crazy driver

we took a jaunt up to ritter's cider mill and farm stand to pick up some apple cider and noah climbed aboard the wooden fire truck to give rides.  he was a pretty wild driver!

love, laurie

just like mama

i had a headband on so a certain tiny someone needed one on too!

love, laurie

soaking up fall at roba family farm

we enjoyed soaking up the gorgeous fall weather at roba family farm!  there's just something about that place that we have always loved, and now noah does too!

love, laurie

king of preschool

a collection of photos of noah in preschool from last week.  he's doing good!

love, laurie

my big helper

noah loves to help us out when we have our shows in the theatre.  he especially loves to pretend to run spotlight with his headset on!

love, laurie

tractor driver noah

anytime you ask noah what he is, he responds "tractor driver!"

so, he is happy to take any and every chance he gets to "dive" grandpa's john deere.  who needs kid toys?!

love, laurie

show-and-tell at preschool

noah was extremely excited to bring in one of his john deere tractors for show-and-tell day at preschool.  the teacher sent us these photos and we were so glad, because he was so incredibly happy to show off his favorite thing!  good job, noah!

love, laurie 

back at roba

noah absolutely loves going to lakeland orchard and we have made good use of our season passes.  it's awesome that our passes are good for both lakeland and roba family farm.  we went to the season pass holder sneak peek night at roba's before they officially opened for the season to the general public.  noah loved it and can't wait to go back again!

love, laurie

doing well in preschool!

mr. noah is doing well in preschool!  some days are better than others, of course, but overall he is enjoying it and learning so much.  we're so proud of him!  we love the updates and the photos that the teachers send us throughout the day.

love, laurie

just a kid and his baby backpack leaf blower

this kid looooooves yard work and he really loves his baby backpack leaf blower!  it's too funny.

love, laurie

just a cat and his tractor!

noah isn't the only one who loves tractors, even leko got in on the action!

love, laurie

14 years old!

this month our fur baby turns 14 years old.  i can't believe he was so tiny when we first brought him home.

happy birthday to the craziest cat i have ever know.  here's to lots of kisses, cuddles, and tuna!

love, laurie

big helper

this guy cracks me up.  he's always ready to help dad out in the yard with whatever task is happening next!

love, laurie

patriot day

we had the opportunity to visit ground zero eight years ago in september, just after the 12th anniversary of 9/11 and it was a moving experience.  the waterfalls and the reflecting pools that sit within the footprints of where the twin towers once stood are a lovely tribute, and the freedom tower is quite a sight to behold.  our thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who lost a loved one on this day 24 years ago.

love, laurie

test driving grandpa's new mower

this kid is obsessed with lawn mowers.  so, he was very happy when he found out that grandpa purchased a new riding lawn mower.  noah was first in line to test drive it and take it for a spin (literally) in the driveway.

love, laurie

the crayola experience

we enjoyed visiting the crayola experience earlier in the summer, so we made another trip in august with grandma and grandpa.  noah had fun showing grandma and grandpa around crayola, and grandma had fun visiting the area where she grew up.

love, laurie

a kitty in my classroom . . . my teaching career is complete!

anyone who knows me, knows that i love cats.  so, imagine my delight when i found out that one of my students this semester has an emotional support cat on campus (approved by the university).  

i was thrilled to teach my first class of the semester accompanied by a furry feline companion in my classroom.  what more could i ask for?  my teaching career is complete!

we all learned better with baby nemo in the room.

love, laurie

apple picking at lakeland orchard

on labor day, we went up to lakeland orchard to do some apple picking and to check out their apple harvest festival.

noah was really into the apple picking and did a great job picking 13 yummy looking sweet maia apples.  

love, laurie

la festa italiana 2025

i've mentioned numerous times that my favorite end-of-summer tradition is visiting our local italian festival over labor day weekend.  it's especially important to us since it's where we went on our very first date back in 2004.  i can't believe this year is 20 years since we first went together! 

we went twice this year and had a good time eating and sight seeing.

let the countdown begin for next year's festival!

love, laurie

. . .

previous trips to the italian festival: 

2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

we survived the first week of school

noah started preschool last week, and we're here to report that we all survived (for the most part).  we were all exhausted by the time labor day weekend rolled around, so we were grateful for the long 3-day weekend, especially because noah came home with a head cold friday night.  here are some of the photos that the preschool sent to us of noah from last week.  he did a really good job and we're proud of him.  it has been a big adjustment (for all of us) but we know it's what's best for him and he's doing great.

love, laurie

a baby backpack leaf blower

for months and months, noah requested a "baby backpack leaf blower" so ryan and i knew that was what we had to get him for his birthday.  we finally found one that blows bubbles and bought it right away.  we gave it to noah earlier in the summer as a early birthday present so that he could use it outside in the yard during the warm summer weather.  it was a hit and he has been a big fan!

love, laurie

happy labor day!

i'm sad to see summer go, but i always do enjoy the fall.  

happy labor day!

love, laurie