Annual Apple Picking

We went on our annual apple picking trip with the Bourque crew this last weekend, and, as always, had a blast! It was a beautiful morning, and we actually arrived to Honey Pot early in order to do our fall photo shoot. That went about as smoothly as you can expect with two toddlers :). The boys were actually great troopers and I hope we got some good pictures. Will be sure to post those pics in a few weeks!

After the photo shoot we had some time to enjoy a hayride prior to meeting up with the Bourques. It was so crowded at the orchard this year, partly due to the beautiful day, and partly due to the early apple season. People were everywhere--but we still managed to find some delicious apples.

As always, Pierce and Erin had a blast running through the rows of trees, rolling down the hills, climbing up the ladders into the trees to collect apples and chomping away on fresh fruit! Teddy and Nettie scoped out the scene from ground level and from inside the wagon, and polished off a few apples themselves. Thanks to Megan for lots of the great orchard shots!

Off to the races!

We brought home two giant bags of apples, and have already baked up an apple crisp, apple cake and applesauce. Yum! We love the tastes of fall.

Dinnertime fun

Just a little dinner time humor to get us through to bedtime....

"What? Do I have pasta on my head?"

End of Summer Adventures

August and early September brought us beautiful weather and plenty of chances to spend time outside and enjoy the sunshine and some quality family time! We started off August with a week-long trip to New Hampshire with good friends Scott and Alisa (and Timmy!) Harrison. Alisa was 9 months pregnant and such a trooper for all of our kiddo adventures! We managed to spend some time at the local Mt. Washington children's museum, swim (and sand digging) at the lake by our rental house, a canoe ride, and Pierce's very first hike in The Flume Gorge. He did it all on his own two feet (with minimal whining)--it was 2 miles! We are so proud. Teddy kept me company with early mornings and a chance for coffee overlooking the lake while listening to loons. He mastered the word "duck" on this trip!

Morning Coffee with the Lake...and Teddy!

Breakfast with the boys

Trailside picnic

Our first mini-hike

Boys reading time pre-swim

Family walk to Sabbaday Falls

Checking out the costumes at the museum (Pierce was SO sweaty!)

Musical bat....meet musical giraffe

Who is that handsome bat?

Construction giraffe

On our way to the Flume

Made it!

Nana and Pops came for a visit mid-month and celebrated our August birthdays while they were here. We went into Boston one day to explore the Greenway, and visited the sprinkler park and carousel and watched the seals at the aquarium on our trek. Then Halsey came to meet us for lunch at a restaurant before we headed home for a good long nap!

We had a relatively quiet Labor Day weekend, and took the opportunity to go raspberry picking at our local farm in town. The boys loved donning little buckets around their necks and sneaking as many berries into their mouths as in the buckets! We came home with some delicious morsels.

We are looking forward to our fall adventures which will include our annual trek to the apple orchard, some leaf peeping and a wedding in Stowe, VT, and, of course, the start of school!

First Day(s) of School

The boys were eager and excited to start school this year. Pierce began school at LEAP this year--how is it possible that he's in PRESCHOOL!? He goes to school M-Th, and is in Ms. Annemarie's class with 8 other kiddos. The school is in Lexington, and is adorable, with great playgrounds. Can't wait to see what he does this year!

Teddy is heading back to Fessenden after a summer away. He's moved into the toddler 1 group which means he will not take naps in the mornings. Should be interesting given he always naps with us at home. Hopefully he can tough it out!

Performances

Since seeing bits and pieces of the Olympics during the summer, Pierce has been obsessed with turning our foam letter playmat into a gymnastics mat or a stage for a performance. Though the two look very similar when he is performing, there are apparently subtle differences, so he announces which he is doing before taking the mat. No matter which one he does, it's adorable!

Teddy has turned into quite a dancer--and often performs backup for Pierce's singing or instrument playing. Here's a little video of his own with him moving and grooving.

It's so fun having Teddy up and about and really into playing. He and Pierce screech with excitement when they see each other in the morning, and the fun doesn't stop until tub time at night. Teddy even attempts to say brother--though it comes out as "braaa-braaa". So sweet.