HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  

September.

Is it gone already?  YIKES!  Here's a quick recap of what the Crew has been up to ... 

Football Day at Joshua's school.  And the team his class decided to cheer for ... THE STEELERS!  We just so happen to have an abundance of Steeler gear at our house.  And we gifted Mrs. Errington our Steeler apron.  She was thrilled! 

I had to convince Joshua to wear his Steeler boxers.  He was POSITIVE they were "jammers" but since they technically have never been worn before as jammies ... he agreed to go all decked out in them to school.

(A few extra photos of the Steeler field and jersey for the Pittsburgh in-laws) ...

Then one of my best friends came to town ... and we crammed 3 of our 4 children in the van and hit Last Chance for a thirty minute whirlwind shopping adventure!  SUPER IMPRESSIVE!

And it randomly rained during the middle of the afternoon one day ...

And these two couldn't get enough of the splashing and the puddles ...

And when you are trying to entertain the crew and it's still over 105 outside for the fourth month in a row ... you get desperate.  You bust out the new play dough and apparently encourage standing on the kitchen table and redecorating the chandelier.  It's all about survival people ... survival!

These two have been spending a lot of time together ... with J at school ... and they've become really cute buddies!  That is ... when Audrey isn't stealing his underoos ... or breaking down his fort ... or swiping his snacks. 

And then it was Grandparent's Day ... and Joshua invited my grandparents ... GiGi and How How to participate in the special day. 

I forgot my camera ... and trekked back home to grab it and take some pictures of the fun.  How many times are you going to see your 87 year old grandfather sit in a kindergarten chair?  I needed documentation.  And what a blessing for Joshua to have his GREAT Grandparents there on that day!  So cool!

And let's see ... what else.  My grandpa had eye surgery.  The look on Audrey's face when she saw him for the first time is priceless!

The boys made cards ...

And Audrey attempted to take off with the remote control ...

Several times!

And finally ... we got a new lens for our camera in September ... and a new flash ... and I have been LOVING IT!!!!

Goodbye, September.  We are ready to welcome in Fall!!!

The Rest of the Adventure.

How can I possibly still have pics to share from this summer?  I must be on slow speed these days.  

Confession:  We did not just go to San Diego for the free day at the children's museum.  However, that fun event did manage to get our bodies up and at 'um a lot earlier than we normally make it out of the desert.

We went to CA for about a week ... to see all our CA family ... Cake, Pap Pap, Aunt Jenn and Uncle Bob.  The whole crew joined us for a day at LegoLand and the boys couldn't have been happier.  

 Aunt Jenn took J. How on the water ride ... 

 And Uncle Bob won Eli a blue angry bird ... 

 Audrey spent most of the day in her stroller ... most happy to pose when asked!

 The boys took me all over the world on these airplanes.  There was no one in line ... so we rode it again and again.    

We did have a bit on an unhappy boy ... who desperately wanted an angry bird of his own.  Pap Pap, Uncle Bob and Ben tried way too many times to win one at the other game and Joshua wanted to try one more time on this crazy contraption.  I have never seen a kid so determined in my life!  He made it two rungs from the top!  (And to keep him out of therapy ... we bought him an angry bird at Build a Bear on our way back to AZ!)

We also spent a day jammed full of fun with some friends from Mayberry ... who were visiting their family on Coronado Island.  

Mr. James wowed the crowds and caught a baby shark seconds after we arrived ... 

Then we went out on the water and the boys got a chance to show us their boating skills!

My two favorite boys!

Then it was off to the beach to bury treasures ... and kids!  A lovely way to keep everyone contained :)

Until they managed to escape!!!

Audrey missed the beach adventure and stayed home, riding her pony, with Ben's parents.  I think she might want a real one???

And on our way home, we saw this.  300 plus miles from the ocean.  In the middle of nowhere.  In 115 degree heat.  Shrimp and Lobster for sale on the side of the road.  YUMMY!

Oh ... and since I'm into confessions these days ... Eli also got his haircut.  I know.  Everyone was digging the longer do.  But he caught wind of himself in the mirror one day and started crying, "I don't want to wook wike a Mommy!!!"  So the long locks are gone.  Just wanted to break it to you gently before you see the proof in the pics!

Superhero Jam

Me and free go hand in hand.  Kind of like bread and butter.  Or chocolate and graham crackers.  We were made for each other.  So when I spotted that the San Diego Children's Museum was having a Superhero Jam ... FREE to anyone who dressed like a hero ... we were there!  (Or course it helped that the crew were superheroes for Halloween!)  We woke up extra early, grabbed breakfast at Einstein's and trekked across the desert.  

We arrived in CA in record time and busted out our hero wear!

 The kids loved this table covered in wood blocks.  

And the bubble station was a total hit!  

The fabulous ocean breeze made it all the more enjoyable! 

The three heroes getting their hands covered in bubbles! 

Then it was time for a Superhero Snapshot!  

 Here we come to save the day!!!

 Then it was back outside for a little clay creation ... 

And little Miss Hip Hop cruised back inside to dance with her fellow hipsters ... if only I had video!

And finally ... after all the shows and classes had cleared out ... Joshua was able to ride the chariot!  We need one of these in Mayberry!   

The day was fabulous!  This one ... was right in the mix and had probably more fun than her brothers!  She has zippo fear and bounced around in this tunnel with all the big kids and loved every minute of it!

Give Me An S.C.H.O.O.L!!!!

I'm sure this has been mentioned a time or two ... but I am not a big fan of school.  Well, that came out wrong.  I LOVE school.  I just don't like change.  And living a super scheduled life is something that has little interest for me.  I like lazy mornings.  Breakfast at 9.  Playing in our pjs until noon and keeping showering optional.  So school ... real school ... came as a bit of a shock to my system.  

And as much as I have requested that time stop and we pause for a bit (everyone is growing up WAY too fast) ... it continues at warp speed.  And we have a kindergartner at our house.  A full blown -  leaves the house everyday with a backpack, school supplies, a homework folder and snack - kindergarten student.

 

 The first day of school ... he wants his pic to be in front of this green door every year and he assures me that by the time he goes to college, he will reach the very top.

 

 At school ... on one of the HOTTEST and most humid days of the year!

The rest of the crew ... and AEB in an apple jumper that I had bought when I was pregnant with Gracie. I saved very few things but just couldn't get rid of the apple jump and it was perfect for J's first day.

J. How and Mrs. Errington ... who just happens to be from Pittsburgh and had to sign in her marriage license that she will cheer on the Steelers.  I guess she's a perfect fit for the Steeler loving section of our fam!

The monogrammed backpack.  Makes me happy each time I see it. 

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And now we're into week FOUR of school.  How is that possible?  I can't say it has been all roses and sunshine ... but our How is doing a fantastic job.  He is a math genius (almost done with kindergarten curriculum already) and is just soaking everything in!  

And our Eli.  Mr. Preschooler.  Er ... Mr. "Can't I Just Stay Home with You."  He has been telling me he's not going to school since Joshua started preschool two years ago.  Not his thing.  He wants to shop and hang out with me.  So starting school was a bit less HAPPY for our E.  The night before school, he came up with EVERY excuse in the book why he couldn't go to school.  By the end of the conversation, I was torn between laughter and tears. 

Me:  "You can have a small treat if you have a great day."

E:  "I want jelly beans.  But not small.  Lots of them.  I'll need a lot."

Me:  "Ok.  If you have an excellent day, we will get lots of jelly beans."

E:  "Well.  I'm prwobably not even going to have an excellent day."

And it went on like that ... back and forth for the longest twenty minutes of my life.  He had an answer for everything. 

So ... when we got a text the next morning that some of our friends were hitting the The Coffee Shop for a before school treat, we were in.  How can a day go wrong when it starts with a chocolate muffin?

  

 The crew.  My children may have missed getting their hair combed but who's looking.  And by the time I got Joshua to school, his shirt was also covered in chocolate and he had toothpaste stuck in his hair.  Awesome. 

Our Eli Bennett at preschool.  

E and his buds ... Alex and Jordan.

Oh yes.  The wedding has been planned.  They're soul mates.

E and Miss Chrissy. 

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Week two ... and Eli has been having a great time.  His eyes still water up when I leave ... and you'd really think that I'm taking off for DAYS instead of two hours ... but I return to a boy who is all smiles and has lots to report.  

As for Audrey and I ... she is in training to become a better shopping buddy.  She needs a LOT of help.  But I think on the job training ... to such places as Anthropologie, the antique stores, Last Chance are just what she needs!!