Missing

The only good thing about Eric being gone on a business trip…

Pumpkin Patch

My photos were hiding from me, so I had to wait until Eric could find them to post our Pumpkin Patch Photos.

Somehow, despite the fact that there were tons of sunny days, even several sunny weekend days, we never made it to the pumpkin patch for our annual Alteio/Anderson adventure.  Instead, we waited until the 30th, when there were no options left, and went in the pouring rain.

It was fun anyway, and made for photos with no annoying shadows or constantly squinty children.  See what a good “pumpkin patch is hall-full” attitude I had?!

There was a really nice hay maze that the kids loved.  It was also pouring and the maze was covered, so the grown-ups were all for letting the kids play…

I love this photo of Katie.  It just makes me smile for some reason.

And Sarah gets lots of points for being the only child that actually stopped to smile for the camera instead of just running away!!

And the grand finale – mud puddles! Jack and I love to see which puddle is the deepest.  It gives us a good excuse to use our boots to their full potential. (And my mom cannot say that I should not wear my blue boots in public – since I AM on a farm!)

Hooky

We played hooky today.

I am not fond of the morning routine, and am missing my slow morning with the boys.  The other day Owen said that he missed our “pajama days” when we never even bothered to get dressed.  When he said this, a plan started forming in my head…

Owen has been coughing in the night and mornings for several days now, so I decided that would be my excuse to keep him home.  I also convinced myself that school wouldn’t be particularly productive the day after Halloween with tired teachers and kids on sugar-crashes.  I didn’t really believe myself.  Neither did Owen.

He and Jack had climbed in bed with me in the morning and we were laying there for awhile.

Owen: Is today a school day, Mama?

Mama: Um, no.

Owen: (surprised) Is today Sunday?

I wonder if he will notice that I didn’t answer.  I really don’t want to lie to him.

Owen:  I know it’s not the weekend Mama because Daddy isn’t here.

Still no answer.  I wonder if Owen believes I fell back asleep.  After several minutes…

Owen: If you don’t want to send me to school, that is fine.  But I know it is not Sunday or the weekend.  (big sigh of acquiescence) But I will stay home if you want me to.

Mama: I think it is a good idea for us all to stay home today and just rest so our bodies are really healthy.

Owen: Ok.  Can I eat something out of my Halloween basket for breakfast?

Mama: (Can I plead the 5th here?)

We stayed in our pajamas and I cleaned out the laundry room.  The monkeys found it quite entertaining to play with the things that I dragged out of that room.  The first things were the air mattresses that have been in there since the summer waiting for me to blow them up and figure out which has a hole.  The monkeys made forts using these, the couch, dining room chairs, and blankets.  This lasted several hours.

Unfortunately, the laundry room was really messy (it is possible that I throw things in there when I don’t want to deal with them.  It is also possible that  it has been several years since I have wanted to deal with most things in there…)

The boys and I stopped for a reading break and each of them read to me.  An hour passed before we were done.  Jack can just not get enough reading and is learning a new sound every day!  He doesn’t know all of his letters so he can only call some by the sound.

When the boys started asking for candy, I initiated a cleaning routine and made the boys do two jobs for every piece of candy.

Soon the dishwasher was empty, Owen’s room was clean, the shoes were organized, the coat closet was organized, the toys were all put away, Jack’s bedding and all of the dirty laundry around the house was brought to the laundry room.  This took four pieces of candy per monkey and two episodes of Curious George.  Totally worth it!  They even asked to keep going, but I was out of ideas for jobs that the monkeys could do that would not create more work for myself.

It was such a great day.  I felt so relaxed and felt like I got so much done including several hours of time to play with the boys. There were no tears, no battles over getting something done quickly, no breakdowns for silly reasons.  It totally makes me want to pull Owen out of school and teach him myself.  I won’t because I do think Owen benefits quite a bit from being in school.  I do wonder, however.  How many days can one play hooky before the truancy officers show up at your door???

Trick or Quote

Boba Fett and a monkeyDoc: This is very special. Usually we pick the candy when  trick-or-treaters come, but because you’re our favorite, we are going to let you pick!  Choose three for your bucket.

Owen carefully and slowly chooses three different candies and puts them in his bucket.  A few minutes later, Doc opens a Recess Peanut Butter Cup. Owen inhales deeply and loudly.

Owen:  Man, that smells good too!  (pause with a furrowed brow) But I just have to make my OWN decisions.  (turns away from Doc and the good smelling candy.)

Jack: Who’s eating that?

Doc:  I was.

Jack:  Are you going to eat ALL of it?

____

On the drive over to Lisa and John’s house.

Owen: I like Halloween, and Christmas, and Easter.  I get things on those holidays.  Halloween is all about getting candy.  I mean, it is all about giving, right?  Lots of people want to give us candy.

____

Trick-or-treating

Owen: Um, there are two more people too. (Talking about Sarah and Jack)  Here they are.

Man at Door: You get an extra one for taking such good care of your brother!

Owen: Wow thanks!  Mama, Daddy – That man gave me two because I took such good care of my brother!

Next house.  The man gives out a piece of candy to everyone.

Owen: Um, the man at the last house gave me two pieces because I took such good care of my brother.

____

Lady at the door:  Take a few.

Mama: (watching Owen’s hand move back and forth several times) Owen, why don’t you take two?

Owen: The lady said, “Take a few.” and I think she meant four.

____

Owen: Look guys, I got a snowball at this house!

____

Mama:  What did you say to that man?

Jack: Thank you!

Mama: Why did he say, “We have to save the rest of the candy for some other kids.”?

Jack: (shrugs his shoulders) I don’t know. (sly smile)…

____

Lost in Translation

On Tuesday, while Becca was driving with Jack, he asked her to turn up the song because it was one he really liked.  He then began to sing along.  Becca thought it was pretty funny because it was Teenage Dream by Katie Perry.

Tonight at dinner Eric asked Jack about singing along to the radio.  Jack remembered singing but was feeling too shy to sing a few lines for Owen (who wanted to remember how the song went.)

Eric sang a line or two for Owen who quickly recognized the song, but then became very confused.  Eric and I, in turn, became very confused…

Owen: That song was on the radio?

Eric: Yes. In Becca’s car.

Owen: And they were talking about the song?

Eric: No, they were singing the song.

Owen: Jack was singing the song?

Eric: No the regular people were singing it on the radio.

Owen: And they were talking about the song?

Eric: No, the regular people were singing, and Jack was singing along in his own voice.

Owen: Jack’s voice was on the radio?!!

Eric just looked at me, hoping I could give some insight as to why Owen was so confused.  Or maybe he was hoping I could help Owen understand.  I tried.

Mama: The lady who sings the song was on the radio. And Jack was singing in the car.   Just like when you listen to a song on Media Center.  The song plays, and you sing to it.

Owen: Oh (He obviously was still confused.)

Then, my earlier explanation revealed the problem to me….

Mama: Oh, I see why you are confused.  Becca’s radio isn’t the same as Mama’s radio.  When most people say they are listening to the radio, they mean they are listening to music, not talking.  The radion is like the Zune in Mama’s car.

Success!

Eric rolled his eyes at this point and got up from the dinner table with a wan smile.  Ah, the sad influence I am on my children…

Eric is a music guy.  He has music around him any minute that is not occupied with something he has to concentrate on. It gives him energy and meaning.

I, on the other hand crave information (even if it is not necessarily useful ...)  Thus, in my car, vocab is a little different.  Translation as follows: We listen to…

…the radio = NPR

…a book = an audio book on my Zune

…a CD = kids music

…my Zune = grown-ups music (song the kids request)

 

*Oh, and please keep in mind who plays music in our house when you make comments on the song lyrics that my children are privy to…

Replacement

As I was about to put the monkeys to bed, I got a phone call.  I talked for about 10 minutes, and at the end of the call the monkeys ran up to me both yelling.

Owen: He did it! He did it! I did it!

Jack:  Mom, mom!   (garbled )  a ant.  It can sit and eat!!

I finished up my phone call and turned to the boys trying to understand what they were yelling about.  They were very excited about an ant sitting?  I didn’t know ants could sit. 

I followed Owen and Jack to the office and they pointed to a story from the book that I used to teach Owen to read from, and am working on with Jack.

Owen:  You need to put another sticker on his chart because we did another lesson. 

My face must have betrayed the doubt that I felt...

So Jack read the “story” in a way that was obvious that he had read the story before.  Owen had a massive grin on his face and said, “Don’t worry mom, I made him do the sound parts that go before the story too.”

Apparently Owen can just take over from now on…at least until lesson 76, where he has left off…

Jack’s Story:

In other news, I took the boys to Gas Works Park today – thinking it would be fun to climb over the neat metal structures. (yes, I do know you are not supposed to…) Don’t worry, the kids found it far too cold to be outside.  And it was definitely  not nearly as exciting as learning to read, or teaching reading.  We left in less than 10 minutes. 

Entertainment

Owen:  We should sing a song for Tyler when we go visit him.  Le’s practice together.

___

Jack:   (singing) I love you, you love me… I love you

Owen: (singing) I love you, you love me…we’re best friends

___

Jack: (yelling) No! No!  It doesn’t go like that!

Owen: (singing) like friends should be.

___

Jack: (singing)  With a great big hug, and…a  kiss from me to you

Owen: (singing) With a great big hug, and… a big kiss for you

___

Jack: (singing) won’t you say…

Owen: (yelling) No! No!  It doesn’t go like that!

___

Jack:  (singing)  you love me too!

Owen: (singing) you love me too!

___

Jack:   You sang it wrong!

Owen: You sang it wrong!

___

After a few tense moments…and some “discussion,” the words were figured out to their liking.

___

Owen: Ok, Jack – we need to practice again.  Let’s start over.  1..2..3…

___

Some very nice renditions of Barney’s song..

Owen:  Now lets move our feet like we are walking into the host-tible room.  (they are in their carseats)

Owen and Jack:  (singing)  I love you,you love me ….

I am sure Tyler loved it!