Happy Halloween 2010

For at least six months Jack has said he wanted to be a ghost for Halloween.  I think he sees a ghost as the quintessential Halloween figure.  He wasn't happy with anything other than a sheet over his head with eye holes cut out.  We tested that costume a few weeks ago, and he realized it just wasn't comfortable.  (When I suggested we leave his head out and just paint his face, he was NOT satisfied with that.  I guess that just wasn't authentic enough for him.  He kept say, "But, nobody is supposed to know who I am!")  So, Brent and I finally convinced him that it would be fun to be a "ghost pirate." I was lucky to find an authentic pirate costume complete with a very wicked sword/knife-thing.  Although he wore the costume twice without face paint, he would still answer that he was a ghost pirate, not just a pirate.

We had a few Halloween celebrations last week to choose from (four to be exact).  First, Wednesday afternoon, the children's story hour at the public library had a Halloween theme.  I took Jack to that and spared Joe the hour of sitting and listening to stories...or perhaps I spared myself the hour of trying to contain Joe while Jack listened to stories.  (I didn't get any photos of that.) 

Then, Thursday evening MSU student association sponsored a carnival with lots of games and activities.  Being the second-born boy does have some advantages as Joe had two costumes.  So, that night he was a spider.  This is a costume given to us by friends.  He was pretty cute in it, but unfortunately, it was late, crowded and cold, and he was tired.  So, again, I don't have a very good picture of the little spider. 

Friday night there was a Halloween celebration downtown, called Pumpkinpalooza, that we planned to attend, but by the time we finished dinner Friday night, we decided we might need the night off.  Saturday Brent and I went to the MSU-Kentucky game ALONE!  It was great!  Grandmommy was in town and kept the boys.
The boys both had Halloween pajamas that they wore Saturday night, and I tried to get some pics of them Sunday morning...

Jack likes to "read" the comic strips.

Sunday night Jack opted to try out the white face paint for the full effect.  I must say it was kind of creepy seeing my sweet little boy with white paint on his face...

I put Joe in the costume that Jack wore for his second Halloween (when he was 18 months old).  It is a tiger (a la LSU tiger), but lots of people thought he was Tigger...oh well...I guess I know where I live.  The Fall Festival at our church had a NYC theme, thus the backdrop behind us in the family picture.  It was fun and was complete with many clever activities (even a real horse and buggy ride around "central park.")  We stayed there until around 6:30, then headed back to the 'hood for some good old fashioned trick or treating.  Jack and I went around the neighborhood with friends, Amy, Lauren & Emily Adkerson (Princess Tiana from Frog and the Princess) and Trisha and Max Phillips (Iron Man).  It was dark by the time we hit the streets, and so, again, I don't have pictures of that.  (Sorry, Dad!)

Brent, Jack and Joe with friends Todd & Evan Hamby

Idol worship (and good hair)

First, let me preface this story by saying that:
1- idol worship is probably an understatement of Jack's relationship with Brent lately.  He cannot get enough of his daddy and pretty much thinks anything and everything Brent does, says, thinks or believes is perfection.
2- this post will probably only be funny to those who know Brent pretty well.

So, you may remember that our family participats in a Foster Parent Program with the MSU baseball team.  Last year we were paired with a player named Russ Sneed.  Jack thinks Russ is pretty amazing.  (Russ is generally a great guy, but to add to his stock, he is wonderful with the children.)  Jack never paid a great deal of attention at the baseball games, but he could tell you all about Russ.  Last year was Russ's senior season.  So, I told Jack that Russ graduated and moved and that we were going to get to meet a new player.  Jack said, "I sure am going to miss Russ."  A bit later he told Brent that Russ graduated and has gone to play with a different team.  (I'm sure he cannot imagine that Russ won't always play baseball.) 

Tonight we made cookies for our new player, Sam Frost.  As we talked about taking the cookies to him, Jack said, "I think I'm really going to like Sam, but, Mommy, does Sam have good hair like Russ and Daddy?"  He was as serious and sincere as he could possibly have been.  I just about died laughing!  To Brent and Russ, considering how much he adores you both, this is the ultimate mutual compliment.  To Sam, you have some big shoes to fill; and be glad you have good hair!

To give this post some perspective...here is a serious of pictures of Brent from the last year:

I'm a terrible blogger!

So, I haven't updated the blog since JULY.  I am resolving right here and now to do a better job at keeping it current.  I intend to go back and fill in some of the events and pictures that I've missed...you know, like, JOE's FIRST BIRTHDAY, so if you're interested, check back and glance through the first 9 months of 2010 for random posts! (Even prior to July, there are several holes that I plan to fill; I will be dating them so that they appear in chronological order not in the order that I actually post them.)  For now, there are a couple of new posts from this month that you might enjoy...

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend our church took a group to a farm outside of town called, Country Pumpkins. It was a HOT October day. Here are some pictures from our visit.

 

The Bears go to Buffalo Park

Last Wednesday Jack took his first field trip with his class, The Bears.  I was lucky to be able to chaperone, and we went to the Buffalo Park in Tupelo, MS.  I drove with one other chaperone, Debbie Smith, and 4 children, Jack, Madeline, Bella, and Chloe.  When we arrived we got to ride a bus and got a "safari-type view of some of the animals roaming on the property.  Then, we got to see several more animals in a more traditional zoo setting.  After seeing the animals, we had a picnic and finished up by picking pumpkins in the pumpkin patch.

Getting ready to leave.

Jack and Madeline

Jack and a buffalo

The bears with a bear

Bella, Madeline, and Jack

The Bears with Mrs. Valerie

Pink Fire trucks

Joe has started walking well in the last couple of weeks. He took his first step or two in early September, but didn't really put more than two steps together until the middle of the month. As soon as he got the hang of it, he has taken off! (He has a little ride-on football toy that he used as a walker for a couple of months. He practically jogs when he uses it, and for a while we thought we were going to have to take it away in order for him to learn how to walk.)
He LOVES to be outside, and he enjoys "mowing" the grass. Sometimes he gets stuck, and when I try to help him, he take my hand and pushes it off the mower...definitely becoming more independent.



Yesterday one of the local fire stations hosted the "Pink Heels" touring fired department. They are a group out of Florida who have pink fire trucks and the firefighters wear pink gear. As you can probably guess, the idea is to raise awareness of breast and other cancers that tend to affect women. They allow survivors and their loved ones to sign the truck.