October

There are so many things to love about October! Firstly, the weather.  It was 85 for more than a week here. You just can't stay inside when it's that nice.

At the beginning of the month the canal downtown is dyed pink for breast Cancer Awareness month. Of course we went to see that.

It was a lot easier to see the pink in person, here it just looks like dirty water.

We went to Kelsay farms with some friends where I fell in love with the Corn Crib. What a genius idea!

Jenna Gunnel & Jamie Thompson

 We played on the Hay bale mountain and network of tunnels

 Daphne and Macy did some pumpkin bowling

 We rode the Moo Choo Train

 And took a hay ride through the fields.

 This was a really fantastic farm, and totally worth the groupon.

Then of course there are the fall leaves. Usually I don't relish yard work, but I was looking forward to taking a picture of little missy in the leaves. As it turned out, I couldn't keep her out of them She just played and played while I raked and raked.

There's also general conference, apple picking and Halloween projects to love about October. I seriously think it's my favorite months.

Murder at the Circus

So, chances are if you read our blog then you're also a friend on facebook and you may have already seen all the pictures from our awesome Halloween party. But in case you missed it on FB and you want to to hear all about it, here's the scoop:

Four the past 4 years, we have had the pleasure of hosting a Halloween party for all of our dental school friends. Our group has grown from 6 children when we got here to 20 with 4 more on the way and that makes for an out of control party! This year we decided no kids, and let's make it something extra special while we're at it. We did a circus themed Murder Mystery Party.

 Every year our friends have blown us away with their creative costumes, so I know this year would be amazing. Here is the cast of characters

 Circus bossman and wife with expensive tastes

fiscally minded ticket taker and FBI agent

 Knife thrower and spotlight grabbing acrobat

 Lion tamer and Elephant performer

 Sword swallower and sabotaged tightrope walker

 clown and snake charmer

 Team of trapeze fliers

 Tattooed lady and muscle man

 sketchy midway director and swindling fortune teller

 I do have to brag just a tiny bit and say that I sewed Bryce's coat and my whole costume

 All of the ladies

 All the guys, in character

 the poor victim and her treacherous murderer

Daphne woke up to join the party.

We had a wonderful time. Everybody got so into it, and participated way more than I expected. The food was great, prizes were awarded, and I am devastated to think this was out last big fling with these fun people.

Thanks everyone for being such good sports and for playing along.

She's a big girl now!

 Sweet little Daphne turned the big 1 a week ago. She is officially a big girl now, walking and eating all grown up food. She is very proud of her four teeth. At 20 lbs. 4 oz., and somewhere around 30 inches tall she would look like quite the child if she only had some hair. As it is, she's still pretty bald and kind of looks like an infant when she's being held.

 

We had a little party with some ward friends on the 17th, her actual birthday. She was one spoiled (but adorable birthday girl.

She didn't quite get what to do with the cake. Luckily she had a friend to help her out.

 Then this past weekend we had a BUG themed party with her two buddies Luke and Max. You can read  Kim's cute post about it here. We made bug antennas for all the kids, did a pinata, a bug hunt and playdough. We had cute themed food. And I have to say, I am a big fan of splitting up the party prep three ways. I think I will spend the rest of Daphne's life looking for other kids with close birthdays to be her friends.

some of the party guests wearing their antenna and ready for the bug hunt.

All the birthday babies, with their matching bald heads. So cute!

 

 

 We love our little birthday girl so much. Happy birthday Daf!

Canal & kilts

 This weekend was Indy's Irish Fest. We're big fans. but before we went to the festival we took a little walk on the canal.  Daphne is usually content to enjoy our walks from the stroller, but this time she was determined to do all the walking herself.

 

 

 From her new vantage point she could much more easily check out the fish, pet the passing doggies and just be more cute in general.

 Then we headed to Irish Fest where we listened to Irish music and tried on some kilts,

 looked up our family Coat of Arms, won some silly prizes from a radio station, played robin hood,

 We watched a dog herding demonstration and petted some doggies,

 but then we had to head home early because those Irish with their drinking ways were a bad influence on our little girl. We didn't even get to see any Irish dancing this year. :(

Irish fest is definitely one of the things we'll miss about this city.

Working hard on labor day

After a fabulous breakfast at a fun breakfast place Bryce rented a ladder and spent the day putting up this ceiling fan. While he was doing that, I got to clean up what I am sure will be the first of many poop explosions in the crib. You know the kind...where every surface and every item in the crib (including the baby) are covered with a healthy smear of poop. Casualties included a pillow and two stuffed animals that couldn't be saved.



I'm so proud of my handy man husband. But I'm not pleased about the catastrophe that used to be the living room. I guess I'll spend the rest of the day cleaning up after my other mess-maker.

State Fair

At the state fair the highlight for us was watching the draft horse competition. Bryce has a thing for giant horses.
We also enjoyed:

helping Daphne pet some animals

Going on a couple of rides

And of course, seeing the giant cheese sculpture.

Last year, during my first visit to a state fair I was 8 months pregnant, and couldn't stomach the idea of trying crazy deep-fried fair food. This year at the fair I was 12 weeks pregnant and totally couldn't stomach fair food. Hopefully someday I'll go to a state fair when I'm not pregnant, or at least somewhere in the middle of a pregnancy so I can finally see what all the hype is about over deep-fried oreos and snickers bars!