Spooky Gymnastic Day

Today was our Spooky Gymnastic Day!  Everyone got to wear their costume to class and the kids had a great time!  Coach Jimmy and Coach Wendy had great Sesame Street Costumes.  The kids got to parade around and then for class they took the costumes off and had fun crawling through foggy tunnels and jumping over pumpkins.  The entire gym was foggy from the fog machine, but it created a great ambiance!

Here's Cal's class.

This is them parading around and hopping on carpet squares.

Then they had to crawl over rats!!!  Fake of course.  Cal had a blast!

Coach Jimmy and Wendy handed everyone a sucker after class.  Leif really enjoyed his!

Callie and the Great Pumpkin Patch

Callie's preschool went to the pumpkin patch a week ago. I think she was more excited about riding a school bus, but she enjoyed picking out a pumpkin too!  I went as a chaperon and was able to enjoy the festivities.  I was in charge of Callie and another little girl.  She's the one you see in all the pictures.

On the bus, patiently waiting for it to eventually move.

On the Hayride to the pumpkins!

The buddy system,

Callie next to one of her friends in school.

This was the scenery around the farm.  This was a week ago and the colors are way better now.

Finding the best pumpkin!

This was set up for the kids to enjoy a nice snack.  Donut holes and apple cider! 

Yum Yum!

This is a little treat me and the kids made.  They are spooky Halloween ghosts!  They loved'em!

We went to the Fair

The Big E, the largest fair in the northeast, is home of The Big E Cream Puff and Craz-E Burger. It's a New England extravaganza with top name entertainment!

We new this was going to be fun when it took us 2 hours to get there and it should have taken us 45 min.  The traffic was horrible the closer we got, but we sure had fun!  The Craz-E Burger is a cheeseburger with a donut for a bun.  I had no desire to try it!

Of course we bought the Big E Cream Puff!  How could we not?!

Andy did end up sharing with us!

The rides were super duper expensive so we only let Cal pick one out.  She chose riding a horse over riding an Elephant.  That's right....you could ride and Elephant!  She loved it!

The big winners for the Big E Pumpkins!  The winner was over 1,000 lbs.

Callie wanted a picture next to her favorite pig decorated pumpkin.

Leif loved watching the baby chicks.  These ones are fairly new, but just a window over we could watch them actually hatching from their eggs.

Don't worry folks its not a real cow!  I have no idea what was coming out of the cow...definitely not milk and Cal was too scared to try it.

We stepped into the arena and watched a horse riding competition.  Leif kept shrieking with delight!

Taking a break.  They had these foot massage chairs all over.  The kids thought they were rides and kept getting on them. 

Checking out some of the livestock.

We stopped for some ice cream and I ordered the locally famous concoction.  I was nervous at first, but in the end it was yummy.  They call it 'Monkey Butt'!  Gross you say...it was banana ice cream with walnuts and brownie mixed in.

Cal after her delicious chocolate ice cream!

Then we ended our Day of Fun at Stew Leonard's Hay Maze.  Stew Leonard's is a local grocery store that is the coolest place I've ever shopped.

September Happenings

Callie started Pre-school and is loving every minute of it.  She goes Monday through Friday from 1pm - 3:30pm.  She is already teaching me all the songs they sing about days of the week and is making new friends.  She has noticed girls in her class have earrings and is already talking about it.  I told her not until she was older.

Callie has also started a Gymnastics class with her good buddy Kinsey.  They go once a week and Callie absolutely loves it!

Leif has been into climbing lately.  Now I have to hide these chairs since I caught him next to the gas stove top and the burner was on.  Thankfully he didn't get hurt then, but I don't want any other chances!

We took a trip to Gillette Castle in Hamden, CT.  This was built in the early 1900's by the original stage actor of Sherlock Holmes.  He is the actor that coined the phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson."  The outside doesn't look like much but it was very classy inside.  Albert Einstein was known to vacation at this home.

Cal and her buddy playing outside the castle.

This is in the atrium just off the main room inside.

The kids playing with the flowers in the court yard.

This is the view from the court yard to the Connecticut River.

Treats after the Gillette Castle Tour!  Yum!

We made a visit to the Forest Park zoo in Springfield, MA.

I don't remember what this animal was but Callie thought it was a reindeer.

Leif feeding some large rodent thingy.

Callie has been telling me she wants to be a Rock Star for Halloween.  Here is my attempt...I think I re-created Hannah Montana.  I'm thinking the wig is too much.  We'll see what else I can come up with.

Leif liked the wig!

The other morning I was trying to get out the door to take Andrew to school.  The kids were still in their jammies and I said, "Callie go get some shoes on!"  This is how she came back.  Boots, hat and sticker!  A true fashionista!

Summer Break!

We went to a lake near Portland, CT for playgroup.

We made a weekend visit to Andrews sisters house in New York before she moved her family to Minnesota.

We spent a day at the Connecticut coast.  Warmer water, no waves and kinda dirty.

Looks like Cal has a crab in her hand but really its her mermaid friend she brought with her.

My parents came for a visit.  We toured Palmyra, New York and this is the printing press of the first Book of Mormon.

Joseph Smith's childhood home.

On the road toward the Sacred Grove.

Family photo in the Sacred Grove.

My happy little guy!

Leif blowing raspberries.

My parents looking and admiring the foliage in the Sacred Grove.

We stopped at a museum and home town of Norman Rockwell.  My mom is a huge fan of his art!

My parents went in the museum while we kept Leif busy outside.

We went to Newport, Rhode Island and took a tour boat ride.  My dad was in HEAVEN!  If he could he would own a boat a travel the world.

The kids really liked it.

There were sailboat and  HUGE yachts!  There was a lot of money in that harbor.

We took the train to Boston.

This is our first stop on the 'Freedom Trail'.  This is a walking tour of the historical spots in the city.

Paul Reveres home.

Boston Library.  While in Boston we rode the train, subway and took a bus.  

We visited Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Home of the Pilgrims.

This is Plymouth Rock behind Andrew.  Its much smaller than I thought...more like a pebble.  After this trip my parents had to leave.  We sure did enjoy them coming out and spending time with us.  We miss them already!

We took another trip to Rhode Island.  Cal got to go on the original 'flying carousel'. 

Cal had to walk along the edge of the water.

Throwing rocks in! 

Cute boys!

My handsome hubby!

The bridge in the background is how you get to Newport, Rhode Island.  They charge $4 one way.

Andrew was getting hungry.

Throwing more rocks into the Atlantic Ocean.