Fall Fun!

Fall is beautiful here in Michiana.  The colors of the trees are breathtaking, and it's impossible to get a good photo that captures the glory of the season.  It's a wonderful time of year - everything is cool and crisp.  But then the leaves start to fall, and fall, and fall some more.  Until there is a massive sea of leaves in the yard. Thankfully, our house came with a leaf blower, and the city comes by a few times with this really cool truck that sucks up the leaves you have raked to the curb into this giant vacuum thing.  We had lots of fun watching that.

Our area is known for the apples grown here.  Because of the unusually hot summer and drought, the crops weren't as plentiful this year, but the Niles Apple Festival was just as fun! A large fair ground with arts and crafts, carnival rides, face painting, food, and free fudge samples? Yes, please!

First taste of cotton candy

First carousel ride - she had a blast!

And no festival is complete without a parade - Maryn's first! Here we are waiting under the awesome shady trees where we watched the fun.

Where else can a toddler enjoy the sights of military vehicles, beauty queens, McGruff the crime fighting dog, loud firetrucks, marching drum lines, tractors, horses, and Maryn's favorite, a man dressed like a trash can?! All the while chasing after candy thrown right to you!  Maryn was in heaven.

We had a fall surprise a couple of weeks ago - my Gramps and Grammy came to visit! They were driving home from a vacation on the east coast and decided to stop by.  We enjoyed spending the evening with them and eating at our favorite Mexican restaurant!

The clinic I work for hosted a fall family festival for employees and their families.  There were all kinds of fun games, pony rides, pumpkin painting and other crafts, and of course good food. Maryn's favorite was the little puppy she got to chase after.

Another fall favorite in the Smith household is football, of course.  We love cheering on our Sooners.  It's been fun to try to pass on this tradition to Maryn - she loves yelling OU! and Boomer Sooner!  Unfortunately, our latest game against Notre Dame didn't go so well.  But it has been fun to be here at Notre Dame when they are doing so well. Gotta love college football in a college town.  And we hope that ND goes all the way!

Our season zoo pass got us free entrance to their annual Zoo Boo, which was a lot of fun.  Maryn loved getting to dress up - Minnie Mouse was her costume choice.  They had a huge area to walk through and get candy from local vendors.  Although getting candy directly from the animals would have been more fun, haha.

Trick or treat, Lion! 

Our friends the Esteps joined us.  The next two pics of Maryn and Elliott crack me up.  Classic.  I could totally make up about 20 different conversations to go along with their facial expressions.

And finally, we enjoyed Halloween evening at home.  Maryn was quite pleased to be able to dress up a second time.  And I must say she was the cutest Minnie that ever there was.  We trick-or-treated at the 6 houses surrounding ours, and then came back home to greet the other neighborhood kids.  I think Maryn thought answering the door and passing out candy was just as fun as going door to door herself.  This is the first time that Billy and I have lived in a neighborhood rather than an apartment since we have been married.  It was lots of fun to have trick-or-treaters, but we were shocked at how much candy we went through! We thought we had more than enough but those kiddos cleaned us out!  It was lots of fun!

Whew! Sorry for so many pictures! But we've had such a fun fall so far! Now if Hudson would just decide to let us have a birthday party for our fall finale!  We'll keep you updated, of course!  Happy Fall to our family and friends!

Summer Time, Part 1

I love summer.  Everything is more relaxed and there are so many fun things to do.  Billy finished all of his coursework in May, so he has been doing independent study to prepare for exams in the fall.  This means he is working at home a lot, and has a much lighter schedule.  It has been fantastic.  I'm trying hard to take in all the joys of summer - it goes by too quickly! I'm also trying to learn that an experience does not require pictures and internet documentation in order for it to be real, valid, and memorable for our family.  I've given up seeing every activity as a potential blog post, and instead I'm just trying to live  life alongside those I love.  If a blog post happens, that's bonus. :)

"How short the days are long, how fast the days of slow go away!"

Maryn is growing up so quickly.  Swimming lessons have been a big summer activity - it's one of those parent-child classes where you get in the pool with them.  She is still pretty tense in the water, but I think she is enjoying it over all, and she's learning a lot.  We have this really awesome family fitness and activity center nearby called the Kroc Center with a pretty neat pool. We have also gone there outside of lessons just for fun on a day pass with friends.

Ready to swim!

Playing with Elliott

Pregnancy is going well.  I'm starting to experience various discomforts, but nothing serious.  I'm definitely much bigger than I was at this stage with Maryn, but otherwise the two pregnancies have been very similar so far. We have been talking a lot about baby Hudson, trying to get Maryn excited about his arrival.  She calls him "baby Buh-ben" and likes to kiss and pat my belly.

Me at 20 weeks

We recently participated in this year's Pregnancy Care Center Life Walk in Niles, as we did last year as well.  They raised over $30,000 to fund a new ultrasound program, which is so exciting!

Friends at the Life Walk

With Brette at the Life Walk

Hope, Maryn, and Elliott

We also went to Lake Michigan for the first time, and hung out at Silver Beach with our friends the Esteps and the Gaudets.  It's such a cool place - beautiful beach, splash pad, carousel, restaurants, etc.  Maryn was not a big fan of sand, and then it ended up raining so it wasn't the best experience for her.  But we hope to go again soon.  And we did get some super yummy pizza followed by delicious ice cream shakes.

Waiting for pizza

Olivia and Maryn 

Apple on the beach

We also got a zoo pass this year, and have been a couple of times. South Bend has a great little zoo, perfect for the toddler crowd, and Maryn loves it.  Also, it's only about a 5 minute drive for us, so it's an easy way to get out of the house.

Watching the lion! 

On the choo choo train!

Here are some other random summer pics for your enjoyment:

We spend a lot of time outside on the deck.

Water table fun

Playing ball with Graycie 

Mother's Day 2012

Father's Day 2012

In her 4th of July dress

Shopping at Target

Picnic at Notre Dame

Pool time with Elliott 

Mango Italian ice!

Yum!

We have a busy July planned.  Next weekend Billy and I are going to Chicago for a weekend get away.  Maryn will stay with the Esteps - it will be our first night away from her!  Then we have a 2 week trip to Oklahoma planned.  We can't wait!