Monday, September 20, 2010

Official Start of Fall!!


We were shocked driving home from vacation last week that all the leaves were starting to change, and that there was a distinct fall smell to the chilled air! We had just spent a week in 80+ degree weather, so it was a welcome change to be driving home to our favorite season! We spent the drive home talking about what things we would do this fall with the girls! Well, yesterday we attempted to do our first big fall activity...apple picking! Unfortunately the farm we went to, Green River Farm, had had some frost damage a week ago, so they were not allowing pickers this year. We did get to spend some fun time in their petting zoo, and a we took a fun wagon ride around their farm!


The girls were very fascinated by the goats!


Lily was hysterical...she was walking around the barn picking up all the spilled pieces of food, and then bringing it over to the goats and sheep to feed them! She's very resorsful...saving us 25 cents!! (Of course we would have bought a cup of food for her...but we were 100% out of physical money from the previous day's Irish Festival!)




Ella petting the cow

Checking out the goats again


And then this happened!


Poor Violet was scared...but didn't get hurt at all..and her sweater escaped unharmed!

Then we checked out some animals more the twins size! Ella checking out a bunny named Ella:

Violet was very interesting with the bunnies. I would say "bunny" while showing her them, and she would look at me, then look at the bunny and say "ba, ba, ba!" I think she was trying to figure out how to say bunny! (It was much more than her normal babble of ba sounds...it was very deliberate this time!)

Ella petting the goat:


While we were showing the twins around, Lily was continuing to do her own thing finding food for the goats, and I guess one of the employ's saw, and gave her a cup of food , and took her around the whole barn, telling her about each animal! Lily loved the special tour!


Outside we met some baby goats!


I love that the goat is going in for a nibble of Ella's dress, and she's totally oblivious! (she was watching a couple of squawking geese!)


Mama goat feeding her kid....I can totally sympathize with how this Mama must feel, having to feed multiple babies at once!


Violet checks out the pony!


After our time at the petting zoo, we went on a wagon ride around the farm (after finding out we couldn't pick apples). We got a private ride on the wagon, and we had a lot of fun with it! It was a very bumpy ride, so we were all giggles the whole time!


We also got a great view of the beautiful farm and beautiful changing leaves!


Lily and I played a game of "how do I know it's fall" while on our ride! "I know it's fall because the leaves are changing color, there are pumpkins out, and I can see apples on the trees!"


After our ride was over, our driver, Dave, let Lily get up on one of the huge horses!! This is the biggest horse Lily's ever gotten up on! His name was Bob. Lily loved being up close to him!


We all had a great time at the farm...and even though we didn't get the apples we had hoped for, it was still a great kick off to all the fun fall activites we have planned! (Namely we have to find a farm that is picking apples!!)

Irish 2000 Festival



This weekend we took the drive up to Ballston Spa, NY to join Nannie and Papa at the Irish festival, celebrating half way to St. Patric's Day! It was a wonderful day filled with great Irish music, and great company! We got to see the screaming Orphans, Scythian, Young Dublinders, and The Great Big Sea, and lots of other great bands! The girls all clearly had a great time! Onto the pictures!

Listening to our first band, Scythian:





The girls all loved dancing to Scythian!




The girls also enjoyed playing with the cups we had! Endless enjoyment for them! They also both starting playing the drop and retrieve game with us at the festival! ("Drop cup, watch Papa pick it up, hands it to me, and repeat!") I think it's so funny that they both started playing that game the same day!

Clapping for the Screaming Orphans:


Ella enjoyed some time stretching her legs on the grass!



And then he started playing peek-a-boo with us! So much fun!


Papa and Violet were caught napping together!!



Lily enjoying her ice cream reward for going poopy in the potty!


Violet has Papa wrapped around her little finger...and I think Papa has Violet wrapped around his little finger too! She is always so excited and happy when he holds her!


The last band of the night, Great Big Sea!!! We all had a lot of fun with this band, and got up and danced around!!





Great Big Sea!

Papa danced with Violet...she was all giggles!



Ella was tuckered out from the long day though...and slept through our fun:


Lily and Violet were up to party though!


Lily got tired from all that dancing though...and after cuddling with Mommy for a bit, she was out cold!

Not Violet though....she partied with Papa for most of the concert...falling asleep on him only at the very end!

Ella and Lily, ready to go home


We had such a great time this weekend with all the great music! This will definitely be a festival we return to! Thank you Nannie and Papa for inviting us!