Fall Fun and Halloween

Now that Darin is on the move even more and the kids seem to vary with their nap times I find that my posts have gotten more spread out in time and longer when I do post. I'm trying to be better about it. Here is a video of Darin doing his little trick that Papa taught him! Go Darin...TOUCHDOWN!!!

In late September we all took the boys apple picking to our favorite Orchards in Winchester, VA. First we went to Millers for their Fall Festival. The kids loved riding the cow train and the Hay Ride. Then we left there to go pick apples at Rinkers Orchard, which is where we have been going to since I was a little girl. The boys loved picking the apples fresh off the trees.

Greenie, Papa and myself took the boys for their first trip to Build a Bear. They all loved that place and got to stuff their own bears. The boys stepped on the peddle to fill the bears, as Darin sat on the pedal to stuff his own bear. Here they are blow drying their bears getting them all handsome.

Here are some pics from another fall festival that we attended at a local church. What a beautiful warm day it was!
As for Darin he will be turning one in just a few weeks. I can't believe it's been a year already. It amazes me how I can still see big changes in him from week to week. Just the other day he took his last bottle and finished his formula. He is drinking regular milk from a big boy sippy cup now just like Ryan, as Justin drinks from a regular cup. Darin loves being on the floor playing with his brothers, however, his brothers seem to think it's a wrestling match at times. He is trying to take few little steps while holding on and he is really fast at crawling now. On October 13, 2009 I gave Darin his very first haircut. It's always been a tradition that I've given the boys their first haircut and then his older brothers wanted theirs done to. So everyone got haircuts complete with Lollipops...that made it all worth it!
For Halloween I made the boys their costumes with the idea from Paul of how to put them together. Justin wanted for everyone to be a pumpkin and he cleared that with Ryan to make sure he did too. It was a lot of fun making their costumes. I loved the part of stuffing them and rolling them on the ground trying to squish the fluff around. Not sure if they loved that part, as much as I did. Justin and Ryan had a party for AWANAs last week and they had to dress up. It was funny seeing them trying to squeeze in the doors and in their seats. For Halloween we took the boys trick or treating at the toy store earlier in the day and came home to make some Halloween Lollipops that they made themselves. Then that night after their special Halloween Meal and we all headed out to trick or treat in the neighborhood. It rained halfway though, but it never slowed the kids down. Poor Darin never said much, but just looked and took it all in. I don't think he could move much in his costume. Justin would take off from house to house quickly and then Ryan would come running yelling "Buddy...Me" behind him. A few times he tripped and went rolling....then yelling "Help!" to get up. Poor little guys looked like Ralphie from the Christmas Story. After our outing we came back to give out some candy to the last of the trick or treaters. Then Greenie and Papa visited as we had our own little party watching the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown complete with lighted pumpkins and glow sticks to dance in the dark. They had a great time! (Justin's Pumpkin was on chair; Ryan's bottom left; Darin's bottom left)