Fall leaves

At our new home, we are lacking in one fall fun activity...leaves!  (Well I don't miss raking, but I do miss jumping!)  Our few small trees don't over much as far as a leaf pile.  So this past weekend on a visit to my Aunt Mary's we took advantage of some leaves at a playground for some fall fun! The pictures capture a bit of the joy!

Fall Fun

It's October - time for some Fall fun! ...and we've been doing some Fall fun the past couple of weekends. The first weekend of October we made a family outing to a Pumpkin/Fall fest in a little town north of Dubuque (Sherrill). Although a bit overcast, the kids had a great time.

 Teresa & Timothy posing next to the Pumpkin-o-meter!

 There was a playground on which we were able to go around and around a bit! ...The "bike-a-round" is something Maria had at her workplace in New Jersey, which brought back good memories.

 The kids also got to have a train ride, pulling some barrel cars. Here are the kids excited for their ride!

 The kids also had the chance to have their faces painted with icons of their choosing. For Teresa, it was nothing else than sea creatures (see: the whale below). For Timothy, it was modeled after a superhero. Do you recognize him?

 The second weekend of October we made a Sunday afternoon visit to an apple orchard (Czipar's Orchard, just south of Dubuque). In Grand Forks, we had apples a plenty from an abundantly-producing apple tree in our background. Here in Iowa we have to buy our own. :o) ...Still, the outing was fun, and we bought some lovely apples. (above: Troy posing with the kiddos)

 The third weekend of October we went for a Fall hike at Swiss Valley park, just south of Dubuque. Although cooler than previous weekends (it was near freezing Saturday morning), the sun warmed things up a good deal, making it pleasant for a family hike. The Fall colors are between peak and passing peak, so there are trees both bare and empty by now and others peaking in full color.

 Pausing along our hike for a rest. Smile, Timothy and Teresa!

 Teresa was more distractable on the hike than Timothy, and more prone to say "Pick me up!" But still, both of the kids enjoyed rustling their feet through the leaves, finding leaves and twigs and bugs (Timothy), and noticing interesting new things of nature: a bubbling stream, birds chirping, and strange things on the ground.

We are grateful for Fall fun, outside activities, and the colors of the Fall season. It's been a great October here in Dubuque!

Oceans and Scooters

I felt it was time for an update on Timothy and Teresa...

Teresa is the ocean part of the title.  She loves the ocean.  I wish I could snap my fingers and make us travel to the coast and take a whale watching trip with her.  Shea reads books about whales, sharks, dolphins and the ocean non-stop.  She gets excited to go to the library to get new ocean books.  She loves the song "To you oh Lord" because the lyrics mention the sea and the ocean.  We draw ocean animals with sidewalk chalk and pretend to be them.  She plays with her toy whales and would prefer it if she could leave her whales in the sink at all times.  She is planning a trip to the Arctic so she can see Belugas and orcas and seals. (I told her to take her daddy on that trip...to cold for me!)  She can tell you all about baleen and toothed whales.  She knows how whales breech and spy hop and tail lob.  It is pretty fun to see such great interest in a topic.  She is indeed our ocean lover!

Scooter is Timothy's word.  I scored a two wheeled scooter for a dollar at a garage sale.  Timothy has been longing for one for many months.  He rides it to the bus stop in the morning.  Today he went to the bus stop 40 minutes early (he seems to be liking school and is always happy to go!).  He rides his scooter to friends' houses after school.  He rides his scooter with friends after dinner.  He goes sailing down hills is learning to bend down and scoot.  He rides on his bottom.  He tries to go backwards.  The other day he even insisted we go the long way to a friend's house so he could ride his scooter, rather than the short cut through the backyard.  He loves his scooter and he loves his friends.  It is a blessing to see him so happy and enjoying some simple things in life!