Family Pictures 2015

A few weeks ago we had our annual family pictures taken.  This year we would have probably skipped fall pictures because we had family pictures taken when Evelyn was born but a full family session came with Evelyns "Grow with Me" package that we purchased so of course I wouldn't pass that up.  So we scheduled them for Saturday morning in September and chose a park we actually go to a few times a year.  This year it was a little of a challenge.  Evelyn was very much distracted by all the leaves and flowers and Elsie was just trying be helpful-but wasn't.  It was a beautiful morning.  

Preschool 2015

On Friday Sept 11th Elsie started preschool.  She had been waiting for this day for so long!!!  She loves to learn so I knew she would love school.  She is also social and after pulling the girls out of the local daycare center and preschool I scrambled to find a preschool that still had openings.  Luckily, St. Pauls Lutheran Preschool had one opening and we filled it immediately.  Emma and Olivia attended this preschool when they were little so we knew it was a good decision.  

Elsie is in the Lambs class this year (3yr olds). 

Elsie's First Day of Preschool

On Tuesday Sept 8th we had Preschool Open house.  We had a chance to see the classroom and meet the teachers.  With Elsie there was no hesitation!  

 One of my favorite things about this preschool (well there is lots of them), but one of them is this sheet that gets sent home-it lists what the did that day and it is perfect for me to be able to talk with her about what she did and keep the conversation going. 

On Tuesdays they have chapel and on the first Tuesday they had their bible presentation and invite the parents to come and watch.  Elsie was so excited to get her bible.  We have already read many stories in it at night,  

It is adjustment to me because it adds things on my calendar that I must remember like when picture day is, sending money for offering on Tuesdays for chapel,  library day, snack day, student of the day, and right now they are doing a fundraiser for St. Judes.  It is fun though and She is enjoying it so far.  On Friday the teacher told me that Elsie does a wonderful job of focusing on the lessons and is really interested in learning her letters and color-which are things we already knew but she added that Elsie is a school teacher's dream.  I hope that this love for learning continues for her.  

Center Grove-Labor Day Weekend 2015

On Sunday September 6th we headed to Center Grove Orchard for our first visit of the season. This is the third season we have purchased a season pass-although this is also the first year that we have had to pay for Elsie.  This particular weekend the orchard was only available for season pass holders and it was so empty!!!  I loved it!! It can get super busy later in the season but generally the first few weeks are pretty quiet and weekdays tend to be less busy as well.  But really, this was probably the least busy I have ever seen it.  It was a bit toasty but Elsie didn't seem to mind.

We met up with Lisa, Chuck and the kids and they were out by the giant slide.  This is the first year for Elsie to go down all by herself!  She had a little trouble staying on the mat ;).  

Evie watching on from the stroller

We hit up the jumping pillow! 

And the kiddos tried the small maze-good thing they had an older wiser child to lead them out ;)

And we played in the corn pit for a bit.

Swimming through the corn. 

They tried their hand at duck races

John and Elsie tried to rope a bull

And rode the pedal tractors 

After that we hoped on the hayride out to the orchard to pick some apples.  

After getting apples we decided to call it a day.  We stopped in the shop, bought some carmel to go with our apples, camel apples to eat on the way home and some apple cider donuts.   

And Elsie just had to take a picture here-she is just like her mama haha.  

There were a few things not up yet like the photo op on the hay bales at the entrance and we definitely didn't get to everything but that's okay because we will be back a few more times before the close Halloween weekend.