It's fall already

I love the leaves and their colors in the fall.  It goes by so fast and then they're already on the ground.  Here is our trip to the pumpkin farm and Halloween.  The farm was just a tiny little family farm about 5 minutes from our house.  We painted the pumpkins this year in addition to carving.  Riley's was a witch, Ella's was a cat, and Owen had an airplane.  This year's costumes were Riley as a witch, Ella was goldilocks (although the pics don't show her blond pigtail wig), and Owen was Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  Owen was hilarious to watch trick or treating.  He'd run up to the house, squeal when the person came out with candy, and then proceeded to take handfuls before running back to the wagon.  I think it's his favorite holiday so far.

Watching the goat eat the pumpkin

Our house in the fall

Catch up

I've missed a lot of happening around here, so here is just a random sampling of what we've been up to lately.  Ella & Riley had a fundraiser at school called Dewey's Dash.  They raised money and then did an obstacle course and a fun run for the older kids.  I got a couple pics of Ella during her obstacle course.  Riley's class performed a musical they had been rehearsing since the beginning of the year.  It was all about Life Cycles and Riley was cast as one of the animals, a deer.  It was the cutest musical I've seen!  Ella has been taking ballet and she's been rehearsing for the Nutcracker this year.  She's a mouse, an angel, and a kid at a party.  She'll be performing it at Columbine High School in a couple weeks.  She can't wait to be center stage :)

Riley the deer

From a short hike at Lookout Mt

Ella's obstacle course

The mouse

Hike-Mt Falcon

This was a post I forgot to publish from October...I'm just now catching up
Our next hike we ventured out to Mt. Falcon.  The morning was very cold but the sun was out!  We saw a ton of deer just driving up there.  There was still lots of frost on the trees and meadows which just made it look magical.  We didn't get to go very far since the kids started complaining of their hands being cold.  I love living so close to so much beauty!

Family pictures

Last time we had a family photo was when I was pregnant with Owen.  It was definitely time for some new ones.  My friend Ashley did a great job.  We went to these gardens just 10 minutes from our house, I wish we could've gone just a week earlier to see more of the fall colors but we still got good shots.

Hiking

The past couple weekends we finally decided to introduce the kids to hiking.  The first hike we got lots of complaints, "I'm tired...it's hot...the sun is in my eyes...my shoes don't fit...I'm hungry...etc.   I didn't think we'd ever make it.  But the last part of the hike we saw an amazing view and all of a sudden the kids got their second wind and loved it.  When Ella was crying in the beginning she was now skipping along singing.  So in order for them to get used to it we went on another hike this past weekend.  It was heaven.  It was just 20 minutes west of Morrison in a park called Lair 'O Bear.  We went early in the morning and the sun was out.  We hiked alongside a babbling creek and the kids loved going in and out of the small paths that lead to the creek.  Towards the end of our hike there was even a castle that they said looked like Belle's from Beauty and the Beast.  The colors on the trees were golden and it was so peaceful.  Riley looked at me and said she wanted to come back tomorrow.  I don't know why we hadn't started this earlier.  Now we look forward to the different hikes we can do every weekend.

Roxborough State Park

Ella at the beginning of the hike

Incredible view

At the end of the hike

Lair 'O Bear open space

A little break

Love the sun shining down just on the tree

"Princess Castle"