Pumpkins

Isabella and Declan loved last week's moon.  They looked for it, talked about it, and questioned it.  Isabella told me that it was her favorite moon (not Mia's favorite, her's is the crescent, Isabella always reminds me).  They both frequently ask, when we're driving at night, if the moon is following us. It makes me smile every time. Because as a kid I remember asking my parents that question a lot. I just never understood how the moon was in so many places at one time.  My dad used to explain it by holding an orange over a globe, spinning the globe and keeping the moon stationary.  It was a good idea, but to me it still didn't make sense. Many nights I find myself talking about that very orange.

So as the seasons are shifting again, we are all eager to find pumpkings, pick apples, make cider and chili and bundle up in sweaters.  This weekend we started with the pumpkins and apples.  Unfortunately the orchard we went to didn't have apples to pick yet so we had to settle for pumpkins.  Picking pumpkins in a field without paths was interesting to say the least.  Especially when the grasses and vines were as tall as the kids. 

Isabella was pretty dissapointed that we weren't picking our apples off of a tree, rather from a crate, but they were delicious nonetheless. 

Now that we have three kids, I'm a big fan of taking individual pictures and editing them to put them together.  Ideally, I could put them all in one place, snap a picture, and be done. That has yet to happen, so if I want a "frameable" picture, it's all about editing for me.  At each stage with three kids, there are varying reasons why they can't all seem to take a picture together.  Consistently, Declan makes the goofiest face when he sees the camera, Quinn tries to wriggle away, and Isabella tries to reign her back in, resulting in tears on at least someone's part. 
Exhibit A:

Same issues apply when it comes to pictures involving me and the kids (or some combination of the kids). Often times, the 'photographer' forgets to focus the camera before snapping.

Exhibit B:

Or we try to take a family photo and that's just a joke.  If three kids are hard, just add two adults and believe it or not, it becomes harder.

Exhibit C:

This crew did pretty well though:

Quinn has turned another corner and again leaves me questioning where my baby went and how this toddler ended up in our house.  She rarely stops moving and has even pushed her usual nursing to the wayside only settling in when she's really tired or ready to go to sleep.  She loves to mess up things that Declan has worked so hard to make perfect.  She holds her own in this family of five and she continues to make us smile so much more every day.  She still gives the best kisses and tightest hugs, says 'I love you' and now tries to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Declan. 
Isabella and Declan's growth is obvious but more subtle as they get older.  Quinn's is more obvious and I dread the day that I wake up and my three kiddos are big kids.  They are starting to lean more on eachother (not less on me...) and the greetings that they give eachother, every morning on our big bed, is still the best moment of the day.

 She was liking the pumpkins.

 Isabella invented a new activity to do with flowers that she picked.  She is her father's child.

Mmmmm, apple donuts.

As I pulled out all of our fall decorations last night, Declan helped me and in awe, showed Ryan every pumpkin that we took out of the tupperware.  He was pretty impressed that I painted, glittered, beaded, and grew every one of those fake pumpkins.  Those were all his ideas, not mine.

Girl didn't want to share her donut.

I am so thankful for where we live, for seasons, for full moons, apple donuts, pumpkins, and the beautiful place we live.