Raiders of the Last Trunk

The church where the boys go to school hosted a "trunk & treat" event called Raiders of the Last Trunk. The kiddos got to play games for candy in the church parking lot.

Woody

A very serious Buzz Lightyear

Getting mummified

Trying to blow the ping pong balls across the pool

Day Out With Thomas

Last month we took a road trip with our friends, the Wagners, to Rusk to the Texas State Railroad for the Day Out With Thomas event. The boys had a great time! Not only did we get to ride Thomas but they got to do a ton of Thomas related activities. They played with trains, colored, got tattoos, etc. They were worn out by the end of the day.

Mason holding his ears as Thomas blows his train whistle

Sir Topham Hat - you'll notice that neither of my boys is in the pic (even after we waited in line). They were cool admiring him from afar, but they wouldn't go near him.

Waiting to board the train. Ian is crazy!

Mason, Ian, & Eli

Because the folks live so close we stayed the night with them. RJ & Susan got to experience hillbilly hell for an evening. A terrible storm rolled through, and the electricity went out for several hours. But we still had a great visit. We put the kiddos to bed and we sat around the kitchen table talking for hours!

Mater Detour

Last month we were in Rusk to spend the Day Out with Thomas the Train and we found Mater! Since the boys love Mater we decided we needed to stop to get some pics with him.

Mason was so excited to touch his "tow hook"

Because we're big into monkey see, monkey do - Ian had to touch the "tow hook" too

Gearing up for Halloween

After our recent trip to the Pumpkin Patch we have been gearing up for Halloween in full force. Last week we carved and painted our pumpkins and we got out our Halloween decorations. Mason found the scary masks and gloves and went about trying to scare everyone in the house. At one point I caught him wearing the gloves on his feet as "monster feet." Ian even got in on the scaring action! We can't wait for Halloween this year!

Pumpkin Patch 2010

Last weekend we decided to take the boys to the pumpkin patch at TGR Exotics. It's a quiet little animal sanctuary set up in a residential area. The boys had a blast. It amazes me how much they have playing in a trough of corn. We did get to see several exotic animals - they even pet the small grey kangaroo. After checking out all the sites the boys made a couple of pinecone bird feeders and picked out some small pumpkins to bring home and pain.

Swim Lessons

I'm not sure how I could have forgotten to mention swim lessons before now because it was a huge thing for us this summer. Both took swim lessons from Amber K. and she was awesome with them (far more patient that I would have been). I highly recommend her to anyone looking for someone to come to your house or subdivision pool for private lessons. By the end of their 8 lessons she had both boys swimming at least 10 feet to the pool wall, "monkey walking" around the pool until they could get to a ladder, and pulling themselves out. Both boys also learned that if we every fall into the water "go to our backs," which Mason practices frequently in the tub! We started the summer in floaties, but by the end they didn't even want to wear them. They really exceeded my expectations!

Ian swimming to Mrs. Amber

So proud of himself

Mason swimming to Mrs. Amber

He made it!

First Day of School - August

Both boys had their first day of school on August 24th. Mason is attending the 3 yr. old half day program on T & Th, and Ian is attending the 2 yr. old half day program on Tues. They're both in school from 9:00am to 1:00pm which gives me at least one day each week to try to run as many errands as I can without kiddos. I've finally gotten caught up on doctor and dentist appointments! Both boys are loving school. Today (Oct. 19th) was the first day (with the exception of the first day of school) that I was able to drop Ian off without him crying. I'm sure it had something to do with the pancake breakfast they were having this morning, but I'll take it!