Falling

Well, fall is definitely here.  Since the minute we stepped off the plane from our trip to Florida (photos still to be downloaded), the days are much shorter and there's a chill in the air.  Everyone knows that I would be happy with just one season: summer.  But even I have to admit to really enjoying the early fall activities with P and the girls.  For the past week, our days have been filled with catching falling leaves, apple picking, soup making, and watching October baseball.

The past week has also unfortunately been filled with colds and coughs and stomach bugs...those crummy things that also come with summer's end.  The only silver lining to that is that I've also been spending lots of time in the kitchen with the girls.  They are great helpers and love to cook, just like their mama.  They especially love making soups when there are lots of things to throw in a big pot.  We've made chicken soup, turkey soup, minestrone, and ribolitta.  The girls taste every veggie and bean, add the spices, open cans, and stir everything up.  And forget about one of those silly rubber tubes to peel your garlic or using the side of your chef's knife...the girls are the BEST garlic peelers I have ever seen.

So, besides the fact that we are all sick, I can't complain too much that the temps are falling.  We're having a great time making the most of the season.

Here are some pics of our trip this weekend to Applecrest Farms in Hampton Falls, NH.  It was absolutely delightful to watch the girls having so much fun doing such a low-tech activity.  Just riding tractors and picking apples and running around a pumpkin patch.  A perfect fall day in New England.

Little girl or big apple?

Let's see who can take the biggest CHOMP . . .

. . . I think it was a tie!

OUR pumpkins!

Adding her pin to the map.  The closest one was on Nanning.

And R's first pin to the map!  No others on Guangzhou.