Punkins! And apple cake!

Let's take a look at Punkins! 2008:

And this year, Punkins! 2009:

Differences:

1) No Daddy.  Very, very sad.  Stupid work got in the way.
2) It was downright CHILLY this year.  Stupid global climate change.
3) Noah's a BIG BOY!  Egads, that boy has grown!
4) No bangs this year.  I kind of like the bangs...perhaps I shall cut some again?

Slide!  Possibly the highlight of the day for Noah.

Melts your heart, does it not?

He was more confused by the whole chair thing than he was about the scary feet to his right.

My mother and I also bought every possible baked good the pumpkin farm's market shop sold.  Dutch apple pies, pumpkin pies, apple strudel bread, pumpkin bread, apple cider donuts (it is not, NOT, fall without a dozen of these...perhaps TWO dozen), apple cider, and a half peck of apples...which leads me to this:

I made apple cake!  What?  Was I supposed to eat the apples all healthy-like?  Ridiculous.  Apple cake is a much better use of fresh-picked apples.  Don't argue with me.  And because I said so.  Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.  I kind of love her story of how her apple cake came to be so maybe I will manufacture my own story to tell Noah and he can think his mommy's apple cake came from his long-lost ancestors from Germany.    Though I'll probably have to write it down on some piece of paper, stain it all up, and fold and crease it to pieces to convince him it came from the Old Country.  And then he'll call me out and tell me I got it off the internet.  Kids these days!

Recipe update, aka when I finally cut into it and possibly died from happiness: This cake is more of a morning coffee cake and best when room temperature.  I tried a bit right out of the oven and was a little underwhelmed.  But this morning!  Oh my, this morning...I had a little slice of heaven on my plate.