Pumpkin Carving

The kids are so into "decorating" for Halloween this year.

I found this skull at a thrift store, brought it home, and placed it as the center piece at the dinner table. When the kids walked in the house from school and saw it there...they were so excited.

Evan keeps telling me "I love that".

 

 

After the jackolanterns are lit and peeking at us through the window, we cut into the pumpkin pie.

These memories and these smells are the best of the season.

So, I would say this year's Halloween theme is

Curious George and No Noggin.

(last year's theme was Jack and This Is Halloween)

We watch the Curious George Halloween special pretty much every day.

If you haven't seen it yet, (or 100 times), No Noggin is the legend of the scarecrow who will kick your hat off.

Way back at the beginning of the month when I went with Evan on his pumpkin patch field trip, he would yell "there's No Noggin!" every time we saw a scare crow. I didn't know what he was talking about, so he sat me down and instructed me on the legend of No Noggin.

 

Anyway. So that's why we have Curious George featured on his pumpkin this year.

 

Jim worked and worked on Avery's pumpkin...

For a minute we couldn't find our best pumpkin carving tool (a tiny swiss army knife), but then we found it. phew

While we were carving, Avery was in charge of drawing and poking the design into Andrew's pumpkin.

 

It was fun to have one of the kids really participate this year. The three of us circled around the table working on our projects while the little boys ran around the house with No Noggin on in the background.

 

So of course Evan had to be No Noggin for Halloween.

It's basically a scare crow, but you need a tie and long sleeves and no head.

 

I loved seeing him flap around the gym. Scare crows are the best.

Seasons

****

Winter

grey clouds here to stay

snowflakes falling all day long

track mud in the house

Spring

color breaks through grey

sun returns to warm the ground 

finally play outside

Summer 

clothes wet at the beach

eat fresh berries every day

hear the ice-cream truck

Autumn

rain boots in the mud

pumpkins on every door step

chimney smoke returns

Rhetorical Questions

How great is watching your child learn to read and write?

Mrs. Shapiro compiles "class books" throughout the year, and the kids take turns bringing it home. 

Each one is based on a book they have read together. 

This is Avery's page. 

Do I even need to say it? I. LOVE. IT.

One evening I really wanted to take my family down to the beach and watch the sun set.

Doesn't that sound lovely?

We rarely get to watch the sun set because summer suns down go down late late late around here. 

The kids danced and sang and played and went to bed sandy.

Avery made up a song,

"Sun set shimmer! blah blah blah blah blah" can't remember, but it was a good one.

I went with Avery on a walking field trip to the local grocery store.

***

One night, we were reading books before bed. I sent Avery to get a few books. She came back with one and "tossed" it too me. Except she tossed it right at my face. I looked at her mad and asked, "Why?" 

She started crying and ran out of room. 

I hollered to her, "why are you crying?"

She said,  "because you're mad at me, and I'm really sorry. I'm not very good at tossing."

Of course I brought her in for a cuddle and let her know it's ok. I'm not good at tossing either. 

Who can I talk to about slowing down the growth of this child?

His toosh in the air...is so cute.

Post church. Am I right?

Have you ever seen a kid who wants to get to his crib more than this guy on a Sunday afternoon?

There are some times when Jim is working late and me and the kids need a reward for being 

the best we can be, 

so I say,

What the heck kids? What do you say to the rice and beans restaurant? 

(that's what they call it, but it's really Paso Del Norte)

This particular time we went as a reward for a NO CAVITY dentist visit.

These are some of my favorite memories with my kids there in the booth.

I also got to go with Evan on his pumpkin patch field trip. 

He got to take a little pumpkin home, but the sad thing is...he left it on the bus. 

You've never seen a bigger heartbreak. 

Of course I stopped by that local grocery store and let him pick out another. What mother wouldn't?

***

And lastly...

What are we going to do about Ebola?

First Hair Cut

Rememeber this curly head kid?

Jim would tell him he "has popcorn for hair".

Then one night Evan got his hair cut, and somehow Andrew ended up in the chair. 

Avery cried huge tears. She went and sat on the floor in her closet and sobbed. I went and sat by her and shed a few tears as well. 

We hugged and cried. 

Then I went and picked up some of the popcorn curls and put them in a baggy. 

For a few days after, Avery wouldn't look at him. 

He just looks so old. I don't think we were prepared for him to look so old. 

Stoney Ridge Farm 2014

Remember last year I forgot the battery to my big camera? 

That was sad. But I made up for it by taking one thousand pictures this year. 

Aren't pumpkin patches one of the best things in the world? 

They are so bright and colorful.

They are in order, yet random.

It's a treasure hunt to find The One.

It's tradition and nostalgia for the old folks.

Someone is always frowning in front of this sign.

2011, 2012

2013, 2014

Ha ha they just kept looking down at the what animal they were. 

Apple cider donuts by the fire is my favorite. 

I almost didn't let them go on this train ride, but they LOVED it. 

Next year Andrew will be old enough to beg.

Avery is saying "I'm covering up his hair cut". 

She is still so sad about it. We all are*. 

*to be continued.

 

Now run through the Christmas trees and back to the pumpkin patch.

At this point I am sick of these face cut outs.

Evan couldn't reach, and I can't lift him AND take the picture, so this is what you get.