Annual Davison Orchard Trip 2012

Today we enjoyed the Davison Orchard (Pumpkin Patch)

We go every year.

See 2011

and 2010

even 2009

It was a great afternoon with the family.

Here are the details...

Riding the Tractor train out to the pumpkin patch.

{ANY event is more fun with cousins!!}

Grandpa Don is pretty fun too!

Caity was really into it this year.  She kept finding pumpkins and saying

"this one is perfect for me"

so cute.

Sister pic:)

Cousin pic.

It was IMPOSSIBLE to get them all to look at the same time.

This was the best of the bunch.

Still cute:)

Look at these lil cousin babies!

They are so adorable!!

My sweet six.

Terri made us these adorable coffee cozies for our hot drinks.

{it's part of the tradition...to have a hot drink:)}

Breezy loved this old tractor.

Baby did the HUGE slide all by herself!

{okay, the mommy *might* have been a little too preoccupied with taking a picture to catch the baby...so glad she landed it well all by herself!}

Cambria and Jamin loved digging in the "corn box".

{dried corn instead of sand}

Bree even filled her little pockets up to take some corn to the chickens without being prompted.

Bree sharing some corn with the chickens and with her cousin so he could feed them too.

Caity hid under this sign and then covered her face and reported 

"you can't see me!"

{cute girl}

It was an awesome family day.

I love these fall days and all the traditions that come with them!!

Do you have fall traditions?

Halloween Decor

Here's a quick lesson on how to glitter up your pumpkins.

(I guess it's too late for this year but file this one away for next, it's so easy and soo pretty!)

Caleb helped me.

He squeezed on a whole bunch of Elmer's glue...

then he brushed it on smoothly with a foam brush...

{We used white pumpkins which worked out great because I didn't cover the entire surface with glitter but at first glance they still looked completely glittery.  I think with orange underneath it would have been more noticeable if they were not fully glittered.}

Then he dumped this glitter all over the pumpkin.

(we put newspaper underneath to catch the glitter and pour it back into the jar)

It was really that simple.

It was messy.

We still have glitter everywhere.

I say the mess was well worth the effect!

We have recycled Mailee's party decorations twice already.

First they sat on our front porch...

{I brought the candles in at night for all you safety inspectors out there:}

We had a pretty porch for a few days but we decided to share the love so we took the pumpkins to Mike's office.

Pretty!

I also made a little poster to encourage our friends at Rhino to get creative and avoid ALL that candy!

I got this idea for the Sugar Fairy from a friend.  She gives her girls the option to relinquish their treats received from birthday parties, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

Have a fantastic Halloween.

Tomorrow is also Cambria's 7 month birthday!!

She will be dressing up as a pink kitty.

Her Grandma sent her a to-die-for flower costume but she is misery on wheels when I put it on so we had to go to plan B.

I am sure the pink kitty will not be lacking in the cuteness department and miss baby will be much more pleasant to be around!

The flower costume is sz 18-24 so there is hope for a walking flower for next year:)

Lil Punkins

Here's our kids and their cousins and all the pumpkins!  

I am in a flurry of Halloween costume creating right now.  

Stay tuned to cute pics early next week:)

Davidson Orchard Never Disappoints

The kids and I met the family out at Davidson Orchard.  I think this is the 3rd or 4th year that we have all gone as a big group.  I look forward to it every year.  Fall in Kelowna is so fun!  Mike is in Florida for a Maximized Living conference and Maddie didn't want to miss out on her friend's birthday party.  It was not the same without them but we managed to have a great time!

 Caramel apples freshly dipped are so delicious!

 Cait was happy to share with anyone who asked.

 We tried to get a picture like this without the fingers in the mouth...no luck.  She is pretty attached to those fingers!

 Sisters are so fun!

 We let the 4 big kids ride the train by themselves this year.  They were happy with this.

We were happy too, we got some quality time to hang out.

 Loving that Grandma Crick.  Cait reaches up to be held every time she gets near!

My little family missing two key players.

 The family shot.  What an enjoyable, relaxing day.  The weather was gorgeous, everyone was happy, the samples were abundant..what more could a girl ask for??

School at "The Patch"

Today "Banman Academy" enjoyed a gorgeous sunny fall day at the Mcmillan Pumpkin Patch.

 Caiters is so happy her big sisters do school at home so she can enjoy every day with them:)
In the pen is a pot bellied pig.  The kids were fascinated with the pig.

 We teamed up with "Jay Stang Elementary" for this group outing.  It has been such fun experiencing this year of school at home with the cousins!

 Checking out a donkey in the field.

 Inspecting the many sizes and shapes of gourds.


And now, a few of my favourite photos of the 8 cousins!

Aren't they a sweet group?  I am so very thankful to be raising our kids in the same town as Tammy & Jason.  My kids adore their cousins and they have such a great time together.  Tonight Maddie is having a sleepover there and Jenaya is sleeping over here.  What fun!

Tammy & I are able to encourage one another in parenting, being a wife, a sister, a friend.  This year especially, with the interesting challenges that homeschooling brings, it has been so valuable to be able to  discuss, lament and celebrate together.  We talk each other off the ledge from time to time as well:)

It wouldn't seem right to end this post with anything else but a little Cait-Bear cuteness!!

Pumpkin Time!

This weekend was a pumpkin weekend. We went to the pumpkin patch and carved our pumpkins as well. This is quite the accomplishment according to my kids who informed me today that they have "never" carved pumpkins before. HA! I have pictures to prove otherwise! They are not entirely wrong though, their memories only go back so far and we have not carved pumpkins for a few years.

Enough typing...here are the photos!

The family shot! Can you see Cait? she is Mike's kangaroo baby in the pouch!

She slept through most of the pumpkin patch visit.

Our little pumpkin is almost 6 months old! Awe, first trip to the patch!

My 5 wonderful (sometimes cranky, messy, rude and gripey) kiddos!
Imperfect just like me, I love them all so much!!

Pumpkin carving is done best in the semi-nude apparently.

finished products!