Fall leaves and picking out pumpkins

On Thursday, we had Madeline's parent-teacher conference after school.  While we were conferring, Madeline joined the after-school program and made signs to support the girls' field hockey team. Then they went out and cheered!

Speaking of sports, sometimes Madeline looks like a soccer star.

And sometimes she doesn't.

This past weekend, we had a lovely play date with Lea and baby Sam on Saturday, and then we spent Sunday outside enjoying the beautiful New England fall.  In the morning, we went for a hike at the Maxwell Mays Audubon refuge.

Madeline enjoyed picking up the fallen leaves.

Summer and I enjoyed admiring the turned leaves, both fallen and unfallen.

We interspersed fun ...

... with admiring the view.

Boo!

Then Madeline climbed on the big rocks.

Summer joined her.

And then we left.

That afternoon, we visited Frerichs Farm with Benji to find pumpkins.  We also enjoyed the farm's various other amenities ...

... like this giant moose!

After picking out our pumpkins ...

... we explored the corn maze.

Madeline and I ran (yes, ran!) through it three times.

Madeline has taken to drawing families of various creatures, like Hello Kitties ...

... and monsters, all of whom are named Harry (the monsters, that is, not the kitties).

Beach & wagon

After lots of busyness culminating in not seeing the kids yesterday, Summer was planning on a low-key day at home with the family.

But then we decided that we might as well go be low key at the beach instead.  Just like this weekend last year, there were horses on the beach!

But there were also long stretches of completely unoccupied beach, perfect for frolicking!

Madeline again became a Nereid ...

... and Oliver also seemed to find himself possessed by the spirit of the sea.

Madeline found a sand crab.

And Oliver watched the horses.

We all had a good time ...

... but were tired by the end.

While Oliver finished napping, Madeline and I put together his new wagon, a birthday gift from Nanny and Pop Pop that we delivered very belatedly.  But Oliver's enthusiasm for the gift was not dampened by the delay -- he was thrilled!

We took the wagon for a spin around the school, as Oliver chanted and cheered and sang songs about his beloved wagon.

Connecticut, soccer, curls, and a day in Bristol

Last weekend we met up with Lauren and Emily at a children's museum in Connecticut.  Groups of tiny people at children's museums are very difficult to capture photographically!

At the museum, Madeline mostly made crafts.

While Oliver especially loved exploring the great green room with a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon, and three little bears sitting in chairs, and so on...

He decided to say "Goodnight, moon!" himself ...

... and then Madeline joined him.

On Monday, we had a car in the shop, so Summer and the kids picked me up from work.  To eat up some time after school pickups, Summer took the kids to the sky bridge between a downtown Providence hotel and the Providence Place Mall.  Oliver had fun.

Oliver has also been enjoying his newfound ability to use the potty.  He's doing very well, and even enjoys washing his hands afterward.

On Friday, I picked Madeline up after her soccer practice:


[Note: this video doesn't seem to be working.  I'll update if I figure out a way to fix it...]

Then I took her to get frozen yogurt.  She approved.

Friday evening I took this picture to show how long and curly Oliver's hair is getting.

In fact, after a quiet Saturday morning, with Summer off at a conference in Cambridge ...

... Oliver asked for a ponytail -- and got one!

He was very pleased with this.

In Summer's absence, I took the kids down to the Audubon Center in Bristol, at their request.

They were quite good.

Then we got delicious lunch at Ricotti's.  But the kids just wanted to drink their coffee milks:

Beach & orchard

Sometimes the kiddos decide, all on their own, to be completely adorable together.  Neither Summer nor I was in the room when they decided to do this:

Last Saturday, we went to Salty Brine Beach to attend a birthday party for one of Maddie's friends.

Oliver liked watching the boats going into and out of Point Judith Pond -- big boats like the Block Island Ferry and "baby boats" too.

Madeline liked playing soccer with her friends -- the kids beat the grownups!  And she and Holden explored the shoreline.  Birthday boy Kyle found a dead baby lobster, and Madeline and Holden checked it out together:

On Sunday, Madeline and I posed some dinosaurs for a contest -- but we have to wait a month to find out how we did.

Then we met up with Oliver's friend Benji at Sunset Orchards so we could eat cider donuts and pick apples -- and so the kiddos could ride the barrel train (which Oliver called the "baby train")!

A good time was had by all.