Happy Halloween!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

We were invited to a Halloween trick-or-treat party, but 1) we did not think that Art could make it there so early leaving work and 2) staying home might give us a good chance to meet some of our new neighbors.

First, before we REALLY got our trick-or-treat on, our family went to a nursing home a block away to trick-or-treat there.  The social director there had asked us to come by and bring other families if possible.  She asked because I had a meeting with her this week regarding our bible study group coming to their nursing home once a week to visit with the residents.  This would be our first glimpse of the place and the residents there.  We asked the C. family to join us as we walked there, and the W family met us there.

Here we are about to leave:

1970s Detective, Baby Puppy, Hershey Kiss, Incredible Hulk, IronMan off to visit the nursing home and prowl the neighborhood.

Looking good.

The C family looked GREAT.  They were dressed as Star Wars characters: Darth Vader, Princess Leia, R2D2, Chewy, Luke Skywalker, and Yoda.  What a fun idea. Maybe next year we will do a theme dress-up!

Our pumpkins waiting for us

Cute little boy as a shark brought back memories of when I was a shark in 5th grade.

Baby puppy kept losing his paws!  Good thing 1970s Detective was there to solve the case!

We trick-or-treated at The Grove, parted ways with the W family, then trick-or-treated with the C family for a bit until they met up with another family and we went on our way.  Zachary was bummed to no longer be trick-or-treating with his friend David, and was pretty grumpy the rest of the time, and finally just started asking to go home.  I was pretty sad that at AGE FIVE, he is already not fun with his family.  Wyatt had a blast and loved being with us as a whole family, but we finally went back home to have dinner (pizza!!) and appease Zachary who did not want any more candy.

Yannick's First "Independent" Bath

Little Nick is getting to be a good sitter.  Today I finally decided to get rid of the baby bath that we had been putting into the tub with Wyatt, and let Yannick sit in the tub unsupported.  He thought it was so very great to be in the bath with this big brother and play with toys and of course SPLASH!

Wyatt is trying to get Yannick to look up at the camera.  No way was he taking his eyes off those toys!

Look Who Found The Costume Box

Zachary was going through our Halloween box tonight, and found these goodies.  Pieces from about 4 different costumes put together for this great look!  Not sure if the t-rex shirt hinders or enhances!

Pumpkin Time!

We finally got our pumpkins carved!!  Fun family times!

All of us working hard on carving and designing

Looking good!

On the porch

Picking out our Pumpkins

A little late this year, but we are finally picking out our pumpkins.  We will paint and carve them later this afternoon.  All 3 boys are in costume because before our trip to the pumpkin patch, we went to visit our Senior Citizen, Mrs. Beanie (86yrs old).  We  thought that she might enjoy them all dressed up.

We went to this pumpkin place 2 years ago, and since our time was limited, we decided to go here again.  Last year we went to Diedler Farm (about 45min away) with Tanta JaJa and picked out our pumpkin after horse rides, hay rides, carnival rides, etc.

The big boys each got a wagon to pull around the pumpkins.  They were instructed to each pick out one pumpkin to carve.  Wyatt first picked out a $52 pumpkin bigger than him.  We nixed that, and guided him to the more reasonably priced pumpkins.

Wyatt loading his wagon up just to pull the pumpkins around

Look what we found in the patch!

Our own little pumpkin!  Yannick should have been wearing the cute little hat that goes with this; it looks like the stem of the pumpkin

We simply could NOT get this kid to smile.  He was much too engrossed in what was going on around him.

Here we are trying to get a cute one of the 3 boys.  Never happens!

Still, no smile!  Our pouty pumpkin.

Ironman, Incredible Hulk watching over the pumpkins

Woo hoo, Yannick, over here; look here baby!  sheesh.

Off to home for lunch and a nap!

Visit with Mrs. Beanie

Our new Senior Citizen, Ms. Beanie is working out wonderfully!  She is very involved with the kids, positive, chatty, etc, etc.  A big big change from Mr. Steffeck.  Since we are just a few days away from Halloween, I thought it would be a good idea to let the boys wear their costumes.  Zachary is Iron Man, Wyatt is Incredible Hulk, and Yannick has 2 to choose from - a pumpkin and a puppy.  We went with pumpkin today.

During today's visit I decided to take some Halloween crafts for the boys to work on with Ms. Beanie.  Wyatt lost interest pretty quickly.

Zach, Art, and Ms. Beanie making Halloween crafts

3 crafters, and one granola ("gola") bar chomper

After crafts, they boys wanted to play chess.  Zach is VERY into chess right now.  His friend David is in the chess club, and they play during free time at kindergarten.  We play all the time at home now.  Even Wyatt knows what the pieces do.  Neither of them are able to use much strategy, but Zach is starting to see what might happen if he makes a move, as in "if I move my Q here, you will probably bump me", or "I can't move my knight here unless it is supported by my pawn".  It's fun!

Ms. Beanie supervising the superheroes playing chess.  She does not know how to play, but the boys don't seem to mind

With our last Sr Citizen we volunteered with, I kept an eagle eye on the time, for when we could get out of there, but now, the time just slips by and we overstay our hour quite often!

Cute story:  On the way to the King home, we prepped the boys about what our plans for the day were: visit Ms. Beanie, then go pick out pumpkins.  When we got to Ms. Beanie's apartment, Wyatt goes up to her and says "when we get done with Ms. Beanie's, we're getting pumpkins".  

Art YIKES!!

Getting VERY VERY close to time for a haircut methinks! :)  Or perhaps a humidifier so Art's hair does not stand on end

Life with ZWY

Today Wyatt was obsessed with getting his picture taken and videos of himself that he could watch.  No problem!  When Zachary got home from school (seriously, how is he old enough to go to all-day kindergarten?!?!), he took up the reins as well.  Here is some insight into today

Wy needing his picture taken on the "onit"

Now for several videos

Wyatt wanting to see the movie

Yannick in the jumper then Wy helping

Zachary wanting me to video him playing with his toys

Wyatt jumping on the mattress

Not sure if I have already explained the mattress on the floor yet.  A few weeks ago when our NEW BED (a 10yr overdue wedding present) arrived, I had to quickly move our old mattress out of our bedroom to make room for the new box spring and mattress.  I ended up just throwing it on the floor in the boys room.  Never ever expecting that it would stay there.  The big boys started using it as a poor-man's trampoline, and Art and I found that it is super comfy to have it on the floor in there when playing on the floor with the boys and giving Yannick toys to play with.  He can sit on it with no worries of toppling over.  I fear this mattress will become a permanent fixture in this room.  Here I am trying to class up the joint and am foiled by an innocent placement mistake.  Though I hate to admit it, the mattress is fun and convenient! 

Halloween Craft Day

Today Zach had the day off school.  I like to do special things for him on the days we get him home.  Today I planned a Halloween brownie decoration craft.  I picked up a kit last week in prep for today.  We waited for Nick to go down for a nap and then started our craft.  The boys helped make the batter, stir it and put it into the haunted house mold.  45 minutes later we were back in the kitchen, them sitting on the counter decorating their brownie (which sadly, I ate most of).  It was such a fun time!

Wyatt and Zachary preparing to make their brownie mix

Yummy batter!!

Wyatt's fully decorated brownie haunted house (Zach was avoiding the paparazzi by this point)

Enjoying their decorated brownies!

Boys decorating brownies

It was such a wonderful time with just the two bit boys, and Yannick did great and slept the entire time which was a blessing.  

Then we (read: mostly mommy) enjoyed eating the brownies!

Wyatt is a good big brother!

While I am trying to unloading the groceries and fix lunch, Wyatt decides to help out by giving "baby Nicky" (as Wyatt calls him) a bottle I had left over from the morning.  It was a huge help!  Wyatt got bored pretty quickly (by my standards), but every little bit helps!  Thanks big brother Wyatt!

Apple Picking!

Last year we tried to go apple picking, but it rained every weekend in October.  This year, we were finally successful!  We went into Wisconsin with the W family to Apple Holler.  It was a bit of a drive, a bit overcrowded, a bit "commercial", and seriously seriously windy.  Despite all those bits, it was a lot of fun.  I was really stressed at first, and was having a hard time relaxing, but once all 3 boys were fed, and I especially was fed, things started to be more fun.  We spent some time in the corn maze, some time in the kids playground area, some time in line buying apple donuts, some time watching a pig race, and finally on the wagon to head to the orchards for the actual apple picking.  Once we arrived at the orchards, everything was so calm and serene, it was lovely!  Such an enjoyable time.  Neither Art nor I (and by extension, neither had the boys) have never been apple picking, so this was such a thrill for all of us.  Wyatt did wet himself attempting to use the port-a-potty which he said was gross, but luckily Stephanie had an extra pair of jammie pants which she let us borrow.  Wy did not care that he looked silly! :)  One of the more enjoyable aspects of the orchard was that you could eat as many apples as you wanted that did not count toward the apples you took home.  We all ate many many many apples that day - more than enough to last us awhile!

Handsome Wyatt munching away on an apple (with the skin mind you!!)

Wyatt with his bag of apples, going deep into an apple tree for more

Handsome Zachary with his apple bag

Zach gathering apples from low branches (low hanging fruit?)

Shayna eating her fill while Yannick naps

Wyatt showing the camera his stash

Wyatt off with his apple bag

Proud of the apples he picked

After a good long while, Wyatt, who was way past naptime, started to get tired, so he, Yannick and I went to sit out the rest on some benches by where you get picked up to be taken back to the main area.  Art and Zachary continued on with the W family to explore more rows of apples and different varieties.

It was a long long day - we stayed many hours longer than I thought we would.  But enjoyable!  We went home and had a quick dinner then everyone off to bed.  So glad we did it.  Next year though, we might go to a place that is JUST orchard, without all the bells and whistles.  and crowds.

C5 v. E5

Two men, two women, 6 boys - not the start of a strange video game, but a reunion of old friends.  The E family also has 3 boys, their middle son is the same age as Zachary.  Art and I were super excited to see Joel & Emily, but were very curious how our 5yr old, 3 yr old, and 6m old would get along with their 9, 5, and 2yr olds.  Turns out GREAT.  Andrew, their middle son, had it the best b/c he got along with either Zachary or Wyatt, whereas Ssam, their oldest mostly hung out alone or with Zachary.  We stayed with them right after Karl & Laura's wedding, hitching a ride with both Joel and Art's parents.  Our big boys slept in sleeping bags in their big boys' room (their two older ones share a room w/ a bunk bed, while their youngest shares a room with the guest bed) and Art, Yannick and I slept in the guest room.  Calvin, the youngest boy, generously gave up his crib for our little Nick.

It was a wonderful time for all. Art's big thrill - driving Joel's Jeep Wrangler - a dream car of Art's for many many years.  Other things we did: play baseball and digging in the dirt in the open backyard; went to a nice playground with everyone, Emily and I went to a coffee shop and chatted while Art, Joel, and Sam played Axis and Allies. One night we had late dinner after all kids in bed so we could eat w/ just the adults. Lunch and playplace at Chick fil a!  Lunch at Waffle House!  We were excited to go to Sam's baseball game, but it got rained out. boo.

We had a great time hanging out with them, and of course it was not enough time.  What is also enjoyable is seeing the different ways people live.  They live in a house that backs up with a circle of houses, all sharing a large open backyard, just like the Backyardigans.  There are not so many cul de sacs in Evanston, so it's not a layout I've seen a lot of.  Where they live is pretty far (ok, for our standards, not for everyone's standards) removed from all but residential.  It was odd (for us!) to get into a car to drive to a playground, since we've had a playground within a 1-2 minute walk, or right behind the house in some cases, since we lived in Albuquerque.  And until our new house, we have been within walking distance of a grocery store or similar.  Now, we have a gas station a block away, and it will do in a pinch for desperate items (like a 9V battery to put in a stud finder - which yes, found Art; or to purchase some snacks etc).  I do miss our Walgreens a block away.  We now have a Walgreens within pretty quick biking distance, but is about 5 blocks N and 3 blocks W.  Not impossible, but not super convenient like before.  If only our new house could be in the location of our old apartment....but I digress.  It is just interesting to experience different types of lifestyles.  No el trains, or hospital less than a mile away.  Much quieter at night.

Some pics from our visit...compliments of Emily, since I was a doofus and did not pack a camera - not even at Karl & Laura's wedding!

Shayna reading to all the boys minus Sam

Art playing catch with Sam while Zachary looks on and Wyatt getting ready to move on to the next thing

Emily, Sam, Shayna w. Yannick, Art, Wyatt, Zachary, Andrew all checking out the lake with fish, a crazy slapping turtle, and ducks

Art driving the jeep w/ Joel vamping

The two firstborns: Zachary & Sam

Wyatt & Zach sliding

Boy parade heading to the lake

The whole houseful! 

All first-borns in the jeep (though Emily & I are also first-borns)

Wyatt at top of slide - very artsy picture

Parents hanging out, "keeping purses safe" while Sh rocks the carrier to keep Yannick asleep

Emily with her "baby" Cal

Totally loving the playground! :)

Little Nick awake and ready to party

Zachary and Andrew checking out the lake

Two middle children getting a turn in the jeep!

Andrew not thrilled with Art's driving

A great trip indeed!  Thanks so much to the entire E family for hosting us!  That was a LOT of testosterone in one house!