Halloween one month later

In the spirit of the holidays, I thought I should finally blog about Halloween.

We had a great Halloween this year. The events kicked off with a pumpkin carving party at my friend Michelle's house. Michelle and Chris's daughter, Isa, goes to my kids' daycare, and the three of them had a blast playing while I carved a fairly intricate jack-o-lantern using one of those stencil kits.

Halloween continued several days later with the annual fall festival at Sam Houston. We made the trek to Huntsville to "Daddy's ranch" for the party. On the way there, Braden told Garrett all about it and said, "last year, I was too shy to play any games. This year, I'm not going to be shy." And he wasn't! Both kids enjoyed the games, the hayride, and especially the cookie decorating station.

The third event of our Halloween extravaganza was the kids' party at daycare. I dressed them in matching skeleton shirts and black pants, much to Braden's dismay and slight embarrassment. My intentions were good: I didn't want them to mess up their costumes before trick or treating that evening. When I arrived at the daycare to help with the party, however, Braden's friends were quick to inform me that he wasn't wearing a costume, just a shirt. Braden didn't seem to mind too much, though.

Halloween evening was supposed to begin with "trunk or treating" at Keller Williams Realty with The Corleys (our friend Melina is a realtor). When the boys and I got home, though, Kyle was in the driveway cleaning fish from the previous day's offshore trip with Tom. Between the fish, the grouchy boys, and the tired mom, the trunk-or-treating just didn't happen. We did manage to get ready in time to join the neighborhood hay ride and trick-or-treating party. It was great fun!

Oh, as for the costumes. Braden's may look vaguely familiar. He was Elmo the Halloween that he was 18 month old, too. This is the same costume, just in a bigger size. The first Elmo costume was one that he practically lunged out of the cart for. The same thing happened this time. We had looked at costumes at a couple of places, and we were in Target looking at all kinds of great things--pirates, ninjas, puppy dogs, firemen, etc. Braden just HAD to have Elmo. Again. Even though he is four and hasn't watched Elmo in at least two years. The night of the hayride he got very upset that "people keep calling me Elmo, but my name is Braden." Sheesh.

Garrett was the cutest lion you've ever seen. Roar!

Braden wrote his first sentence!

This is really what made me update the blog. Braden wrote a sentence all by himself. I'm so proud--I should make it into a giant button and wear it around!

This is a computer-generated version of what it looked like:

I LiC MRCRS.

Isn't he brilliant?? (It says, "I like markers." Sheesh, can't you read?)

He was inspired to write this sentence because he is currently grounded from his markers and crayons. He scribbled on my very favorite coffee table with a red sharpie that he fished out of a drawer somewhere. I didn't yell. I didn't cry. I didn't spank him or put him in time out. What I did was much, much more effective (and maybe a little mean?): I gave him a giant plastic bag and told him to go put all of his markers and crayons in it. When he did, I brought him over to the coffee table and showed him his scribbling. We confirmed that it was, indeed, Braden who did it. I explained that it is my very favorite coffee table and that it is the very first piece of grown-up furniture I ever bought, and that his scribbling ruined it (I'm not sure he caught all of that drama). Then, I told him that as punishment, I was going to put his markers and crayons away for a week so that he would learn not to write on things.

Every day he has asked for his markers back. We then go through the days of the week and discover how many more days there are until Saturday.

So, all in all, this has been a week of learning for Braden: he learned the days of the week, he learned how to write a sentence.

Hopefully he learned not to write on anything, too!

SOCCER!

I'm officially a soccer mom! Kyle's officially a soccer coach!

Braden played U5 soccer this season (that means soccer for kids four and five). The soccer club sent out a desperate email about needing coaches, and Kyle volunteered (I made him). Most people's reaction to that statement is a bewildered, "Does Kyle know anything about soccer?"

Yes! He's a sporty guy! He actually played soccer for a number of years growing up--he says 10, but his mom said is was 7 or 8.

Observing his coaching abilities, I learned something new about my husband: it turns out that Kyle actually does have patience. And he needed it dealing with the six kids on our team. They are all very nice kids with very nice parents (are any of them reading this?) but some of them weren't really motivated to play soccer. They liked the flowers, and the grass, and their water bottles, and the jets that flew over on their way to Aggie football games. They weren't really concerned that the other teams scored three times as many points as us or that they all got in each other's way, or that they often kicked the ball the wrong way and sometimes scored points for the other team. They REALLY liked their trophy at the end of the season!

Braden turned out to be pretty good! He was fairly aggressive (for a four year old) and good on defense. Most importantly, he loves soccer!

So, three months have gone by....

Seriously? What's the deal?

A couple of things:

1) a computer is acting goofy, which means we are down to just one 'puter and it is about 10 years old and kinda slow.

2) the batteries in my camera always are dead. I never could figure out why (I always thought it was because my husband buys cheapo ones on eBay and they just don't hold their charge). I now think it is because Braden often gets ahold of the camera and takes pictures and wastes the charge.

3) I have been busy! What has happened between August 22 (my last post) and now? 13 weeks of school!

4) I've started seriously running and working out at 5 in the mornings, which means I go to bed as soon as I can. I used to blog after the kids were in bed, but now I'm in bed, too.

So, 'nough complaining from you all (mostly Linsey). Now I'm posting...

A circular conversation

Out of the clear blue sky, Braden said to me, with a very matter-of-fact tone, "Mommy, I hate crabs."

"Really," I say, "why?"

"Because I don't like them," was the reply, with a very "duh" tone.

"Why don't you like them?"

"Because I hate them."

"But why do you hate them?"

"I just told you why. Because I don't like them."

sheesh, kid!

Family Fun Night

This was a very long week: The boys were back in daycare full time. Both are in new rooms with new teachers and new kids. I was back at work full time for our New Teacher Induction program and planning staff development stuff for Friday and next week. Kyle was...well, I'm not sure. He had an all-day department meeting one day (and I thought our three hour staff meeting on Friday was long!), and one day I think he palpated cows. He's been in Huntsville alot, anyhow. We're all tired and grouchy in the evenings during the week, and it seems like we just haven't spent much time together--we needed a fun evening out!

Braden said he wanted to eat "somewhere new." (That's a little strange considering the kid only eats about three food products: quesadillas, french fries, and PB&Js). Ninfa's opened in a new location a few months ago, so that's where we went. Amazingly, the kids behaved! They didn't try to run around or climb under the table; they ate their food without fighting over it; they didn't spill their drinks (which were delivered in large to-go cups because they were out of kid's lids). They were all-around very pleasant to be with! Of course, the two Ninfaritas I had could have made all the difference!

Afterwards, everyone was in such a good mood that it seemed a shame to go back to the house. I planted an idea in Braden's head to go to the "fire and fountain" so when he asked daddy to go to the "ice cream fountain" daddy couldn't say no! Daddy also didn't know what Braden was talking about...

We went to the Ben & Jerry's by the fountain and fire torch things on University Drive. Garrett ordered chocolate; Braden ordered yellow. Yellow? Ice cream? Ahh, mango sherbert is what he wanted. Garrett ate about a quarter of his, smeared about a quarter around his face, and gave me the rest. Braden gave me a taste (yuck!) and then ate every last drop.

The boys (including Kyle) chased each other around for awhile until Braden found some large water puddles. We left for home shortly afterwards.

All it all, it was a great evening. We need family fun nights more often!

5 weeks since an update?!

Can it be? What in the world has happened?

Well, a couple of things:

First, our satellite internet went out in a big storm (no, I don't know how those things work--ask Kyle).

Second, I learned that there is life without the internet (gasp!).

Third, it took awhile for us to switch satellite internet companies.

Fourth, I was enjoying my life without the internet so much that I just haven't updated!

So, what's been going on, you ask?
The boys have been having MAJOR sibling rivalry. Garrett wants to play with "Broder" all the time. Maybe I should be more specific: Garrett wants to play with whatever toy Braden is playing with all the time. Braden doesn't want to have anything to do with Garrett.

In fact, Braden has made his opinion known about his younger brother quite a bit lately. Several weeks ago, it was, "Mommy, why do we have Garrett anyway?" And then last week, "Mommy, if Garrett was still in your tummy then he wouldn't bug me so much." Remember that Garrett has been OUT of my tummy for over two years and three months!

I think going back to daycare will be good for them. Give them a little separation. Make 'em miss each other a little bit.

Alright--I hear fussing in the living room where they are both watching Thomas. That reminds me of another reason I haven't posted in five weeks: I can't leave the two of them alone, and I can't sit at my computer and type for more than a few minutes...gotta run...