It was a wild and woolly time...

Here's Joshua participating in the Woolly Worm races!  He hand picked his racing worm, and I believe chose the slowest of the entire bunch!  But he had fun.

It was a beautiful fall Saturday, so the kids and I headed to the Woolly Worm Festival to check up on our Kiwanis friends and see what kind of adventures we could find.  This is a festival that has been put on my our Kiwanis Club for the past 12 or so years.  It was redesigned this year to focus on kids, and I think the group that organized it did an excellent job!  The point of the festival is to be kind of a silly thing--- our own version of Punxsutawney Phil, where the colors of the woolly worms that you find outdoors predict the coming winter weather.  Mostly the kids just like playing with the worms, and Moms and Dads like having something to do with their kids.  At least if they're like us.

Joshua was thrilled to find out about the addition of some animals to the festival this year.  He got to ride on a pony...a first for him.

And he also loved the petting zoo area.  They had ice cream cones full of feed for the animals.  Joshua just giggled and giggled when the goats and baby cow and sheep came and licked his hands to get the food.

 While Joshua was off exploring with the animals, Lauren was mostly interested in wandering around (seemingly aimlessly).  She loved Joshua's balloon and nearly poked her eye out with that stick more times than I care to remember.  She dug in the dirt a while, ate some leaves, and soon was ready to move on to her next adventure.

Shopping with Mommy.

I hate to say it this way, but I can't think of any other way to say it.  It was such a treat to make a quick run to the mall with only one child in tow.  Although I think I picked the harder one of the two to bring along with me, only because it involves strollers andn diaper bags, and then she won't ride in the stroller without screaming so I end up holding her as she scrooches and tries to literally squirm from my arms.  Lauren drank a bottle of milk (we're making progress, my friends) in her car seat while we rode to the mall.  Joshua stayed with Daddy at the festival to see the magician's act.  We got some things at the Clinique counter and then spent some Gymbucks, hit Target for the 12 things I managed to forget at the grocery store THE DAY BEFORE and then headed home.  The only downside to this little outing was that her only nap of the day consisted of the 20 minute ride home which made for a very crabby baby later in the day.  But, there was some shopping, so I think it was a good tradeoff.

I just thought I'd share one of the little lady rocking a very cute dress for church on Sunday.  Found that one for el cheapo at Target!

It's back to the races....not woolly worm races....the RAT RACE today at the office.  We're counting down to our big Dugan family road trip on Friday as we get ready to head to UMass Homecoming for the weekend.  It's sure to be an adventure......rented minivan, 6 hour car ride, 6 Dugans (Grandma and Grandpa are coming too!), 800+ people playing in the alumni marching band with Daddy, New England fall foliage......this ought to be something.