October Fun

October is one of my favorite months. It cools off outside and there are so many fun fall things to do! Here's the highlights from our busy weekend:

On Friday, I had the Fall Festival at my school. Cam brought the kids up. Emmett is Fix-It Felix, and Susie was a Ghost (one of her many Halloween outfits. I guess being a girl = more outfit choices).  Emmett had a blast playing games, and he even won the cake walk on his first try! He was so proud of his cookies. He loved getting the candy and putting it in his "nail pouch." Susie got passed around like a hot potato!

Saturday morning, we stopped by the Walkertown Fall Festival. It's still not very big, but Emmett loved the bounce house and Susie always loves being outside!

After the festival, we went to the Pumpkin Patch. Maw Maw met us there to join in the fun. This was our first attempt at pictures of both kids where Emmett is holding Susie up. When Emmett got tired of pictures, he let go of Susie and she just slowly tipped over and face-planted. Good thing she's a tough girl! Can't wait to carve these pumpkins later!

Saturday night was Gigi's annual Chicken Stew with family and friends. It's always a great time (and great food!). Chicken Stew and Corn Hole are NC traditions that we never knew about, but we sure enjoy them! Emmett had fun playing corn hole (but by his rules - which apparently include sticking your head in the hole to find the bean bags!) I also included the picture of Emmett and Gigi because it shows off his new scowl that he uses when I pull out the camera!

Happy Birthday Camron!

For Camron's birthday, he wanted to do an impromptu dinner with friends at our house. This evolved into a dinner with tri-tip, a shrimp boil, and dutch oven peach cobbler. Only Camron would choose those things! It was a delicious meal all around (I ate the shrimp boil, minus the shrimp) and we had a great time with friends. I think our tongues have finally recovered from the spicy seasonings (we bought the pack in Louisiana when we drove to Houston last fall).

Other Weekend Fun

Emmett got to help Daddy wash the truck. He was having SO much fun, and I went out to take a picture and he sent me back inside... "Go inside Mommy, I washing the truck!" My little boy loves to get muddy!

Susie thinks she's a big girl. She rolled over for the first time this week, and I waited for her to do it all weekend so I could see it. She didn't do it, but she sure is scooting around and always trying to sit up. She's strong, and I have a feeling she'll be running after Emmett before we blink.

Bike Ride

Poor Cam loves to ride bikes. I however, do not. It has been probably 10 years at LEAST since I rode on a bike, and I did not have a pleasant experience then. But, we came home with a free bike from Utah, and Cam immediately got in Craigslist and found a kid trailer for his bike. He argued with all my excuses, and we got a friend to watch Susie. 

When we got there, Emmett wouldn't get in the trailer. He screamed bloody murder for 15 minutes. I'm shocked someone didn't call the cops. This was one of his worst tantrums ever. So being the understanding mom that I am, I finally forced him in and strapped him down. Ten seconds into the ride, he was fine and smiling. It was a beautiful day and it's a beautiful trail. Once again I'm so grateful for the parks and trails that are nearby! Oh, and one time Emmett got out for a second, and he hopped right back in by himself. Lovely.

 

Dinner and a Show

Emmett found a new way to get out of eating dinner - he loves to entertain Susie. I love this video because it captures how he says Hey Susie (Hey Z-Z) over and over. He does this ALL the time. It also captures how he says "sliming" instead of "smiling."

I lied - The LONGEST Road Trip Ever (Going Home)

The trip back home seemed like it would never end. We hit bad traffic, the time changes were against us, Emmett was done with the car, and it felt like we weren't making progress.

One last Cafe Rio stop in Grand Junction, CO

At a beautiful rest area in Colorado.

Where else would a Hays stop, but Hays, KS? 

Kansas is REALLY boring. 

It's really, really long.

 We stopped at the Bass Pro Shop in Kansas City, MO - our ideal stops because the dogs can go in and Emmett loves looking at everything. They happened to be having a fishing day for kids.

Sunrise in Illinois

Construction the whole time in Kentucky

In Tennessee, it finally started to look more like home

At the Tennessee Welcome Center

We finally got home at 8:30 that Sunday night. And we went to work the next day. It was definitely a memorable adventure!

Longest Road Trip EVER (getting to Utah)

Two adults. A two year old terror, and a three month old. Plus two large dogs. 

The trip to Utah was 3 days in the car, three full days in Utah, and then 3 days driving back. Insane, right? Here are some pictures from the drive there. It was worth it to see family, but I won't be doing another road trip for quite a while!


Camping at the KOA in St. Louis, MO. Beautiful weather - got really cold that night!

We had to really wrap Susie up to keep her warm. Little Burrito!

Emmett was NOT very cooperative as we were trying to pack up the tent, so we had to improvise a little time out session.

After this, I put my foot down and insisted that we stay in the KOA Kabins. Bunk Beds rocked Emmett's socks off!

We were at a fast food restaurant, and Emmett wouldn't get out of the dog pen. We finally got him out and went inside to get food. These very nice people stopped us and told us how much fun they had watching him in the dog cage. I'm just glad they didn't call the cops or something! 

One thing I love about the West is the big skies. This was in Wyoming. Since there's nothing else to look at there.

 

Susie was SERIOUSLY the best behaved of everyone. She is so easy-going.