Halloween 2010

Following our traditions, this year we carved pumpkins and went trick or treating.  Rob is the accomplished carver in our family.  He set aside some time to help with the task, only this year Ethan was at a friend's house during that time.  Justus and Zac made great looking pumpkins and we wondered whether Ethan's pumpkin would get a face at all.  Our 11 year old came home from his friend's house and carved it completely on his own - from putting down newspaper to throwing away the chunks he had cut out!  Rob and I are amazed at how independent he is already. 

Sunday afternoon, we headed for the first time to the trick or treating offered at the mall.  I figured the littles would enjoy this part of the evening and the bigs could go out later for "real" trick or treating.   Justus struggled with his costume.  The one he had me buy apparently didn't fit him right and he refused to wear a "hand-me-down" costume (you know, the one worn for 3 hours last year by his older brother).  He figured one out from our dress up stuff.  Here's our army man, bat (he insisted he was NOT batman), cow and strawberry.

The mall was very busy and I was amazed.  I didn't think Nebraskans could be that rude.  Really.  For the past 8 years I've been impressed by how Nebraskans are so polite.  Not at this event. Don't think we'll be going back.  Anyway, Justus' mask totally bugged him the whole time so we headed home for dinner and a quick costume change for "real" trick or treating.  Amazing how a little makeup, gel and an additional accessory can turn a bat into Darth Maul!

After every single house, Zac would turn around and hold up the treasure that had just been placed in his pumpkin basket and say "Mommy, look what I just got!  Can we do more trick or treating?"  EVERY house - for an hour and a half!  He did slow down and I held his basket for him the last block, but he was a trooper.  We headed home for a potty break and for me to take over caring for Esther.  I thought for sure my little cow would be done for the night.  But, oh no!  He wanted to head right back out with his brothers.  Now, how do I get rid of all this candy without us eating it all?

A visit from Juli and Tate

For 5 busy and fun days we got my sister, Juli and my nephew, Tate out to the midwest.  Noah was hunting, so it was better for her to be with us anyways.  I realized during her visit that I am horrible at taking pictures of us doing stuff because, well, we're doing stuff.  Thankfully Juli grabbed some so I'll be able to include them in this blog.

While my sister was here we had a lot of fun together.  Saturday we went to a football game in Crete - our cousin Joel is a coach and his team was playing Doane College.  It was perfect weather and there was plenty of space for our toddlers to walk around while we caught glimpses of the game.  The best part was Joel's team won.  Sunday, after church and before our small group meeting, Juli and I headed to Nebraska Wesleyan Theater and enjoyed a very well done show - Oklahoma.  Monday was Juli's birthday.  We headed out to Roca Berry Farm's Pumpkin Patch.  The big kids were on fall break and were able to join us.

  Tate got friendly with the animals.

 

 Essie was just Essie being cute.

There was so much to do - corn maze, big tricycle racetrack, 10 foot slide out of a castle, lifesize Candyland, 3 haunted houses, a shooting range, mini petting zoo, and a hayrack ride for pumpkins.  We could have stayed longer, but the little kids were in need of a nap.  We celebrated Juli's birthday with a delicious pie and

 then Juli and I did our nails, watched a movie, and did a puzzle.  (We finished it for you Juli!)

 A perfectly awesome way to spend time with one's sister :)  Tuesday I had to work, but Rob surprised me and told me to take Juli out for dinner for her last night with us.  We went to Bread and Cup and enjoyed some SUPERB food and then headed to Coldstone (I had a coupon that would expire that night so we HAD to go).  All too soon our time was up and Juli and Tate headed back to CA.  We made some wonderful memories.

A Monday without Ethan

On Monday, the elementary schools celebrated Columbus Day by having no school.  The Middle Schools were, however, in session.  This was the first time Justus had a day off and Ethan didn't so I let Justus choose something special to do.  He chose to go to the Lincoln Children's Zoo and then get a movie of his choice from redbox.  We have rarely been to the Children's Zoo since I prefer the Omaha Zoo and save up all summer for a trip there, so this was a special treat for Esther, Zac, Justus and I. It was weird to not have Ethan with us, but nonetheless we enjoyed our morning out of the house - it was such a beautiful day.

Justus realized very quickly why it's called a "children's" zoo - tons of fun places to stop and play.  Did you see the dirt pile?  They spent more time on that then seeing ANY animal.  We did the whole zoo and a train ride (J's waving from the 3rd row) in under 2 hours. We headed back home where Justus watched his movie (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) while Esther and Zac took their naps.  Can't wait for another day like this.

Justus turned 9!

Because Oct. 5th was already a jam packed day, Justus lucked out.  His birthday celebration got spread out over 3 days!  The Saturday before his birthday, we had his friend birthday party.  He asked for an Indiana Jones birthday party and we delivered!  He and his friends went on the "Search for the Holy Grail." 

 We used the park near our house to host the event since 10 4th grade boys simply don't fit in my house.  When they arrived, they had to run the gauntlet to prove they were worthy of the quest.  They raced from one end of the park to the other keeping an egg on a spoon.

Then they had to find the ancient necklaces buried in the sand.  On the necklaces were hieroglyphics that they had to put in the correct order in order to figure out where the first part of the treasure map was.

The next clue told them they needed to find the ingredients for a scorpion-bite antidote mixed in with the spider guts (a borax solution with food coloring).

The final portion of the treasure map had to be purchased with 50 pieces of gold.  The gold coins had been scattered throughout the park similar to an egg hunt.  Once they had all the pieces of the map, they could figure out where the grail had been hidden.

And it was a mad dash to the final destination!

Once the search was complete, we had an Indiana Jones style feast.  We ate:
- a snake sandwich (I baked pilsbury dough in the shape of a snake)
- chilled monkey brains (strawberry/banana jello with crushed pineapples and cut up strawberries)
- fried caterpillars (cheetos)
- butterfly wings (bbq chips)
- alligator eyes (grapes)
- spider sacs (black olives)
- chocolate beetles (chocolate covered raisins)
- jungle juice.

The party was a TON of fun and really, not a lot of work.  I borrowed most of the ideas off the internet and spent a few pennies at the dollar store.

Monday night we had our family celebration with a real cake and candles and presents. 

On the day of J's birthday, Rob and I were able to sneak over to have lunch with him before I headed off for my first day of teaching.  After school, J helped with the book fair right up until the time we picked him up for his football game.  Rob was able to stay for most of his game before he headed off to teach his Tuesday night class.  We are so glad we made memories with him to make his day special.  We love celebrating our Justus!