Mademoiselle Marie and Fifi!!

At the last minute Makenna decided to change her costume. She went from being a magician to Mademoiselle Marie from Paris..

I love her, I love her creativity and I love how she puts herself into her character. I had purchased a poodle that I thought she would love for Christmas. When she decided to transform to Marie I felt like it was the perfect time to give it to her. Add a scarf and a little Makeup.. Voila.. Mademoiselle Marie and her French Poodle Fifi!!

Mademoiselle Marie and her French Poodle Fifi!!
LOVE this picture of her. With her scarf blowing I think she looks like a model from a magazine.
Standing with the beautiful flowers!!
A costume that fits her perfect!!

Pumpkin Faces...

My boy Carson LOVES fall.. He loves farms, pumpkins, hayrides, animals, and overall being outside with nature. If you give this boy a pumkin to carve and clean he lights up. He loves it!!

When he was done carving his pumpkin this year I said "So make me some pumpkin faces". Normally, at such a silly idea he would argue with me, however he did it with no problem.

You can see from the look on his face that when he is doing something he LOVES he is all about fun and loving life!!

Jack and The Jack O Lantern!!

Every year the kids and I carve pumpkins. It is always fun to see what the kids want to do. I love seeing their expressions and hearing what they think of the insides of the pumpkin.

My favorite every year has to be JACK.. He likes the pumpkin patch, likes Trick or Treating, Loves to eat the candy, but HATES to carve the STINKY pumpkins!! It is hysterical to watch him clean his pumpkin out. He can't stand the smell, hates to touch the squishy insides, and is overall disgusted with the entire process. He does it because he likes the end result.. a Jack O Lantern of his own.

He has improved a little over the years. This year he got pretty far along in the process. I always think when we start out is this going to be the year that Jack is ok cleaning and carving his pumpkin?? Then it begins and it is just another stinky, smelly, squishy pumpkin!! It reminds me of watching The Great Pumpkin every year with Charlie Brown.. You are so hopeful that Charlie Brown is going to have fun and be accepted, but in the end he always gets rocks!!

Jack flicking off the seed of the pumpkin!!
This is soooo gross!!
So squishy.. do I really have to do this??
The smell is killing me!!
Jack with his Jack O Lantern!! This is how he prefers pumpkins!!

Fall Traditions!!

The Greeneteam heading to our friends 2nd annual Halloween Costume Party!!
John and I with our friends The Howards!! They are wonderful hosts and throw a great party!!
Carson at Hillcrest Apple Orchards with the single puppy that was there this year!!
The Greeneteam at Hillcrest Apple Orchards in Ellijay October 21,2010.

When I think of fall I instantly think of the Pumpkin Patch, Apple Orchard, Costume Parties, Trick or Treating, Bonfires, and Fall Festivals. Happiness is the word that comes to mind!! Who doesn't love having so many wonderful things to choose from in the fall?? My problem... I can't choose. They are all a tradition at my house!! Sign me up almost every weekend for something and at the end of the fall season I am a happy girl. I have taken lots of pictures, have made some wonderful memories with my kids, and most of all have enjoyed the wonderful weather and the beautiful fall !! I know in my heart that truly I am LIVING THE LIFE!!

Bradley's Pumpkin Patch.. A Tradition!!

Seven years ago we discovered a wonderful family pumpkin patch called Bradley's. It has been "our patch" ever since. As I remember the story, my sister Diana wanted to take the kids to a place that felt down home. She did not want to go to a tourist type pumpkin patch. I told her to go ahead and do the research to see what she could find in our local area. She found Bradley's. I remember she went out ahead of the group we were taking to make sure it was the type of patch that she had in mind. It was.

Here we are seven years later and the Greeneteam feels like Bradley's is as close to their grandparents farm in WV as they have ever known. When we arrive it feels like we are seeing family that we have not seen for a year.

We have watched Bradley go from a 12 year old boy to a 19 year old young man. When we are at the farm the boys feel like Bradley is almost the older brother or cousin that they have never had. He let's them sit on the gator, shows them things around the farm and is just a nice boy. Tony his dad is kind of a Grandpa and Karen the mom a Grandma of sorts.

The kids love the hayride. Tony tells the same stories year after year. The kind of stories that hopefully when your kids are older they will remember. They will think about the man that used to give them hayrides and would remind them to "stick to their roots, mind their parents, and realize that although you don't always land where you want you can still grow!! "

Bradley's is a hidden gem in North Georgia. The kind of place where you can arrive in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day exploring, taking a hayride, browsing through the gift shop and buying a pumpkin. They sell hotdogs, drinks, boiled peanuts, homemade soaps, pumpkins and more.

If you find yourself out that way take the time to stop and say hello. I know you will be glad you did. Bradley's is located in Dawsonville near Amicalola Falls.

My boys sitting by the pumpkins at Bradley's.
Makenna perched up in a tree at Bradley's pumpkin patch. Nothing like reading and relaxing on the farm on a beautiful fall day.