Shoot!

What do boys do on cold days when they can't go outside?  Dream up ways to torture innocent Lego figures!

Obviously he need to work on his aim a little...

Consequences...

Caleb has a little friend across the street he plays with rather frequently.  We actually have a great group of kids in general on our street for the kids to play with, with the exception of 2 little girls who seem to always cause drama when they enter the picture.  The issue had been coming to a boiling point over several weeks and we finally had to tell our kids they were no longer allowed to play with these girls.  A few days later, C and his friend were playing out front and one of the girls was refusing to leave the friend's porch.  After several requests the boys apparently decided that they needed to take matters into their own hands and dialed 911.  Caleb immediately realized it was a bad idea so they hung up but, of course, an officer was sent out to check since it was a hang-up.  In their defense, the school 911 assemblies had taught them that if someone is breaking into your home (entering without permission) that is something to call 911 for, so it's at least partially understandable why the thought initially occurred to them...
The next afternoon the other boy's mom and I talked about an appropriate consequence.  We decided that the boys should write an apology and we would go to the station the next day to hand deliver their notes and some treats to the officers on duty.

The boys were all smiles until we walked through the door.  The clerk at the front desk was biting her lip to keep from laughing when we explained why we were there, and I could see the 2 officers she retrieved from the back doing the same as they approached the front door.  The officers were great - they explained why it's dangerous to call 911 when it isn't an emergency but also were quick to reassure the boys and explain that they want children to know how and when to use it appropriately.  It was a rather humbling experience but one whose lesson will stick, I hope!

Trick or treat!

Happy Halloween!

We had a fun weekend filled with activities, including "Trunk or Treat" at the rec center and a party with dear friends.

Quinn was a sock monkey.  Actually, this isn't actually a "costume" but a sweater romper that I thought was too darling to pass up.  He'll wear it other times throughout the season but for today we added a little pink nose and called it a costume!

 Sophia was a cat - again.  SHe has decided that she will alternate between her 2 favorite costumes - cat and last year's jellyfish - forever.  We'll see if that holds true next year!  If so, makes it easy on me!
Good thing she skipped the jellyfish this year - there was another one at trunk or treat!

 Caleb had several last minute changes to his costume.  First he wanted to be a character from the Scholastic Bone book series
but without a mask he was worried no one would know what he was - just a kid with a star on his shirt and a white face!  He was going to stuff himself into his old Ninja costume from 1st grade when Mike remembered a doctor costume stashed in the basement long ago and set to work brainstorming ideas with Caleb.  Doctor?  Vet?  Albert Einstein? Mad scientist?  Inventor?   
Some quick thinking thanks to movie night last weekend and - literally 20 minutes before we were heading out the door!!-  he became......

 Flint Lockwood - the main character/inventor in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!! (Yes, I know the name tag is wrong.  We put "Flynn" but this decision was made on the fly so we typed it out and looked up the real name after the fact!  Oh well.)

  And we couldn't forget his best friend and monkey side-kick, Steve (complete with monkey thought translator)!  Caleb didn't carry him around but it was cute anyway.  I think Caleb's favorite part was the crazy hair.  He was a little annoyed that some people couldn't figure out his costume but it was unique and when people did figure it out they thought it was brilliant and he was very proud. 

I was in charge of the class party for Sophia's class and was too busy to take pics but did manage to get one of her with her teacher (LOVE her!!!)

Sophia and Miss Boocks

 Quinn was wiped out after the morning party so he didn't wake up in time to make it back for Caleb's party but we did head back after school to get a pic of him with his teacher, as well.  The teachers all dressed as bees with the principal dressed as the Queen Bee.  Cute!

Caleb and Miss Pauken

We stopped at Grandma and Grandpa's house to show off the costumes since Quinn was unlikely to make it up for Trick or Treating then daddy took the big kids out after dinner while I put Quinn to bed and manned the door. 

A few more pics...

And the kid's pumpkins

 Caleb - funny face

 Sophia - cat (mangey looking but still!)

 And the "Four-faced pumpkin" designed by Dana, Matthew, Caleb and Sophia.  Each designed a face for it.

the other 2 faces.

First snow

Ugh.  We knew it had to come.  The fabulous weather couldn't last forever - not in Colorado.  On Tuesday morning out lovely ash tree in the backyard looked like this

A rainbow of reds, oranges, yellows and purples almost glowing in the glorious warm sunshine.  24 hours later....

 YUCK!  Heavy, wet snow that  threatened to snap our little peach tree - and did snap our neighbor's tree right in half!

 Caleb geared up to hit the snow off and try to save his peach tree

Lots of work for an early morning right before school, but it looks like the tree will be ok.

Sophie helped by watching Quinn while I got breakfast ready - complete with hot chocolate - for when Caleb was done.

Come on sunshine!  Melt this icky snow.

7 months!!

How is it possible that this sweet little bub is now closer to turning a year old than he is to the day of his birth?!?  Amazing how time is flying. 

 He can escape from the Bumbo chair so it's only used to prop him for photos and the rare times he wants to sit near me when I empty the dishwasher.

 He loves playing with paper and tags.

 He is learning to give "snuggles" (hugs).

 Look at those eyes!  And that awesome baby skin! Don't they just completely melt you??? (No?? Then click the photo to enlarge it and just try to resist them!)

 We're working on naps and sleeping at night.  It's a slow process but we are seeing some glimmers of hope!

 He can roll with a purpose now.  If he wants something he'll roll towards it then will grab the carpet with his fingers or toes to scoot himself towards it!  Time to get really strict with the big kids about the toys they're allowed to have and where they store the little ones!!

 Monkey snuggles.

My sweetest guy.

Harvest festival

Part of out CSA farm share - which I've raved about many times already - includes tickets to the annual Harvest Festival at Miller Farms.  With the weather getting ready to turn chilly we decided to take advantage of what was potentially the last nice weekend and head up to the farm with Grandma and Grandpa.

The farm was set up with all sorts of rides and activities for the kids - small mazes, riding toys, old planes to explore, giant tractor wheels to climb, and a bouncy "pillow".

Caleb and Sophie wanted to bounce first so headed over there.  It was so much fun even Daddy couldn't resist!

 All the kids quickly discovered that they could get an added "boost" by hanging out near Mike when he jumped (note the girls lying waiting to get bounced!)...

The kids rode some tractor bikes

Then we were off to harvest veggies!

Riding in the trailer out to the fields.

Since it was rather late in the season and we'd already had one frost, we were a bit limited in what was available but still found a good amount of

Onions...

Carrots...

popping corn (right on the cob - still not sure how to USE it but it's neat!)...

acorn squash...

pumpkins...

and potatoes!

All together we left with somewhere around 25 grocery bags of produce and several large pumpkins.

A few of our wagons full of produce!

The kids had a blast and we will definitely return next year!  Now, off to freeze some carrots and figure out long term storage for onions and potatoes!!!