Pumpkin Carving and Halloween

This year we didn't get our pumpkin carved until the day of Halloween.  The boys didn't really want to get dirty but we made them scoop out guts anyway.

"Ewww gross" he said.

"Want some?"

Simon was the most interested in helping but he was very vocal about how "gross" it was.

Josh drew on the mouth and Troy cut out the face for them.

The pumpkin ate dinner with us at the table and we then put it on the front porch and got ready for Trick or Treating.

Caleb was Superman and Josh was a Ninja.  I loved the way they posed in a fighting stance for this picture!

 

Simon was a pirate.  Arghhh!

We just walked up and down our street for Trick or Treats because it was kind of rainy and cold.  However they made out pretty well.  They picked out 3 pieces of candy to eat that night and we are still eating on the rest.

Then they just had fun helping Grammy to hand out treats to other Trick or Treaters.

Crazy Hair

It was Crazy Hair day at school on the Friday before Halloween and the boys had me putting lots of product in their hair so it would stay sticking up!

Crazy hair and silly faces!

While Grammy was here she waited for the bus with them and they really liked that.

Sinkland Farms

 A couple of days before Halloween we went out to Sinkland Farms and walked around in the pumpkin patch looking for just the right pumpkin to take home and carve up.  It was a beautiful day and it was fun walking through all the pumpkins looking at the shapes and sizes.  There were some greenish ones that Simon would call "hot lava" pumpkins.  I'm not real sure why.

They all picked a different one...

Roaming among the pumpkins.  Troy found $10 under one...no joke!  That paid for our pumpkin!

The boys all launched little pumpkins in this sling shot!

Back, back, back and let it fly!

 Simon had his first pony ride.  He really enjoyed it.

 Happy on the pony.

They all got their faces painted with a black spider. 

I don't think the lady really knew how to draw a spider! 

There were some animals to pet.  Sweet little goats, a horse, a cow, pigs, and turkeys.

When we got home we had a weenie roast.  Grammy helped Simon with his.

Caleb loves hot dogs!

He did not love it when this dog (Hank)...

stole the dog right out of his bun!!!

 Josh decided it would be funny to sprinkle cheese on his Dad's head...and it was.  

But don't worry, it wasn't wasted.  Josh picked it off and ate it!  Gross!

Family Pictures

My Mom took some pics of us at the pond on VT campus and there were a few that turned out pretty good.  We just can't seem to all be looking at the camera at the same time.

I love how much the simple act of tossing leaves up in the air gives my children so much joy!

This picture is just to show how crazy it is trying to get 3 little boys to sit still and smile for a picture!  I need a DSLR!  

Checking out the water.  

Burning some energy!

 Last leaf on this tree.

Walking the Huckleberry with Grammy

There is a trail in Blacksburg called the Huckleberry Trail and I had never made it over there to walk it until my Mom came for a visit.  We put on our jackets and grabbed Simon's tricycle for a little ride, knowing we wouldn't make it too far.  In fact we ended up carrying his tricycle part of the way back!  It was a nice walk though and I can't wait to go back and try to do the whole thing.  I think it's 6 miles!  We went a grand total of 1 mile.

He posed a little for me here.

 Then Grammy got in the shot.  So cute!

I'm not sure what they were laughing about here but it must have been funny!

 Always with the tongue sticking out.

The trees we were walking under were lovely.  Unfortunately after our walk we smelled dog poop and sure enough Simon had some on his shoe!  What made it worse is that Grammy got some on her jacket when she was swinging him around!

Riding a Bike

Josh is now cruising on his bike without training wheels!  He mostly taught himself by just practicing over and over again.  I am very proud of him and how hard he worked for this accomplishment.  Grammy bought him a new helmet (the old one has been too small for quite some time) and now all he wants is a bell! 

Wood Working

In mid October I grabbed a wooden pallet off our neighbors trash pile.  I thought it had great potential for some shelves or something.  So we started to dismantle it and the boys spent a good part of the afternoon "working" on it themselves.  There were many times that I cringed in fear as I imagined them accidentally hitting a themselves or each other with the tools.  But, they did great and it was a good way for them to spend some energy.  I haven't finished my pallet shelf yet and it kind of got messed up and so it will not be the way I imagined it to be, but I will share the finished product later.  In the meantime, I still have my eye open for another pallet so that I can try again.

Who knew a crowbar, a hammer and a wooden pallet would supply so much entertainment for two little boys!

Working together!