My favorite pictures of the Fall.

So we went to Dave's Pumpkin Patch with the groupon deal and we got some great pictures. Here they are!

Nicholas' first riding lesson.

Nichols had his first rising lesson last week. I thought it was going to be a disaster but it went so well. Thank you to Kim at Nighthorse Farms for making it such a great lesson. She just had him help tack up and brush, then put him on the horse and made him do everything. It was awesome!

She even let Abby on at the end. It was a great lesson and I'm so happy he wants to continue with it.

Calaveras camping trip.

So we went to Calaveras State Park on Saturday to go camping for the night. We originally thought we might go for 2 nights, but decided on one - thank goodness.

I had packed and packed, making sure we would have enough variety of foods to suit everyone. Turns out all I should've packed was marshmallows, chocolate, and fruit snacks. The kids would've been happy with that. Too bad I made them eat real food too.

We hiked the North Grove on Saturday and did the Visitor's Center. I like a good, free, visitor's center. Nicholas tried to con me into getting him binoculars. I told him when he could name 4 different types of birds and their characteristics, he could get them. He promptly told me there were red bird, blue birds, black birds, and dead birds. He named their characteristics (colors), and said they have beaks, feet, wings, and feathers. He also mentioned they poop while flying - because poop is an important thing to  4year old boy. So he got binoculars. I was impressed with the dead bird variety. Silly kid.

We also walked on logs through the meadow in the center of the campground. They have these fallen tree trucks placed strategically to walk on. Nicholas did it all on his own. Abby wanted too - but Jon was nervous and held her hand. They also found the gate to the campground and swung on that. Here we are in this great big forest and they like the gate.

The kids did all the wood finding for us - it was nice to have free labor. Abby started falling asleep a 4:30 and wouldn't wake up. So at 5:30 we put her down. Guess who decided to wake up? Abby. But we let her play in the tent while we all had smore's and dinner. Then Nicholas said he was tired - my kid got tired at 6p!! So Jon took the kids into the tent and had the time of his life trying to get them to sleep. I was on fire watch, then joined them.

Jon and Nicholas eating smores. Nicholas was very focused on eating his like Daddy.

Abby had a great night. She waited until it was dark out and puked all over her crib, me, and the sleeping bag. So we spent the rest of the night with Nicholas' sleeping bag, Jon's sleeping bag, and Abby curled up with her Minnie blanket. I got a blanket to sleep on. It was cold. A little blanket meant for a couch in Sacramento isn't enough for a night in the woods.

It was a horrible night, with Abby waking up every 30 minutes asking to go home, for fruit snacks, and water (she only got the water). Jon slept through most of this. I don't think I've ever wanted the sun to rise so quickly in my life.

Beaver Creek was awesome!

Then on Sunday we ate breakfast and went to hike in the South Grove. We lasted about 1/2 a mile before the kids decided they were tired. So we went to the Beaver Creek Day Use Area. I loved that place! The creek was awesome and cold. But the kids had a blast and didn't really want to leave there.

Nicholas holding Abby's hand while we are hiking. It's the only way she would hike after she got tired.

In the big tree tunnel in the North Grove.

She's so tired she can barely keep her eyes open for the picture.

And here's the gate they liked to swing on.

Abby and Jon tree walking.

But finally we left and came home. Now if I could only catch up on laundry.