Halloween

We went to the mall this year to do some trick-or-treating. Rachel "got" it a little bit. She didn't say trick or treat too much, but she did say Thank You! I think the craziest thing about the trip was that the Christmas Tree was already up... it keeps getting earlier and earlier!

Checking out the goods!

Uncle Benji and Aunt Katie

Rachel was so excited to have Uncle Benji and Aunt Katie come for a visit! It was a fun weekend to come since there were some Fall festivities going on. It was a little chilly, but we headed to downtown Salem on Saturday morning. We didn't realize that everyone would be dressed up to trick-or-treat at all of the shops, so Rachel didn't wear her costume, but she was happy walking around and looking at everyone!

Rachel loves her Uncle Benji!

We got a big pumpkin to carve, too!

Anticipation!

She wasn't necessarily excited about getting her hands messy, but she pulled a few seeds out!

Aunt Katie showed her how to get those icky seeds off!

Parkway

We have made it our family tradition to take a day out of our busy Fall schedules and enjoy God's creation. We hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway and take it to Peaks of Otter in Bedford. Then we get out, walk around a little bit and head home. A few hours away, without work, computers, and our daily lives is just what we need this time of year.

Unfortunately, it was a little hazy this year and it had been windy so a lot of the leaves had blown off the trees already. Still a great day!

Jeter's Farm

We met up with some friends from our small group at church to have some pumpkin patch fun. The other couples both have little girls close to the same age, so they were able to have some fun, too!

Rachel and Maddie looking at all the big pumpkins. (Maddie is going to be a big sister in a few months, too!)

Did you see that?

Emery, Maddie and Rachel

Driving a tractor

Ready to hit the corn maze!

Heading through the maze... all the little girls on their daddy's shoulders!

The daddy's got tired, so the mommy's took over for a little bit

Rachel and Maddie finding pumpkins

Heading down a slide down the side of a hill. The kids had a blast (the big kids may or may not have gone down on our own a few times)

Yes, she went head first, by herself, quite a few times. She may have thrown a slight tantrum when we had to leave... she just had too much fun and wanted to keep going down the slide!

LU Homecoming

We had the chance to go to Liberty's Homecoming again this year with Brent and Kim and the kids. It amazes me the difference from when we were all students there! There are tons of fans (all wearing LU gear instead of other college sweatshirts, too) and not just because there was nothing else to do for a few hours on a random Saturday.

We had a really good time and all the kids did great too!

Rachel was excited about something!

The boys

Rachel loving on Alli... Alli was concentrating on standing more than Rachel

We're number 1!

Friend Birthday Party

We had a little friend party for Rachel this year. (Unfortunately the evites that I sent out didn't make it to some people- sorry!) We had a great time with everyone who came though!

Our first kids table! Sam, Charley, Blake and Rachel seemed to have a good time eating together. Oh, don't worry, the birthday girl did get food!

So glad that Uncle Brent, Aunt Kim, Blake and Alli were able to come for this party!

I grabbed the rocket and characters off the cake that Grandma made and put them on the little cupcakes stand!

Maybe next year Layna can join in the hot dogs and chips!

Maybe Alli can, too!

Singing Happy Birthday!

Chris, Charley and Emily

She did better at blowing out the candle this time

Opening a book from Lincoln, Lindsey, and Layna

Alli and Emery

Feeding her new baby doll from her baby-sitter with the water-bottle from Aunt Kim and family

Hanging out with Blake and Emery

Thanks to Lindsey, Lincoln, and Layna, April, Brad and Emery, Emily, Chris, Sam and Charley, and Brent, Kim, Blake and Alli for sharing Rachel's day with her!

Family Birthday Party

We were so excited to have Rachel's Nana, Great-Grandpa, Mimi, Poppy, Grandma, and Papa here for her birthday this year. She got a little confused with all of the different names, but by the end of the weekend had everyone figured out!

Her favorite show is Little Einsteins, so that was the theme we went with. I was so excited because there was party stuff everywhere for months before her birthday, then about a month before, everything disappeared! Luckily Kim's niece also loves Little Einsteins and she had some party supplies that we borrowed (Thanks Jen!).

Here are just a "few" of the pictures from her party.

These are the toys BEFORE the party!

Dustin's dad made Rachel this tea table from Nannie and Papa McCollum's old table. His mom painted the table and also made Betsy, the tea doll. It is such a special set and Rachel absolutely loves it!

Papa having some tea with Rachel.

Grandma sharing some tea too!

Rachel needed a little help getting started with the presents, but she got the hang of it soon enough.

She had to put her new slippers on right away!

Rachel had Nana help her open a couple cards.

Off came the slippers, on went her new shoes!

A tea set to go with her table

On with the NEXT pair of new shoes!

After all the presents were finally opened!

Concentrating hard on her pouring!

Blowing out her candle.

Wearing her new costume earrings (How does she look so grown up?)

Rachel with Poppy and the sign that he made for her.

With Grandma and Papa by her tea table

With Mimi and Poppy

Yes, she had her new pajamas from Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Gary on in the middle of the day. What can I say, she loves to dress up!