Fall fun

What a busy October we had! We took the kids apple picking once more for my favorite apples--macouns. Saskia didn't help pick, but she did help eat. She has a very peculiar way of eating an apple. She nipples the skin and spits it out. Then she sucks the juice out of the apple. She loves to say, "Apple! Apple! Apple!"

We had a fun Saturday with our playgroup friends. We first had fun at our friend Jackson's house and then headed down the road to the North Hadley Sugar Shack's Harvest Moon Pumpkin Festival. There was plenty for the kids to do... bouncy houses, pony rides, tractor rides and face painting. Kiefer got his face painted like a pirate, and when he saw himself in the mirror, he immediately got into character saying "Arrrr!" and squinting his eyes. When Saskia got a look at him, she had to do a double-take. It was so funny!

The following weekend we went to a Halloween Party with our playgroup friends. It was a potluck and there were so many amazing foods. The kids dressed up and we wrapped the evening up with a nice fire in the firepit. The older kids roasted marshmallows over the fire, which they thought was great. It was such a perfect autumn evening... cool, crisp air!

The next day, Kiefer accompanied Roel to a soccer game he was playing in, while Saskia accompanied me to the airport to pick up Grandma and Grandpa who were visiting for a week. Saskia was a little shy and uncertain at first, but she totally warmed up to her grandparents. Grandma and Grandpa got to see Kiefer at the Little Red Schoolhouse... they picked him up a few times. One day after picking him up from school, they took him to the movies to see the Lion King in 3D. They escorted both the kids to the Greenfield Halloween parade and trick-or-treating at the business in the center of town. Lucky kids.

In between all the help with the kids, Grandma and Grandpa managed to help me tile the kitchen back splash. Roel and I found a great deal on 1" glass mosaic tile a few months ago. We have no experience tiling, so we waited for a little help. I think it turned out great. It really changes the look of the kitchen!

Before:

After: