Why play with toys?

 Why play with the pushing car toy? When pushing the bar stool and the bead runner are so much more fun. Oh, and they make a much louder noise. Who needs toys?

Note in this one, the walker toy is right in front of her.

Day of the Living Museum.

Shane and Jackson are off with Daddy on a Family Camp retreat. Yes, a family camp, I know. First, I hate camping, second it was 31 degrees last night, and third we have the baby. So all that to say I didn't go. Since I didn't go, that meant Sam stayed here with me. He got a 'special day'. Anytime his brother's aren't here, he calls it his special day. Since this time it really was a special day he got to pick his dinner and dessert. I swear he's a pregnant lady. "Chinese food and ice cream sandwiches" Today I took him to the Virginia Living Museum. They were having two special activities today. Day of the Living Museum and Night of the Living Museum. Day was $2.00 night was $7.00. We went during the day. It was really cute. Crafts and cheesy games. I'm glad I didn't take the other two. It was really geared for kids under 5. He had a great time!

The yellow jacket portion of his costume.

In the Witch's Cave.

This was cool. We've seen this gator dozens of times and he's never in the water. He looked like he was coming straight at us!

Games

Posing with the tornado side of his costume.

It was interesting all day answering "what is he?" The child wanted to be "a half tornado half yellow jacket" and that is what he is. I love homemade costumes, I just wish I was a little better at making them.

Howl-O-Scream

A tiny portion of the decorations.

Yesterday after church we headed up to Busch Gardens for Howl-o-Scream. We try to take the kids every year. During the day, it's awesome. Decorations and pumpkins abound. At night it's a whole other story. It's horrifying. The scare people hide everywhere on the paths and jump out and scare you, there are hunted houses everywhere. It's great. However, we had the kids so we wanted to get out before dark. Steph came with us, which was nice, extra hands are always nice. Also, we haven't seen her in two months because she's all busy being a graduate student.

Right at the entrance of the park.

 There's a funny story here. We took the kids to Elmo's Land to see a cute little play. I know my two older boys are too old, but seriously, isn't the above picture a little extreme. They turned around and plugged their ears and didn't look back at the stage, not one time. They also politely asked me to stop dancing. When did I become embarrassing? Little Miss and Sam enjoyed the show. 

Me and my love.

I took her to see Elmo, we found Big Bird...he was really big..

Not really amused with Elmo either.

 I was seriously thrilled to take her to see Elmo. She wasn't impressed. I got a great one of Shane holding her in front of Abby Cadabby. I pretty much had to bribe him, it was cute.

Steph is in the background, trying to scare them. It didn't work.

Shane, Johnny, and Jackson are on there.

 This is probably the last year that they'll ride all the kid rides. Sam might get one more summer, but the other two are too big.

Decent family photo.

Goodbye hug to Aunt Stephie.

Festive Fall Fun

Today was so wonderful. It's the first Saturday in about 2 months that we had no plans! We slept in! We went to get some stuff for Halloween and for my dad's Christmas gift. We crafted all day. Oh, on Thursday Shane's den went to the jail and police station. The kids had a great time.

Bear Den!

Shane getting fingerprinted.

Little Miss stealing another heart.

Johnny was also sweet enough to make a craft for me. I've wanted to do something cool with the driftwood that I collected off of 1st and 2nd beaches in La Push, WA! (yes, name dropping, er place dropping?) He came up with a great idea to make them into a chime type deal. Well, I came up with the general idea, but he used his knowledge to implement the thing. It looks really cool!

Driftwood from the beach.

He's a genius!

The one in the middle was bought in Forks, WA.

 We also started working on Halloween costumes. I really love homemade ones, but I'm not very crafty. Sam this year wants to be a 'half tornado half yellow jacket'. Jackson wants to be a tarantula, and Shane wants to be a 'black widow snake'. I went to work on Sam's today.

It looked okay until he wanted "up and down stripes"

The tornado half.

Then we started carving pumpkins! Johnny always carves the boys designs for them. Sam didn't do a design this year.

Carving away.

Shane's

Jackson's.

I made pumpkin seeds. I made this fancy cinnamon and spice recipe, but they still just taste like seeds. I swear you could soak them in gasoline and they would taste the same.

Maybe I need some new pans for Christmas.

Finally they boys and Johnny worked on dad's Christmas gift. My parents are into homemade things, so this year they made a business card holder. I saw the design in Wood Works. Shhh don't tell him.

It's blurry, but it's really cool!

Book Fair Bounty!

Mom and I went to the Green Valley Book Fair again this weekend. I so adore this place. We went on opening day, it was a little too crowded for my taste. When we go back again, I say we do the middle weekend. I like to browse without feeling crowded. I started upstairs in the kid sections for the boys "something to read" part of their Christmas presents. I did well. I got each kid three books, a Mad Lib, and stocking stuffers for under 25 bucks! Then of course, I had to buy the rest of the goodies for myself. My nieces showed up around 11 to hand out with us. They saved a lot of money :) They were being really good, but we couldn't browse as long as we normally do. So here's my bounty this year:

Jackson's gifts.

Shane's.

Sam's.

Stockings.

Mine!

I love memoirs.

The back of Ghetto Nation.

School books.