Traditions, school and projects.

I love traditions. Anything from holiday traditions to seasonal traditions to just weird, random things we do and it becomes a tradition. One tradition we've been doing since Spencer was a year old is to go to the apple orchard. Last year I was very pregnant, so I was excited to watch Ashton experience one of my most beloved traditions this year. Since it was a bit nippy outside, we had to bundle up, but that didn't stop us from enjoying all the orchard had to offer. From pumpkins and haystacks to tractors and hayrides to petting zoos and tunnels to apple picking and wagon rides, we did it all, with pockets full of Kleenexes to swipe sniffling noses. I'm sure it is no surprise, but I took about a million pictures, so I'll let the pictures tell the story of our day at the apple orchard.

Matching coats.

He chose the pink one since it's his favorite color these days.

Climbing the haystack.

Petting zoo.

The beloved tunnel.

Daddy smooches.

Waiting for tractor to pick us up for a hayride.

Hayride.

Apple picking.

Reaching for a high apple.

All done picking apples.

Looking for the perfect pumpkin.

Spencer protectively holding his little brother.

All of our loot.

Spencer had a very big success at preschool this week: he peed in the potty!! We've been talking about it since the first day, but he just wouldn't do it. Finally last week he confessed he didn't know how. After a demonstration on the pint-sized toilets one day, Thursday he did it all by himself at school! Although I was very proud and celebrating the success, Spencer nonchalantly shrugged like it was no big deal.

This week for "outside school" we walked across an old wagon bridge to explore some wilderness (and steer clear of the poison ivy) and then made Bird Pudding. The Bird Pudding is shortening and bird seed mixed together; once frozen, you put it outside for the birds to peck away at.

We did a few projects at home as well. The focus this week was the number three. I cut out a big three on card stock and then drew lines to make a road. Spencer picked out three small cars and three paint colors. Then he painted with the cars as he drove over the road on the big number three. He loved this activity so much that I ended up making him two more number three roads. Ashton wasn't left out of this project. I gave him his own "paint" of baby food and cars. He mostly just spent the time licking the highchair tray, but he was content. Our other project was using watercolor paints to color a picture of Cookie Monster playing soccer.

Showing off his sparse number wall.

Here is more from our week....

Ashton learned to wave.

Ash loves blankets.

It's nice to have a kid who doesn't mind the car.

A walk into town to play at the park.

Enjoying precious cuddle time.

Mommy's Beauty Salon.

Snack time on Spencer's bed.

Practicing.

I have more cooking utensils on the floor than in drawers.

Cheering Spencie on at soccer.

PJ day.

How come Big Brother can play outside and I can't?

My boys.