Old Friends

Last night we went to Winfield and met a few old friends for dinner and drinks at the new Montana Mike’s restaurant.  It was so much fun seeing Kyle and Rachel.  It’s been almost five years since I had seen them so we had lots of fun catching up.  I guess we must of had a little too much fun  though because everyone around us asked to be moved to a new table in a different part of the restaurant . . . imagine that!!!   We are thinking we might have to do this again around Christmas time when everyone is back in town.

{Kyle, Rachel and Kelly}

My friend Kristen and her family were also in town and joined us for dinner.  Then they went back to my parents house with us and stayed the night.  As always it was great seeing her.  Grant always has so much fun with Maddie and Gracie loves goofing around with Jeff.  Somehow I didn’t get a single picture of Roy . . . sorry!!

Halloween {Round 1}

This week we began the first of our Halloween festivities.  I had my class party on Thursday.  This year I wasn’t super motivated to dress up, so I just wore a Halloween t-shirt that I had hanging in the back of the closet.  After the party at school we rushed home so I could begin making cupcakes for Grant’s party at school the following day.  Sometimes I wonder why I’m not the mom who just volunteers to bring napkins. 

Step 1 – bake the chocolate cupcakes

Step 2 – use gel paint to write RIP on 36 Milano cookies while the cupcakes are baking and cooling

Step 3 – ice the cupcakes with chocolate icing and sprinkle crushed Oreo’s on top {it’s supposed to be dirt}

Step 4 – insert a grave into each cookie

There was still some leftover cake batter after I made 3 dozen cupcakes so I used the rest of the batter to make a small round cake.  Then I iced a few more cookies . . . and made a graveyard cake to enjoy at home.  Grant thought the only thing missing were some bone shaped candies sticking up out of the dirt.

     While I was baking I put Grant in charge of getting all the accessories together for his “nerd” outfit.  The kids aren’t allowed to wear face paint at school so Grant decided to be a nerd for his party at school and something a bit more scary on Halloween night. 

I laughed so hard when he walked out dressed like this . . .the way he was walking and talking was a hoot!!!

The head room mom really outdid herself.  She had so many fun games planned.  I think the favorite was “hot skull”.  It was played just like “hot potato”.  There was scary music playing and when the music stopped if you had the skull in your hands, or were the last to touch it, you were out.  It was funny to watch the kids throw the skull around the circle as fast as they could.

They also used markers to turn ping pong balls into eyeballs.  Then they each got to bounce their ball into Halloween baskets to win prizes.  From the looks of things Grant may be a pro at beer pong one day . . . of course he will be 21 before he ever plays a game like that!!!

Here’s the two biggest nerds in 4th grade.  One day they may be sorry they dressed like this and let me take their picture.  They are such good friends . . . it was so much fun seeing them dressed up and being so silly. 

Family Pictures

  A few weekends ago we went to Winfield to have some long overdue family pictures taken.  We were originally scheduled to have them taken back in the spring, but due to an unexpected baseball game we had to cancel at the last minute.  Luckily Laura, who is a fellow blogging friend and photographer, let us wait and reschedule when she did mini-sessions again this fall.  Here is a sneak peek at one of our shots . . . we are so excited to see the rest of them.

After our pictures we met up with all of the great-grandma’s at Nieves for lunch.  It’s rare to have both boys and all three great-grandma’s in the same place at the same time so naturally I wanted a few pictures.  It’s amazing the difference in how the boys behave when I’m taking the pictures vs. Laura.

Take #1 . . . Miles!!!!

Take #2 . . . ok Grant, quit trying to act like your brother!!!Take #3 . . . seriously, this is not funny Miles!!! Take #4 . . . I’m not kidding, this is NOT funny!!!Take #5 . . . let’s see if we can really make mom go crazy!!!  {It worked}

This seems to be the only good picture I got . . . I can’t tell what’s more cheesy, the queso or Grant’s smile!!!After we got home the boys {reluctantly} helped Jeff do a little yard work and played basketball and football.  Here’s Miles setting up the ball so Grant can kick it.

It didn’t work so well when Grant tried to do the same thing.  Here he is rolling around in the grass after Miles missed the ball and kicked him in the foot {by accident of course}  with his size 13 shoes!!!

Another Terrific Tuesday

Tuesday’s are always terrific {I don’t have recess duty and I get a 90 minute break while my kids at are in PE and library} . . . but today was better than ever. 

It all started this morning before I ever walked out the door.  

I reached in my back pocket and found two freshly washed {and pressed} $5.00 bills.

Then after I got to school I had two students greet me with goodies as they were coming in . . . and it wasn’t even my birthday!!!

On kiddo brought me a few bags of yummy Halloween treats and a festive fall notepad.

And this little sweetie  brought me some beautiful flowers. 

I told Jeff he had some competition . . .

I also managed to get my report cards {almost} done during my big break and get the rest of my November stuff filed away and organized. 

The only thing that could make this Tuesday even more terrific would be if the dishwasher would unload itself and I would open the paper I started writing for my  Instructional Design class and see that it was all done.

Fall Ball

    For the first time ever Grant is playing Fall Basketball.  There are a few kids from his regular {winter} team and then a few new kids he’s never played with before.  They’ve been practicing for the last 3 or 4 weeks and looked pretty good on the court today.  This was their first game of the season.  Even though they lost I have to admit I was pretty impressed.  It looks like Grant has finally figured out how to use his size and weight on the court to his advantage.  He was more aggressive than I have ever seen him {yea}!!!

Here are a few pictures from today’s game. . . Grant is #24 

I’m so glad I got a picture of him shooting . . . SWISH!!

He called this the “Double Stuff”

Grant’s Birthday {continued}

It seems like for the last few months I’ve gotten in the routine of posting everything just a little late here!!!  Last weekend we went to Winfield to wrap up Grant’s birthday celebration.  My parents were both so busy the week of Grant’s birthday that we didn’t get to celebrate with them.  My mom was working the ESA sorority booth at Bluegrass and my dad was at the state fair everyday working.  So, we packed up the car and headed to Winfield on Saturday afternoon. 

Grant was VERY eager to open all of his gifts so we did that within minutes of arriving. 

He was so excited about the Adrian Peterson {Vikings} jersey that he got from Nana.He was even more excited about the Drew Brees {Saints} jersey he got from Grandma Norma. 

So excited in fact that he put it on right over the other jersey.

  

He also got a few baseball themed gifts too.  A weight for his bat and a reaction ball to practice fielding with.   

A gift that has given him {and daddy} hours of fun is the new Tiger Woods Xbox 360 game.Here’s the birthday boy with Grandma.  She made him his new favorite cake.  A Neapolitan layered {chocolate, vanilla, strawberry} cake just like mommy gets every year for her birthday.The birthday boy with Nana and Grandma Norma. . . . and the birthday boy relaxing with Spiro after he ate too much cake.

On a sad note . . . the Drew Brees jersey didn’t last long.  He wore it to school on Monday and I got a call from his teacher that afternoon.  She said Grant was pretty upset.  While he was at recess he was playing on the swings and when he jumped out the sleeve got caught on the chain of the swing and ripped.  It’s not as bad as I imagined.  I think with a little black thread it will be as good as new.