2nd Annual Pumpkin Patch

Our 2nd annual trip to the pumpkin patch was a success last week! This year Ellie was able to get more into it than last year of course, so that made it more fun! Plus, a couple of our friends came with us! 

First on the agenda was the corn maze! Last year we did a couple sections, but when we accidentally made it back to the entrance, we just headed to the pumpkin patch (it was also getting a bit chilly). Well, this year our friend Andrew helped tremendously, getting us to every check point and we did the whole thing! I didn't get a picture of it, but Ellie would stop frequently, look at the ground, and say "corn"... I think she a little confused as to why there was so much wasted corn on the ground?! (She loves to eat corn.)

^^ last years picture of Ellie on Steven's shoulders (so little!!)

Ellie is still a huge fan of slides, so it was only necessary to go down this one ; )

hay ride to the pumpkin patch

Ellie just recently learned more about pumpkins and she calls them 'punkins'

We let her pick out her very own pumpkin and this was the one she choose! 

Alaska trip in September

For quite awhile Steven has wanted to run the Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks, Alaska with his dad. His dad has ran it 20+ times and Steven has only ran parts of it, but not all of it. Plus, one of our other friends has also wanted to do that race. So this year we all planned to make the trip up to Alaska! Mostly all of Steven's side of the family lives there and it was going to be a good time to see them again as well! We haven't seen them since Christmas and we've been wanting to visit each other for awhile.

This doesn't exactly give you an idea of how many people do the marathon. But below is a pic of the end of the pack going up the first hill, right in beginning of race.

^^ these girls were champs the whole time during race- about 6 hours. 

There were lots of in and outs of the car, but also plenty of snacks ; ) 

^^ had a great time supporting the guys with sister-in-law Mishelle (Steven's sister), niece Ava and mother-in-law Melanie (behind the camera)!

^^ the girls greeting the guys was so cute!

^^ little car fun with her mittens

^^ all the little cousins loving on each other while they waited

made these shirts for our guys! (mother-in-law Melanie) 

And there was some beautiful views along the different stops. 

^^ pictured above, right to left: Don (Steven's dad), David (Steven's younger brother), Steven and Bryan (Steven's older brother). For all of the race, Steven and Bryan ran with Don and then the last handful of miles, David joined them, too. It was very special having them all be apart of this! 

^^ Steven's best friend Andrew is second in on the right and he finished way before the other guys, but we had to get a group shot of them all together! 

showing off the (Andrew) Branham support shirt, too (accidental twinning with the hats - ha!)

^^ these two (cousin Jaxon) and their kisses to one another were abundant. There was no shortage of love for Ellie.

^^ Ellie was a champ flyer once again, too

We had yet another great visit with family!