Tommy's School Trip - Fall Festival

On Friday, Tommy's Pre-K class went on a field trip to Schramm Farms for their fall festival. Tom volunteered to be a chaperon for the trip.

The class rode on a "big" school bus (Tommy loved it) and even though it was freezing out - the kids had a fun time. They had a little lesson, enjoyed a hay ride, picked out a pumpkin, and got to try some apple cider.

Waiting for the class to start

Watch out - crazy driver!

Hay ride time

Tommy and Deacon on the bus ride home

Pumpkin Carving Party

We held our 1st Annual Pumpkin Carving Party last Saturday (well - our 1st one in PA).

We had around 50 people show up (18 of those being kids), so it took a lot of preparation. I don't think we would have been able to pull it all together if we didn't have some help (thanks Diana). The weather turned pretty cold the day before, which helped with the food storage - we could just cover it and put it outside to keep it cold. :)

Tommy helping Grammy with the Franken-Cups

Making the mummy wraps

Partially finished Appetizer table

Main Dishes (chicken, ziti, Swedish meatballs, queso, etc.)

We set up the drinks outside

Yummy "Adult" jello shots

People started showing up around 5:00 and the first hour or two was spent eating, drinking and just hanging out.

Around 7:00 Tom and Mike started cleaning out pumpkins for the guests that wanted to participate in the carving contest. Sorry for the blurry pictures - but I had to use my phone.

Alyssa & Adeline working hard

Dave & Kristen brought a 70 lb pumpkin (and he spent hours cleaning it out)

Tommy kind of ripped his pumpkin up

Nikki and Jax hanging out

Voting on the pumpkins

After the carving, the kids went back to playing and the adults went back to talking/drinking.

Grace & her boyfriend Johnny (she put some chips on a plate for him - haha)

The party started winding down around 10:30 or so

Whew - what a fun (and exhausting night)

It was a lot of fun and we hope to continue the tradition next year.

On a side note - Grace must have been really tired the next day, because I found her like this in her room.....

Pumpkinfest

Last Sunday, we took the kids to New Alexandria for St. Vincent's Pumpkinfest.

Our admission got us lunch, a hay ride, looking at horses and pumpkins for each of us.

The kids loved the hay ride (and it was a long one) and had fun picking out pumpkins. Grace requested a baby one, while Tommy wanted a big one. :)

Tommy with his sticks and Grace eating a marshmallow

Grace still munching on a marshmallow

Hay ride

Tommy looks like he is up to no good

The baby pumpkin

Big Yellow Duck

Last Saturday was probably the busiest day we've ever had since moving up here.

We started off the morning by going to downtown Ligonier for Fort Ligonier Days. We got there early enough to have breakfast at Kitchen on Main, the cutest little restaurant, before the parade. After the parade, we walked around to look at crafts. I ended up getting a couple cute fall decorations.

Breakfast Break

No Tommy - you have to walk like the rest of us

As soon as we left, we ran home to grab a couple things and then headed to Pittsburgh for Anthony's 4th birthday party. Tommy and Grace had fun doing the different Pirates themed activities and we left with some good loot! :)

Tommy loves dressing up

We left their house a little after 6:00 and went to Point State Park (downtown Pittsburgh) to see the Big Yellow Duck in the water. It was huge and there were so many people there. The kids liked it. How fun!

Now that is a big duck

Our last stop of the evening was stopping by Rick's 60th birthday party (a dad of one of Tom's friends from high school). The kids had fun playing with Brownie's kids and we ended up staying until close to 11:00.

Lets just say that after the jam packed day we had, all 4 of us pretty much crashed after we got home.

Oh - on a side note - after putting the kids to bed we heard a loud noise from upstairs and thought it was just Tommy jumping from his bed (yes - he does that sometimes). A couple minutes later Tom went to our room to get something and called me over there. When I went in, there was Grace just laying in the bed watching TV. Tom asked her what she was doing and she looked at us like we were dumb and said "I'm watching TV in your room." Haha - too funny!

The Pledge of Allegiance

These videos are so cute. I was very surprised that they both knew the Pledge of Allegiance. Please ignore the fact that they are using a Pirates Flag.

Hallowboo at Idlewild

Last Saturday, we took the kids to Idlewild for Hallowboo.

The kids (and the adults) had fun walking around Story Book Forest  going Trick-or-Treating. The kids got chips and candy.

Batgirl

Tommy Power Ranger

In Class

Tommy tried really hard to get the sword out - ha!

Family Photo

Either Grace is really small - the the key hole is really big

After that, we went over to the rides and Grace and Tommy rode every kid ride that was open. Grace has changed so much in the last 2 months. Last time, she would only ride the tea cups and the turtle ride and this time she even rode the Whip It (an adult ride) with me!

Tom on his favorite ride ;)

Pap-Pap came to hang out (and so Tom and I could ride a few rides)

Happy kids

Tommy doing all the work while Grace relaxes

What a fun day. I hope we can take them one more time later this month.