It's Autumn Time

Living at the foot of beautiful mountain ranges for decades, we are used to absorbing the palette of fall colors from the valley floor. Scrub oak changes quickly and, before we knew it, the colors were gone. Here in Madison, the experience is quite different. We're surrounded by a variety of mature trees, changing at different times from green to the trees' choice of yellow, red, orange, or a combination thereof. Leaves fall in droves from the huge trees, until most are suddenly bare. The preparations for winter have begun. The geese, however, are optimistic in their migration, as many still float in chilly Lake Mendota.

The girls have loved playing in the leaves, finding pumpkins, and watching their favorite trees undress their coats of leaves.

Lots'o'leaves

This time of year is Beebs' birthday, so we drag out Halloween and birthday time for a good 10+ days. Jess wanted a princess cake, as usual, so Lisa got creative and constructed this:

She still doesn't know how to blow. Mostly moisture. 

 And these witch fingers:

Those lasted, oh, 5 minutes. They're basically an excuse to buy Swedish Fish, a fat-free food. 

Almost 1 week later, we're still eating this cake. Yum.

For her birthday celebration, we went to Ella's Deli here in Madison. Absolutely fun for the kids. The ceiling and walls are covered in motorized gizmos and gadgets, the favorites of which were a yellow submarine, juggling clowns, trapeze artists, Spiderman, and countless others. Jess loved her sundae, and couldn't wait to go on the yellow horse on the merry-go-round.

A view of some of the motorized goodies. 

Such a nerd. She loves to make weird faces. Hmmm. 

Such a cute back of the head. 

We carved one of our little pumpkins, but its face only lasted 1 night outside. We suspect crows or chipmunks. Little fetchers.

Pumpkin head Harvey. 

This was Kate's drawing for the above Jack-O-Lantern.

Our community center sponsored a "Wisconsin Day," featuring the best the state has to offer. We saw owls, snakes, cows, and ate yummy bratwurst, pumpkin ice cream, and a selection of Wisconsin cheeses and wild rice. We also had a surprise visit from this guy:

Woody the owl. 

Monty the Python. No, for real. 

Lots of people w/o personal space requirements. 

The colors are bright, it must be time for Jess's Brithday!

It is absolutely gorgeous here in Madison this fall. We are reflecting on Beebs Birthday this week. At the start of my pregnancy with her there were complications (subchorionic hemorrhage) the Dr. said it would end up being a terminated pregnancy and to just wait for that, but her fiery spirit and will kicked through. She is such a bundle of Joy and Energy and really is quite the ham, and a little potty mouth too. We are so blessed to have had her in our family for 3 years now!!!!!

The trees we see out our windows every day.

Jess is so silly always wanting to wear jammies for clothes.

It's Autumn time, it's Autumn time the leaves are falling down, it's Autumn time, it's Autumn time, Pretty Colors can be found.

Spencer on his way to one of his Internship interviews.  Procter & Gamble and Best Buy. This week is SC Johnson and Co.

We kept noticing these freeky dog-like creatures on the soccer field  (they look like Scrunts from the Lady in the Water). Nope just huge wolves to keep the Geese away

Kate doing inside a giant bubble in science. She got stung by a bee that day.

Kate and her friend Alex in the firetruck at school.