Why Micah Needs a New Favorite Book

Micah's current favorite story is "Harry the Dirty Dog" by Gene Zion.  It is the story about a dog who hates his bath so much that he buries his scrubbing brush and runs away from home in order to escape a bath.  He then plays around the city and gets very, very dirty.  When he returns home his family doesn't recognize him.  In the end he begs for a bath, and when the little boy and girl give him one they discover Harry.  This makes Harry so happy!  I like this book a lot, and didn't even mind reading it 10 times a day.  Until Monday.

Luke was home from school with a fever.  I had gotten them both lunch and since they weren't feeling great I took pity on them and let them eat over by the computer so they could watch "eggs" while they were eating.  I then made my lunch and sat at the table, reading, while we all ate.  I was pretty absorbed in my book, I guess, because in the background I barely registered Micah yelling "Harry the dirty dog!  Harry the dirty dog!" over and over.  I didn't fully break out of my book-induced haze until Griffin came racing around the table shaking from head to toe and covered in...Yogurt!

These pictures are post-seven or so shakes, so they don't quite do it justice.

And that is why Griffin had an emergency bath and why we haven't read "Harry the Dirty Dog" since Monday.  Micah is grounded from that book for a week.

What goes on in their heads????

I ask myself that questions several times a day.  Today I asked it when the boys threw some poop over the neighbors fence.  Now that is an awkward moment.  Walking next door and apologizing to someone that your children threw poop in their yard.  Awesome.  Also, when I asked Luke why he did that he told me that it was because Jesus wasn't there to tell him not to.  WHERE does he come up with this stuff?

I asked myself that question yesterday when Micah (who was supposed to be in time out in his room for shredding a credit card payment stub) snuck into the guest bathroom (because his was locked!), filled up a mixing bowl with water and then dumped it in the middle of his bedroom floor.

And I asked myself that question after a conversation with Luke a few nights ago.  I have been reading the "Magic Tree House" series to Luke.   We read a chapter (or a few) most days.  We just finished book #4 in which Jack and Annie find out that the "M person" is Morgan le Fey, a magic librarian who can transform into animals.  Doesn't that just make you want to pick up that series right this very minute?!  But anyway, I asked Luke which animal he would like to be if he were magical like Morgan le Fey.  He said he would like to be a sea lion so he could swim way down to the bottom [of the tank at the zoo] and look at the drains.  WOW!  Consider me speechless.

Dewberry Farms

I love fall!  I love the changing colors and crisp winds and those few days of perfect weather.  We actually don't get a great fall in Texas.  That was more a Utah/ Virginia thing.  But I still love fall.  And one of my very favorite things about fall is visiting the pumpkin patch.  We never made it to a patch before Halloween.  That was disappointing.  But I found one that was open until the middle of November!  So the first weekend after Halloween we went to Dewberry Farms.  It turned out to be a mix between a pumpkin patch and a carnival.  There were some rides and most of it cost extra.  And then at the little shows and events there were a lot of gimmicky sales pitches.  ("Thanks for coming to see the pig races!  Buy a pig nose for $1!")  That part was annoying, but overall it was LOTS of fun.

The Hayride:

Luke hates hay rides.  He actually refused to go on the hayride at first.  Micah LOVES them, so we split up.  I took Luke over to a playground, and Jared took Micah to stand in line for the hayride.  But en route to the playground, Luke spotted an air conditioner.  He just HAD to tell Micah, so he actually got onto the hayride just to tell Micah that he found an air conditioner.  

After the hayride we went to the slides together.  Both of the boys had a ball on this rolley (is that a word?) slide.  They did it over and over and over.

We showcased our strength.

or lack of...

Made it to 9!

watching Luke avoid the mud was pretty funny.

stopping for a joy ride...

spider's web

Cow train--

We rode in barrels painted black and white.

We also saw the animals in the barn.  There was a new litter of pigs nursing.  Micah loved the pink pigs , of course.  Luke was very concerned about the flies in there.  He thought they should have a fan to blow them away.  Good idea, Luke.

I'm pretty sure we'll go back again next year.

Trick or Treating

On Halloween we had an Orton trick-or-treat party.  Emily hosted.  She made dinner in a pumpkin which was delicious.  We also had salad, rolls, green beans, cheese and crackers, and candy corn.

Then we got ready to trick or treat.

Putting on the costumes:

Libby was a beautiful fairy.

Micah was James, the red engine.

Beckett was a dinosaur.

Luke was Percy, the green engine.

Brevin is the football player.

Keaton was a Ninja Turtle.

We went around Emily's block and got all the candy we needed.  We probably trick-or-treated for about 40 minutes which was a perfect amount of time.

So glad that Jared could make it!

Love Luke, but what is that face?!

The full effect of Libby's costume:

Can't believe Cara made that!

It was a fun night.

And I've said it before, but I LOVE LIVING BY FAMILY!

Halloween Parties

We went to a few Halloween parties this year.  I was glad that the boys had a few chances to wear their costumes.  First was the neighborhood party.  They had some games and things, but since we live in a large neighborhood it was pretty crowded.  The boys don't like crowds, so we skipped all the games and the bounce houses.  Actually, Luke went into a bounce house for a few minutes but then decided it was too busy inside.  Micah wouldn't go in at all.  We spent a long time looking at the water mill.

and fountain

And then we watched Charlie Brown on the large blow-up outdoor screen.  Luke recognized another kindergardener from Huggins and sat beside her.  I get excited whenever I see him do things like that.  He tapped her on the arm and said hi.

Then the boys got thirsty and the water was in the car, so we left early.

The next party was Micah's preschool party.

He has a bag of candy.  Doesn't he look ECSTATIC about it?

sneaking a sucker.

And  special Halloween snack time.

Last, we went to the ward Halloween party the day before Halloween.  The only picture I took was of Emily, Beckett, and Brevin.  

My boys were running around somewhere.  We came a little late.  It was a chili dinner and trunk-or-treat, but I knew my boys wouldn't eat the chili.  We ate at home and then came in time for the games.  Which my boys wouldn't play.  Whatever.  They liked the trunk or treat.  Luke was more interested in handing out candy than getting any himself.  What a goof!

Wilson Book Fair

Two weeks ago Debbi texted to let me know that Terry was playing Clifford at the Wilson book fair.  She invited us to drop by.  We couldn't miss that, so we headed down to my old stomping ground where we hung out with Clifford and got a new book in the bargain.