Odds and Ends

Hello Everyone,
Ben is upstairs making the boys stay in bed, so I have a moment on the computer. I've still got all the Halloween photos to edit, but I just don't feel like it tonight. Tomorrow during Mosey's preschool I'm hoping to get the bulk of them done. I'm not doing any serious editing on them since this is a major freebie for everyone.
So let's see. What else has happened recently besides Halloween and doctors visits? On Monday Mosey had his Halloween party at preschool. The kids and parents all met in the "big room" (Methodist church version of the cultural hall) where the kids sang all their Halloween songs they've been practicing, and then did a costume parade. Mosey was adorable. He did ALL the actions to every song, but I didn't see him crack a smile the entire time. He was very serious. And he marched in the costume parade very seriously in his Funshine Bear outfit. There were 36 little girls in the room (this was several preschool classes, not just one! There are only 12 kids in Mosey's class), and of that 36, 23 of them were princesses!!! Wow, that's a lot of princesses for one room.
Monday afternoon I took the boys to TKD and there was a woman there taking her grandson to TKD for the first time. At first I didn't notice, but then I did. She had 8-9 inch fingernails on her left hand. I was totally grossed out but also irresistibly drawn to looking at them. WHY oh WHY would someone do this??? Her left hand was entirely nonfunctional. The nails curve around in different directions so she can't use her fingers for anything. How does she get dressed? How does she get sleeves around her hand? How does she fix her hair? There are so many things in life that require 2 hands, and she can't do any of them! She was dressed in work clothes, so I assume she works. How can she hold a job and not type? She definitely cannot type with that hand. Why would someone voluntarily give up the use of one hand? I just don't understand.
Thursday was a pretty fun day, since the boys stayed home from school. We did story time at the library and then ate lunch at Target waiting for my prescription. At home the boys cleaned up the house pretty well under my supervision. Took a lot longer than it needed to, with some of the moaning and groaning that was going on, but they'll get better at it.
Friday was school, then a barbecue at the Bradfords and a rousing game of Pictionary which Ben and I lost in an all-play on the VERY last square. We were pretty evenly matched I guess.
Saturday we were all tired. The boys were up till after 10:00 which is crazy for them. But they were up with the sun as usual. I thought Brigham had a birthday party from 6:30 to 8:30 so after lunch we went to Barnes and Noble to pick out a present, then on errands to Fryes, then on a drive to try and make the boys take naps (2 out of 3, not bad). Then when it was time to wake Brigham up to go to the party, I looked at the invitation to get the address and discovered the party was really from 3-5 and we missed it completely. I felt horrible. Brigham was really looking forward to this party, it was at a roller rink, and he hasn't been invited to a party yet. He ended up sleeping all the way through the night, and I don't think he realizes yet that he missed the party, so maybe I just won't clue him in. But I felt really bad.
So that was this week.
Last week, hmmm, hard to remember. I know I baked a lot. I had to make a cake and cookies for the school carnival, and then cupcakes for Brigham's class, they were doing layer cake words (whatever those are-- I asked Brigham and he didn't really know, just knew they made layer cakes with cupcakes, frosting and m&m's). And then another batch of cupcakes for the ward carnival. Last Saturday the boys had their school carnival during the day and the church carnival at night. The school carnival was pretty well done, although everything cost money of course (it is supposed to be a PTA fundraiser, I think, or maybe they had to charge just to cover the cost of everything). The boys had a TKD demonstration in the cafeteria at the beginning which was fun except that Mr. Fisher brought like 3/4 inch pine boards to break, which were WAY too thick. Even the brown belt students couldn't do it. So that was a little embarassing for him I think, but the rest of the demonstration was cute. He usually uses thinner boards that he buys from a martial arts supply place for the younger kids, but he must have forgotten or grabbed the wrong stack or something.
Then the boys did the carnival, eating pizza and cotton candy, going on pony rides, playing games, etc. Ben mostly took them around and I left to go to Goodwill to get some things for their pirate costumes, since I didn't let them wear the scary costumes to the church carnival.
The church carnival was, by all accounts, a great success. There were games and activities put on by the youth from both wards, there was a chilli dinner, and then the trunk or treat at the end. I didn't see any of it because I was running one of the activities, a photography booth where I set up my black backdrop and a little Halloween scene with pumpkins and a moon with a bat flying across. I'll share the ones I did of the boys as soon as I get them processed.
They were up late that night too, needless to say.
The Thursday before that (sorry, I'm going backwards here), the boys went to their first weapons class in TKD. They have joined the black belt club which means their classes are an extra 15 minutes where they work on patterns, and then they have a once a week 45 minute weapons class where they learn to use various martial arts weapon, and also work on some other martial arts techniques (grappling, etc.). They are learning to use numchucks which are these two short metal bars attached by a chain, and you whirl them around and stuff. Takes a lot of coordination and it was kind of comical to watch some of the younger kids (mine included) try to work with them. I'm thinking of making them some light versions with styrofoam and yarn so they can practice at home.
And I think that's it. At least, I can't remember anything before last Thursday, so that will have to be it! Sorry for the recital. Just wanted to catch up a little.


Joseph on the school carnival pony ride



Brigham on the pony



And Mosey on the pony!



Pirate Joseph at the church Halloween party



And Cap'n Brigham!

And Carebear Mosey. Yeah, I caught him in mid-blink. Oh well! I was determined not to overshoot during the carnival-- just one shot per person! And this is the risk you run I guess.