Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Reiman Gardens

I took the boys to Ames last weekend to see my parents and visit the Reiman Garden Halloween event.  I love the gardens and should have gotten more pictures.  They had wonderful sculptures on display that were made out of welding rebar into 'trees' and then sticking old glass bottles onto the branches.  They were just beautiful.  

Also on display were gnomes!  It was so fun to see all of them.  The Garden's had also commissioned a giant gnome to be made and it is currently the largest concrete gnome in the world.  Here is a picture with the boys and my parents.
What exciting things we have in Ames!!!  

The Halloween tour was a lot of fun.  There were games and activities throughout.  At one point we came to an area where the volunteer was supposed to be teaching and demonstrating Cat's Cradle.  She was having trouble.  Gary and Marilyn to the rescue.  


The volunteers were also dressed up in very elaborate costumes.  They were great!  Here Harrison is next to my favorite - Peacock Princess.  


The boys dressed up as Short Change this year.  It was very fun making the costumes with them (Harrison got his first spray painting lesson) and they liked wearing them and EVERYONE commented on how cute of an idea it was.  The problem was that they did not photograph worth a darn!  Harrison was the nickel and Bennett was the dime.  Happy Halloween!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Happy Birthday to me

So I put the kids down for a nap yesterday.  Routine.  Normal.  Never.

Graysen's pack-n-play is in Bennett's room so on Monday and Friday they are in there together (Bennett has preschool on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).  It is not an ideal situation because Bennett is not one that just lays down and goes to sleep.  He often talks to himself or his stuffed animals and this causes Graysen to laugh and play with him.  It's getting better and usually I just make Bennett lay in there for 30 minutes and then he gets to finish quiet time on the couch.  Anyway, Friday (my birthday) Bennett had been in his room for about 25 - 30 minutes when I heard him crying and calling my name.  I was a little irritated because he had been really quiet and I assumed that Graysen was asleep and Bennett knows better than to be loud to wake him up.  I go rushing in there and find puke all over Bennett and the blanket in front of him.  Ahhhh!  What in the world?  Then, in the puke, I spot two marbles.  Holy cow!  He just choked!  I start to get him cleaned up and get his shirt off when he throws up again!  What did he do?!?!  He finally calms down and I get him cleaned up and I begin drilling him about when he got the marbles and more importantly - how many marbles he had.  Luckily there were only the two.  What was he thinking?!?!  

We have a Magnetic set that is in a box.  Bennett had gotten out of bed, opened it up and taken out two of the metal marbles.  I am speechless on how to deal with this.  What caused him to think "Marbles, that sounds like fun!  I think I will grab two and stick them in my mouth!"?  There are tons of toys in their room that are little.  That is why they are in their room and not the rest of the house!  So we added to our bedtime routine, a conversation about putting things in our mouth.  Happy Birthday to me.

Harrison wins again

I thought a treat would be nice after lunch.  So I offered one.

Me:  Would you like a cupcake or a whoopie pie?

Harrison:  Neither.  Can I have a Snickers?

Me:  No.

Harrison:  Pleeaase?  It is littler than both the cupcake and the whoopi pie.  (pause)  An it has less calories.

Me:  You win.  Snickers it is.