October - Finally!
Well I thought I'd have time to make great, detailed posts about our activities in October. But I think I'd rather just be up to date than overly detailed right now! I'm hoping this is the last mass grouping of activities. My whole purpose in keeping this blog is more of a family history for our family and when I get so far behind I am missing a lot of the fun personal things the kids do and say that are the fun things to remember in all of the 'stuff' we do.
So - here's to being better at preserving my family's idiosyncrasies... and our last mass blog post!
October 2010
The Columbus Zoo is amazing by any standard.. We've been twice and love it! There are so many details in the exhibits and great activities for the kids - with wonderful play grounds, as part of the exhibits it really is amazing. You could go and just play on the playgrounds and spend hours of fun without ever even going to see the animals! We hope to go at least 1 time a month during the cold weather, but we are really looking forward to having the chance to go more when school is out and we have all day to play.
After the zoo, it was hot and we decided to go to Graeter's. A really great ice cream shop with a wonderful play yard inside... because our kids can never play enough! I told Elayna she had to put her socks back on to play (she is a no sock no shoe kind of girl - and a very odd duck most of the time).. And this is what I got - which I didn't notice until later so it was more funny than irritating that she was being such a ... Elayna... !
The schools in Upper Arlington are really amazing. I think mostly because of all the parental and PTO support. They had a huge party for fall, the Tailgate party, and we loved it. They had huge blow up toys, a chili cook off with lots of participants (which meant we all had lots of great chili), face painting, kids tattoos, carmel apples for the kids to dip and cover with a huge selection of goodies, and T-shirt painting with a cool spiny thing that made cool designs. I don't know why Elayna was sad (I think she was just tired) but after her first go on the blow up slide.. we had a hard time keeping her from pushing her way to the front of every line immediately after she finished her turn. She eventually got the 'wait for your turn' idea.. and she and the boys had a blast. We didn't see much of any of them until the very end when it was dark, the blow up toys were being deflated and most everyone had gone home. John had scouts that night so he missed most of it.. but at least he got to come to the beginning of it.
The new 'hot' toy for the boys are bey blades - little tops that are 'Oh SOOOO Cool'! The boys have been begging for them, but I was strong and remained constant with my 'I wont buy them for you just because, if you want them you have to buy them yourself' line. So they and the neighbor boy decided to go rake leaves to earn the money for their bey blades. There was only 1 neighbor (so kind hearted) who hired them to rake her front yard. And after at least an hour - and a little help from mom and the customer! The boys were $1.25 richer. At one point Tyler stopped to talk to the neighbor (well it was more than once) but this time he said "you know it would go a lot faster if you helped".
So with their new earnings and with the other money in their piggy bank they had enough to buy their toys. They are now the proud owner of 2 bey blades each - and it's all we hear about anymore... And everything is understood in relation to the cost of bey blades. (mom - how much does that cost... how many bey blades could you buy with that, how much did you spend on groceries?? How many bey blades could we buy with that?)
The COSI in Columbus is Nationally acclaimed and I can see why - it is truly remarkable. We have been 4 or 5 times and have yet to see all the areas of the COSI. Each section is so well designed - full of hands on, age appropriate and challenging and fun activities that we can spend 2-3 hours in one area and never get board. It's not until it's closing time and we have to leave that we even realize how long it's been. Even John and I have fun which is so awesome, because usually the activities are geared to only one age - but there is so much to do and see and experience... It really is one of our favorite places to go for all of us! We have 3 more sections to go before we've seen all the main areas (not including the imax movies) - and then who know how much time we'll spend there - it will be awesome in the winter when it's so cold outside!
'smart rats' from OSU - playing Basketball
One of the side events, learning about weather and making clouds.
Playing in the under-water (really under-water) submarine.
The water room - we didn't stay long because we were running out of time and it was so cold outside I didn't want the kids getting really wet without the chance to dry off. It was just so much fun - and the architectural design of the room was really fun!
driving submersible vehicles, with cameras on it so they could explore the deep ocean treasures, caves, and such!
The outside "science park" the kids were so sad when we had to go, but I think we spent 45 minutes out there and it just wasn't enough time.
We had to leave the COSI early so we could make an activity at the library - not as cool as I thought it would be.. But the kids had fun anyway. We have had so many pumpkins this year, decorated, carved and plain - we could very well call this the year of the pumpkin!
We had our primary program, which went so well even with the short amount of practice we had, and all the confusion the adults were in - the kids still did great! Being in the Primary presidency really gives new light to these programs!
John went out of town for about 4 days, and sadly the kids didn't even notice he was gone until the day before he came back - sad commentary on how little they see John any more. But life was just normal for them - and yes, our normal is very dysfunctional! But I was told once that it's only the dysfunctional families that are normal - so I guess we are all o-kay!
Elayna had been in such a cute outfit (it matched and she looked 'normal') then she gets home from school, went down to play and came up laughing and strutting!
We met up with 3 other families (sadly no John) and went to a pumpkin patch to play. I wasn't sure it would be worth the high ticket price since the pumpkin patch we have known was not all that amazing. But this place... will be a yearly tradition in spite of the cost! It was so much fun - and again - fun because the kids just couldn't play enough and I got to play too! Really - when can the moms and dads still play at the same place the kids are playing and genuinely have fun??? It just doesn't happen that often, but when it does, it's the best!
The mom's!!!
She tried and tried and tried - and was not giving up... so I finally got on to be her legs so she could have a go around the track too.
duck races
Totally cool barn - kids maze.. the hay was set up with mazes, but they had old mattresses set up for the kids to jump on and all sort of other fun things. Weston is still sporting a nice wound from this activity, but it was so cool - the wound is absolutely worth it!
the nicest big brother - to all the kids! ("here, let me just pull you up, scraping your front against the rough straw, so you can jump down on to mattresses from 6 feet up! Or just run along the top of the hay until you trip and fall!") - They all loved it, and all the parents, just sat back and watched - wishing we could fit through the door!
The best cow train ride ever! I tried it and got stuck with the smallest of the cows - and literally got stuck, so I had to get help to wedge myself out after the ride.. But it was worth it.. and I would do it again!
Being contemplative before the ride.. afterwards - even with chocking on all the dirt she was all smiles!
it is being pulled by a 4-wheeler.. Ed and Sandy - I think you need to make one of these! This can be our parade float!
They had a huge bouncy/trampoline that was at least 30x40 feet. It was the best!
Lazer tag! And corn cannons, and goats to feed with buckets and pulleys, and rabbits and chickens and so many more fun things... we spent 4 hours there and it wasn't enough time.
One the way to the corn maze/pumpkin patch... I saw this horse and new I had to stop on the way back to get a picture.. I was elated to find that along with the chia-pet horse, there were pigs, geese and roosters!
Weston's pumpkin racing activity with the scouts. Such a boy thing.
Windermere had a Halloween day for the kids - the same day as the communities 'Beggars Night'. Each class had a class party and although they didn't take the day off - the whole day was spent playing. Tyler had his class party with morning kindergarten which included a parade though the school. Then all the kids went home for a long lunch to allow the older kids time to change into costume and eat lunch (no lunch at school that day). So then we went back to the school so that we could participate with Weston's class party which I was in charge of with another mom - so I don't have any pictures of his party, but we had a small scale carnival for all the 2nd grade classes - and it was the best! Elayna had a dress up day too with preschool, and although she say's she was dora... she really was just in pink and didn't want to wear anything - she just insisted that she was/is Dora! Tyler - optimus prime (transformer), Weston - pokemon trainer.
Beggars Night. Appropriately named - the night for trick-or-treating. Upper Arlington has a beggar's night during the week. This year it was the Thursday before Halloween (I'm not sure why they do it separate from Halloween, or what it will be next year). Every year they do this so within the community they have the police and city employees driving around to make sure the kids are all safe. And they stop and pass out candy. I'm sure there were a lot of great places to go, but we are lucky enough to live a few streets away from one of the best streets to visit. Each year this street has a block party to decide who gets to be the 'hot dog house' and then they all contribute funds, and hope they get picked from the hat. The house owners are sitting in their yards or driveways and are all out talking and enjoying the hundreds of kids who come to that street. There are bon fires and music.. and a hot dog house - where instead of candy. They serve hot dogs, chips and drinks! We spent about an hour and the kids have 2 - galloon sized zip locks full of candy. We left early because Tyler was still sick (running a fever poor kid) and Elayna just didn't want the candy. The treat givers would always try to give her chocolate and she would make a 'yuck' sound and start to walk away, until John said she should give the chocolate to him. So then she would go pick a chocolate candy and say "chocolate yuck - for my daddy'. She still ended up with a good sized lot of nerds and smarties!
The group we went with - what amazing friends we are making here!
After the hot dog house!
Our ward activity as the next night and was very well planned. They had a photographer there with a white backdrop and real equipment so I will hopefully be getting some pictures of the kids in costume (especially elayna with her princess dress on - only because we said we would only take it off if she posed for a few pictures). Aside from that - there were a lot of fun carnival activities for the kids- which meant that Weston and Tyler ran around with their pose of friends and did everything they wanted to do several times over... one of the favorites being the "eat the donut" on a stick game.
poor kid - trying to have fun.. But still stick. I think he had a fever of 104 that day.. he was high on motrin, but 'bad mom moment # XXXXX" I knew he would be so sad to miss the fun that we let him go instead of keeping him home in bed.
Even John had a turn - sadly he was out of his costume by now. He said he felt awkward.. he was wearing a grass skirt and coconut shells!
Elayna was having a great time - obsessed with getting her face painted - she sat and waited at the table for a huge chunk of time.. And was so smiley and happy until she pointed at the - not sure what it is - and realized it was wet.. then she was just sad and wanted it off.
Always a good day for Dora - and Elayna knows just how to get it all set up... So while the boys are playing outside (clearing leaves) Elayna and I stay warm inside cleaning! - or watching Dora!
Saturday night - we went to the Boo at the Zoo activity.. And though there wasn't as much 'treating' as we thought there might be. We had a blast walking through the zoo at night. So many of the nocturnal animals were awake and that was so fun to see. There were a lot of sections closed, so we need to go back. But going at night, with all the spooky music, fog machines and flood lights was really fun!
And that is - in brief ! - our October whirl wind! Things seem to be settling down a little as the cold weather sets in.. so I hope we'll have more time for better family journaling for the next little while at least!