Halloween - trick-or-treating!

We took the kids around the neighborhood this year for trick-or-treating.
-Andrew's courage seemed remarkably increased this year as he frequently stated that he liked 'scary decorations'. It worked until we got to the house decorated like a graveyard with a seemingly-flying ghoul with "beady-red-eyes" playing eerie music...at that house, only Peter would go to the door with me!
-This year Peter did NOT try to walk into people's homes (big improvement over last year - lol!). We do, however, need to work on taking what is given and not ringing the doorbell and running away as soon as he hears barking.
-Clara was adorable as a little bee - and I think slept through most of trick-or-treating in her stroller.


Cutest little bee EVER!



Buzz! Buzz!



The boys and their jack-o-lanterns



Ready to go for a walk

Lots of candy

(we tried to get a photo with them looking at the camera, but they wouldn't stop looking at their loot!)

Halloween - pumpkins!

This year we just HAD to get pumpkins to carve - b/c the boys are old enough now to know that apparently pumpkin carving is something you do for Halloween.

So, on Saturday morning, Jim covered the kitchen table with newspapers and we asked the boys what kind of face they wanted.

Peter wanted a "happy pumpkin'" and Andrew wanted an "angry face" on his. Apparently happy and angry are in the eyes of the beholder as they were pretty much identical faces, but both boys were happy with the final results.

They were NOT happy, however, with how slimy pumpkins are inside.



Andrew, pulling out the slimy insides...



Peter is happy to be carving pumpkins



Andrew checking the inside out...



Peter's jack o'lantern




Andrew's jack o'lantern
(apparently eyebrows=angry)

Visiting the Farm

This past week we visited a local farm. They raise goats (for milk) and chicken (for eggs), a few cattle, a couple horses and a donkey. They also sell local produce in a store on site. We headed over for a tour of the farm, feeding of goats, viewing of chickens & bunnies and a hay ride.

We had FANTASTIC weather - it was sunny, but cool - it actually felt like fall! The boys had a great time!


Andrew feeding goats



Andrew, Peter & Tommy feeding goats



Andrew, Peter & goats
At this point, Peter turns to me and says: "Mom. I just LOVe goats!"


Melody S., Colin S.(green), Andrew (orange), Peter (gray) & Matthew S. (navy blue)

Andrew & Sinnead with bunnies.

Andrew tried to be nice and feed the bunnies...unfortunately, he didn't realize he was trying to feed them bunny poo...(obviously, the bunnies weren't interested).

Peter REALLY liked feeding the goats...

The giant tractor that pulled the hay ride.

Amy & Clara...and half of Peter...on the hay ride.

The donkey, which according to Peter says "Hee-honk".

The 5th (and my final) attempt at a group shot...

Trying to get 18 kids all 5 and under to sit still is REAAALLLLY hard.

After the group shot, we enjoyed some tasty pumpkin muffins and then let the kids play around outside in the beautiful weather!

Peter (gray), Sinnead (orange & black), Andrew (in orange at the top) climbing the tower of hay.

Andrew & Peter w/ scarecrow

Andrew as corn; Peter as scarecrow

fun with costumes

The boys wanted Pop-pop to dress up, too!

posing for a photo

Peter pretended to 'swim' in our living room

every time he was dressed as a duck.

BOLO: lost sibling

Clara and I ran to the store one night, leaving Andrew & Peter at home with Jim. Apparently, once we left, Peter went to Jim and distressedly said, "Oh no! I not have a baby sister anymore! My mom just tooked her!"

Nice to know they love her so much!

well, we tried to get them all to look...

Clara - 10 weeks!

burgers as big as your head

This burger really WAS as big as Peter's head, maybe even bigger. Even more surprising - he ate all but 3 bites of it!

mass confusion

We went to a different church today: a small, mission church. It was very bare inside - white walls, a few small stained glass windows, not much else. There was one cantor, no music. Very few people were in the congregation: we were about 4-5 pews back and there were only about 3-4 people in front of us. The following are the questions that proceeded from this visit...

Andrew: What church is this?
Me: San Mateo
Peter: 'smash ma-ta-to'?

Andrew, on noticing the bare walls: Are we in the basement?

Andrew, on the music: Why are they not using the piano?

Andrew, on the lack of members on the congregation: Why is nobody else here?

Peter, noticing the altar flowers: Are those flowers?
Me: Yes
Peter: Can I pick one?!
Me: Um...no.
Peter: But I just LOVE flowers. They just smell so GOOD.
And then after mass, we went outside and he walked around smelling the 'Mary Garden' flowers and telling me how much he just loved flowers and how good they smell!

tummy time

snapshots of home

Clara - 2 months-ish



Andrew - close up (or maybe self-portrait?)



goofballs...



i have no words...

sleepy baby!

Growing Girl

I have yet to find a baby book I like for Clara...so I'll be keeping track of things on here apparently...

At 2 months, Clara is growing well!

10 lbs, 12.8 oz.
86% for height!

Peter Pan Syndrome

Peter informed me today that "I want to be 'free' (3) forever!"

Dinosaur World Field Trip - Dino Walk

The 'draw' of Dinosaur World is the life-size dinosaur replicas. So, we followed the trail and saw the dinosaurs amidst the vegetation. The boys had fun going on their "dinosaur hunt" as they called it and IDing various dinosaurs they recognized.


Andrew in the T-Rex's mouth


Starting the walk - allosaurus

Stegosaurus

Jurassic Park, anyone?

There was even a pond where you could feed fish while (fake) crocs went swimming.

Peter, Mom & Clara, Andrew

Ultrasaurus -

which, according to scientists may just be a really big brachiosaurus...

Spinosaurus

Triceratops

T-Rex...notice the boys are no longer WAAAAY ahead of us?

We turned the corner, saw the t-rex and they all of a sudden got REALLY scared!

Letting Mom go first...

After the walk, we played on their playground, which made the boys quite happy. And then we stopped at DQ on the way home for a special snack!