Monday, October 15, 2012

Pumpkin patch

We went to the pumpkin patch today. And I am posting the pictures today. It's a Christmas miracle. We planned this trip about a week ago, and the boys have been sooooooooo excited to go. Lt was asking me all day today if it was time to go to the pumpkin patch yet. Hopefully it lived up to their expectations. I'm pretty sure it did.

Image
 First we picked out our pumpkins.


Image
 Glad nobody got a hernia.


 Image
Nono loved all the pumpkins.


Image
Just relaxing...waiting for the brothers...


Image
Here they all are! Enough room for everyone!


Image
My little animal whisperer saying "hi" to the bunnies


Image
Lt stretching out before the corn maze. (He was actually just crawling around on the ground for some unknown reason.)


Image
They don't look too worried about finding their way out of the corn maze.


Image
Go!


Image
And there were about eight of these fun little photo ops. Don't worry, we got pictures of each one.


Image
After the corn maze, there was a little Alice-in-Pumpkinland-themed play area for kids. And the boys loved it. Following the play area were lots of stinky, stinky farm animals. The goat on the roof was my favorite. The peacocks were Lt's favorite. I think Nono liked the chickens. And I forgot to ask D what his favorite animal was.


Image
And following the stinky farm animals was a regular old playground with a sketchy climbing wall that of course Lt had to do because D did it. And after the playground we went through a non-spooky lights tunnel and then ended up back at the pumpkin patch where we began. And if that wasn't enough, at the checkout the boys got a piece of candy. Perfect.


Image
Here they are after unloading all the pumpkins. Hopefully the pumpkins will survive a couple more weeks until Halloween!


Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The great outdoors

We took the kids for another hike in the canyon over the weekend. They absolutely loved it. I mean they really, really loved it. Lots of dirt, water, rocks, leaves, sticks, and grasshoppers. Perfect. So we "hiked" for about 45 minutes and then had a fun little picnic lunch. We need to do it more often. We will do it more often!

 Image
 Starting out the hike


Image
Pretty optimistic in spite of the bear warning sign


Image
Before we had them sit on this huge log that crossed the river, D said, "Do you think it will break?"


Image
Let's go, let's go!


Image
And kids going in every direction


Image
Who builds this out in the woods?? Glad it was vacant.


Image
Great balance! Let's Party!!


Image
Of course Lt had to give it a go too; it's harder than it looks!


Image
Look familiar? Why does every hike include this?


Image
Almost got them all out...


Image
and nobody fell in.


Image
Lots of colors


Image
Headed back for lunch


Image
And Lt trying to chop down a tree with his "ax", probably for firewood


He's got the moves

D's school put on a dance festival/fundraiser last week. It was a pretty big production that I guess they only do like every four or five years or something? Each class got to perform a dance number that they've been working on since school started. The evening consisted of eating pizza on the lawn, picnic style; watching D and the other kids shake it; and chasing the crazy little ones around because apparently the playground is much more interesting than sitting reverently and watching a dance program. D did a great job - it was a lot of fun watching him! I loved it!

Image
  D and his pal from school chatting it up before the program


Image
 One of the crazies...


Image
And the other crazy


Image
Check out those moves!


Image
And those!!


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The recital

D started taking piano lessons from his current teacher in January (prior to that he took for a few months last summer), and he had his first recital a few weeks ago. I distinctly remember my first piano recital - and it didn't go so well - so I was super nervous for D. The night of the recital I told Paul that I didn't think I could finish my dinner because I was too nervous. He couldn't figure out why I was so nervous - I wasn't doing anything!! All those memories just came flooding back! But D, surprisingly, wasn't nervous at all. The next day he even said, "I want to do it again tonight!" Really? He works very, very hard at the piano and has accomplished a lot over the last eight months. I hope he can always see how talented he is - he can go far! (Yes, I'm his mother, and I'm completely biased.)
  
Image
The students waiting for the recital to begin


Image
D's turn!


Image
He got to play two pieces - Moonlight Sonata and Fur Elise. He did a great job! (Oh, you're probably wondering why I'm sitting there too! I was in charge of the pedal since he can't quite reach yet!)


Image
All of the students at the end of the recital (looking a lot happier than they did in the first picture!)


A little hike

On Labor Day we decided to take a little hike to Bridal Veil Falls after dinner. The boys had a lot of fun...mostly...

Image
Of course all the boys (including Paul) wanted to cross the water on the rocks. Not sketchy at all. D was first to go...


Image
Did I mention it being sketchy??


Image
They made it - with dry feet!


Image
Pretty excited when he got back!


Image
My turn!


Image
Started out okay...


Image
but didn't end so great. (Can you tell by the sad little face and the wet shorts that he "fell" in?)


Image
My turn!


Image
Not to be left out, Nono stood on a rock in the water too.


Image
And then some nice lady shared her fish food with the boys so they could feed the fish. Good times!


Apologies to the people in the basement...

because this is what the boys like to do. At all hours of the day (although these hours look acceptable). Whether or not anyone is trying to sleep. And they have no volume control. And these particular boys don't actually know how to play the piano (but they think they do).

 Image
A lovely duet


Image
Guitar? Why not?


Image
Somebody's concentrating; somebody's making goofy faces.


Image
That's it!


Image
Looks like there was a small automobile accident on the piano...