Our Graveyard Smash

The first animal we saw.
 

Yay!  No school today! 

We had already decorated for Halloween. 
We have a singing Frankenstein in the bathroom. 
He sings the Monster Mash. 


So Dylan comes to me this morning and asks, "Mommy, what's a graveyard smash?" 


Dylan drawing his name in the stone.

I needed a moment to place into context and replied, "Um, I think it means they were having fun in the cemetery.  Isn't that weird?  Who has a party in a graveyard?!"

Apparently that answer pleased him. 
We continued to get ready to leave the house.  Today was a gorgeous fall day, and I couldn't wait to get outside. 

We went to Mommy's park for a nature walk.  I try to get there at least once a season.  Dyleva is like, at one with the Earth.  I couldn't be more pleased.  We can't even hike, because they are constantly stopping to look at things.  That's awesome!

"D" for Dylan!

Today was no different.  Dylan said to me, "Mommy, Rock and Roll." 
"What does that mean?"
"Mommy, that's what Max says.  It means, 'Let's get going.'"

Okay then. 

We saw nothing but beauty, but also nothing spectacular, or so I thought.....  Dylan borrowed Eva's camera and started taking pictures of everything he thought was beautiful.

Eva, sat down, and pulled out a notebook.  I had no idea she brought it, because she generally carries luggage with her everywhere she goes. 
She began journaling about what was going on!  My six year old!  I was so impressed. 



Our Graveyard Smash!

Later, we met with our good friends for a picnic and play.  We had so much fun, but since we were out that way, we stopped at Mayer Brothers. 

It was soooo busy!!!!  We bought some cider, apples, and other goodies.

When we came out, there was no where to sit.  So we walked next door. 

Guess what was next door?  You guessed it!  A graveyard.

We found a dragonfly; it
was our first animal

We are going to the Apple
store with Zoey and Miss
Nancy

It was busy.  We got 3 carmel
apples and it was good.  I ate
all the carmel.



We found a grasshopper. 
Mommy scooped him up,
Mommy said close your hand
and then open it.

Mama almost got him
out, then wash his shoes.

My Mommy is going to
get 2 Lily pads.

Dylan almost lost
his shoes like me.

We totally crashed the graveyard and had a smash! 
Who would have thought.

Choo-Choo

We love the Choo Choo!







Dyleva also happens to have a primo that is obsessed with choo-choos. 



What better way to spend a gorgeous, sunny, afternoon that a ride through the fall foilage. 

At the turning point, we all put pennies down on the rail.  They got squished. 





Dylan got a front row seat on the way back.  He was right in back of the engine- very loud!


All aboard!!!

Pirate Play

The wench and matey, eating some grub.

Today it was pirates.

"Mommy, will you build us a pirate ship in the sala?"

Sure....



"Land Ahoy!"

I tried my best.  I looped some sheets over the couch.  I made a plank.  I put a crocodile in the water.  They dressed as pirates and started speaking pirate.  Arrr.

Eventually, they named Daddy the "bad pirate."

So I told them, "Well, you have to hide the treasure from the bad pirate!"  And in Jeff's case, the treasure would be cookies.

We have this jar of plastic oreos, some sort of a matching math game, so Dyleva started to hide the treasure from the bad pirate.

Jeff got into it.  The ninos had a ball. The battle over treasure ensued.    


Move over Johnny Depp

Clearly, after pirates they decided to play 'Drag Queen."

The Wonders of Playdoh

I love play doh. 
I have a slight obsession with it.  With the kids I mean.  I must make 2-3 batches a week.  My students create stories and use the plasticina to recreate them.  I make solid color and tie-dye.  Anyway.



Tonight I made a batch for Dyleva.  Dylan wanted Captain America colors.  He then continued to hide things inside the play doh and use his super heroes to extract them.




Eva, on the other hand decided to document their hands and feet in modeling clay, and then made a super long snake.
She also created hair for the Halloween skulls we had up for decorations.  

Captain America Colors

The long snake

Dr. Doom, succumbs to playdoh

The ninos spent at least an hour, manipulating and defining their creations.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins

Dyleva has been asking to go to the Pumpkin Farm since June.  I keep telling them...Don't rush it! 

Enjoy summer! 

But today was the day. 

 Seriously, Dyleva got out of the car, and started dancing in the parking lot.  They were so excited!

We go once a week.

We have a routine.

We buy cookies and eat them in the teepee.
Then we play on the slides, go in the maze, see the animals, play again, pick out a pumpkin, and then go home. 

And it is empty there, the ninos have the run of the place. 

They know us by now, we've been going there since Eva was a baby.

It's still five weeks until Halloween...but this is one of our favorite holidays so Dyleva enjoys every minute leading up to the big day. 

End of Summer..Again

Poor kids.  I keep telling them its the end of summer.  And for me, it officially is, or was.  I've been back to work for two weeks if you count classroom preparation.

But after the beach, we started "getting ready to go back."  We went back to school shopping, which ended in an embarrassing disaster and probable ban from JC Penney. 

They have already been getting up ungodly early, and in bed by 8:oo Sharp each night.

Eva and her future husband

Labor Day Festival

But the weather.  This awesome hot summer weather, is making it so hard to get back in to a routine.  Every day is a party, and a celebration of "one last day of summer."

No joke, Dyleva logged about 12 hours in the wáter this weekend.  Their skin is permanantly wrinkled.

Tonight we said goodbye, again, as we sat under some kick-ass Labor Day Fireworks with some old friends.