Pancakes!!

Breakfast together is a favorite weekend tradition of ours that is even better when we have something particularly yummy, like pancakes! :-)

mixing up the batter with daddy

enjoying the fruits of his labor :-)

Pumpkins!

"Oooooh... pumpkin..."

"Mom??? Where is Daddy taking me???"

"Come on Dad!! Put your back into it!"

"Pumpkins!!"

"Best part of pumpkin picking?? The apple fritters!!" :-)

"Yeah, just like that... Good job, Dad!"

Happy Halloween!!

October Fall Outings

We have been blessed with some AMAZING fall weather this month in central New York! We have had the occasional rainy days, but cannot complain in comparison to the rest of the days we have had! It makes for some pretty spectacular fall pictures - so many that I will probably have to split this post into multiple posts.

Over Columbus Day weekend, we make a trip to Saratoga to visit my grandparents. It was a great time as always! We had Emanuel along with us and he loved having a new audience to entertain for a couple of days! While there we went to the Cider Festival at Eagle Mills near Saratoga. They had lots of fun little things for the boys and they we able to run all over and have tons of fun!

Beep! Beep!

Driving the tractor...

"This thing doesn't move very quickly guys!"

"Hey there, buddy... What's your name?"

GG and her three little men!

We got to meet my cousin's son, Hunter, for the first time.

On one of the beautiful blue sky days we have had, I dragged Charlie (stroller in tow) along to Green Lakes to take in the fall foliage and get some pictures. I rewarded him for putting up with our stop and go pace around the lake by allowing him some time on the playground when we were done. He is getting rather brave on the playgrounds and goes up and down by himself pretty well now! Makes me a little nervous from time to time, but he thinks it is great fun!

"I can do this by myself mom... I think..."

The colors were just amazing!!

This does not even do it justice!

We made another trip to the playground by our house after picking Emanuel up from school this week because it was just too nice to go home! The boys thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected stop and did not want to leave.

Cheesing on the big boy slide!!

leaf play time...

the closest I was able to get to a picture in the leaves...

Charlie booking it across the bridge...

Charlie on the same bridge a year ago...

Incredible!

Autumn is Upon Us!

We love the change of seasons around here and especially love fall. This time of the year also allows us to take part is some more fun activities out and about.

apple picking!

Food always tastes better when you share with someone else...

...unless its a fritter all to your self! :-)

feeding the ducks and geese at Webster Pond

He would much rather be chasing ducks than posing for a picture with mommy!

"I LOVE PLAYGROUNDS!!"

big boy down the slide by himself!

the big truck event at the quarry in Marcellus

not quite sure what to think...

Last, but definitely not least - - Charlie and his new best friend Mooney.

Everything Charlie does, Mooney must also do!

Faith * Hope * Love - Family BBQ

I have fallen way behind on blog updates and now there is too much to put all in one logically. So, we are starting here! Last year after Charlie came home, we decided to have a "Welcome Home" picnic to gather some who had loved and supported us through our journey. Vince stepped to the plate and lumped it along with a birthday celebration for me at the end of last May. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to make it an annual event.

Holding off until fall seemed to be more conducive for our schedules and it was well worth it! It was an absolutely perfect day for weather and we had a great time at our Faith*Hope*Love - Family BBQ. Charlie thoroughly enjoyed himself - flitting from one person or table to the next. Luckily someone else always knew where he was because I couldn't keep up with him! Cant wait to do it all over again next year!

getting the grill fired up

posing with Grandma and Grandpa D'Angelo

first course: grapes

delicious and nutritious

second course: Goldfish

I love Goldfishes cuz they're so delicious! (and whole grain!) :-)

third course: candy corn

Charlie: "Mom's not coming, is she???"

We are so incredibly blessed!