Autumn has arrived!

After a September with rather unseasonably warm temperatures, it is finally starting to feel like fall in Kansas City.  The kids are enjoying being outside and would probably stay out there all evening if we let them.  Ben loves playing football, baseball, soccer, and going up to the middle school track with Dave. Elizabeth likes when we help her sit in the tree, taking walks or wagon/stroller rides, and carrying around a baseball glove and ball.

Eric and Dave completed the Royals 5K run at Kauffman Stadium. The kids and I went to cheer them on. Elizabeth did NOT like it when Slugger, the Royals' mascot, came over to say hi after the runners left.

Eric and Dave high-fiving the hot dogs as they run into the stadium. Dave is in the Frank White shirt, Eric's ahead of him in dark blue.

Running along the warning track in the stadium

Celebrating! (Ben is unsure and was probably wondering where the promised free food was.)

Dave took Ben back to the stadium for the last Royals' game of the season. (I was at camp for work and Elizabeth was getting some extra Grandma & Opa time.) They got to see a 10th inning walk-off grand slam by Royals player Justin Maxwell to win the game, then got to run the bases afterward!

In September, our friend Neilam visited from California. We had a great relaxed weekend with trips to the local farmer's market and of course, the obligatory barbecue meal!

Ben & Neilam playing "Word on the Street," which is a really fun game!

My parents flew out at the beginning of the month and Ben milked his Papa time as much as possible, with two trips to play miniature golf and a lot of outside playtime. We had lovely weather and the kids loved spending an extra day home with Grammie & Papa as their daycare was closed on Columbus Day.

Elizabeth & Grammie goofing around

Ben doing a puzzle sent by Great-Grandma Meyer

We also took a trip to Bass Pro Shops on a randomly very warm day in September. It's one of our favorite free places to go on days where it's too hot or too cold to spend much time outside. The kids love watching the fish (giant catfish Bess is below) and the ducks.

Ben thought he might add this boat to his Christmas list.

End of summer photos

It has been a busy summer, with activities and visits with friends. Still, with all the activity, Elizabeth decided in the photo above that despite it being way past her bedtime, sleeping was for suckers. We finally gave up, brought her downstairs to watch a little baseball with Daddy and play for a half-hour before trying again to get her to sleep.  Somehow, even when she stays up late, she is generally up bright and early, typically about 45 minutes before we would like her to be awake! Other random happenings from the last month are below.

Saw her tutu in her closet and insisted on putting it on over her pj's

I can't remember who gave her this crab & fish romper, but it's so cute!

Photos from a sleepover at Grandma's & Opa's. Elizabeth is trying to figure out the stethoscope.

Splashing in a fountain after a trip to our town's farmer's market

After a relatively mild summer, we had a small heat wave over the last 2 weeks. We broke out the beach ball sprinkler from cousins Ruth & Dick and the kids enjoyed it. We also had it out when the kids had friends sleep over and it was a big hit.

Ben tries to catch the water on his tongue

We had a picnic with friends at a local park that had picnic tables, a sand box, baseball field, great playground equipment and a little splashing waterfall/brook. The kids absolutely loved it and loudly protested when we had to leave.

Ben was SO excited to get to pitch on a real baseball diamond!

Splashing in the brook (cute Strawberry Shortcake shirt courtesy of Uncle Tony & Aunt Jen!)

Playing with toys by the waterfall

We babysat for the same friends' kids last weekend and broke out a bunch of ideas I found on Pinterest, including making homemade play dough and this game from the Hands On As We Grow blog. You put painter's tape sticky-side out like a spiderweb and throw newspaper balls at it. Once they got the hang of it, they had a lot of fun! Elizabeth also noticed that the painter's tape made great bracelets.

Elizabeth enjoyed stomping in the paper afterward.

We had a family photo taken for our church directory a few weeks ago. They also take a bunch of other photos in the hopes that you will buy a whole package. There was a lot of posing and requests to hold still and smile. Needless to say, with a four-year-old and an eighteen-month-old, that did not work so well. It was tough choosing one good photo for the directory!

However, we got some cute pictures of the kids when we got home.

Playing dress-up

A few weeks ago, the kids' daycare had Costume Day. One of Ben's birthday presents was a big bin of dress-up clothes and props since he was having such a good time dressing up with his friends at school. The bin got relegated to the basement for a few months during one of our toy shuffles, but we brought it back up so Ben could pick a costume to wear to school. Elizabeth has been having fun with it too.

Ben's costume choice for daycare, sans the saw and hammer

Scrutinizing the glitter wand

Exploring the echo microphones

We lost the other eyebrow somewhere along the way!

Checking out her wig in the mirror (it didn't stay on for too long!)

Michigan trip

We just got back home after a week visiting my family in Michigan. We had a great time with my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, and grandma. Ben and his cousin Gwen had a lot of fun chasing each other around and giggling hysterically. Here are a few pictures from my first skim through all the ones we took.

Four generations

Ben playing catch with Great-Grandma. He later convinced her to try hula hooping.

Elizabeth checking out flowers in Grammie's garden

Gwen & Elizabeth in the adorable Sesame Street dresses that Jen's mom Dena made. We tried to get a picture of the girls in an armchair by themselves but there were major tears!

Trying out the hula hoop

 

Yummy, Yucky got read approximately 50 times during the week. It was hilarious to all of the kids. 

Elizabeth convinced Papa to read it again later.

Elizabeth in the rocker her Great-Grandma had as a small girl. She also recommends Good Night, Gorilla for a good laugh.

Ben & Papa playing baseball.

Not pictured: the three minutes between the time that Buddy's Pizza arrived at the table and the time it was cool enough to be eaten, during which she screamed and pointed at the pizza in fury that it was not immediately placed in her mouth.