Fall Highlights

Because I just can’t bring myself to post current happenings without sharing some of our favorite 2017 moments…

We spent most of September snuggled up together and getting used to life as a family of 4.

Having experienced the addition of a new family member with Isla, and being very eager for snuggles with us, the kitties accepted Cole pretty quickly.

 

When we first brought Isla home and tried to give her her first bath she cried so hard it made me cry. I was preparing myself for a similar response with Cole, but he was so calm and happy, even when I was rinsing his hair. Looks like we have a little fishy on our hands! Like his big sister, he loved the warmth of the hair dryer after his bath.

Isla started Soccer Shots classes and absolutely LOVED them! She played her little heart out each week! We cannot wait for the spring session to start next month.

That proud little face when she scored. I melt!

One of the best parts of soccer was getting to hang out with our buddy Luke and his family each week!

Cole’s birth announcement photo… that we never ended up making. We never finished Isla’s birth announcement either. Eh, win some, lose some, right?

Mom’s first attempt at some sibling portraits.

Towards the end of September we had a stretch of unusually warm summery days. I had found this shirt months earlier and intended to do a little photo shoot with Isla, but hadn’t been able to make the time. Knowing our sunny days for the year were numbered I did what any good mom would do: let Isla skip her nap, and instead took photos of her eating an ice cream cone. It was a great afternoon for us both!

The moment October arrived you could find us at a pumpkin patch! First stop, The Pumpkin Patch at Sauvie Island.

This was Cole’s first trip to the pumpkin patch. That split second his eyes opened during the above photo was the only time he was awake!

Taking a very important call on her stem phone. This kid and her imagination!

The pumpkin patch is definitely our family’s happy place!

We enjoyed beautiful fall walks and leaf collecting adventures as often as we could…

Isla LOVED her cobweb “witch” skirt and asked to wear it often.

Little pumpkin.

More pumpkin adventures! One weekend we visited 3 different patches. It was a Pumpkin Patch Palooza! On Friday we went to Bauman’s Farm with Nana, Papa, Auntie Leah, Uncle Moises, and Cali. We enjoyed sweet apple slushies and warm apple doughnuts. Isla found this play area with a nut room and that’s literally where we stayed the entire time we were at the patch!

The next morning we went to Lakeview Farms with our friends, Luke and Bellamy. Thankfully, there was no nut room, so we actually made it out to the pumpkins! The kiddos had a ball riding the train and the little boat. Isla was absolutely spoiled for choice in the “little pumpkin” department (her favorites) and we ended up coming home with quite a few!

And later that day, we went back to The Pumpkin Patch at Sauvie Island with Madelyn. The girls had an absolute ball running around the patch, and looked so cute in their matching Halloween shirts (third year in a row for that fun tradition!).

Mid-October we hopped over the Pacific and enjoyed a glorious week in Maui! I’ll make a separate post about this trip. So much shaved ice goodness to share…

Back to Portland and all things pumpkin! Isla designed and helped carve her own darling jack-o-lantern this year. It was so cute!

Our October girl celebrated her 4th birthday with a festive mermaid party! I’ll also share a separate post about this celebration.

Happy Halloween from the sweetest little boos!!!

Cole was pumped for his first Halloween!

Love this little pumpkin with all our hearts!!!

We love having our friends join us for trick-or-treating each year! It has become one of our favorite annual traditions!Isla wanted to be a mermaid this year, and Grauntie once again assisted us in making her a beautiful costume! Cole was Isla’s little shark companion.How amazing is Madelyn’s sharpei costume?! Oh my goodness, watching these two running up to each house, hand in hand, was so sweet!Every year I am more and more amazed at the efforts made by our neighbors to decorate for Halloween. It makes for such a festive Trick-Or-Treat experience!

We spent a fun fall afternoon with our siblings taking family portraits so we could surprise Nana and Papa with new wall art for Christmas!

Such a little turkey!

Cousin Morgan turned 8 and had a super fun horse themed birthday party where Isla got to take her first ride. Once she was up in the saddle she started getting nervous, but was all about petting the horse’s nose afterwards.Right before Thanksgiving we took Cole to the beach cottage for the first time! He was so cozy he slept through his first beach walk.

Happy Thanksgiving!