After Dark in the Park

For the last three years, we have noticed there is some sort of Halloween festival at the River Legacy Science Center by our house called "After Dark in the Park". The first time, we noticed the sign advertising the event AFTER it was over. Last year, we noticed it in time, and thought, hmmm...we should go, but never did. This year, we noticed it in time and we decided to take the kids.

So, on the night of October 10th, we headed over there when Mommy got home from work. We had a GREAT time. We started off with a "haunted" hay ride from the parking area to the Science Center. Will and Caroline thought that was the best thing EVER!

First Stop...The pumpkin patch.



We had already purchased two very large pumpkins at Sam's, along with two small "pie" pumpkins that the kids could carry around with them. Of course, Will (the pumpkin collector) needed more. Not only did you get to pick a pumpkin, but you got to DECORATE it!

First, the lady wrote our names on them, so we could tell which ones were ours. Notice that neither of our children chose from the "small" pumpkins available. Fortunately for us, they had a place to store our pumpkins so we didn't have to haul them around while we enjoyed the rest of the festival. Hence, the name writing.


Let's decorate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






All Done!!!!! Will and Caroline were so very proud of their work.





They had clowns there making balloon hats for FREE. Will loved his "pumpkin" hat.


This is the clown who made both of their pumpkin hats.

Making bracelets. Both kids were allowed to make two different bracelets, one of them using glow in the dark beads. How cool is that?

We went back up front to pick up our pumpkins so that we could go home and there were two FIRETRUCKS there. The firemen allowed us inside the cabs of BOTH of them.

Look at Joe Cool...

Caroline wasn't so sure, though.

The evening ended with a "starry" walk to the "haunted hayride" station and a very long hay ride. We got to ride all around the entire park before they dropped us at our car. We had a WONDERFUL time. We are adding this one to our list of "must do" fall activities.

More Blow Up Fun

After the pumpkins have been up for a while, Will and Caroline usually begin to "play" with them more than they enjoy looking at them blown up. They go outside and turn them on and off, on and off. Then they move on to actually "playing" with them while they are turned off. Usually this involves some sort of sitting on them (at first). Eventually, they move on to putting items INSIDE the pumpkin. Last year, at the end of "pumpkin season", we had all kinds of items inside them, from toys to sticks and rocks. We even found one of our missing LIVE pumpkins that we didn't get to carve for Halloween because it was nowhere to be found!



These pictures were all taken the morning after we went to the fair with Uncle Rick and Aunt Wanda. We were all sitting outside, enjoying the cool morning weather because Uncle Rick and Aunt Wanda really never see that kind of weather where they live.



Will decided it would be fun to play the bongos on the blower inside the Will pumpkin.




Caroline ALWAYS has to do whatever brother does. Here she is playing the bongo on the blower inside the Caroline pumpkin.

Will needed a break, so he decided to lounge right there on the pumpkin.

Will and Caroline decided to finish things out by posing for the camera on the Will pumpkin. Unfortunately, as you can tell by this picture (if you look very closely), the Will pumpkin no longer has a complete stem. Will and Daddy ran over it with the lawn mower two days before this picture. Daddy put a rubber band on the top of the stem so that it would still blow up. Uncle Rick and Aunt Wanda decided he looks like he had a bad haircut.

Howdy Folks! Welcome to the State Fair of Texas

Three weeks after Ike, Uncle Rick and Aunt Wanda came back to pick up their car and other items they had left behind when they went home. While they were here, we decided our "refugees" needed a visit to the State Fair of Texas.


First up, we HAD to go see Big Tex. He must have made a "big" impression. Even now, out of the blue, Caroline will just say, "Howdy Folks! Welcome to the State Fair of Texas". Will was enamored with the trains, however. Will LOVES all things train, car, truck, and construction...especially construction. He kept wanting to go see Big Tex over and over and over, but it was really just to look at the trains.


This was a problem for mommy and daddy because we are on a tight eating schedule when we go to the fair. We actually eat our way through the fair. The Fletcher's corny dogs were only our first stop. We also had to get to the Food Pavilion for pizza and chocolate milk, Miss Fernie's Funnel Cakes, the fresh made root beer stand, and Hans Meuller's for Sausage on a Stick and Turkey Legs.


Here are Will and Caroline...with Big Tex and the TRAINS (and mommy with her corny dog).




We also decided to attempt a visit to the Railroad Museum that they operate on the fairgrounds year-round. Last time we went, the loud noises coming from the museum scared Will and he wouldn't go in. This time, since they were short-handed and not running the loud noises, Will decided to go into the museum. Unfortunately for us, the fact that they were short-handed meant that NOTHING was open in the museum. All we were able to do was walk around outside most of the trains. After paying $14 for us all to get in, we were not happy campers. We did manage to climb up on the outside of one engine so that we could see how high it stood.



Next, we were off to the petting zoo. They sold food at the entrance to the zoo, but the animals aren't too hungry once they are a couple of hours into the Fair. Note to self, feed animals BEFORE going to see Bix Tex and eating a Fletcher's Corny Dog. (This having kids is really going to put a cramp in our state fair eating agenda.)


Will and Caroline loved feeding the animals. Will was SO happy.





We had one last item to buy, a giant "cancel" for Will and Caroline. Will and Caroline have always called pretzels "cancels". Instead of correcting them, we now also call them cancels. How is that for great parenting?


Will and Caroline decided to have some fountain fun while they waited for Daddy to come back with the "cancel".







Whew! All that running made me TIRED. I had better take a break.




Ahhh...the cancel has arrived.




Now we can go home. Whew! We were tired (and full) and we wore Uncle Rick and Aunt Wanda out.

Fall Fest

Will and Caroline really look forward to our Fall "carnival" at church. It is actually called Fall Fest, but Will and Caroline call it "Miss Sharon's Party". It got this name because, last year, Miss Sharon organized the children's games. As far as my kids are concerned, this IS the name. This year, it really WAS Miss Sharon's "party" since she was in charge of the whole thing. There was an entire western theme this year, with different colored bandanas for everyone who worked.



Miss Sharon bought special bandanas just for Will and Caroline in their favorite colors so that they could wear them to the event. After much waiting, Fall Fest FINALLY arrived. Will and Caroline were ready to go, right down to their bandanas.









We didn't get many pictures during the day, but we did manage to take pictures of Will and Caroline doing their FAVORITE thing...riding the "ponies". Here they are....

Signing permission slips and getting ready to ride.

Waiting for our turn.

Away we go........

Look, Mom, NO HANDS!

Blow Ups!

The first week of September, Mommy had to go into the "magical" closet where the holiday items are stored to get some wrapping paper. Well, Will and Caroline weren't far behind. For the rest of the day, they were begging and begging to go back into the closet to take the Halloween decorations out. Mommy was strong and held them off.


When I got home from work the next day, the kids had taken all of our light up pumpkins out of the closet and they were scattered all over the house. Apparently, Daddy isn't as tough as he acts! Next thing I knew, our house was decorated for Halloween on September 8th, right down to the spider and ghost lights on the fireplace.


I drew the line at taking out the blow ups, though. We told the kids they had to wait until it was October before we could put them out in the yard. Well, Hurricane Ike brought us two "refugees" (my brother and his wife) from the Galveston area. We were reorganizing the closet the Sunday after the hurricane so that Rick and Wanda could store their important items there and Will and Caroline not only got back into the closet, but managed to drag all of the blow ups out.


What was a mother to do? Well, this mother (along with our special guests) set up the blow ups in the backyard (yes, folks, on September 15th) so that we could be sure to be ready for Halloween.


Will with his "plugger".... He calls power strips "pluggers" because you plug things into them.



Look at that sweet boy...



They have named all of their pumpkin blow ups...


Will hugging the "Will" pumpkin...two weeks after this picture, Will and Daddy "decapitated" this pumpkin with the lawnmower. Fortunately, it was on the stem on the top, so we put a rubber band on it and it still inflates just fine.




Caroline with the "me...the witch" pumpkin (aka the Caroline pumpkin). This pumpkin is the reason we keep them all in the backyard. Last year, someone stole our original witch pumpkin out of the front yard. We immediately bought the tall "Will" pumpkin to replace it, but the kids were still heartbroken. Mommy was able to locate this replacement "Caroline" pumpkin and the kids were happy once again. Will still talks about the bad people who stole our pumpkin, though.



Mommy, Will, and Caroline with the "Hayden" pumpkin. Hayden is Will's very best friend in the entire world.




In case you think I am totally weak, I HAVE been able to hold them off on their costumes...Here it is, October 21st, and I have managed not to let Will wear his fireman costume (not for lack of trying). Caroline hasn't worn her princess ballerina costume, either, but she hasn't really asked.

Playing in the Rain....Again

We got rain again! YAY! Of course, Will and Caroline had to play outside in it (as always). Those two LOVE to play outside...ESPECIALLY if it is raining!


There is a low spot in the driveway where the water gathers into a puddle. They both love to jump and play in it.



Whew! That was a LOT of fun.




Will's class at school has been talking about the weather. It was our lucky day when it started raining and he got to break out his weather wheel.



Will likes to EAT the rain, too!

Grandma's Birthday

To celebrate Grandma's 84th birthday, we decided to have a party. First, we had to get ready. Daddy needed to clean up his grill before our guests arrived. The kids wanted to help so badly that Mommy gave them the task of cleaning up their truck.

Here they are, hard at work...



It was a wonderful party. Everyone seemed to have a great time, especially Will and Caroline. They are always SO excited to have guests!

Our special friend and honorary Grandma (Sharon) suggested that we make sure we got pictures of the kids with their Grandma and Grandpa on this special day. After many tries, these are the best pictures we got. The kids were just too excited to pose. You know, when it was just Will, we ALWAYS got good pictures of him. Now that we have added Caroline to the mix, it is almost impossible to get a good shot of both of them at the same time.

Will and Caroline with Grandma

Will with Grandma

What a ham!

Will and Caroline with Grandpa


Caroline with Grandpa

After we ate, Will and Caroline decided to entertain the crowd with some marching band action....

Will liked the drum a lot...and LOUDLY


Caroline kept changing instruments. She started out on the tamborine and moved on to this "bug" thing that rattles and makes some sort of music.