Pumpkin Carving '09

Gunnar was the first to carve his pumpkin this year. Our pumpkins were so big we needed to do them in stages and Gunnar couldn't wait any longer. As I was out trying to find another pumpkin carving kit...John had him begin. I went to 4 different stores and couldn't find one. I guess that is what I get for waiting until October 30th. Oops!

Drawing the face...

The first cut...

Getting out the guts...

Perfect Gunnar. It is wonderful!

I was still searching the stores while John started his. Gunnar was the photographer.

His pumpkin was huge and soooo thick. It was very hard for him to cut it. The little knives wouldn't go all the way through.

I finally returned empty handed. We had a few knives left over from last year and one scraper so we were going to have to make due.

Jack came over and carved with us.

My pumpkin was very tall and slender. It was hard to scrape out all of the guts.
I cut the bottom off my pumpkin instead of the top (I saw it on Martha Stewart and it worked quite well).

Chance was not feeling 100%. In fact he had been out of school for the last three days. We were worried he might have the swine flu. He didn't...just an ear infection. Poor guy.

Making progress boys.

John broke 3 out of our 4 carving knives. Lovely! The funny thing is he kept telling everyone else to "be careful, you're bending the knives...don't break them."

In the process he cut his finger.
He did the exact same thing last year.

Chance was on his way to a party. He claimed he was feeling much better and he hadn't had a fever in almost 48 hours.

He didn't want to dress up in case nobody else was. I was not happy about it. It turned out to be a good thing though because he would have been the only one. Maybe I should listen to him more often. It was a Halloween party though...HELLO.

Coby also had a HUGE pumpkin. He carved as much as he could but then didn't have enough strength to do the mouth. So...

I finished it... then I finished Chance's pumpkin, then...

I finished mine. Did I mention I don't really even like carving pumpkins?

John and Coby were very proud of their creations. They were awesome!!

Our pumpkins... Gunnar

Chance and mine

John and Coby (his eye broke)

We had a great time carving this year.

However, John told me to NEVER let him get a gigantic pumpkin again.

I'm pretty sure Coby feels the same way.

How High Can You Ollie?

After all these years...John's still got it!!

Coby's ollies are really getting up there.

He goes to the skate park all the time.

Practice, practice, practice.

NICE!!

Ryan and Jack showing off some tricks.

20 years later John can still show up all of the kids at the skate park.

I must say... I'm impressed.

My Little Luchadores

Lucha libre (Spanish for "free wrestling" or free fighting) is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries referring to a form of professional wrestling involving varied techniques and moves.

Mexican wrestling is characterized by rapid sequences of holds and moves, as well as 'high-flying moves', and colorful masks. Lucha libre performers are known as luchadores (singular luchador). Cute or scary? You be the judge.
I got home from the airport at about 4:00 PM. I quickly gave my kids a huge hug...kissed my husband, gave them all their gifts and then left for the Pink concert.

Very poor planning on my part. When I was planning the cruise I went for the plane tickets that were the cheapest. I didn't realize, at the time, that I would be arriving home the very same night as my concert. I had planned the concert months and months before. I felt awful and I really just wanted to spend time with my family. I knew that I would be happy once I got to the concert but I missed my family dearly and wanted to stay with them.

1st Day of School

Chance was the first one up this morning. He has to be at school at 8:15 so we got up around 7AM. He is a morning person so he has no problem waking up. In fact, he was awake before I was. He was so excited to go to school and see all his friends.

His classes are...

Social Studies

Language Arts

Math

Spanish
Journalism/Yearbook

and

Science

Time to wake up Coby and Gunnar.

They were not happy about getting up "so early"...7:30.

Chance looking fabulous in his new uniform, DC hoodie, studded belt, and Vans.

He usually walks to school but I told him I would take him the first day.

However, I was told that, under no circumstances, could I get out of the car and take pictures. Unless I wanted him to "be made fun of the rest of the year".

I stayed in the car.

Chance, off to his first day of 8th grade. Gulp! Next year...High School.The first, and only year, Coby and Gunnar are going to be at the same school. Gunnar was thrilled!

On "Meet The Teacher" night we were given an exert from the book The Kissing Hand. We

were supposed to read the story to our kindergartner the morning of the first day. I started to read it then I had to hand it over to John because I was going to cry. It is a sweet story. We were given stickers, one for Gunnar and one for me, so if we missed each other during the day we could look at our stickers and remember how much we love each other. Gunnar put the sticker on my collar and I wore it all day.

Time to say goodbye to daddy.

Coby didn't want me taking picture at school so I had to sneak a few. Here he is getting in line with his class.

Gunnar had a few kids in his class that he knew. Owen was in Miss Romi's class and Miranda is our neighbor.

He was so excited because Ayden, from church, sits right by him at his table. They talk a lot, however, so I don't know how long that will last.

Please notice the parents in the back of the classroom. I think there were more parents than students.

Gunnar couldn't decide how to decorate his name tag.

Attendance...

Time to tour the school.

Great job on your name tag Gunn. Have a great first day!I hope I have prepared Gunnar well enough. I hope, as I send him off to a whole new world, that he knows how much I love him. It is crazy to hand him over to a woman who is going to be taking care of him for most of his day. I have had to take care of Gunnar for the last 6 years and it is scary to rely on someone else to love him and take care of him the way that he deserves. I know he will love school. He has an amazing teacher. Please take care of my baby Mrs. Sharp. He is one of the best little people I have ever met.