sisters

In the midst of long days training these two wee ones, we have sweet moments like these.  This is what makes it all worth it and gives me light at the end of the training/disciplining tunnel!

scrunchy noses and squinting eyes = love!

oops...I've been caught interrupting Meredith teaching Eliza Wren her daily alphabet lesson

hiking in the Wissahickon

We've enjoyed spending time in the woods this beautiful autumn whenever we can.  We explored some new paths in Fairmount park and grown very fond of the Wissahickon forest.

One morning we took our neighbor, Jack, with us and had a fun time tramping about in the woods, building rock towers, and throwing rocks in the stream.

family hiking photo!

hiking with Granna and Grandaddy during their visit in October

autumn at the arboretum

Over the past 2 months, we've spent several lovely mornings at the arboretum with our dear friends. 

I can't get enough of these girls together and their joy-filled smiles!

Matilda is growing up so quickly, and what a beautiful girl she is!

best buds :)

2 years ago, my friend Joanna and I took our 2 year old girls walking in the arboretum as our first play date meet up.  Since then, we've spent countless hours at the arboretum over the past two years, in each season - to visit the trains, play in the stream, explore the grounds, for family evening picnics and we've added another two girls into the mix!  I love that we have a chronicle of memories tied to the beautiful Morris Arboretum as our children have grown and the seasons changed.

autumn harvest

Our garden has been bountiful this season.  Harvest has continued late into the autumn and is just now ending.  We've had plenty of kale, arugula, tomatillos, hot peppers, broccoli and a few slow tomatoes.

Erik made a boatload of hot sauce!

We had our annual applesaucing over a few days in October.  

Apples from our farm up north of Philly - beautiful red cortlands!  

Both girls were sweet helpers - washing apples and helping turn the hand crank on the processor.  

I canned a few dozen quarts, froze some and we are enjoying a lot of it right now.

Erik's made two delicious 2 gallon batches of saurekraut in our new-to-us crock.  We are becoming addicted - so yummy!  Recently Eliza Wren and I had a hankering for a late afternoon snack, so we settled down on the kitchen floor to enjoy some together.  It hit the spot. :)