Halloween 2013

Halloween this year was very fun.  The big kids are pros at the whole Halloween thing by now, and Mason had no trouble catching on! We actually got two uses out of our costumes this year because we had a neighborhood party that we went to the weekend before Halloween.  The party was lots of fun - hayride, Jupiter Jumps, and a costume contest.

Halloween night itself was fun too.  We first stopped at Mimi and Papa's, which is our usual thing.  After we leave there, the kids already have a full basket of candy, so we could technically stop right there and be just fine.  However, our neighborhood is just perfect for trick or treating so we were off!  We had already made plans to trick or treat with some friends from the neighborhood so that made it even more fun.  Mason and I went along for a few streets and then we headed home to hand out candy but the big kids stayed out a little longer with their friends (and Daddy of course).

After we were finished with trick or treating, Mason had a little bit of candy.  Or maybe a lot of candy.  Or maybe even a sucker for each hand.  All in all, we had a great night!

Pumpkin Season

This year we painted pumpkins (just small pie pumpkins) and carved them.  The painting was a huge hit with all three kids.  It kept them entertained much longer than I anticipated and was less messy than I thought as well.  Maddie did an awesome job on hers but the boys' painted pumpkins were not the cutest.  They had fun though so that was all that mattered!

Now onto the carving . . . next year, only Maddie gets to carve a pumpkin.  She can basically do most of it herself and did a great job.  Micah is physically able to do lots of the work, but he doesn't have the attention span to stick with it.  So he basically just bugged Mason the whole time which was quite counterproductive to getting the pumpkins carved.  Maddie did her own, I did Micah's, and Mark did Mason's.  They turned out good but not exactly the process I had hoped for.

My Favorite Thing About Micah

Just as any child, Micah has his share of shortcomings.  And he can absolutely, positively drive me crazy like nobody else in this world.  However, he has this inexplicable and remarkable way that he connects with people.  I believe it is really a gift - I hope he is able to use it in his life for good!

Today he came home from school talking about a lady that works in the lunch room handing out milk cartons.  He was able to call her by name and he sounded very intrigued and interested by her.  He even took the time to find a picture of her in his yearbook and show it to me.  The picture was just a generic picture of all the lunch ladies and did not mention any names but yet he knew her name.  I love it that he takes the time and interest in the "unimportant" people.  And this is truly just one example- he is always meeting new people and making new friends.  But for what it is worth, he also told me he is very fond of the dessert lady and he always smiles at her.  Probably so she is certain to always give him dessert :)

Micah's Kindergarten picture

Pumpkin Patch 2013

We go to the Pumpkin Patch every year.  It is a favorite activity for the kids.  I see a time in the very near future that Maddie will not be quite so excited about going, but for this year, she was still happy to go.

I love to take pictures at the Pumpkin Patch but it is always much more of a challenge than I expect.  But after I get the pics I love to compare them to previous years because it is a really good way to see how the kids have grown and changed.

We had a good time at the Pumpkin Patch this year.  We took a hayride, fed the animals, did the Corn Maze, did the Dark Maze, and Mason rode a pony for the first time ever (and LOVED it!!).  It was so cute- he kept saying "Yee Haw" while riding the pony.

Love these three sweet kids

Gotcha Day

Happy Gotcha Day to Micah.  Can't believe it has been four years since this sweet little boy joined our family.  He got to choose lunch and picked Genghis Grill- we thought he made a great choice!!

Community Helpers

In Kindergarten, they do lots of fun stuff.  One day is called "Community Helpers Day".  The kids learn about community helpers and then can dress up in a costume depicting a community helper. Micah had two old Halloween costumes that would have worked: a doctor and a mailman.  He chose to go to school dressed in his mailman outfit and of course looked cute as can be!

Micah Jogathon

So this year Micah somehow managed to lose his Jogathon pledge form.  It wasn't until just a few days before the Jogathon that I realized he never brought it home.  Therefore, he didn't really have time to raise any money.  We donated a little and Mimi and Papa donated a little so he will be able to get a prize, but only the very minimum.  I wasn't able to get many pictures of him jogging because it was super crowded and there wasn't a very good angle.  However, he appeared to run hard and he did lots of laps!