Halloween Party

Yes, it's been a long time since I updated, but I figured that I needed to post some pictures of the boys in their Halloween costumes.

The daycare that Jayden attends had a party on October 24. The kids got to dress up and do all sorts of fun things. Here they are impatiently waiting for me to take their picture so we can get on our way. The bear that Danny is holding is Snowball and it's his kindergarten "class pet."



Danny got hold of my camera in the car and decided he needed to get an extreme close up of Jayden.






After much bickering in the car ride about who got to take pictures with mommy's camera, we finally got to the school. Jayden met up with two of his friends.



First things first, they needed to make bags to hold the candy for the night. Of course they couldn't possibly sit together (see bickering comment above). So I had to run back and forth between the two tables to see their creations. Maybe it was their way of saying I needed some exercise.





After making their bags, Danny spotted his old teacher Ms. Shannon (he adores her). She painted a spider on his hand.



And then we were off to pick out pumpkins. After much begging and pleading from Mom, I finally got them to sit next to each other for a picture (again, see bickering comment above). You would think that they would have been united against their mean mommy who solved the fight with "FINE, it's MY camera, NEITHER of you can have it" but apparently not. I did manage to get two cheesy grins out of my boys, though.



Then it was on to make lollipop ghosts. Notice that while they are sitting close to each other here, they're not too close. I'm amazed at how long they can stay irritated with each other.




Then they played some games and got to fill up their bags with candy. My hope was that they would fill up on sugar early enough that the crash would occur right about bedtime.

After more bickering, it was "decided" that Danny could go first. At least they weren't fighting over the camera anymore.



Then Jayden took a turn...



The next stop was making fall wreaths. Notice that they are STILL not sitting next to each other.



Although at this point, I think Jayden decided to direct his irritation at mom for taking so many pictures of him.



At this point, the boys went in two different directions. Danny decided to make a jack-o-lantern...



And Jayden decided to check out some "blood and guts" in the other room with his friend...



And then it was time to go. Jayden said goodbye to his friends, Danny bolted for the front door and Mom prayed that the bickering in the car wouldn't be too bad and that the sugar high would wear off soon.



All in all, it was actually a fun night. And, as usual, the boys forgave each other. After all, it's much more fun to be united against a common enemy (otherwise known as Mom).

Apple Hill

I took the boys up to Apple Hill to get a pumpkin to carve. This was probably not the best idea I've had since it was the weekend before Halloween and everyone else had the same brilliant idea of heading up the hill. It was REALLY crowded!

Here are the boys in the "pumpkin patch."



The boys were allowed to each pick out one pumpkin that they could carry and we'd get a larger, family pumpkin to actually carve. Jayden actually did what I asked (that teeny orange ball in his hand is actually the pumpkin he picked out).



Danny actually picked out a pumpkin he could carry as well. (Note to self: Danny is MUCH stronger than I originally thought).



And what would a trip to Apple Hill be like without getting a caramel apple? (Second note to self: DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT WIPES, CARAMEL APPLES ARE STICKY!!!)





So, after some make-shift wipes of napkins and water, we decided to check out what else was going on at Apple Hill. We left to visit "High Hill" which is one of our favorite spots up there. The boys watched some of the older kids fish at a man-made lake they have there. I promised them next time I'd let them get a fishing pole, but for some reason handing a 5 and a 2 year old a pole with a string with a hook on the end of it gave me a feeling of dread. I'm hoping that by next year they forget my promise.







After watching the fish for a while, the boys decided they wanted to check out the pumpkins they had at High Hill. They had a good time climbing on the hay bales.



And just to reinforce to me that he is quite capable of picking out his own, very large pumpkin, Danny had to do it again. Jayden didn't have as much luck picking up his own "large" pumpkin.

THIRD NOTE TO SELF: DO NOT PROVOKE DANNY BY SAYING HE CANNOT DO SOMETHING. HE IS JUST AS STUBBORN AS HIS MOTHER.



Let's just hope that when we go back during Christmas he doesn't insist on picking out his own tree. My ceilings are not high enough to accommodate his choices. Although, maybe I can try the "you have to be able to carry it" idea again.

Goats? HERE?!?!

Yep, Goats. In suburbia. Right behind my parents house, in fact. Of course, the boys HAD to see that! I know, us city folks don't get out enough.

After a short walk, we came upon a baby goat (maybe a day or two old). His mom was off eating (not that I can blame her, I know what it's like trying to eat a meal when your children are on top of you!) and the baby was crying for her. The boys were very concerned that the mommy had left her baby.



So they got as close as they could to try to comfort the little thing. We showed the boys where the goat's mommy was and that what the baby was doing was similar to when Danny and Jayden say "mommy, mommy, mommy" over and over and over.... That seemed to ease their concern. Not long after that, the mommy goat came over and got her baby and all was well.



After that, Danny decided that he wanted to take a picture of the goats. I don't have any to post because most of them were extremely blurry. Danny doesn't quite get the concept that you cannot run and take pictures at the same time. He does, however get the concept that if you hold the camera high over your head, you can irritate your little brother. And it's even funnier when you take a picture of him while he's frustrated!



Poor Jayden, after the Halloween Party, the day at Apple Hill and visiting the goats, he was pooped. We got back to my parents house and he crashed out on the sofa.

Danny's Martial Arts Class

I signed Danny up for a martial arts class at our local community center and he absolutely loves it. It's been very good for him as far as helping him to concentrate more. He looks forward to Thursday nights when he can go "practice."

On this night they had him "breaking" a board. He thought that was just about the coolest thing ever.



Unfortunately Jayden is still too young to participate, so he has to watch from the sidelines.


Danny really likes his teacher and usually volunteers to go up with him to demonstrate warm-ups for the rest of the class.



We're learning how to patiently wait out turn. Sometimes it's really hard and we can't help but play with the other kids.



But when it's his turn, he's pretty good at following directions

Kindergarten!!!

I can't believe it. He's in kindergarten already. I feel old. Surprisingly I didn't cry. Not surprisingly, neither did he. Danny is in the afternoon session, which is not really convenient, but he's at the school I wanted him to attend. What's that saying? Beggars can't be choosers or something like that?

So, here we are, the pictures from his first day:



Danny and Jayden wait across the street from the school and patiently pose for the first of (as Danny later complained) "WAY too many pictures, mom!" When his baby starts school, he'll understand. Maybe. Or maybe not.



Jayden checks to make sure that I am still behind him. Danny could care less. Mr. Independent.




And here's the school he is attending. Kindergarten is gated in, away from the older kids. (I actually had to take this after we dropped Danny off because, as you will see in the next pictures, the crowd of people waiting to get in to the kindergarten area was, um, very large!)



And here we are among all the anxious parents and ambivalent 5 year olds. I really think that the parents were WAY more nervous than the children. Well, I was anyway.



Danny didn't know what the big deal was about. He entertained himself by making weird faces.



Then the gate opened and with a loud "moo" (okay, I didn't really moo, but felt like it would have been fitting) we were all herded into the kindergarten area.







As we waited to get into the actual classroom, Danny continued to entertain himself by making weird faces.



Antagonizing his little brother



And looking into the windows of the classroom





Finally it was time for him to go inside. He said the obligatory hello to his new teacher (but she wasn't nearly as interesting as the actual classroom apparently)



Found his cubby and put his backpack away



And made himself at home, checking out all the new, cool stuff.





His teacher told the kids to pick out a book



Sit on the rug and read until everyone had a book and was on the rug.



When all the kids were ready, the teacher read the kids a story (The Kissing Hand)



Jayden really liked the book too (but not the crowd of kids).



After story time, we were not so subtly told to leave. At this point, Danny looks up for me, sees me and says "bye mom! See you at 2:30" and promptly ran off to play.



What I want to know is who told him he could grow so fast? (And more importantly make me feel so darned old?)