Punkin' Patch

Sully wasn't able to go on the pumpkin patch field trip with his school so I took him to one the weekend before Halloween. He immediately found a "corn" pit, where you scoop dried corn much like you would in a sandbox; he had a blast in there. Nect, we climbed to the top of a hay pyramid and gazed down at the fields from high above. We caught a tractor ride (we were the only two ready for a ride but the driver is a sucker for little boys as he has his own two-year-old son, so he took us for a spin) around the patch. Then we grabbed a wagon and found several nice pumpkins. Sully insisted on pulling the heavy wagon by himself...but did end up letting me give him a ride at the end of the trail. He had a great time.

Buddies

We had Jamey for the day last month. The three boys had so much fun! We squished into the new Subaru and went out to pizza, to the Riverfront Park, and played a whole lot in our back yard.

First Day Of First Grade

Keaton started first grade on September 8th. He is in his second year of the Spanish immersion program. Just a week into the school year he is already speaking quite a bit more Spanish at home. He will say a sentence to me that is half-English, half-Spanish. Keats is mostly excited for recess and lunch, as you can imagine. First Graders get recess every day, regardless of the weather, AND they get to have REAL BASKETBALLS AND RED RUBBER BALLS during recess. Lunch is in the REAL CAFETERIA and this is very, very exciting. His school has a program where I can go online and put money into a lunch account for him so we put $25 in there last week. This means he can eat school lunch if he wants. He is excited to try this but has thus far been too nervous to try it out.

Why must they stick out their butts when they want a shot of their backpacks?? ;o)

The shoes. This is as important as backpack and lunch box choice. Keats loves the brand Geox. They are, naturally, very expensive. However, I buy them on clearance at Nordstroms a size or two ahead. He loves them and I love that they don't fall apart after two weeks!

First Day Of (Actual) Preschool

Sully started his first official day of preschool on September 8th. He will go to the same class as last year but this will be his last year of pre-k. Cannot believe my baby will be in kindergarten in a year!

Showing off his Toy Story backpack and lunch box.

Sullivan was noncompliant in regards to smiling for the camera this day. I did manage to talk him into the fake-but-cute smile above; below, pictured with his teacher, he put on a serious, serious face for the camera.

Little North Fork Of The Santiam River

I took the boys, separately, to Little North Fork to play in the water. What a perfect place for kids to play! Shallow, clean water and rocks for throwing or climbing upon; my boys were thrilled out of their minds.

Notice how gigantic the rock is that he's trying to grab in the above pic? He was absolutely pissed that he couldn't pick it up and kept insisting I help him. Um. No.

I only had my iPhone, again, when I took Keats since this was my first trip in ages and I didn't know if I could hold my camera in the water. But I got some cute shots anyway.

Fun At Bush Park

The boys and I had a fun afternoon at Bush Park recently. I was trying to get some of their energy burned off. We were there for a long, long time and walked most of the park (which is huge for those that don't know). We splashed in the creek, bought a Mexican popsicle from an ice cream guy on a bike. The boys were thrilled both that their tongues (and Sullivan's hands) turned blue AND there was a piece of bubblegum at the bottom of their popsicle! Happy boys.

Pacific City

Lisa, Steve, and Lucy visited Oregon and we met them at the beach for two nights. We were five minutes into our drive when I realized I forgot my camera!! Argh. So, I couldn't take any good pics but here are a few iPhone photos...

This sand crab was sooooo amazingly high up a sand hill. I have no idea how he got there...possibly someone took him up and dropped him off or he stowed away in someone's backpack? He had barnacles on him so I know he had been in the ocean before but have no idea what he was doing on the hill. Anyway, here he is. Very cute in an icky-creepy-crawly-too-many-legs kind of way. I hope he made it all the way to the water!

Mike up on the hill.

Sully, about halfway up the hill.

What a pretty day it was at the beach!

I want this puppy. No, really. I want him.

Keats, in front of Steve & Lisa's condo.