My Child?

Yesterday was the Fall Festival at our school. The boys' each wore their costumes to school and participated in a parade, games, party, art projects. They had lots of fun. I mostly stayed in JBS's room for fear that JLS would latch on and not let go when I went to his class...which eventually happened.

However, I was peeking in JLS's room to see what he was doing when another mom asked JLS's teacher, "Which one is JLS?" I pretended I didn't hear. The teacher pointed to JLS as the mom said, "Sarah talks about him all the time. She loves him." The teacher smiled and said, "Oh, yes, JLS is very sweet and quiet. He's a very good boy." I couldn't pretend any longer. I interrupted them and said, "Are you talking about my JLS?" and his sweet teacher said, "Yes. He's sooo good." I was in total disbelief. It was just last weekend that my sister was here and made the statement that I would become great friends with the principal of JLS's school. I didn't disagree with her at all. My mom was here recently and witnessed one of JLS's freak out meltdowns and every so sweetly said, "I think he just has a wire-crossed in his brain sometimes." That is really a plausible explanation as he can switch from demon to teddy bear in the blink of an eye.

At home, JLS is wild and crazy, obstinate and determined, loud and rambunctious. Evidently at school, he is sweet and quiet and well-behaved. WOW. Really? I still don't believe it. My JLS?

Schizophrenia? Multiple personality disorder? I can't begin to think of the reason for it. All I can say is praise the good Lord that he puts on his "good" hat at school.

No More Training Wheels

Steady and cautious can ride a bike! We have really been pumping up the idea that JBS needed to take the training wheels off his bike. JBS's two best friends learned to ride the bike in the days following Hurricane Ike. No power had its perks! Not only did he need to because his friends did, but honestly, JBS is so big, he looked sort of silly riding a bike with training wheels. My sister had mentioned once that Go-Go had a hard time riding a bike until she got a Razor. After she mastered the Razor, she had mastered her balance and took off on the bike. That is basically what JBS did.

He finally agreed for me to take off the training wheels. We hit the street and practiced for about an hour. The longer we practiced the more tearful he became. Mr. Steady and Cautious doesn't like to take big risks, you know. He is much like his Momma in that department. I kept offering to go inside and he would say through half tears, "No! Let's keep trying!" So we did.

By the time Babe got home, JBS was truckin' it on his own. The next day he pushed his bike to the street and took off without help at all. I was so proud! I thought for sure that JLS would figure this one out before JBS. He loves it...

Braking is another story.

Makin' It Work

When JBS was little, if he couldn't reach something, he would ask for help or worse, cry and beg for help until someone helped him. JLS does nothing of the sort. If he can't reach, he disappears and comes back with some form of a prop or stool to help him reach. He is the child you might find teetering on a soccer ball trying to reach what he shouldn't. If he needs something he will find a way to get what he wants...without asking for help. It's funny to see how independent he is and definitely interesting to see how different the boys' personalities are.

While at the Pumpkin Patch, JLS came across a Biiiiiiiiiiiiig (if you could only hear him say it) pumpkin that he wanted to move. Since he can't communicate so well, I have no idea for what purpose. It just needed to be moved.

Here he has established desire.

When the stem failed as a good grip, he attempted to pick up the whole pumpkin. Smart.

Hmmmm...What should I do? I have to move this pumpkin somewhere!

I just can't lift it! But....I won't ask for help. I don't need help!

Ah-hah! Rolling. That's it!

See. I figured it out alone. Did it alone. And now, that pretty pumpkin can sit three feet away where I wanted it to be...

A day in the life of JLS.

My Halloween Tree

Several years ago, I found a very cute glitter Christmas tree at one of my favorite places to shop in Bartlesville. I thought I purchased it for Christmas, but by the following Easter and Halloween it had by far become my favorite non-Christmas Christmas tree. It became my Easter tree at Easter and my Halloween tree in October.

I set out today to show you my Halloween tree. Upon closer examination I discovered that someone else in this house must love it as much as I do. All the ornaments had been moved, at least two were broken and the limbs are all cattywompus. However, that is the point. I love this tree and if my mom had a Halloween tree when I was little, I would have been obsessed with it the same way JBS is. JBS loves to play with it, stare at it, touch it and the price I pay is so worth it. I can remember my favorite decorations my mom had when I was little and I hope he remembers my tree when he grows up (sniff).

The ornaments might be wobbly and lopsided, but they are loved. I hope you enjoy it, too!

The Pumpkin Patch

Every year that we pack up and head to the pumpkin patch I find myself wondering "Why? Why do we all make such a picture event out of the pumpkin patch?" and "Why do I feel like we are missing out if we don't make it a picture event?" Not only was I wondering that this year, as we headed to the pumpkin patch in Texas with temperatures north of 70 degrees, I was wondering how it could be possible to go to the pumpkin patch in shorts. It's not. I couldn't bring myself to consent to the temperatures and we all roasted in our Halloween T-shirts and jeans. But, by golly we got our pumpkin patch shots, or did we?

JLS was more than compliant with getting his picture taken, albeit difficult to get a speeding bullet to pose for a picture. JBS, on the other hand, who usually loves the camera, was in toot form and refused to allow me to take any decent photos of him at all.

"JBS. Say cheese!"

"Please smile for the camera, JBS!"
"Smile...look this way, JBS!"
"Please look at me and smile."

"Seriously, JBS, LOOK. AT. THE. CAMERA!!"
"JBS, if you don't look at the camera I will have to get the paddle." (Thanks, JLS)
"Turn around and look at me, NOW!" (He is not as naughty as this might look, but he did decide to jump off the hay bales rather than look at the camera.)

"I have a really strong right arm, JBS, and I will hold you here whether you like it or not. Now, look at the camera!"

I give up. Over and out.

So, our pumpkin patch adventure basically turned out to be a drag. BUT rest assured, we have pumpkin pictures of some sort to put in our photo albums just like all the other Jones'.

The Last Hoorah

Our last day with Vin and the kids was Saturday. We rooted JBS on at his T-ball game in the morning and moved on to shopping and eating, of course. We headed to Market Street for none other than Johnny Rockets for some good burgers and yummy shakes!

Quite possibly the most sugar JBS has had all at once...

We rode the trolley over to the Mall and a site-seeing tour of The Woodlands...














Waiting for the Trolley, we sat by a yellow Lamborghini. Of course, my child walked right up to it and peeked in the window putting his fingerprints all over the car (eeks!)















Just to ensure everyone was worn slick, we let them play in the fountain splash pad back at Market Street after the Trolley ride.



















Tired and wet we were!



















Success!

Battleship Texas Repeat

After I told Vin about our first trip to the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas in July, she wanted to take the kids while they were here. So, we went! The weather was much better than the 100 degree heat we had this summer. The kids loved the battleship and we got a lot of really cute snapshots. JLS, of course, still can't speak that well, but all he had to say was with great effort and gusto, "Biiiiig Boooooat!" (He has been working on "B's" in speech therapy, so Ms. Emily will be proud!)

This is JBS working the guns. You have to turn one side of the Biiiig Guns to move it up and down and one side to move it left and right. A lot of work to fire that baby!

Mr. JLS being his cute little self. I just want to squeeze him. And squeeze him I did on that boat. It is definitely not a child safe ship with open decks and steep stairs. It was really a relief to get off the boat as far as safety was concerned.
Vin and the kids at the highest point on the boat that we were allowed to go.
JBS manhandling the Biiiiiiiiiiiig gun. Maybe its called something else, but it was Biiiiig and the artillery was big. We especially loved the Texas star on the front....only in Texas and on the Texas!I think this one is frameable. Really, who doesn't want a framed picture of all the cousins sitting on a stack of missiles?
It was time to go, but on our way out we found this fun sign. How fun would it be for a group of boyscouts to spend the night on a battleship?

Pizza Party

While Vin, Go-Go and G2 were here, it was all about entertaining the kids. We moved from one project to the next. Each, more than likely, revolving around food. Why is that?

Thursday JBS and JLS went to school while I went to a doctor's appointment and Vin visited Betty at my skincare spa to get a Glominerals makeover. Vin was happy, I was happy and when we were done with our appointments, we headed to Lupe Tortilla's for some yummy Mexican food. From there, we had to hit Sam Moon and by then, it was time to pick my boys up from school. It doesn't sound like much, but we were exhausted!

For dinner, we had a pizza party. No complaints from anyone about what kind of pizza they got, as everyone made their own. JBS wanted "spots" (pepperoni's), G2 wanted "green" pizza (my personal favorite with pesto, artichoke hearts, feta and mozzarella cheeses and garlic), Go-Go was surprisingly easy to please with pepperonis and JLS, well, JLS doesn't eat pizza. JLS doesn't eat period.

After the tummies were full and the second round of the pumpkin cupcake cake was eaten, we headed upstairs for movie night...

I went to bed!

Boo'ed!

While Vin and the kids were here, we got Boo'ed. What is "Boo'ed" you might ask yourself. Well, it is a clever little neighborly game that my neighborhood evidently plays before Halloween. I received this note:

Good Evening! You've just been BOO'ed!

.

Since this is the time for goblins and bats,

For Halloween spirits, for ghosts and cats,

For weird happenings and witches' brew,

These are the things that I wish for you...

.

May the only spirit you chance to meet

Be the spirit of love and friends warm and sweet.

May the only goblin that comes your way

Be this Neighborhood Phantom you must give away.

.

"Tis much better to give than to receive" goes the old verse

And something this easy won't empty your purse.

It's your turn to pass along a treat and a BOO

Because now the Neighborhood Phantom is little old YOU!

So by this time tomorrow, pick three friends sweet,

And give to them each a Halloween treat.

You have only one day-so you'll need to hurry-

Leave a treat on the doorstep, ring the bell and then scurry!

Signed, The Phantom

These are the things you will need to do:
1. Make three copies of this letter and a phantom ghost for each.
2. Post the phantom on your door or in your window until Halloween.
3. Take a letter, a phantom and a treat and deliver them to 3 houses that do not have a phantom posted.

This was such a cute game and the boys' loved not only receiving a pumpkin of goodies, but loved even more "Ding-Dong Ditching" the neighbors with our goodies. Yes, I just taught my 2 and 4 year-olds that it is OK to Ding-Dong Ditch (I knew it as a much more inappropriate name) the neighbors. Fair warning, I took my picture of the phantom (just a hand-drawn picture of a ghost) off my window to copy it and I was Boo'ed again. In fact, I was Boo'ed 4 times in total. Everyone wants to "Boo" the new neighbors! Posting the picture is very important.

Now, get going! What a fun way to celebrate Halloween in your neighborhood...

No Routine

I am so out of my routine, it is killing me. Maybe by Christmas I will get it together. I have been MIA because Vin and her kids have been here since Wednesday and we have been having loads of fun. I will post you fully on our adventures this week, but so you know, it was all about THE FOOD.

I saw this cute Jack-O-Lantern cupcake cake in a magazine and made it for their arrival. It was a hit (because kids don't care about my lack of artistic skill) and thank goodness, every single cupcake was eaten by the time they left today. Or, in JLS's case, licked. We didn't have a perfect pumpkin shape, only because I let JBS have a cupcake before we iced...pumpkins do come in all shapes and sizes!

Big Daddy is...

65! Happy Birthday, Dad! I thought I would scrape up a few old pictures and mention some old blogs in honor of your birthday. I hope you enjoy....I love you!

The suave and debonair college freshman that you were. This is well before I was thought of...or as JBS would say, "When I was dead."

Between these 2 pictures is a lot of history. You married mom, started a family and eventually, you had me (the best part about it all, right, Dad?) You coined The Sneeze, defined who Big Daddy was to your kids, (although you weren't Big Daddy then), created Monday Night Football traditions, Whistled a lot (so sad that this was lost in my blog), coached the White Buttercups, and continued to hang THE Christmas Stocking. Of course, there is so much more to your story, but this is a good start.

I really admire you because you loved your job. How lucky you were to have a job that you were passionate about and everyone knew it! We also loved the perks :)Sweetie entered our lives with great energy. She took my place in the "empty nest."

Here we are at my graduation from graduate school. The smile on your face is because college bills are over and I am supposed to be getting a job now, right?

The best view in the plane!

At this point, I was engaged to Babe. I am thinking this could be cause for wearing the chip basket on your head in a restaurant? This is post the Boat Incident and Babe is becoming a part of the family. Maybe that's it...

Walking me down the aisle. sniff sniff.

With JBS, the cute little toot. At some point on this trip to the lake, JBS was given a review on always carrying The Rag.

Really. There is no explanation for this.Hope you have a Happy Birthday, BD. And may you have many many more!