Happy Halloween!

As I type our little lion is sleeping upstairs while Daddy, Captain Barnacles, and Mario riding Yoshi are still out trick or treating.  It has been a pretty great holiday!

We started out with pumpkin carving last night.  This was not my finest hour.  The kids wanted to make Mario pumpkins and it just wasn't pretty.  I may have gotten a bit frustrated but the kids had a great time.

 This is a total Daddy activity.  There are big knives involved and Mommy gets stressed.  I need to hit the sales to buy one of those kid safe carving kits for next year.

 Once Daddy cut off the tops it was time to get our hands dirty!  Max was a little cautious at first but he got it done.  Will and Jack weren't too sure.  Jack giggled but barely watned to touch it.  Will announced that "I'm glad I didn't touch that with my sucking thumb!"

 Max did a great job using the knife to cut the Mario outline on his pumpkin.  Mom and Dad did the hard core cutting.

 I have to admit that the finished product turned out pretty well.  The boys were excited about them.

 Before we headed out for trick or treating we all stopped at Grandma and Grandpa's for a visit.  Even Cali the dog got in on the Halloween picture action!

Max's Party Day

Yesterday afternoon I had the fun job of helping out at Max's Halloween party.  It was a great time - a little crazy, but great none the less.

There were crafts - including the adorable hats all the kids were wearing and games.  Here the kids had to work in groups to put the skeleton together.  They got pretty into it.  Our other game was a relay where the kids had to balance a mini pumpkin on their head and walk across the room.  I have to say it was tough!  Those little pumpkins were slippery.

We finished up with a makeshift photo booth.  I love this silly picture of Max.  I still can't believe he is a 2nd grader.  It just goes too quickly!  I'm going to need to begin thinking about the spring party for this wild crowd!

Will the Party Animal

Will had not one but two Halloween parties today!  Just don't tell Max, I think he would be jealous :)

We started out with snack in the classroom at his 'regular school' party.  Every time the kids eat they say this super sweet prayer with hand motions.  I love it.

Then there was the parade.  Will waved to all the parents like a champ.

The parade ended in the little gym for some super cute songs.  Will was a super waver, but singer, not so much.  He still looked pretty darn cute.

  Games were next on the list and Will had a blast with his two little buddies.  I hear their names on a daily basis so it was fun to watch them play pass the pumpkin, musical tombstones, and a ring toss game.

This guy was a trooper through it all.  He was rewarded with a cookie and he was thrilled.

The party continued with a party a Will's 'speech school'.  He paraded around the building with the other kiddos and got even more treats.  It was pretty cute to watch.  I didn't get any pictures of that one.  I was too busy trying to keep Jack happy.

Now we just have to get through Max's class party tomorrow.  It should be fun - and I'll be happy to get all the party supplies out of my dining room!

Halloween Bash

Just like the last few years Great Aunt Carm and Great Uncle Mike threw a spectacular Halloween party tonight.  The kids had so much fun!

Well Jack had fun when he wasn't being forced into his lion costume.  He was not a fan and pretty much couldn't wait to get it off.  I considered myself fortunate that I got to dress Will and Max and not Jack.  It was rough.

But he looked so stinkin cute!

Will continues to love all things Octonauts.  For months he has talked about being Captain Barnacles for Halloween.  I will admit there were several rough moments in the making of this costume - including promises that I will never make another costume ever again - but he loved it.  He was so excited to dress as his favorite character.  It made all the work worthwhile.

Max loves Mario.  For a month he wanted to be Bowser.  I was totally overwhelmed by the idea of making  a Bowser costume.  It was crazy.  So after some additional searches we found this.  Max fell in love with it and so did all the other kids at the party.  

 There were three other kids at the party - the sort of cousins.  All five of the big kids played so well together.  These two cracked everyone up.  They were holding hands and she was telling Will exactly what he should be doing.  He listens to her better than he ever listens to me :)

 These two oldest boys would have played in the backyard all night - in fact I think they pretty much did.  Throw in one more boy that I didn't get a picture of and they were in elementary school boy heaven.

 While Jack did play with the bigger kids some, no one measures up to the Nonna.

I'm not sure why everyone is leaning, but there is a whole lot of love in this picture!

 Last but not least here are the hosts with the most!  I'm so lucky to have these two amazing people in my family.  I'm even more lucky that my boys are getting to know and lvoe them as well.  In fact Will sent Great Uncle Mike a letter just the other day - it may have just been a couple strips ripped from a coloring book, but it's the thought that counts right?  Great Aunt Carm has one in the mail too.

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Last Monday the boys were off school so Brian took off work and we had a family fun day.  Our annual trip to the pumpkin patch was wonderful!  You wouldn't think it was October based on how we were dressed.  The weather was beautiful!

Will calls this his 'roof'.  Whenever we head outside and it's sunny he yells out 'automate roof' and puts his hand up to shield his eyes.  I guess all the boys needed roofs.

 These two big boys know how to push my buttons like no one else - well maybe besides their Daddy.  No matter how much they can fight and make me crazy they always redeem themselves with sweet moments like this.  It seems like there are more sweet moments than their used to be.  Progress.

 I love how hard Will worked at the obstacle course.  He didn't give up even when things were tough.  He stuck with it and was so proud when he got to the top so he could slide down.

 This little guy had so much fun!  He must have gone down this slide 30 times and every time his smile was this big.  He would get to the bottom and tell me 'more slide again mommy!' and run around to climb the stairs .

 With a little help from Max, Jack was able to move all around on this cute little tractor.  He couldn't quite peddle, but I think they were broken any way.

 My big daredevils had a blast on the zip line.  They loved the ride down.  Although Will wasn't wild about the landing in the hay.  It was itchy!

 Here is my attempt at a picture of all three boys while we waited for our tractor ride.  Someday they will all look at the camera right?

The whole family loved the tractor ride.  It wasn't quite as messy as last year, but it was still fun anyway.

These three little men mean the world to me.  There have been a couple rough nights this week, but no matter what I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Things Will Says

In the van while waiting in the preschool drop off line.

Me: It's chilly outside today.
Will: I know what happened mom!  God was hot up in heaven so he turned on the air conditioning and all the cold air came down to us!

He has a solution for everything.

Max the Soccer Player

With two boys playing soccer this fall our weeks have been jam packed with practices and our weekends full of games.  We usually have to divide up to get everyone where they need to be, but today was pretty special because we were all able to cheer on our very favorite second grader.  Even Nonna and Nonno came out to celebrate!

Will and Jack had lots of fun snuggled up under the blankets with Nonna and Nonno.  Of course Will didn't want to have his picture taken.

I'm glad that Jack will still smile for the camera! I have to admit it was freezing out there!  Fall has come in full force and that wind was brutal!  Luckily Nonna was smart enough to bring blankets.

 Jack really didn't seem to mind the wind.  He was happy in his Handy Manny chair with his blanket.  I tried to convince him to snuggle on my lap - I was underdressed and freezing - but he wasn't having it.

 Max had two games last weekend and I think that was a bit much for him.  Today he did a better job.  Little by little the boys are developing some skills and they play real positions now rather than just chase the ball in a herd. No matter the outcome I love to watch Max play!  It warms my heart when I know he is giving it his very best effort - even if he isn't the best one out there.

Many things come easily to Max, soccer isn't necessarily one of them.  We want him to understand that no matter what he has to try to best.  It doesn't matter if your team is losing or winning, if you are the best player or the worst.  You always give you best effort.