Happy Thanksgiving!

A few photos from tonight and one of the things I am most thankful for- FAMILY!

Papa Jim & AJ

Grandma Jan & AJ

Uncle Craig and AJ

Mower Man!

Halloween- my favorite holiday of the year. I was not prepared this year. I lacked motivation to decorate, to make bats to hang for the porch, even my Halloween cards (which I wasn't going to send) went out at the last minute. I think it was the cold, wet and windy October we had. Maybe it was all the work I had to get done by November 1 for the galleries for those OTHER holidays... I still made AJ's costume though. It took me a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon.

We had a very wired little boy who chose not to nap on Halloween day... I love this picture except for all the chocolate in and around AJ's mouth. He loves chocolate! This is pre-trick-or-treating.

Let me introduce you to Mower Man! You can even sing along to his theme song (sing to the tune of Spiderman)...

Mower Man

Mower Man.

Mows whatever lawn he can

Trims the edge, cuts the grass

Fills the mower with too much gas

Look out! Here comes Mower Man!

He brought his lawn mower up to most of the doors and had a gas can for his candy (except the hole was too small for most so we used a bag too). He was supposed to have red cuffs with an m on them but he wouldn't wear them. I knew he wouldn't keep a mask on so I used makeup to draw one on. I realize his hair is neon green but they don't make 'grass green' and he loved when I did his hair. He was having fun touching it when it was all hard. There was a spider in his hair too but I think it ended up in his hood.

Eating dinner in his pajamas after a bath.

So he loved trick or treating and his friend Tyler came over just as it was beginning (and tried to squish the spider in AJ's hair thinking it was real) and he got to show off his mower skills inside. The whole Mower Man costume was conceived because he is known around the neighborhood as the boy who is always mowing the lawn or playing golf. He was a hit though. Everyone loved his original costume and especially the hair. We made it all around the neighborhood and at the last house he started to get a lttle weepy so we hustled home and as soon as we got inside the tears started. He was cold and wiped (remember no nap!). We put him in the bath and washed him up, put him in his pajamas, gave him dinner and put him to bed an hour and a half early! It was a fun evening. As Halloween should be!

Boogie down little man!

AJ LOVES to dance! He turns on the living room lights, asks for some music and gets down! He loves to watch So You Think You Can Dance with me and imitate the B-Boys. One of the moms in my playgroup said to me the other day (he dances anywhere I let him which is everywhere), 'You should put him in dance class next year. He's really good!' I try to tell him if he learns to dance that the girls will fall at his feet... We'll see!

One little monkey jumping on the bed!

Oooooo, Daddy's home now I can wear his shoes!

Fall Fun

We played in the leaves on a COLD Sunday in mid-October. AJ loves to jump in the leaves now!

Peek-a-boo!

I love this picture because everything is blurry except for the leaves right in the center.

This is definitely a favorite!

Sliding in... He's preparing for future home base sliding!

Another favorite!

Running for the dive of the season!

After playing in the leaves we headed up to Rib Mountain State Park for a short hike and some hot cocoa.

Taken from the second deck of the observation tower.

Taken from the top deck of the observation tower.

It was a great morning! :)

OctoBIRDfest & Wilke's Farm

We went to OctoBIRDfest at the art museum way in the beginning of October. Both of the camera batteries were dead so we only got this one picture and the photographer at the event captured AJ playing croquet (which he thought was like golf so the mallet was swinging all over the place!). The event was fantastic and I am really glad that we went. AJ was at a good age to go. The museum brings in a bunch of pumpkins for a pumpkin 'patch' and and they set up tents throughout the sculpture garden with games and acts going on. AJ played some bird related games and got a balloon frog. Each activity cost a ticket which were 10 cents each and when we came in AJ got a ticket for a free pumpkin. It was so much fun! Can't wait until next year! Let's hope it isn't as cold...

Playing croquet

Decorating his pumpkin

The Monday after AJ and I went to Wilke's Farm with our playgroup for a hayride, corn maze and to pick pumpkins. They have a giant sandbox with tons of trucks which AJ really enjoyed. The weather forecast said it was supposed to be warmer than it was that day- we were both pretty cold!

AJ and Adam playing in the sandbox.

Feeding the goats- he laughs when they lick his fingers because it tickles!

Getting lost in the corn maze. There were 5 points that we were supposed to find... We found 1.

Really... it is SO exciting feeding the goats.

Riding the seesaw with his friend, Tyler.

Tyler the farmer.

Our friend Joe with his two boys Dylan and Tyler on the hayride.

AJ on the hayride.

The hayride went through the woods and it was truly beautiful with the canopy of trees. Then we came up past the cows roaming in the fields and over by the barns. The barn area smelled SO bad and there was a dead cow posed next to the barn. All the adults on the ride were trying to figure out if it was dead or not but that thing did not move. We also wondered if it was used in the Haunted Maze but no it was just dead. At least they posed it to look like it was just sitting down resting. Creepy.