Halloween 2011

Finally the night the kids have been waiting for! The night when all their candied dreams come true! This year we had a fireman, a policeman and a spy in the family and these costumes were well used in the week or so prior to the big night at parties and trunk or treats. Cameron is into spy stuff and last year he got this costume along with some spy gear from grandma so he was set. Gavin chose to be this police man that Cameron was a few years ago and Mason had no choice in his costume this year- he had to be the fireman. Years and years ago when Cameron was nearly three I bought him this ridiculously priced authentic costume for my precious boy and Jeremy nearly had a heart attack from the cost. I promised him that our future kids would all wear it and now they have. This is probably why we have all boys :) It really is good quality though and very adorable. Mason gets a little attitude when he had it on and barged into my work last week after a party demanding to know "where's your fire?" with his chest sticking out and using his manliest voice. Tonight grandma came trick or treating down our street with us and Cameron and Gavin were real good about remembering their manners, but Mason left something to be desired. He was quick to grab the candy but forgot or refused to say thank you despite being prodded by me. Little stinker. And now as I type this, Jeremy is out on round two with Cameron and Gavin and we will have more than enough candy to last until next year. I know this because we still have candy left from last Halloween. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go and "inspect" the candy from round one. With a tall glass of milk...

Snow for Halloween

Today we were going to go to a pumpkin patch and our wards trunk or treat. However, mother nature had different plans and our plans went out the window. We had snow as we woke up this morning that continued throughout the day. It was actually more like sleet, but there were several times that it definitely turned flaky and began to accumulate in a few areas. The kids were ecstatic, but Jeremy and I? Not so much. It's too early for snow! We stayed couped up inside and made the best of it by making home made donuts, carving pumpkins and watching Captain America. We definitely would have preferred to be outside in some nice, fallish weather, but staying in with all these boys turned out to be just as fun. We are hoping that the weather clears for Monday though!

Fall festivities

Yesterday Mason and I went with 4 R's to Pumpkinville, an annual tradition that each of the boys have done with preschool. There are animals to pet and feed, a hayride, and lots of slides and other fun things to do there. They also have apples and apple cider for free and that was Mason's favorite part. Forget the slides, he just wanted to eat apples, and he had several while we were there (and paid for it later).

I also got to help out in Cameron's class yesterday for their fall party. They made caramel apples and some fun crafts. I was grateful not to have to be in charge of everything and just show up to help. As expected, Cameron seems well liked in his class and has lots of friends he never tells me about. I'm just glad he's happy and has a great teacher.

Then last night we made Mr. Bones for dinner. Breadstick bones, spaghetti innards and veggies for his head and fingers and toes. A fun tradition copied from our much missed friends the Wadley's. The kids love eating pieces of our skeleton right off the table.

We're gearing up for Halloween and have a few more festivities planned, unfortunately SNOW is interfering with some of them today. SNOW in October? Craziness!

Tooth Fairy's comin' tonight!

Gavin's teeth came in late as a baby. His first little pearly white didn't appear until he was 13 months old. We were told that he would also loose his teeth late and sure enough, he has seen each of his little friends lose several teeth and has been jealous that the tooth fairy has not yet visited his own pillow. For a few weeks he has been wiggling one of his bottom middle teeth, asking for carrots and apples to bite into to hasten the process. It's been ready to come out for several days now but he wouldn't let me pull it. I offered to tie string around it and to my surprise he consented! He came short of allowing me to tie it to the door and slam it, but tried pulling it on his own to no avail. This seemed to loosen it some more though and with just a bit of coaxing he let me reach in and grab it! He giggled with glee and then immediately wanted to call and tell Grandma. He was a bit hesitant to go to bed tonight, unsure of who this tooth fairy is coming into his room in the dark, but after a pep talk from his older, seasoned brother he was good to go. I have a feeling we're in for an early morning tomorrow when he finds the goods!

Enjoying Fall

Although my blog doesn't show it, we have been enjoying the changing weather happening here. We've been on a couple of drives and a hike, and I even went on Gavin's kindergarten field trip to the pumpkin patch last week but forgot my camera. The leaves are peaking right now and I'm hoping to be able to take advantage of the beauty around us some more this week. A Virginia fall is like no other and I hope my kids can appreciate that. Yesterday we ventured to Merrifield garden center which offers a corn box, straw maze, hay ride, pumpkin painting and a couple of jumpy houses, much needed for getting some wiggles out of my boys and spending some quality family time.

Mason and Me

I often wish that I could raise my children one by one instead of all at the same time. I remember when it was just Cameron and I and I could completely focus my attention on that little guy without feeling pulled away by other little gremlins that demanded my time. I really mourned when Gavin was born and I felt so guilty that now Cameron would have to share his mama. Then Mason came and it was easier because the older boys were now used to sharing, but I still craved one on one time with each of them. Well, now the tables have turned, and Cameron and Gavin are gone during most days and Mason only had preschool two mornings a week so we are finding ourselves alone with each other. I couldn't be more thrilled to be able to dote on my littlest guy. Mason and I walked to the playground with a picnic lunch last week, he insisted on bringing our red wagon, and I pulled him most of the way there. I didn't take my cell phone, no magazine, I had no internet access, and we weren't even meeting anyone we knew there. It was an open-ended date, spontaneously thrown together simply because the weather was beautiful and the house cleaning could wait. When we got there, the park was empty and I got to slide down the slide, swing on the swings, and pretend to be a pirate saving our ship. There was nothing to pull my attention away from this most important time, completely and totally devoted to my Mason. We ate our lunch and talked about his favorite shows and the new friends he was making in preschool. It made me realize that I need to carve out more of that kind of time with my children, no distractions, just quality. It felt good to really give him a little piece of myself, even it was only for a couple of hours, and he beamed a bit brighter because of it. I am finding more time now to just be with him, this week we made these adorable and delicious cookies together and I let him add the ingredients and lick the bowl, it's been too long since we've done that. I need to remind myself to slow down and savor these opportunities to connect with these boys and show them that they are worth my time. Because they really are and I panic every time I think about how old they are becoming and how much time I have left with them. Blink and they will be grown, that's what I'm constantly told. I am loving this stage of life right now and the three (4) little hooligans that bring me happiness. I just wish there were more hours in the day.

Buzz Lightyear jammied Batman eating his breakfast: