Who Loves the Train Table More?

It has been hysterical to me to watch my "boys" and their dual interest in the train table.  About once or twice a week, a new track has just magically appeared when Jack wakes up in the morning.  Wonder who might have done that??  ;o) And if it's been a while, Jack will take his track apart and say, "Daddy, my track is broken.  You need to fix it!"  He knows he will end up with a new one.  And these new track pieces keep magically appearing, too, with the excuse "I just don't have enough options with the pieces that we had." Uh-huh.  I see....

Missing Anna

We have been missing Anna quite a bit lately.  And by "missing" I mean that she will be hanging out in the room with us one minute and then you would turn around and she would be gone.  It might be after eating breakfast in the mornings or once she's done with her snack after school or anytime she has a few free minutes.  Want to know where she is?  Here:

I snuck in and took these the other day when I had asked her to go upstairs and get ready for gymnastics.  She is IN LOVE WITH the Little House on the Prairie series.  (Yes, she's reading chapter books in kindergarten. I just hope she continues with stuff like this--I worry about content at her age!) Right now she is reading them for the FOURTH time.  I guess there are much worse things she could want to spend her free time doing.  Our little reader!

Jack-O-Lantern Fun

Cuteness Overload

I found this adorable jacket at a consignment sale probably a year ago and Will dressed him in it for church this past Sunday.  When he came downstairs in it saying, "Mommy, I am handsome!" it was about the cutest thing I have ever seen!  He finally let me get some photos of him wearing it.  When I shared this one on Facebook, Uncle Greg wrote that he would "Back Jack" for mayor.  Ha!  He looks like such a little man!

Go Tar Heels!

We were loving the cool weather for the UNC vs Boston College game! And UNC finally won!!

She was determined to wear the shirt that
Aunt E gave her...even if it was a little big!

Life is rough--chillin' on the corn hole boards with a donut!

Daddy is so proud! Go Tar Heels!

Best Tackler!

At Anna's end of season soccer party, she was awarded "Best Tackler" by her coaches, Coach Julie and Coach Will (aka Daddy).  She loved playing defense and stopping the ball when it ventured toward her team's goal. Toward the end of the season, she got a little more confident on offense and scored two goals!!

For the past few seasons, after the "trophy presentation" and pizza party, we all head to the soccer fields for a parents vs kids game.  This year, since Jack was old enough to hold his own on the kids team, I played on the parents side.  It was fun because all the parents had played soccer before and so we had a good time playing keep away.  When we got in the car to go home, Anna said, "Mommy, I didn't know you could do that!"

A New Swingset!

We finally have mostly grass in our backyard instead of the orange clay pit that it's been since we moved in almost a year ago.  We decided it was time for a swingset!  

It's amazing that in 6+ hours that this...

...can turn into this!

They love it!

Of course it started to rain right before the guys finished installing it.  I couldn't tell the kids no, so we all put on our rain boots and jackets and played on it for the first time in the rain!  I wish I had photos!!

Anna's favorite part is the monkey bars and she has been back and forth a hundred times already, building up that arm strength.  Jack loves the climbing wall and rope and the "noculars" under the tent.

We have logged quite a few hours on it already and it's quite a hit among the neighborhood kids.  Anna was in her element one afternoon when she had three neighborhood kids playing with her and then two more joined in before it was all over.  I see lots of fun times ahead!!

Our Annual Pumpkin Patch Trip

For the past several years, we have made the trip to the pumpkin patch with a preschool class.  I was a little disappointed because neither Anna nor Jack's class went this year.  Oh, well!  We just had to make a trip ourselves!

We have a photo of Anna by this sign every
October of her life.  This makes #7!!

No one wanted to smile...

A meltdown over who gets to pull the wagon.

Busy boy!

I'll just get my own!

She picked out her pumpkins in a jiffy!

This is the "Don't take one more picture
of me!" face.;)

Pretty girl, HUGE pumpkin!

I got it!

The Fair 2013

The weather for the fair this year was PERFECT!!  The kids were fun to watch because Jack could actually ride some rides and not just sit in the stroller the whole time and Anna was all about riding bigger and better rides.  She even rode the Gravitron for the first time!!  It was so fun!

Anna riding Sugar.

Jack on Scottie...he wasn't quite sure about that.

Mommy rode the firetruck! Jack was terrified until
about the last couple of rounds and then
started yelling "Wheeee!"

Of course Jack had to ride the tractor!

Anna looks good in pink.

Driving his dump truck!

Flying!

Hey Anna!

Motorcycle!

Getting ready for the swings!

The three of us rode the big Ferris Wheel,
the only ride Daddy is scared of.;)

Jack's First Lunch Bunch

I am SO excited about some additions to the preschool this year.  They have added lunch bunch for the two year olds and have added it on Fridays instead of just four days a week.  Now I can go to my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting and can stay the whole time!!  Hooray!!  And Jack was thrilled to be able to take his lunch box to school like Sissy does.  Doesn't that look like a happy face??

Anna's Boosterthon Fun Run

Instead of selling wrapping paper or popcorn or magazines, Anna's elementary school does a Boosterthon Fun Run.  A full staff comes in and takes over the school for about two weeks, teaching the kids about friendship and sportsmanship.  Meanwhile the kids ask friends and family for pledges for each lap of the Fun Run.  The fundraiser culminates with the big run and we went last week to see Anna do her run.  It was really cute, the kids got lots of good exercise, and we don't have to sell anything!!  It's a win-win for everyone!

Run, Anna, Run!

Jack was cheering on his Sissy.

She had such a good time...

...and ran all 35 laps!!  We are so proud!

A big THANK YOU goes out to our family who helped sponsor her in a big way. You guys rock!

A Day Out With Thomas

The NC Transportation Museum is only about 45 minutes from us in Spencer, NC.  Twice a year, Thomas the Train comes to the museum and you can ride him!  Since Jack LOVES his Thomas train table, we decided to take the kids this past weekend.  It was really cute and we got to see quite a few HUGE trains.  It's incredible to think that by train was the most convenient way to travel only a hundred years ago!

The only faux pas was that I had told the kids over and over that we were going to ride on Thomas.  Well, when it was time to ride, we boarded one of the passenger cars that Thomas was pulling.  The kids got quite upset that we didn't get to actually ride ON Thomas.  I tried to explain that only the conductor actually rides on Thomas, but it was no use.  Ooops!  Mommy fail.  I'll have to be more exact with my wording next time.  We still had a fun trip, though!;)

Taking a ride on the wheel house!

Climbing around the inside of an engine.

Thomas corn hole.;)

There was an awesome display train that had buttons
the kids could push to make things move and light up.

Jack, of course, liked the excavator button the best.:)

Thomas!!!

He's so big!!

In the hay maze

With Sir Topham Hat.
Jack was even brave enough to give him a high five!