Pumpkin Patch Fun!

We visited the Arboretum with some friends and the kids had a super fun and silly time!

The pumpkins are a hit every year but the big draw this year was Cinderella's Pumpkin Village. The kids were thrilled to ride in her carriage!

 

And they really did think that the brides-to-be having their pictures taken were real life princesses!

Madison carried around a "bouquet" of hay and posed on the hay bales just like the "princesses."

 

The kids and their bouquets in the Fairy Godmother's pumpkin home.

Payson and I were both in awe of the sea of pumpkins in Cinderella's yard!

Hayden hand-in-hand with her friends Abby and Elle.

Hayden sat down in this lush spot, asked me to take her picture and then gave me her best smile!

These kiddos have been friends since birth. At only age three and four they are already making memories together that will last a lifetime!

We also visited another pumpkin patch when Chelsey and the cousins came in town for a visit. The kids could have stayed all day!
(l-r: Chloe, Emma, Hayden, Payson, Madison, Marshall and Mikayla)

Hay ride time! (And time to clean the sand out of their shoes!)

 

Photo opp with Daddy!

Picnic lunch!

This year we decided to switch it up and paint our pumpkins rather than carving them. It was great because the kids got to do it all themselves and they loved every minute of it! (Versus Daddy and me carving pumpkins for them.)

Madison started by painting a self-portrait.

Payson getting his paint on.

Vibrant Hayden puts her own unique twist on everything like painting with two paint brushes at once as she is doing here.

In lieu of costumes, the kids had "Crazy Hat Day" at school. We have lots of fun hats in our costume closet but things didn't get as crazy as last year.

Madison: Zookeeper hat ("Because I want to be a zookeeper when I grow up!")

Payson: Texas Rangers baseball cap (Because it was World Series time and he loved watching the games!)

Hayden: Nike baseball cap (Because it is pink!)

And, lastly, we hosted a cookie decorating party for our Life Group kids which is always a big hit - cookies, icing and sprinkles - what more could a kid want?

State Fair of Texas!

One of my favorite family traditions is going to the State Fair of Texas. I have been going my whole life and now I get to experience it through the eyes of a parent. It is classic fun for all ages and I love it now just as much as I did back then! As usual, we got there early to beat the crowds. And Pops and Nunie accompanied us for the fun. Payson wanted to hold both his Pops' hand and Daddy's hand at the same time - too sweet! 

Look how we've grown!

Fair visit 2010
Fair visit 2009

This year the kids got to play more games - and win more prizes! First up was the fishing game - everyone's a winner!

Payson picked out a sword, Hayden added another pink pig to add to her collection, and Madison chose a dolphin.

Taller kids meant access to more fun rides! The kids are still a bit too short to reach the pedals on the bumper cars, but these race cars provided plenty of fun.

Back on the 4x4's like last year! This year Madison was sure to pick the purple one. She was so brave this year and even went through a Fun House all by herself!

Hayden had less interest in the rides this year but enjoyed watching the other two from atop Daddy's shoulders.

The water games always get us the biggest prizes and this year Payson brought home a giant stuffed car thanks to Nunie's help!

 Madison and Daddy posing in front of the famous 212-foot Texas Star.

 

Go Sooners! All geared up for the big OU/TX game!

This year the kids were old enough to participate in the Pee Wee Stampede. They had so much fun competing in little rodeo competitions with other kids their age.

Payson with the look of a Cowboy.

Hayden, the princess Cowgirl, ready to ride!

Madison tipping her hat at the camera.

The kids loved the hands on farm again, and it was really cute to watch how they got so into it. Here they are hard at work with planting their seeds.

Here are Hayden and Madison driving their crops to the marketplace before earning a dollar to buy a snack in the general store!

The kids are starting to remember this little guy at the puppet show we attend every year. I wonder how many years he's been puttin' on a show at the fair? See ya next year little fellow!

Bonding Over Food and Fun

The weather has finally cooled down a bit and the kids had their friend Ryann over to play in the backyard and indulge on swirl lollipops. Here are four very happy preschoolers!

Ryann and Hayden trying out each other's various flavors!

The kids had their first experience around a teppanyaki table at Benihana's when we celebrated Aunt Negeen's birthday. They were very entertained and loved watching the chef in action.

 

Payson and Avery and the other cousins are always so happy to spend time together.

Iron chefs Payson and Avery practicing their best samurai moves.

My brother Grant and the birthday girl, Negeen.

Jessie and Woody (aka Haley and Payson) playing dress-up at a friend's birthday party.

Girls night with friends and cake to celebrate Melissa's birthday!

The kids are entering the World of Mac! Here they are learning to play games and being hypnotized like so many other American children.

Speaking of learning, the kids still love school and sometimes don't even want to leave at pick-up time! I was amused by a recent "Circle Sorting" lesson they brought home where the kids put dots in a circle and then counted how many were in there. Can you tell who had very little interest in this particular project?
(l-r: Madison, Payson and Hayden's worksheets)

Soccer Time!

Hayden, Payson and Madison started soccer this year and are on a coed soccer team. As it turns out, Hayden and Madison are the only girls on the team!

Here's Hayden on the sideline during the first play of the first game. She was her team's biggest fan! (In fact, at their first soccer practice she started cheering for Payson on the sideline and I had to remind her that she was playing too!)

Payson got into the action early. That. Boy. LOVES. Sports! He can't get enough of it!

Actually, I think he loves the social aspect of the game even more than the game itself. He could play with his teammates all game long if his coach would let him. He and his friend Grant were laughing hysterically at a little wrestling game they made up while wearing their pinnies over their heads. I loved watching them and was tickled by it myself!

When it was Hayden's turn to kick-off, she was not going to let anyone get her ball! The ref blew the whistle, everyone started running towards her, and she was quick to secure that ball... with her hands!

Thatta girl! That's the way it's done!

 

Madison spends half of her time on the field yawning or with her head hung over like this. Keith figured out that the poor girl was bored. No entertainment, no fun! Also notice that no one on our team is going after the ball (yes, the ball is in play in this picture!). Yep, that's the way our first few games went - they were interested in everything but the ball!

Here's Madison getting into the game... for a moment anyway. She says she wants to play again next year but the girl has zero interest during practice and games. But when it comes to dance, she's a totally different child - super energetic, attentive and even giddy at times. More on that to come!

 

Here are the kids hanging with cousin Addison while Avery played in her big girl soccer game.

What a coincidence that the kids and their cousins have consecutive numbers on their soccer jerseys! So fun!
(l-r: Addison, Hayden, Payson, Madison and Avery)