Pumpkin-Masters (Wink, Wink)

Our pumpkins (and Conner) warming up before we started carving them!
Conner "carving" his pumpkin...very intense...
Thinking about what pattern he should draw....I think we have a future Picasso on our hands, don't you?Conner is into dipping all of his food. So when I put the finger paint on his tray he thought it was a dip. (No worries...it was non-toxic finger paint.)
Conner is really into puzzles these days. So when we started cleaning out the pumpkins and carving them, he kept trying to put all the insides back inside and all of the cut pieces back into their places. The wind was blowing too strong to light the candles, so we will have to wait until Halloween to show you our masterpieces. In the meantime, here are some cute pictures. He couldn't fit into any of our pumpkins this year, so this is what we captured... Below is a video of Conner telling you about his pumpkin carving experience. Enjoy...wink, wink!

Old MacClellan had a farm...sort of....

Jason and I both had this past Monday off. We had a great day! We got up really early and headed out to Parke County to the Covered Bridge Festival. As you can tell, Conner was super excited (more so to ride in the truck, but oh well!) We had a great time at the festival, but it was a little crowded. Conner stole my pumpkin ice-cream...and smashed it. Needless to say, I don't mind sharing with him! After the festival, Conner took his nap and we headed up to Danville to the Pumpkin Patch. This pumpkin patch was very different from the one we grew up with. They didn't have a hay ride during the week, the straw maze, the pumpkin eating dinosaur or the tee-pee...but they had amazing pumpkins.

We picked out two great big pumpkins. When I tried to get Conner to pose with them, this is what I got! He is no longer interested in smiling for the camera! More pumpkin pictures to come at Halloween. Then after the pumpkin patch, we got a call from Miranda that Brent was farming and to come on into Greencastle. So...we packed up and headed out to see Farmer Brent.

Conner gets to "farm" often during the day, but it was fun to go out and see it for ourselves. I had never been in a combine so it was neat to see how it all worked. I was very impressed by Brent and his ability to keep in a straight line even when I was asking him 100 questions a minute.

Doesn't Conner look like quite the professional farmer? He loves all of the tractors at Brent and Miranda's. His new thing is to say "vroom, vroom" every time he sees one.

Mission Accomplished!

Then Daddy took a turn sitting in the driver's seat. Don't worry, we ran and got Conner!

Snacking on some corn that we missed! Then Miranda talking Conner into putting the corn back into the combine....he listens to her.... sometimes!

Dumping the corn into this bowl thing. Then it is pumped up and stored in the silos. Farming is amazing. I think about all of the work it takes to get to the final product and it amazes me at what a process it is and what hard work it is. I think that Conner is so lucky to be able to experience this way of life at Brent and Miranda's. We all grow up and are taught to respect the land. But Miranda and Brent definitely grew up with a greater respect for it. I think when you grow up living on the land that you farm and care for; the land that provides for you and your family and eventually for everyone else once it is sold; you understand better and in a deeper way than you could ever understand living in the city. I love it that Conner will respect the land and farming and farmers just as much as she does. When I got him out of the car one morning last week, he pointed to the pasture and started mooing. I love it and I love it that he gets to spend time with Brent and Miranda and all of Miranda's family and those that work with her family.

Playing Catch up!

Sorry we are so far behind! Things have been a little busy since I posted last. Here are some of the things we have been up to!

Happy 75th Birthday Papa (Conner's Great-Grandpa). As you can tell, the great grandchildren were done with pictures and ready to play! Conner and Harrison playing trucks and coloring. This kept them busy for about....oh...ten minutes! Then they were off chasing each other around.
Congratulations to Jeff and Kristin on their engagement! We are so excited for them and can't wait until their big day! Congratulations to Uncle Brad and Amanda on their engagement too! YEAH! We really enjoy Amanda and we are excited and can't wait until their wedding too!
Uncle Patrick started his first year of college! Wow! Where does time go? He is at Ball State and joined Sigma Chi. He really seems to be enjoying it and says he is doing well in his classes. We are so proud of Patrick too.
We are trying to get in those last few lake days. Here is Conner cheering Daddy on!
The McClellan boys have also been spending a lot of time getting everything ready for winter. Conner always stays right by Jason. It is neat to see him take his toys and try to do whatever Jason is doing.
I love this picture. You can see how bright his eyes are and how big he looks. Definitely not a baby anymore. He has also started "talking" a bunch. He carries on conversations, in his own language of course, but he has inflection and everything. I am trying to capture a video of it.
We have also spent a lot of time hanging out at the park. Conner loves to play at the playground with Brody, Beckett and Harrison.
I think this picture is hilarious, mostly because it is one of Jason's faces!Trying to outrun me to play in the water! We will have quite a job next summer!
Harrison and Aunt Joni came to visit this weekend and we had a WONDERFUL time with them. It is great to watch the boys play together!