It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween

October 1. We were off to a rough start this Friday morning. James did not want to go to school. I couldn't bribe him, Henry couldn't talk him into it. "I don't know what to wear! I don't want to go to today" he whined and cried. 45 minutes after his class started and the middles had left for school I told him to go get dressed anyway--we're going to Walmart. He slowly walked to his room and then a few minutes later he came to my room dressed. He sniffed and sadly asked if I'd take him to school instead (he HATES the store). He was an hour late but he made it. He was pleased he got there right during snack time so he learned nothing.

I learned if he doesn't want to go to school I threaten him with errands.

That afternoon I told the kids they could get the Halloween tote out. Only Erica and James cared. When I got back from taking Sarah to a friend's I saw Little Red Riding Hood and Wolverine putting up window stickers. These stickers and anything my kids made at school is pretty much the extent of our Halloween and fall decorations. Halloween stuff is ugly. Why bring fake leaves inside when the real ones outside are gorgeous? 

Little Red Riding Hood makes one last appearance before it no longer fits anyone.

"I missed this costume."

Justin was hunting so later that afternoon I asked the kids if they'd like me to drive them to a park. "No, we want to go to the Finch's." So we walked a block over to the Finch's backyard.

In all fairness, it's like a park.

Between sessions of conference Justin cleared out the rain gutters. We have no reason to believe that had ever been done before by the previous owners. While he was pressure washing the gutters out, it looked like he was peeing off the roof and the kids thought so too.

The Spanish Fork City park unveiled a new playground (I didn't think there was anything wrong with the old one) so after school one day I took James and Erica to play. Sarah and Henry weren't interested and that makes me sad.

The new playground is pretty similar in style to the old one but it's annoyingly difficult to get up the highest tower to the slide; the ladders took you 18" from the base and that's a big gap for James's little legs.

Plus there's this large empty space in the center. Is there more?

Overall the littles were underwhelmed and we didn't stay too long.

Erica made a countdown chain until Halloween. Inside she wrote daily activities. They were all "mom time" "sister time" "brother time". 

We overseeded our lawn because there are some bald spots and weedy spots we need to fill in. For a couple of weeks we saw nothing and I was worried I wasted $100 on seed and fertilizer. But then one day I saw new grass all over. I was so excited!

Sarah and my dad leaving for a bike ride. He took her to the bike trail in Mapleton that we have driven by but never been on. They rode about half of it, says my dad. Sarah thought it was great and we'll have to check it out before it gets cold.

I have this thing about malformed vegetables and fruit. It gives me the heeby jeebies. I also have a friend who apparently has a garden built upon nuclear fallout. She also thinks it's funny to put her deformed vegetables on my porch and run.

I had up close pictures but I just can't.

Friday nights = Spooky movie night + fall treat. Our first movie of October was Toy Story of Terror and scotcheroos. We also watched Charlie Brown one (which I don't like as much as I thought). Next up was Ichabod (or Hicabob as James calls it) and we made pumpkin cookies. James helped me make the cookie dough while the kids were at school and I guess that meant he took total ownership of the process because he would not let anyone else touch the cookie scoop.

Erica made the sign.

And she filmed like 7 minutes of the movie with my phone. This is all I saved. We plan to watch The Addams Family, Hotel Transylvania and the new Muppet one. I have a list of treats to eat as well.

Saturday we checked out the Scarecrow thing at Mapleton park. This is the scarecrow Sarah and her young womens group made.

The pirate one was pretty impressive.

I love these cut-out things. I don't love Henry's face.

"This is the biggest pumpkin I've ever sat on."

Anyone know how to get a 10-year-old boy to stop making this face, please let me know.

Monday Erica started a 8-week gymnastics class. She had been begging forever to take gymnastics and I kept putting her off because I was waiting for this class from the school district to come around. 8-weeks and $65 is all I can handle at this point in my life. When it came time to go she got so sad and said she wasn't going. I was totally confused until I realized this is the first time she's ever done something without a sibling. Swimming lessons, piano, dance--she's always had a brother or sister with her. Once I assured her I wouldn't leave until she gave me a thumbs up, she put her shoes on and we went.

When I picked her up she was all giggly with 3 other girls her age. I knew she would.

And this sums up what it's like to live with a bunch of kids.

At least they remembered the chip clip.