop.

There were lots of animals to pet and feed.

Resting for a bit.

Dancing for a bit.

James spent most of the trip in the Ergo.

Amelie regards the chickens.

And the giant catfish.

There was a hay bale maze and ducks and puppies and piglets and I'm sure some other things I'm forgetting, too. 

Amelie Says

"When you just have one it's a tooth. When you have a lot it's teeth."

"The porcupine is going to pork me. No it won't, because it's nice. It doesn't have any porkies."

Amelie was crying about having to take a stick back outside and not being able to have ice cream before dinner and various other injustices. I asked her if she wanted a frozen banana, and she said (while still crying): "Maybe." There was a long pause. "But probably not."

We went to the zoo on the way home from the bootheel last month, but we didn't say anything to the kids until we were pulling into the parking lot. Sam told Amelie where we were, and she yelled, "THE ZOO?! That's my favorite place!"

As I was putting her into her carseat: "I don't want to be buckled! I want to drive!" 

After school today I asked, "Did you have fun at school?" "No." "Why not? What did you do today?" "Well, the best part was eating and the baddest part was when they didn't let me made a ghost craft because it was just for the toddlers."

On the Trail

There's a small trail that goes around the neighborhood park by our house that makes a nice space to explore and take pictures. Here are some more catch-up photos. James came along in the stroller.

Attempted tree-climbing and other shenanigans ensue.

 She found a mushroom.

Happy First Birthday, James! (posted way late)

James had a birthday back on Sunday, September 15th, and we had a party for him.

I had the brilliant plan to use the not-used-this-summer kiddie pool for a ball pit. It didn't hold air terribly well, but the kids seemed to enjoy it.

"Eventually enjoyed" might be more accurate wording.

Actually, Amelie and James both liked it. They've been playing together more, and it's absolutely adorable.

At this point going through the 200+ photos, I  just gave up and decided to post them all. I hope you don't mind. This series is fun:

Dance party in the ball pit!

Or, we could eat them!

I don't quite think James threw these where he meant to.

From left: Grandma Mary, JC, Aunt Holly, Great-Aunt Helen, & Nana Jana.

Then, the cousins arrived!

 

Whoa!

 

Why won't they let me in to my own party?

Sam manned the grill (as usual).

A birthday meal of corn on the cob, watermelon, cantaloupe, and grilled chicken.

The big girls got their own table:

Then we played on the deck.

And then we opened gifts. I love these blocks (more than the kids do at this point, I think).

It looks like James is thinking, "Is that card ... FOR ME?"

IT PLAYS MUSIC!

Here comes Mama with a party-hat sneak attack.

Party hat!

James didn't act upset about his, but he didn't wear it very long, either.

Off!

We kept ours on.

Dada made carrot-cake cupcakes and James made (just a little) mess.

Uncle Luke got conned into reading all of the birthday books:

Grandma Mary holds the birthday boy: