Trick or Treat

We fit in a few fun Halloween activities this week: baked some Halloween sugar cookies, pumpkin carving, costume parade at the Senior Center, and Trick or Treating Friday afternoon in Downtown Bozeman with some friends. Although it gets harder and harder to move on the sidewalks every year, going in the afternoon and having to only walk a few blocks with the toddler/pre-school age is a great approach to Halloween. After a short while, Claire and her friend, Jade, were bored and playing ring around the tree anyway. I guess not having a bag FULL of candy is a good thing, though there's less for Nate and I to snitch.

Carving the scary pumpkin face
She's a pretty good double for Cinderella, I have to admit.

With friend, Jade, downtown Bozeman.
Maya as a ladybug in the mix too!

Grandpa Charlie Visits

Nate's father, known to Claire as Grandpa Charlie, came out for a long weekend visit from Western Massachusetts. We were able to fit in some visits to some of our favorite local spots: Headwaters State Park, Lewis and Clark State Park, Norris Hot Springs, The Museum of the Rockies, downtown Three Forks, and even an evening in town (without Claire) to enjoy some great food and wine at Over the Tapas and Plonk. In the time at home, Claire loved playing play-dough with her grandpa, flying her kite, playing Big Bear and Little Bear, listening to him play the mandolin, looking through the beautiful edition of the Holy Bible with wood engravings by Barry Moser (Nate's former art teacher and family friend) that Charles brought us, and working on her art with her new sketchbook and real artist's pencils.

Shared time sketching
Learning about the mandolin
At Lewis and Clark State Park
Final Hugs...Claire was incredibly sad to see her grandpa go. We had a memorable visit and will miss him!

Fall Fun

Our late September and early October has been unseasonably warm--good for the garden, bad for the dust and allergies. However, we've taken advantage for a few outings on beautiful days. Last Friday we went to a corn maze with some friends. This included a horse drawn carriage ride, various farm animal viewings, and finally a chance to get lost and found in the corn maze.

Claire and Nate on the ride out.
With Lacy and Jade at a stopping point.
Claire pretty much wanted to run ahead and lose us the entire time...I'm thinking this does not bode well for the teen years.
My sunflowers and garden are thriving in the warm weather.
Rocky Creek Farm has a great hayride to the pumpkin patch; we go every year with friend Jade and her mom, Claire.
This year the girls got to help drive the tractor out to the field.
Though we brought home a small pumpkin, Claire can't wait to get a big one to carve with her dad.