Trick Or Treat!

Stop #1- Nana's!

We had a fun Halloween this year- free of hissing. (True!) My power of suggestion (master manipulation) worked well and Carter was a darling green frog. Madeline looked way too old as Hannah Montana, and Garrett was quite the scary Jack Sparrow.

We started the day in kindergarten with the famous costume parade. It lasted 20 minutes, and yes, I was sweating. (But not swearing!) Garrett was stinking darling with his buddies and it was very fun.

Mid day was spent at school, again, this time for the Fiesta and Tampico dance that Madeline's class had been working on for a month. It was quite fabulous. You can see a little video clip of it on Teresa's blog. No really, watch it. It's so cute. Maddy and her peers had been working on it pretty much since school started. They did a great job, and we all know how much our girl loves to dance!



Our evening was spent Trick or Treating with all of the grandparents. It was perfect. The rain somehow just missed us. Carter was sick, of course, but we didn't know then that he had pneumonia, and by the time we found out we'd forgotten that we had dragged him all around in the freezing cold while he was coughing and miserable, so the guilt didn't set in until, well, just now. Shoot. Luckily his papas and Daddy took turns carrying him around and he definitely got into the spirit of trick or treating.

Garrett was the star trick or treater though- he was frustrated with the rest of us more than once for being so slow. His persistence paid off though. Somehow he came home with WAY more loot than the other two. It must have been his scary pirate costume.




No Halloween would be complete without a visit from the Ryans, and they were too cute as Peter Pan and Tinkerbell!



When I tucked Sissy in that night she cried. Because it was such a perfect day and she was so sad that it was over. (And yes, she was completely worn out and just like her mama she cries when she's tired.) I love that she had the best day ever.

Pumpkin Patch . . . Again!

Lots of blogs today, eh? I was quite behind and in a bit of a slump. Here's the last one for today!


Today was quite a momentous day for Garrett. It was his first field trip to the pumpkin patch! Madeline got to go with her class 2 years in preschool and 3 years in grade school. (Not this year though . . . but don't talk to her about it, sore subject!) Garrett was quite excited though, as was Carter who got to attend too. Luckily for me, Papa Vroom Vroom came with us to help with Carter so I could give Garrett and his buddy my full attention. I did lose both of my boys for longer than made me comfortable, and had to admit it to the teacher (they were in the corn maze). That wasn't my shining moment. In my defense, I'd never actually been in the corn maze before and in my years of being a teacher I never gave myself a group. On any field trip. I am more of a delegator.

This cracked me up- the little guys trying to reach over the pen to pet the bunnies.

The water rubber ducky races were a big hit!

Anyway. We somehow missed the rain that is on the way, and we had a great time. And I think Garrett is done asking me, "WHY DIDN'T YOU LET ME GO TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH WITH MY PRESCHOOL?!?!?!" Finally.

1st Annual Cougar vs Parent Game!

And the Cougars win! 6 to 1! (Or something!)

Last night was our last practice of the season. We've had such a fun time with our good friends and met some other great families we will be spending the next 12 years or so with.

To celebrate a great season, we had a parent vs player game. I use the term 'game' in very broad terms though. The kids had a great time, the dads played hard, and the moms, got caught up on all the latest chit chat, I mean, were great at, um, defense.

Where were Carter and Molly? They were hanging out over in the baseball dugout. Okay, so there's not actually a dugout. But they were quite happy being independent.

What, you can't seem them?

Costume Trouble

Since I last posted about Carter being a froggy . . . he has changed his mind again. And again. And again, about a dozen times. The current leading costumes are:

In first place, (according to Carter), Maddy's pink dragon costume from when she was in kindergarten! Um, yikes?


Also in the running . . .
A 'Mouse' outfit (really?) that Maddy wore when she was 18 months old and Garrett sort of wore when he was 18 months old. Also, Joel wore this costume when he was 1. In case you forgot, Carter is 31 months old. Among other things, it's too small.

Sometimes he sleeps with this one.

And his lion outfit from last year. Very cute then, very small now.

I am still placing my bets on the froggy. I am telling him awful lies, that will probably scar him into his early 20s, like, "Mickey Mouse will be really sad if you don't wear your froggy costume." or, "The pink dragon is too scary- people won't give you candy!" That's not really a lie, is it?

Wish me luck.

Carving

On Friday the Gibson Five carved pumpkins. It always amazes me how much the kids change from year to year. Some big milestones this year included Madeline wanting to clean and carve her pumpkin independently and Garrett finally touching the pumpkin guts. Carter really wanted nothing to do with carving or cleaning. He spent his time coloring and telling the rest of us to be quiet. Never a dull moment!

He started out excited . . .

Deciding if he's up for it.

Sissy had no problem diving in.

A rare sighting of me.

Ah! SO exciting! Crazy eyebrows! Yay!

Carter spent much of the evening looking like this.

And this.

"Quiet! Me COLORING!"

Ooops. Daddy made a 'wrong' cut and Garrett, um, wasn't a fan.

Finished product! From top: Carter's (Joel!), Garrett's, and Madeline's.

Autumn Afternoon

Today we had a break from the usual running around.

Boys were doing projects (yes, kinder parents, that is homework that was possibly due last week . . . )









The last apples were simmering on the stove. (Can you smell them?)


Do you wonder who's missing? Oh, right. Sissy retreated to her room for uninterrupted reading.



Days like this are the best. (And too few and far in between!)