Super Saturday

We have FULLY enjoyed the fantastic fall weather around here. This Saturday we spent almost the entire day outside from morning til dark. We started the morning off at Harder and Warner (a local landscaping business) that had some fun fall festivities. We are also delighted that this local business purchased a few of our favorite ArtPrize pieces and we now see them almost daily. We love you Elephants! We enjoyed all the sights and smells of fall!

We even went on a hayride and a scavenger hunt!

They had some fun cut outs...look at these super women!

What a goofy trio

Dinosaurs??

A monkey with my monkey??

The boys enjoying the fish pond

They even had hot dogs...who could pass that up? ...just me!

They had a big mama pumpkin who had "given birth" to 100's of babies the night before. So the kids entered the Baby Boo Pumpkin Patch and each of them "adopted" a new baby pumpkin. Carter named his Snaggletooth, Christian: Pumpkin, and Ella: Fancy Nancy!

Searching for just the right one, they were hidden all over.

the proud new parents

Then we headed downtown for some more fall fun. This weekend was the big Grand Rapids Marathon. While I was in no shape to run a marathon, Ella and I did participate in the Kid's Marathon (more specific pictures to come). The YMCA also happened to be hosting a Fall Fun Day so we participated in many other fun activities.

Auster the pony got lots of petting.

A Sack Race

The course

Hopping along

They jumped into the pile o leaves

Inside, the fun continued!

Pumpkin bean bag toss...Carter was a pro

Ring toss over pumpkins

Cowboy Christian

We had such a fun day. the kids were all sleeping in the back of the van on the way home around 3:30. When we got home, everyone woke up and we played outside and did a little yard clean up. We also managed to have a bonfire. The kids thought that was grand! Mom put icing on the cake when I suggested roasting a marshmallow for the last time this year. Only to realize we only had minis left. We didn't let that stop us, each of the kids enjoyed toasting their 5 mini marshmallows. What a fun day! More pics from the run to come!

A long awaited addition

We bit the bullet and finally are having our driveway paved! It has been a fun process to watch. Of course, the boys have been thrilled to see all the tractors, diggers, and scrapers working away. My only problem is keeping them in our garage! The kids enjoy riding their bikes and scooters down the long driveway! Yippee! We will see if the nice weather hold...if so they will put the top coat on possibly next week!

ArtPrize

We have been so blessed by this "little thing" called ArtPrize. Downtown Grand Rapids has looked more like Chicago for the past 3 weeks due to the crowds that have come in mass to see all the Art Prize exhibits. Let me tell you....they are AWESOME! To top it off, we have had an exceptionally beautiful start to fall. Lots of sun and warm temps have kept this family outdoors and enjoying all the wonderful aspects of the arts. If you aren't familiar with ArtPrize, check it out here. My parents and I took the kids down one afternoon after picking Ella up from school. It was a Wednesday afternoon and you would have thought it was a Friday afternoon in a big city. It was crazy! People were everywhere, enjoying the art, street vendors, music, and the energy. Wow! It sure was something to be part of. We saw all of these pieces and many more before they voted for the Top 10! Then our family tuned in to see if any of our favorites made it and....they did. During this trip, we only hit the VanAndel Museum. We missed a lot not going to the Grand Rapids Art Museum and into the Ford Museum. But considering our time constraints and the company..we did great. I was pleasantly surprised how "in-to-it" the kids were. Elle and Carter have been talking art like they work for the MET lately. It is great. I absolutely LOVE it. Many a nights, we spend discussing how some thing that we saw downtown, some piece of art, and how it crossed our minds during the day. Elle is my little artist and she is eating this up. She collected cards from each piece we visited and she looks through them, studying them, critiquing them, planning a project of her very own. Thank you DeVos family for putting this together. It sure has been something to experience. We loved it so much and couldn't stop talking about it that we took Scott on a tour of our favorites this past Sunday (more picts to follow). I am considerably behind in blog-land. We have been busy enjoying the fall and all the wonders it has in store....seriously, this time of year, I feel like God is just showing off with all the grandeur and color {more posts on that to come as well}. Can I get a rainy day here so I could get caught up on my indoor things??? It will come, I know. But for now, the computer will wait. The winter will be long and cold and I can catch up then.

Art Prize 2010

Of course, we had to start with some "questionable" art. As we are looking at these carved figurines(that are surrounded by mobs of people) Carter looks- wide eyed and wide mouthed looking around to see if anyone else might notice the inappropriatness then pipes up in his-not-one-bit-quiet voice, "hey mom!!! Look you can see his penis????" Shockingly, many people cover their mouths and turn to hide their giggles from his 4-year-old observation. {I tell you Carter is my spice in life...never a dull moment.ANYwhere!}

The giant penny, made from pennies



The water fountain-fun to throw all mom's pennies in.

Christian liked these pretty butterflies.

There was art of all kinds...samples of "green housing"

The kids loved the balloons that were strung up! Brilliant.

Look at this HUGE basket of flowers...I'll take the whole thing for our backyard.

The kids loved this mosiac frog and his big bowl o'worms.

This was amazing...a life sized mermaid made from toothpicks. The hair was impecable.

The kids can't imagine how this one didn't win. It sure got "Moorlag Family Favorite"

The carasouel at the Museum. We had to take a spin.

Father Earth...with all the animals carved into his beard.

Another Moorlag favorite...the story of Creation made with broken crayons. Highly impressive!

Sitting and resting in the JW lounge.
We put in a lot of miles.

The great big pig....that they loved!

Lots of cool stuff by the BOB.

We couldn't stop watching the ice sculptors carve a tiger our of this block. Carter was in awe.

More pictures to come! I just can't keep up the blog since we've been busy out 'doing'. Happy Fall!

Visitors

This time of year is a busy one for all the families we know. Lots of transitions and re-learning the routines of the school year. Elle is whole-heartedly loving first grade. She is learning a lot and meeting many new friends. She is one tired pumpkin when we pick her up each day. She is learning the routine of nightly homework and packing her lunch. Most days she let's me pick her outfit since she has more important playing to do. Her brother's miss her while she is away so they need some Elle-time when she gets home. She is generally willing to indulge them, but can be a little cranky. Carter has been loving Little Lambs. He had the privilege of bringing home "Wooliam" the class pet for a couple days. They had quite the adventures. Carter took the care and responsibility VERY seriously. I took a couple of pictures of their time together. He is learning a lot from his beloved, Miss Kathy and Miss Julie. The other night he barely ate dinner because he was so busy explaining all he had learned about our "human bodies". It was so precious!

As for the youngest man in the house....he is Trouble with a capital T these days. Ella and Carter will be busy working on something and in no time, Christian is in some sort of trouble. He is accustom to exercising his opinion, saying NO!, and has some serious NAUGHTY antics he has been up to. {Emptying cupboards, sticking things in the toilet, poking toothpicks through the window screens, wearing my good shoes out into the yard- & leaving them there, coloring with crayons on the floor, refusing to take napes, taking his diaper off.on.his.own, and many other things that I am too exhausted to recall} He is a handful these days. However, whenever a grandmother is around, he is on best behavior. Which brings me to the other visitors we've had.....

Our sister-in-law, Sarah, lost her mom on Sept. 11 to cancer. Scott's parents and Scott traveled to Indianapolis to attend the funeral. I was sad that I could not go to be there for Mike, Sarah, and the girls but my parents were out of town and we didn't have anyone else to stay with the kids. On the way back from Indy, Marv and Sandy stopped in for a couple of nights. It was so nice to have them around to spend time with. They were helpful in letting me get some things done at home and school. The kids really enjoyed their time with them, but I didn't snap many pictures, unfortunately!

Here is a perfect example of what a turkey this little guy is.....he refused to take his nap but was SOOO tired. He told me he was going to go read books, I said fine. When it got a little too quiet for my liking I peeked in to find this....what a pumpkin!

First Days of School

It sure has been a busy week here so far and it's only Wednesday! The Moorlag family is sending 3 out of 5 it's members to school each week. Ella described her first day of FIRST grade as "magical". Carter was all a buzz this afternoon when I picked him up. He had SOOOO much to tell me about all the fun he had. Here are a few pictures to document: Carter and Brooke outside of Little Lambs!

{Someday this picture will be up at their graduation parties...sniff, sniff}

The First Grader on her first day. Did I mention she changed outfits 3 times...where could she possibly get that gene from??? Still missing the glassess..argggg! Mom and Elle's 2nd day. But we needed a group shot before we headed out the door.

Carter with his beloved spider backpack!

We had two separate but EQUALLY fun celebrations for each of their 1st days. I am so thankful that the kids LOVE school, they love their teachers, and they have wonderful friends to share all these great memories with. Warning to all who follow this blog. I will be a blubbering M-E-S-S when Christian is strapping on the backpack. I feel like these years of their childhood are flying by. Each day is filled with priceless gifts. Yesterday while Elle was at school the boys and I spent a long time chasing dragonflies around the yard with butterfly nets. We read Dr. Seuss 4 times, just to see the joy on Christian obsessed face! Carter and I sat on the couch and debriefed about his day. I am so thankful I am here with them to capture these special moments.

On a separate note---I am surviving kindergarten! To my own shock---I am actually loving it. I have a sweet bunch of 23 that keep me hopping all morning long. I am trying to soak it all in. But for now, I should go sleep! All these pumpkins will need my and every ounce of my energy and patience bright and early!