A very busy October

Oh boy-boy, we adore you!

October has been an exceptionally busy month with another visit to the pumpkin patch, since we had such a good time the first time we went, we went again. It was also my birthday, Quinn and my 6th wedding anniversary on the 26th, and a visit from my Mom and Aunt Yvonne and then Halloween! It's been a great month, but it is due time for a little down time. But with Thanksgiving and the Holidays around the corner, things will get very busy before long. The long hot summer has finally broken and we are enjoying 80 and 70 degree weather, it's so nice to go outside and not break a sweat and we get to wear sleeves! Here are a few new pictures from the pumpkin patch. 

Barrel train ride, Sam was hesitant to go alone so Mama was happy to join.

Family photo on the tractor. Sam was itching to get back to the steering wheel. 

Lots of tractors to play on, he was in heaven.

Sam and Vincent, Sam's BFF. 

Aunt Verna keeping guard while they feed the goats.

Jennifer and Vincent enjoying the barrel train ride as well.

There were homemade strawberry pop-cycles, which were so yummy, we all had to indulge. 

Mama sneaking a bite. 

I love the sun in the background and both of them smiling.
 What a good ending to a great pumpkin patch day. 

This is at a local pumpkin patch and Isla was very fussy and Sam was doing his
 best to hold her upright for the picture. However, he was distracted by an airplane flying overhead. 

Verna, Mom and Aunt Yvonne at Dim Sum before they left on Sunday. 

Mom and Aunt Yvonne were here for a long weekend and we had a really nice visit and made trips to several of Austin's fun grocery stores. They first had to get their hands on Isla and for Mom to meet her newest granddaughter and Aunt Yvonne's Great Niece. Then we were off to Central Market to spend 3 hours just exploring the store. On Friday we went to the Asian strip mall for lunch to check out the Chinese market, which they found lots of yummy Chinese goodies and made a double batch of Chinese dumplings. And then on Saturday, they cooked a fantastic homemade fried chicken dinner and we had Jennifer, Evan and Vincent over. So there was lots of good eating and cooking over a few short days. It was so nice to introduce them to sweet baby Isla and show them around the new house. Thanks for making the trip!!

Cuddle time with Grandma and Isla

Aunt Yvonne was a pro at calming Isla and had several opportunities to do so.
Especially sitting next to her in the back of the car. 

Gylone (sp) which are these delicious pork filled dumplings that are fried crispy.
Sam was very helpful in making these and rubbed the rice flour all over
his face and clothes. Such a helper.

My birthday dinner

 My birthday was at the end of the month, on a Tuesday, but I was treated to a wonderful massage the Saturday before, from Sam and Isla, via the help of Aunt Verna for a little Mama relaxation. I had a great weekend and birthday-day being spoiled. Quinn was able to take the day off on Tuesday and we went to lunch, kid free, and just enjoyed some time alone, which is few and far between. And then Quinn and Verna made a fantastic steak dinner on my actual birthday and Quinn made Samoa cupcakes (like the Girl Scout cookies, but in cupcake form) from scratch. The recipe was a little more involved than he realized and he had to make caramel from scratch, but they were amazing and very much loved. 

Sam was Bob the Builder for Halloween. Aunt Verna worked with him about 2 days before Halloween on the proper Halloween etiquette of, holding hands when crossing the street, ringing the door bell, and loudly saying trick or treat, open your treat bag, saying thank you-loudly, and moving on to the next house. They practiced this together at breakfast, while sitting on the couch and any other down time. He was ready to go, he had it down pat, but when we got the front doors at game time, he got very shy and would only whisper. However, he totally scored lots and lots of candy and now every time we got out for a walk, he asks to go trick or treating. At our last house and neighborhood, we had no trick or treaters. In our new neighborhood, it is trick or treating central and there were swarms of kids in the street and we ran out of a ridiculous amount of candy. Now we are excited to see what the holidays are like, I'm sure the neighbors do it up right with holiday decorations. 

Again, Isla was less then enthused for pictures and Sam has a fake
smile because we told him if he didn't smile, then there would be no candy.  What we do for pictures.

Isla didn't have a costume other than her pumpkin hat.
She snuggled down and slept during the entire excursion. 

Here we go! he has his hat, tool belt and candy bag. Let's do this!!

She ( really Mama) got a couple of candy treats just for Isla being so darn cute.

Aunt Verna and Bob.

Dad and Bob

End of the night. Still with tool belt and now full candy bag. He would not let anyone help him carry his loot. He got to eat a few pieces of candy when we got home, but most of it went back in the circulation as we were still getting tons of trick or treaters and there was no way he could or should eat that much candy.