October Days

For the month of October, we fell into a schedule of: Devin going to school, come home, snack homework then playground or TV depending on the weather. While Devin is in school & Andrew at work, Serena & I go to the library, run errands, playground or playdates on the days when she doesn't have her class. I know she enjoys going to the classes because she would asks to go to school even on her days off.

With a set routine, I always welcome the interruptions of school trips because I get to go with Devin's class as a chaperone. His class trip was to a farm nearby. His whole class loved it. And to see all these city kids running around trying to catch a chicken was just hilarious! Devin pretty much did everything there except riding the pony and milking the cow (he said it's too messy for him, lol). Riding on the school bus with his class was what I had anticipated to be: 14 kids, loud & louder. The funny thing was they all were pretty quiet on the way back. They were TIRED.

Sitting on the bench, waiting patiently for the whole class to get off from the bus.

Getting feed from their farm guide...

Feeding the chickens...

On the hayride with his friends, Amara on the left & Michelle on the right...they were under my watch on this trip.

Checking out the pigs...

Llamas...when Devin was small & learning his words, he thought "llama" was "mama"-it was so funny when he would point to a picture of a llama & then at me!

Picking out a perfect pumpkin to bring home from a sea of pumpkins!

After lunch & hanging out...

Getting ready to go home...

I didn't think of this at the moment but it was my first time to a farm just like Devin & I have forgotten to take a picture of myself with the farm. Oh well, next time...maybe.

In the middle of the month, we went to our annual excursion: apple picking. Devin enjoys it and he always tries to find the best apple from each tree. As for Serena, she was picking weeds from the ground. When we asked her to pick apples, she was picking them off the ground, the bruised & wormy ones. It was such a beautiful day, we stayed till the orchard was about to close.

Devin picking an perfect apple from this tree.

And Serena picking a perfect weed from the ground.

A beautiful fall day!

Beautiful sunshine!

Another perfect one!

Pony ride for Serena...

...maze for Devin.

At the end of the month, of course, Halloween. For the first 3 years of Devin's life, we didn't have a costume for him. But we did let him go trick or treat with his little friends to get candies when he was two & three. We just weren't sure how to handle this day since we certainly don't want our children to think it's ok to get dressed up as scary as possible to frighten others. For Devin's 4th year, we let him wear his astronaut suit, (which he wears whenever he wanted to on other days) to go "candy collecting" with his friends. And this year, still unsure how to handle Halloween, we asked our Pastors since they have 4 kids of their own. The Pastors recommended "Redeeming Halloween", (a book put out by A Focus on the Family a few years ago) and let us decide what to do with Halloween. After reading the book & talking to our Pastors, we felt better about letting our kids dressed up (with our approval of their costumes) & go "candy collecting".

Serena as a black cat at her school's party. Next to her are her friends Orion as Thomas & Olivia as Cinderella.

See her little tail sticking out from underneath her shirt?

Serena liked face-painting so much, she asked me to paint her face again the following day. This time as a butterfly.

On our way to the kids' party at our co-op complex.

Devin & Serena's friends...they were adorable!