Trick or Treat

Clark enjoyed decorating the house for Halloween with me this year. He especially liked having his own set of bat lights in his bedroom. He never wanted them turned off -- I can see how the tree in his room later this year may never have the lights turned off.

Clark also enjoyed "helping" daddy carve the Jack O' Lantern. Grant watched from the highchair sidelines. Clark would ask us to "turn on the pumpkin" at night. We roasted the pumpkin seeds for some yummy treats too!

Clark was a dinosaur this year. No, I did not make the costume. I was going to and even had the pattern picked out but then found this at a price that couldn't be beat (or sewn). He went trick or treating with his brother on Friday during the downtown trick or treat time. He did well in the stores (all but the photography store). I have a nice professional photo of Grant as a hotdog but Clark was having none of that! On Halloween he went trick or treating with Gabe (Scooby Doo) and Ty (duck). Babies Callie and Grant spent some quality time with Tim and Mel (Callie's grandparents).

Happy Halloween!

2 Boys in Blue -- 2009 National FFA Convention

In mid-October I loaded up the boys and we began our 10 hour trip to Indianapolis, Indiana for the National FFA Convention. Alan left after us with the State Officers. Somehow I did stay ahead of him for most of the trip until we stopped for that last feeding and a search for a car wash.

Above is Grant waiting to put on his jacket for a photo session with his Aunt Em.

National Convention was great fun -- we met up with my sister Emily who was speaking on behalf of the World Food Prize and we had lots of great sight seeing experiences. We traveled to the Indianapolis Zoo, a pick your own pumpkin and apple orchard, multiple parks, the Indianapolis Children's museum and the National FFA Career show (filled with lots of fun tractors). During our visit we even met Mike Rowe (from Dirty Jobs). He was one of the big speakers for the Convention. Alan happened to see him walking in downtown while we were finishing supper and he was nice enough to stop and talk to us briefly. He really is a great guy!

Tuttle's Orchard:

That is one big squash! Not to mention the pumpkin tower behind Clark.

Clark hauled the wagon to go pick apples. We ate apples all week from our excursion.

There was no way I could keep Clark from eating an apple out in the orchard so he chose one from off the ground.

This is Grant's hand touching the apple leaves while mommy picked. He thought it was great fun! (He was in the front carrier which is why I could only capture an arm).

Grant enjoying some swing time at the orchard's playground.

Clark liked the tractor in the orchard playground but he preferred trying to "fix" the tractor.

Indianapolis Zoo:

Feeding ducks at the pond while we ate. Did not get a whole lot of photos at the zoo this year.

Indianapolis Children's Museum:

Wow -- what timing the Star Wars exhibit was at the Children's museum. Grant had no problem posing for a photo with daddy but Clark just wanted to go, go, go.

Clark LOVED the dinosaur exhibit! He spent a lot of time not just with the play dinosaurs here but looking at all of the dinosaur exhibits.

A trip to the museum isn't complete without playing with the "glass" sculptures! Also lots of time in the train exhibit but the camera was with daddy and Grant during that time.

After a week of fun and too many nights sharing the same room for sleeping we hit the road back to Iowa. When we reached Ankeny Clark said, "Go to hotel room now mommy!"

Grant catching some zzz's. No he did not sleep on the bed he had his pack n play. However, while I was busy with Clark and before I had a chance to move him he fell asleep surrounded by comfy pillows. He was just too cute!

Clark enjoying a supper of chicken and fries while watching Curious George after a long day of exploring!

Clark and Grant hanging out in the hotel room in their monster PJ's.

Just Another "Normal" Week

We've been busy this week. Such a beautiful week to be outside! We finished the boys' sandbox (except for the cover -- outdoor fabric was ordered tonight), picked lots of berries and had messy mayhem.

Yes, we put the sandbox together and sand was delivered on Friday. Clark loves playing in the sandbox! Although truth be told he prefers playing on the extra pile of sand right beside it. So much for building 4 sides to contain the sand. Gabe and Ty came out the other night and it did provide them all with plenty of entertainment while the adults worked on the garden. Currently we have a tarp as a temporary cover but it isn't very convenient so I ordered some outdoor fabric to sew a cover. Can't have the cats and chickens in the thing -- yuck. Clark does a good job chasing them out when he's playing in the sand.

On Saturday we went over to the berry farm and picked 8 pounds of blueberries, 2 pounds of red raspberries and a few black raspberries. Our red and black raspberries are wonderful here but not quite enough for jam. Made red raspberry jam Saturday that is delicious and froze the blueberries. Awesome what lots of blueberries does for the diaper! They should probably charge a surcharge for people picking berries with children. We tried to teach Clark to put the berries in the bucket but he still snuck quite a few directly into the mouth -- especially when we were in the raspberry patch. I felt bad until I saw a little girl his age with berry juice all over her face too. Obviously it is a universal problem.

For some reason we found Jack enjoys the comfort and peace that is the baby crib. Sometimes a cat just needs a retreat from the family I guess!


Grant still uses his cute baby smiles and coos to charm the dickens out of his mom! It works too!

Monday night we worked on staking the tomatoes in the garden with the Clarks. We have lots of zuchini, a few beans, some cucumbers and a very few grape tomatoes right now. The sweet corn is pollinating, the pumpkin vines are EVERYWHERE, we have a few muskmelon (little babies) on vines, and I am growing a monster zuchini to enter in the largest zuchini competition at the Iowa State Fair. I am sure I will lose since I didn't dedicate one vine to the cause but it should prove fun anyway.

Last night was date night and we had Betsy babysit again. She does very well with both boys. However (not her fault by any means) this morning Clark woke up and his room smelled funny. Yes, he had gotten out of bed last night and found his Destin (diaper rash cream). He now is very adept at opening lids of any type and he squeezed it all over his bedding, blankets and teddy. Normally not a big deal to mess up the bedding and teddy however, Destin has a special chemical formula that makes it STICK to everything and it is greasy as all get out! Luckily our washing machine on the heavy duty setting and extra rinse cycle got most of it out -- then Alan found some hints on the internet and I did another shot in the washer with vinegar added in. All is well -- teddy is back in bed tonight. Today we ran to Lowes to buy shelving for his closet -- he was very excited by that prospect. This way we can put some things up higher out of his reach and secure them better. Our son has a thing with lotions. When I asked him why he decided he needed to have his cream out last night he told me and showed me to put on his cheeks -- his way of saying putting on lotion for chapped cheeks and hands like mommy and daddy. I explained this particular lotion was only for the bottom. Oh well -- just another normal day!

Cool July Days

So far this has been a nice week -- weather wise and child wise.

I have decided to set some weight goals and lose what I gained with Grant (and then some). So, we have been taking morning walks in the park (Ada Hayden) around the lake. Sometimes we all go as family in the evening as well. Clark loves it! He walks for a portion of the way and then hops on the stroller seat to ride the rest of it. This means I go slow for the first portion while we examine bugs, birds, leaves, sticks, and watch out for bikes and the second half I get my workout in pushing both boys. We usually stop half way through for a snack of fruit and some water. Clark loves keeping an eye out for butterflies and now dragonflies as well.

He also loves the structure they made out of willow trees. It is really quite pretty and Clark and I play hide and seek.

On days this week when we haven't made it to the park (like today -- hopefully we'll go tonight) Clark still keeps me on my excercise plan. This morning after Grant went down for a fairly good nap for Grant (more on that subject later) Clark pulled out the Wii Fit Balance Board and exclaimed "No Shoes" -- this is Clark's name for the soccer excercise where inevitably I end up crying "no shoes" as people kick balls and shoes at my head. Clark laughs like nothing else at this game. He also likes other games like the hula hoop exercise (which I finally topped my sister's score today to be number 1) and he likes the jogging excercise because we run past waterfalls. He gets very upset when it looks like I may fall off the tight rope and yells "careful mommy -- don't fall!"

This week Grant turned 2 months old. Yes, sweet pictures of our baby boy -- but don't let these fool you he has an attitude completely opposite his older brother. He smiles and coos and even laughs on the flip side he can scream and fight sleep like none other. He can go from smile to feed me scream (red face and all) in a matter of milliseconds. Maybe we were just spoiled with an easy baby first. All I have to say is the cute little smile and coo warms our hearts and makes those other moments pale and fade.

Clark gets along fine with his new baby brother. He enjoys holding him and asks for that at least once a day. He also never fails to inform me that baby "is cry - e, mommy". Mr. state the obvious.

Today was a lot of fun too -- Clark was able to play with Gabe and Ty which he loves while Hollie and I worked on some red raspberry jam (you'll have to view Hollie's blog for those details). The jam looked yummy. Currently I am letting my mulberry juice strain to make some jelly tomorrow.

Summer Fun

What we've done this summer (so far):

We read lots of books . . .

Clark's new use for his old mattress . . .

Attended Scandanavian Days in Story City (Grant is there too behind the pig) . . .

Clark worked at taming kittens -- now we find them stowed away in the trunk of his tricycle . . .

Bowling . . .

Painting . . .

Attended cousin Gabe's Birthday Party (we made the cake) . . .

Jack and Grant playing together. . .

Put in a new refrigerator after the old one finally died with a loud clunk. . .

Staying out late to light sparklers and

catch fireflies . . .

Attended a friend's pool party . . .

Watched fireworks with Gabe and Ty (and Aunt Hollie and Uncle Carl) . . .

Just two brothers hanging out and having fun . . .