it's apple time.

 We took a trip to the orchards this weekend to pick up apples.  My mom always gives them to her students after their fall recital, so we go every year.  We usually try to get honey crisps, but this year we were a little too late.  So we brought home boxes of fuji apples.  I also brought home a baking pumpkin.  And we got a few pluots as well.  It was a cold day, but it was fun for Ben and Clara to play on the little wooden truck at the orchard and to see the bountiful fall produce.

Here is sweet Ben, and his beautiful hair!

He had his blue ambulance in his hand, and a little apple treat the ladies who worked there gave him!

 Clara can't keep her hands off her cousins.  I think I need to get her out a little more often, because when she's around other kids, she's just giddy!  It's like I keep her locked up at home or something!

 Here we are trying to get a good shot of the two of them.  Nope, not this one!

 Emmy wanted a cute pic of her and the two toddlers.  The joke was on her!  They were NOT having it!

 So we moved onto the truck.  This is when Ben became enthralled with the forklift working on moving the big crates of apples around.  He looks very concerned, but he's just focused.  He loves machinery!

 And Clara gets excited anytime Ben gets excited!  So she was having fun!

 Trying to get them to stay still for ONE SINGLE PICTURE was impossible!

I'm exhausted just looking at these pictures.  But it was a fun day, and we are all looking forward to some fall treats with the big haul we made!

three cousins in jammies.

We gave the babies a bath last night...all three in one tub!  That may not last much longer!  They're getting big! 

 

Afterwards, we tried to snap some pictures of them in their jammies.  Of course, like usual, we didn't get the money shot!  After all, they are all 2 and under!

 

Enjoy!

 As you can tell, Clara was THRILLED to have her cousins in town!

Pretty funny, right? 

Not quite as funny as the pics to come from our trip to the orchards to get some apples!  Why are these babies so difficult to photograph!  I feel sorry for our photographer next month who has the job of taking family pictures for us!  These three are quite the challenge!

visitng the zoo in the fall.

Mama and Pop have a zoo pass (thanks Aunt Patty!), so one Saturday in October, Mama and I decided to take Clara to the zoo.  She just loves animals.  She can name most animals in the books we read.  And each visit to the zoo bring a new appreciation for an animal that she didn't pay much attention to before!

 

She still loved the giraffes!

 But who wouldn't?

 She loves the lions, and they were in a super playful mood that morning.  There was even a little fall, animal behavior going on in the lion pen.  It made this trip interesting, to say the least!

 Clara girl in her fall duds.  Nothing says fall like a little dress, leggings, and boots!

 She loves the penguins!

 A cute shot of Mama and Clara!

 She was pretty brave on the giraffe slide this time! 

Cute little Clara!  This zoo visit made Clara realize that she likes zebras and wart hogs (pigs).  But I think her favorite animal is still the giraffe.  And her favorite animal to listen to is the monkeys! 

She talks about the zoo often, and always mentions Mama and Pop, because they have taken her to the zoo a few times now.  I'd say that at 20 months old, it is one of her favorite places!  Oh yeah, did you hear me say 20 months old?  Crazy!  They say time flies, and they're right.  I'll be working on a 20 month update soon.  My goal was an 18 month update, but "back to school" happened!  I just can't wait to share all of Clara's latest developments!  Her language explosion has been INSANE to witness!

Thanks again Mama for the fun zoo trip!