One Crazy Weekend ...

It started out feeling fallish ...

And then quickly got warm ...

 Grandma came for a few days!  Yeah!!  We love it when Grandmas (and Grandpas!) visit :)  We squeezed in as much fall fun as we could possibly fit into four days ... I think we succeeded in exhausting everyone, but I agreed with my mom that it was all worth it!  She got to eat lunch with Miss Lilly & Master S at school.   We finished the Christmas shopping she had to get done while here, and checked out a really cool toy shop just a few minutes from the house right here in Brownsburg.  If you haven't been there and live close by you need to!   http://stores.lincolnwoodtoys.com/StoreFront.bok   We picked up the kids after school for a little IMA gardens tour.  Here they are by their numbers ...

 We attempted to get some cute pics ---

 Isn't it gorgeous here?  It has been a very DRY fall, but it is still so beautiful.  While my mom was here it was almost like we watched the leaves change colors right before our eyes.  And the weather was just perfect ... gorgeous blue skies, and almost too warm. 

 I thought this was a great Halloween picture ... on the bones at the 100 acres of the IMA.

 On Saturday we headed to Appleworks -- a fantastic apple orchard / pumpkin patch that goes all out for the Fall celebration.  There were train rides, a big slide, pumpkin patch, hog roast, live music, a place to picnic, lots of apples and this year there were tons of people!  Apparently when it is nice outside people like to visit this place (we came when it was 30 degrees and windy - freezing cold last year ...)

 Kids picking their pumpkins ... they had to carry them this year, so they all decided smaller was better than having to drag them out to the car.

 After Appleworks we got in the car for Brown County State park - one of my most favorite places in Indiana (so far ...).  This is the covered bridge at the entrance.

 A pic of one of the many beautiful vistas ...

 We took the kids on a hike, called 'the Discovery Hike'.  There were little numbered signs with a guide that you read at each sign to tell you what to look for, specific kinds of trees, interesting topography, listening for animals or looking for their homes etc.  It was the perfect length - the kids loved it and the colors were again, gorgeous!

 After Brown County we tried to go discover some of Nashville, IN, but I think everyone else in IN thought it was a good day to be there too, so we headed out to Martinsville and had some Steak 'n Shake instead -

 Master S got out his new golf clubs to show Grandma his awesome swing!  He started taking gold lessons from a local kid on the high school golf team - and he loves it. 

We also picked some of the last of the produce from the garden ... the cantaloupe was small, but it sure was tasty ... perfect for one or two :) 

  All three of the children cried on the way home from the airport when we dropped Grandma off today --- I think I had a few tears too, Thanks for coming Grandma - we miss you!  Next time ... bring Grandpa!