Latest Fall Happenings

We made a trip back to Michigan for my cousin Val's wedding a couple of weeks ago and while we were home we were also able to get in some good family time.

The happy couple (sorry its so far away)
Grandpa C assumed his new role of "horsey" for the evening...

Brookey and Brielle followed suit as "ponies"

The double duos...Brookey and Brielle and Bryce and Peyton

I can never get these 2 to sit still long enough to get a picture

Love Peyton's confused look in this picture...and Brielle is totally no interested

Grandpa and Bryce time

Once again...the little ponies

The two boys on the Grotenhuis side...Bryce and Grant

We couldn't go back to Michigan in October without making a stop at Crane's Orchard. Of course we chose the windiest day to go, but we still had a really good time.

I just had to throw this in. It just cracks me up that Bryce can always fall asleep whenever he has a hat over his eyes.

We also made the trip out to JB's Tree Farm for the 2nd year in a row to get our pumpkins, check out the animals, and play in the corn maze and bales of hay.

No, you are not seeing things...Brielle is actually reaching out to touch a goat! We couldn't believe it either! Hmmm..maybe I should return to the farm with baby chicks and bunnies to see if shes still terrified.

The 2 with their pumpkins

Chad chasing Brielle in the corn maze

Playing around on the hay bales

Our big girl

We have these great Japanese Maple in front of our house and it always turns a beautiful red in the fall, so we wanted to get a pic of the kids in front of it before the color fades. I just love this pic of Bryce in front of it.

Every night after bath time Brielle needs her "princess dress" on. (How she got into princess stuff is beyond me...but just wait...there's more princess stuff to come!)

Of course we had to do a little pumpkin carving this year and this is the finished product (sorry these pics are in reverse order)

Brielle checking the pumpkin guts out...

...and yes, thinking she would like to take a bite out of it

We went trick or treating at Penn State's campus once again this year. It was cold and raining so I didn't get many pics. Brielle had a great time this year. She wasn't afraid of the people handing out the candy, but she was definitely freaked out by those dressed up like the character from Scream (can't blame her...I would be too!)

This year was Chad's year to decide the costume. Naturally he chose to have Brielle be a mini Theo Epstein and go as a Chicago Cub!

and we had Bryce go as a little cow

Chad might have been able to choose the costume, but Brielle was still able to add her own special "flare" to the costume...notice the sparkly pink princess shoes?

Bryce wanted to go a little more formal under his costume...you just never know when you might need to wear a tie!

And just a random pic thrown in

Just a Few Pics

Brielle wanted to "take Bryce to the store" the other day so she made room in her little coupe for her to sit by him
She also wanted to have a picnic one morning, so waffles on a blanket in the kitchen it was!

Sweet smile!

Brielle wanted to read to Bryce one morning so here they are in the bean bag chair

Horsey Ride

Life Lately

Just an update on what's been going on over here

Our neighbors so graciously offered to take Brielle and Bryce so Chad and I could have a night out to dinner with just the two of us. While we were out, it appears as if they were tortured because we returned to them wearing these Tennessee jerseys! AHHHH!! (I'll let them dress them in orange every night if they're willing to take our kids off our hands for an evening!)

Just a few pics of Bryce...he is changing so much lately! He is such a smiley guy (even though these pics don't really show it) He loves to be held (while standing of course...no sitting...that would be way too easy!) and he just loves to have people around. I don't know how he can sense when people leave the room, but he knows and doesn't like it one bit. It just melts my heart whenever he looks up at me and flashes one of his smiles...love this kid!

Jeff, Shawna, Peyton, Bethany, and Shawna's family made the trek out to PA to see the Eastern Michigan/Penn State game a couple Saturday's ago. (Shawna's cousin plays for Eastern) Chad was able to get some tickets so he could take Brielle into the game with him (Poor Bryce...he got stuck hanging out with me and my lady friends in State College) Brielle had a blast in the game and just enjoyed her Daddy-Daughter time.

We always love watching the cousins interact with one another and Brielle just loves her cousin Peyton...sometimes too much. This picture just cracks me up because you can just read Peyton's mind "Why doesn't this girl quit bugging me already!" Hilarious!

Love this pic of Brielle, Beef, and Beef's college roommate Ann (despite their Michigan gear)

Other than that not much going on over here!