We have a five year old!

Kate is officially FIVE YEARS OLD!

Here's one BIG surprise for the five year old (and for the five year old's parents)!  That's one BIG bear and was certainly a BIG hit with Kate!! 

Scott decided the bear needed to be buckled too and all of the kids were quite tickled by this on our drive home!:)

 Early morning birthday celebration before Scott & Natalie had to leave for school

Aunt Kristen came for a visit even after working all night.  Fun to see her!

I'm going to miss this sweet girl when she goes to kindergarten next year!  Trying to cherish our one on one time while I have it. 

Happy Birthday, Katester!

A Flurry of Fall Fun

Annual Trip to the Pumpkin Patch- Sometimes we're in coats, but this year shorts!  Hooray!

Curious Kittens!

Fifties Day in Second Grade- complete with bowling in a poodle skirt!

Paw Patrol!  Ready for Action!

(Well...sometimes, that is.)

This girl makes the monkey bars look easy!

(No one picks up the cats except for me.  Kate tried it the other day and said...)

Kate:  Did you think I could carry a kitty?

Me:  No, but you're good at it.

Kate:  Well, that's my new talent.

What fall break would be complete without chopping down a tree or two?

Stairsteps- Stop growing, Scott!!:(  He's gonna catch me before I know it!

Left. Left. Left, Right, Left.

We took advantage of the beautiful weather that we had over break and hiked at a state park.  We had attempted some hiking this summer on our West Trip, and it didn't go wonderfully, so we weren't sure what to expect.  However, everyone (KATE) held up well and no one (KATE) needed to be carried for very long.  It was actually...fun!:) 

The leaves were still pretty green.  It's been a strange fall in the weather department.

At one point, I heard another family on the trail talking.  The dad was telling his child that if "that little girl" (Kate) could do it, then surely his older son could too.  After they passed, I told Kate this story, and she held her head high and seemed to get a second wind.  (And she asked me to tell her that story again a couple more times while we were hiking.)

Natalie was the trail marker spotter and stopped to trace each number with her finger. 

"Go slow, hold on tight, watch your step, be careful!" said the mom who can't help herself.

Jon had filled a canteen before we left, and we all kind of turned up our noses at it.  About halfway through though, Jon pulled out the water and he had five takers!  Thankful we had an experienced hiker guy with us!:)  

Likewise, I packed some cookies in the van for our trip home.  Not surprisingly, I had five takers, as well. :)  Good thing we have an experienced cookie lady in the family!  Perhaps I should increase the hiking and decrease the cookie consumption, but that's a better topic saved for a January 1st post.  Heave ho!