Field Trip to the Children's Museum

I'm only a few days late posting this, I'm blaming it on having to download pictures (never on not being able to get my butt in gear!)

Friday, my hubby, took the day off, so we could have a family day.  (Hurray!) 

We contemplated taking the kids to a matinee movie, but there wasn't anything we wanted to watch or that I thought was appropriate for our kids. (I'm pretty strict about what I let them watch regarding rating and quality.)

Thanks to Grandpa, we knew that IHOP was having their "scary face pancakes" all day.  So, the kids got their free breakfasts.  Bob and I each ordered a breakfast with some extra sausage or ham and shared with the kids.

Bug's requirement of eating at a restaurant. Check.

Next, we headed to the Building for Kids, which is Appleton's Children's Museum!  Thanks to my sister-in-law, Bonnie, who suggested it and asked us to check it out for her.

We ALL had a blast!  We were there for just over two hours (could have spent more time, but I couldn't figure out how to get into the parking garage and the parking meter only gave us 2 hours...I found the entrance to the parking garage after we left....)  The kids played solid for those two hours.  I think Bob and I had just as much fun watching them as they did playing.  I took a TON of pictures.

2-story treehouse with net bridges connecting the branches

Fixit playing in the giant garden

Bug & K have the "whole world" in their hands

Isn't this COOOOOL!?  Bug is sliding down the aorta!

K is peddling to light a street lamp, that I forgot to take a picture of.

Even a fire engine!

You have to be serious when you're heading to a fire.

Then, there was the WATER ROOM!  I think we spent half hour in there.  They even provide rain coats for the kids to wear, otherwise they would be SOAKED!

What a great day.  And as a total side effect, I think we all recharged our batteries.

80 degrees and a trip to the Pumpkin Patch

What a beautiful day!  It got up to 80 degrees today.  What unbelievable weather for October!

After taking my sister back to the airport this morning, after she did a quick 4-day visit, I stopped for more jars from Fleet Farm.  I had literally run out of canning jars trying to keep up with the bounty we have been able to harvest this year.  Ok, that so didn't sound like me.  Let's try this version:  I've had sooooo much food to can this year that I ran out of stinking canning jars.  (Closer to me.) 

One of the smaller trees

Another small tree

Here are some apple tree pictures - I could literally be taking care of apples every day from now until Christmas.  (And these are after I've already taken care of at least 10 5-gallon pails full.)

Just the biggest tree

We went to the local Pumpkin Patch this afternoon with the kids.  It was amazing how nice it was.  Here are some pictures from our outing.

K & Fixit on the lawn mower train

Bug on the lawn mower train

It's not the biggest one, but it's the biggest one K could carry.



Fixit is carrying the little one for Mom.



Heave. Ho!

The aftermath of an afternoon outside.

K, Bug, and Fixit had a great time.  They got their faces painted, went through a corn maze, looked at the animals in the petting zoo, rode the lawn mower train, and got to pick out pumpkins.  We ended up with 6 large pumpkins.  We ARE NOT carving them today.  That might be a next week project.  We might paint them instead - have to see how ambitious Mom is.