Apple day 2013

Today i decided to take advantage of the beautiful sunny fall day and go visit the apple farm (actually i was inspired to go when i saw on the website that my FAVORITE apples were already "picked out"). So we threw together a picnic lunch and away we went!

In the barns with all the animals it seemed funny to me that the favorite for all the children was the chickens.... really??? Not the newly hatched baby chicks, the bunnies, goats, horse, pigs, goats or the sheep that all came over to see if we had anything to feed them...... but the chickens?!?!Really?!?!

 Trying to enforce the "lets no eat our apples until home" idea was a bit of a losing battle.... oh well!

they were SOOOOO yummy, how could we not!?!

 The weeds in the corn rows was so tall that we didn't venture very far into the field before picking what we could reach and heading back.

 Checking out the humongous pumpkins was one of my favorite parts of the day (with the exception of the owner of the farm telling me while we were at the check out stand that I had the best behaved children that she has seen in a long while!)

 Apparently it was a "no smiling Thursday" day for my friend Lila

Just as we were leaving the fields we discovered that one of the huge pumpkins had a little pool of water sitting in the top.... so of course we had to stay and splash for a bit

I'm not sure if this was Wesley's way of saying sorry for throwing her soother across the car while driving on the highway or not, but while at a red light it was just too cute to not take a photo of!

Thanks kids for helping pick the worlds best apples with me today, i had a blast, you guys rock!

A hard goodbye

Saying goodbye is never easy....

This summer we said goodbye to four of our dear friends who are starting the next chapter in their life... kindergarten!

 Even though my friend Sophie came to our daycare for only a year she made an impact on all of our hearts. Sophie my friend, i will really miss your laughter, awesome smile and of course your fantastic dinosaur roar!

Now the Sutherland boys, it has been  7 years of seeing those handsome faces! I remember when Tara first came out to the school playground to come and ask about daycare space. I feel so very blessed to have been able to help shape and mold these wonderful young boys. You boys have left me with so many great memories, thank you! I will miss Jamie's calm storey telling and Drew's fantastic imaginative play and sly smile!

Mr. Nate the great! I love that you once told someone that that's what your name was!

It feels like yesterday that you were this little bald headed baby boy. I have been so lucky to watch you grow up. I know you will do well in school as you move on to this next part in your life.You are a clever little boy as well as an awesome athlete! The thing i will miss most about not playing with you everyday is our reading together... "I can read with my eyes shut tight" and the Dr. Seuss "ABC" book will never be the same without you saying the words out load with me!

My Friend Mateo... not only are you starting kindergarten, but you also have the added challenge of moving to a new city! I am sure that you will love your new home town as well as your new school. You are such an awesome friend to everyone you meet. I will miss your kindness, thoughtfulness, dress up adventures and of course your rather long winded stories!

Thank you to all the parents for helping to make this years daycare picnic a great success. I could not have held it together without your help and support!

I would also like to say "thank you" for sharing your children's lives with me. It is such an honor and a pleasure (most of the time) to be a part in shaping these young children into such awesome kids!

I really do love my job.... and its because of them.

Thanks, Donna