Before Eleanor... There was fall.

Before the littlest sister arrived, life was busy with outings and lots of fall happenings. 

 

October was a busy month for us.  We had an AMOK park party with a scavenger hunt and pumpkin painting.

There was camping in the playroom, which is now large enough to accommodate a full size tent.  The kids did really well and slept in there the entire night.  This is going to be a reward/bribe because it was a huge hit.

Alastair has been playing soccer again this fall.  He got off to a slow start but got really into it right as the season ended in November.  Of course.

 

Not to be ignored, my favorite little photo bomber lept in front of the camera.  If there is a camera around, she will be in front of it.

 October was also field day at Alastair's school.  It was so fun to see the kids running and jumping their hearts out.

 Apparently there is no winner for athletic prowess (because his class certainly wouldn't have won that) but there is a spirit award, which they were proud to win.

Next up was the fall festival at Emery's school.  Alastair isn't too old for the festival yet, thankfully.

 Emery made sure to pet every animal in the petting zoo.

 And Alastair enjoyed himself as well.

 

This year they were both big enough to ride the train on their own.

 Emery had a blast with the games.

After the festival, we visited the pumpkin patch.

Alastair was feeling photogenic.  He is wearing an inflatable scabbard unfortunately because I couldn't figure out how to get it off of him without popping it.

We are are all set on pumpkins.  It seems I forgot to take a picture of the one we carved for Halloween, but we enjoyed the second through Thanksgiving.  

Halloween:

 

Definitely a little short for a storm trooper.

Alastair went as Luke Skywalker dressed as a Storm Trooper.  For the first time ever, a foreign made Halloween costume that I ordered actually ran big.  I could not have been more shocked.   It was not a good day for Alastair and he didn't spend much time in his costume, so there's always hope he'll want to wear it (and the helmet) next year.  It certainly will still fit.

Princess Leia.

Emery went as Princess Leia, surely the last year I can get away with a non-pink princess look.  I am a master of last minute projects, but this one was cutting it close even for me.  I started the pattern and sewing this costume at 2pm on Halloween.  By some miracle, it worked out!

 

Our new neighborhood (technically just the other side of the old one) has a Halloween parade with a fire truck and a block party.  Emery was reunited with her friends from swim team and was delighted to walk in the parade with them. Alastair spotted some friends from school and was off like a shot.

In November, we kept up with soccer games and going to birthday parties.  Two weekends in a row, Emery got to ride ponies and now she comes to my room on Saturdays and demands to know when she will get to ride again.

 

This was a super fun party with a magic show, hayride, pony rides, and a zipline.

The one problem is that Emery is convinced that there really are pink and purple ponies (her favorite, you know) and I keep trying to convince her otherwise.

 

This party has set us back months at the Bowling house.   

Since life in our house kicked into high gear in July, it has been a hectic six months.  We are all enjoying a little more home time with the baby's arrival.  I for one could really use the break!