October...what a fun month!
On October 1st we had a group of friends over to make these shirts. We did this last year, but, of course, the boys had outgrown theirs and I needed to make one in Nora Kate's size. They got to wear these numerous times throughout the month.
We welcomed Fall.
Matching shirts. Happy October!
At the beginning of the month John and I squeezed in our first date since Nora Kate's birth. We went to Barley's for dinner and played trivia...AND won 3rd place! It was fun! This was our first time leaving sweet Nora Kate, and she did just fine!
We visited Maple Lane Farms with our Moms of Maryville Group, and since John was off that day he tagged along to help with the kids and have fun! Beautiful view from our hayride.
Looking for the perfect pumpkin.
Hayride. Nora Kate slept in this carrier most of the time we were there!
Dawson's friend, Finn, was there. Despite the look on Dawson's face, they had a blast playing together since they don't get to see each other much!
Dawson loved the John Deere that pulled our hayride.
With all the fun things to do at Maple Lane, Dawson and Finn had fun playing with these sticks. Boys!
Carter had fun running EVERYWHERE!
We were all exhausted after the pumpkin patch, but Nora Kate woke up and was ready to play!
An attempt to get a picture of the kids in their Halloween shirts I made.
Why is it so hard to get 3 kids looking, smiling, and ready for a picture?!
:)
One weekend when John was working, Emily and I loaded the cousins up in our van and went to the zoo. Hailey (age 8) and Dawson LOVE to play together!
Hailey and Dawson in the prairie dog tunnel.
Carter checking out the prairie dog tunnel too.
Dawson and Hailey enjoyed a camel ride!
The camel seems to have enjoyed it too(he's smiling)! :)
The cousins (minus Drew) at the zoo.
I thought Nora Kate looked to beautiful not to snap a picture as I pushed her stroller through the zoo!
One morning in her little sister pajamas.
I was thrilled to get to go to the Sigma Kappa House Dedication ceremony in October! The house is BEAUTIFUL!! I can't wait to go visit Nora Kate when she's living in that house! (No pressure, Nora Kate!) Anyway, it was fun to see friends there too!! Above: Ashlee, me, Nora Kate, Lauren, Abbey, and Stephanie. I brought Nora Kate along since she's a little legacy, and she was the littlest legacy there!
My big sis, Lauren, meeting Nora Kate for the first time!
After the House Dedication Ceremony, Nora Kate and I picked up the boys, and we went to our friend, Colt's 3rd birthday party! It was a blast! Carter had fun dropping the ball through this.
It was a train party and they had a barrel train set up in the neighborhood. Dawson LOVED this!
(Out of order-sorry!)
Dawson and Hailey in the petting zoo!
(Out of order)
Dawson and Hailey feeding the birds at the zoo.
(Our of order)
Nora Kate even wore her Sigma Kappa bib to the House Dedication Ceremony.
Unfortunately, I think our days of warm weather are over. (I've already asked John if we can go to Florida until March, haha!) Dawson and Carter were not too happy about having to bundle up for the first time on this walk.
Now that it's cooler, I've had to dress Nora Kate in warmer clothes too...
Baby Jeggins...hilariously adorable! I LOVE for her to wear these!
In the middle of October, we enjoyed attending the Foothills Fall Festival!!
We took the boys Friday afternoon when it opened and back for more on Saturday morning. Above Carter is playing in one of the toddler areas.
Carter going through the mini-maze at the festival.
Both boys LOVED this giant sand pile at the festival. Carter was COVERED by the time we left both days. At one point he laid down on his stomach in it!
Friday night we met Nana and Grandad downtown for dinner after enjoying the kid's area of the festival. After dinner we walked down the street to check out the tractors. Dawson thought this pink two seater tractor was great.
Carter on the tractor wheel.
Daddy and Carter checking out the tractors.
(It was REALLY dark out when I took these, so I'm surprised that you can see as much as you can, but sorry they're a little hazy looking.)
Saturday morning back at the festival.
Inflatable fun!
Festival Train fun!
Saturday night, John's parents kept all three kids, and John and I got another date! We went to the evening portion of the Fall Festival which is concerts. We got to see Lynyrd Skynyrd perform! Here we are waiting on Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Nora Kate enjoyed wearing her Halloween attire all month.
One morning that John was off, we decided to "hike" (walk) through the Maryville College woods since it had been a month or so since we had done this. We were really surprised to see two turtles on one of the trails! (I'm sure now every time we go back the boys will be disappointed when we don't see any turtles.)
Carter couldn't stop looking, pointing, and saying "turtle, turtle, turtle!!" and he had to sit down beside one of them.
Carter, Mommy, and Nora Kate in the Maryville College woods.
I had a Halloween party for our Moms of Maryville Group. Here are a few of the kids. Dawson's holding Nora Kate, but Carter would not sit still for the pictures.
We went to Boo at the Zoo this year, where you dress up and trick or treat through the zoo. The kids had a fun time. They had a gymnastics obstacle course set up that they both enjoyed too.
Our first trick-or-treat of the year. It was at the zoo.
Before we went to Boo at the Zoo, Dawson informed me that an elephant was going to reach out and give him candy from it's big trunk. I told John I was afraid Dawson was going to be disappointed to see people handing out the candy. Well, we had NEVER seen the elephants doing this in all our visits, but when we went by their exhibit, one elephant was reaching out to this rose bush by us just like this! It made Dawson happy!
Enjoying another Halloween outfit.
One Saturday, we went to the circus with my parents. I was surprised that Carter sat through it for about an hour and a half plus sitting in our seats for about 30 minutes before it started. I was really impressed that he was interested enough to sit there for two hours! Dawson enjoyed it too! Nora Kate enjoyed being held the whole time. Everyone had fun!
One Sunday morning we woke up and spur of the moment decided to drive to the mountains to look at the leaves. We drove through Cades Cove. I wasn't sure how the kids would enjoy it, but they liked it! At the end of the day Dawson asked if we could do it again sometime..."just the same way" he said. So sweet. Here are those sweet boys inside the old Methodist Church in Cades Cove.
Our family outside the Methodist Church in Cades Cove.
Complete un-posed. They were just walking, and Dawson reached down to hold Carter's hand.
Dawson had fun checking out all the old buildings.
Carter had fun following his brother around.
One more family picture in Cades Cove.
Dawson likes to talk about how we saw 8 deer, 9 turkey, and some horses while we were there.
Another sweet Halloween outfit.
We had fun celebrating Hailey's 9th birthday this month too! Dawson was REALLY interested in all the Barbie things she got like this Barbie Camper which he kept calling the big truck!
Dawson and Hailey.
Despite what the shirt says, she did have a costume too!
Cow Carter at the community Trunk-or-Treat the night before Halloween.
Nora Kate was a giraffe...a girl giraffe with a pink bow, of course!
Dawson has wanted to be a fireman for Halloween for a couple of months. So here's fireman Dawson!
The back of Nora Kate's onesie I made.
Instead of carving pumpkins which isn't much fun when you're 1 and 4 years old, I let the boys paint pumpkins. They loved doing this.
Dawson stayed neat and tidy and did a great job making sure to cover as much of his pumpkin with paint as he could.
Carter had fun painting part of his pumpkin, then moved on to painting the table, his body, and even his noes. Straight from this table to the bathtub!
Mommy with Fireman Dawson, Cow Carter, and Giraffe Nora Kate!
Nora Kate's first Halloween.
We went to the big Trunk-or-Treat event that two churches have nearby (since no one in our neighborhood does trick-or-treat), and Dawson loved seeing this real fireman and fire truck! The second church we went to down the street, is the church where John and I got married.
One Friday night when the boys spent the night with their Lolly and Pop, the next morning they got to go walk Bentley in the park. Brave Lolly and Pop to take Bentley, Dawson, and Carter to the park! Here's my Dad walking with them.
(Out of order)
Carter has never had anything to drink except water and milk, but at the circus he LOVED this special treat!!
(Out of order)
Circus fun!
(Out of order)
Nora Kate's first circus.
In October we also stayed busy with soccer. I plan to do a post on Dawson's first soccer season soon, so check back!
