2 for 2!

Wow. What are the chances of the boys sitting for TWO spectacular fall portraits? I can tell you from experience that the answer is...slim, very slim. But the Fates are smiling on my boys and their messy hair and dirty faces and silly smiles.  Rumor has it that the photographer at daycare who took these was blown away by how sweet little P was. 

Well Rounded (Toenails)

Connor is amazing me with the different dimensions of his personality and interests.  He loves all things "boy"...sports, dirt, slapstick, movies with things that get blown up.  But he also loves drama (he's in an after school program right now), Pawn Stars, history, and art.   He recently told  me that he thinks he wants to be an art teacher and high school football coach.  I love that the one thing we seemingly do not need to worry about as parents is that he have a well-rounded approach to life.  We certainly don't have to force him to explore or be interested in a wide array of experiences.  I know this is not true of every child and I recognize how lucky we are.

That brings me to this Wednesday night.  I was home with Palmer after work and the big boys were at football practice.  This week is game 2 of the playoffs so practice has been focused and intense.  Its cold out and the boys are adjusting to that after months of playing in the heat.  Its a fair amount of pressure for an 8 year old.

So, around the time I expect them home I hear the keys jingling in the doorway.  I head toward the door to open it and Connor bursts in.  Filthy practice football uniform, shoulder pads still on.  Helmet tucked under the arm, slumped over.  Muddy face, sweat sodden hair.

As he crosses the threshold, barely inside, he says with no greeting, "Mom, when are we getting another pedicure together?"

The whole scene was just funny.  Tough muddy football player wondering when his next foot grooming opportunity would be with his mother.

I love that kid.  

Pumpkin Routes

Connor did a fantastic school project where a pumpkin subbed for a globe and the routes of the explorers were detailed. Our great white Cinderella pumpkin from Wegmeyer's proved a great fruity world.

Best School Picture EVER

Usually, these pictures are a disaster.  Hair unkempt.  Food around the mouth.  Crooked shirt.   But this is spectacular.  And he so does not look like an 8 year old.

Alternate Identities

Both Tatertots had two different costumes this Halloween. Because one is never enough fun and because in elementary school for the parade you can't be anything scary and you need to be a book character. So, Palmer got to be an evil doll (Chucky) and an adorable garden gnome.  Connor enjoyed Sherlock Holmes and some kind of freakish evil troll with a massive hammer. 

Halloween Decor

One of Connor's favorite things to do each year is get out the Halloween decorations.  Its mine, too.  However, for the past few years, we've been traveling on Halloween so we haven't really gone "all out" on the decorations.  This year, with no travel plans, we went all out and really decked the halls.   We've had it looking pretty spooky here in Tatertown for about a month now and I'm kind of sad to put it all away.

Pumpkinville

Nana is here for the weekend and despite an insane work schedule and the utterly ridiculous fact that we had snow and freezing rain all day yesterday, we have had a fun weekend with the boys.  On Friday we had a great hour at Pumpkinville right before they closed.  Here's some of the fun: