Happy Halloween

The Aftermath

This random snowstorm ends up being worse than Hurricane Irene. We have so many limbs and branches down. All of our ornamental trees have most of thier limbs snapped. We drove to church for a delayed one hour meeting only to find most of the roads closed.
 
 
 Here is our town's 1 pm update  We currently have 187 roads impacted by trees and wires.  Given the dangerous conditions, all New Canaan Public Schools will be closed on Monday and all school activities canceled.    We are strongly advising children not to trick-or-treat and as an alternative the Chamber of Commerce will be distributing candy at Town Hall between the hours of 2 and 4pm.  43% of residential customers are currently without power.  While this number is significantly lower for New Canaan than we experienced during Tropical Storm Irene this storm is much more concerning for two reasons:  The overall impact on the State is more significant which stretches available resources; and, more importantly, the cold temperatures bring life safety into the equation.  Downed power lines are live and resting in snow which presents serious risks.  We are concerned about overnight temperatures which are expected to be in the upper 20s. No School and NO Trick R Treating????? Here is a map with the problems!

 

Crazy Saturday -- Early Snow

This day started out cold. It was 39 degrees officially (but it felt like34 according to my weather app) as Julianne and I headed to her soccer game at 9:30. The sky was overcast but it was not raining. Her team played hard, but lost again. With about ten minutes left in the game there started to be snow flurries randomly.
 
Our weather forecasters had predicted that starting at about 3:00 that we would have a wintry mix, turning to snow by the evening with accumulation of 3-6 inches overnight. But you know how those weathermen are??  Always willing to predict the worst!!!
 
I was thrilled to get an email from Adam's coach cancelling his game (as he did not want to subject kindergartner's to the cold) and made the decision to go home, contact the other coaches for the 2 afternoon games and cancel them as well.
 
That meant that now we were free to go to the kids' Elementary school for the fall fair. Trent and Owen stayed home (so Owen could nap) and at 11:30 I took the other four kids to the fair. As we arrived at the school some large snowflakes were starting to fall. We had a lot of fun running into the school with these huge snowflakes sticking to our hair. Once inside, I bought tickets and Julianne and Catherine took off together and Adam and Madelyn and I started all the little carnival games.
 
As we wandered the halls I took two photos of the kids artwork or projects on the wall. First is Madelyn's -- She has this picture of her with descriptive words: she is helpful, nice, peaceful, smart, happy and SNEAKY!!! ---She should have added Honest!!!  She really is sneaky!!
 
 

 Next I found Catherine's art.  She loves to draw and on this little five inch square has added so much color and detail.  Too bad she misspelled her name! As we walked by a window I got my first glimpse of the outside.  In the half hour we had been there the snow had started to stick.  I was shocked at how early in the day the snow had arrived.   About twenty minutes later, we were playing another carnival game when I looked out the window and saw this -- now about 3 inches of snow and still falling heavily.  I decided that given the big hills we had to traverse to get home that we had better get on our way.
 I called the big girls and they met us at the car.  I scraped off the snow (although it was tough because it was falling so quickly).  Here is the parking lot.  We slipped and slided and fishtailed our way home.  It was pretty scary driving.  The hills are steep, they were unplowed, and I did not have 4 wheel drive.   This was our house at 12:45 when I arrived home.  The snow was thick and wet and heavy.  It was falling fast.  The trees and bushes were already starting to weigh down since they all still have their leaves.    We sat inside and watched the snow fall all around for about 45 minutes when we heard this big crash.   At 2:30, this tree fell hitting the top deck and making a loud scary crashing sound.  The top of it landed on the trampoline.    What a mess.  We stayed indoors the rest of the night watching the snow fall.   We got nearly 12 inches.  This is the earliest and largest snowfall to hit our area since the civil war!!!!

Just like the big kids

I love it when Owen does something just like the big kids. Like this picture. . . Right now in the room Adam is sitting on another chair watching Chuggington eating a bowl full of popcorn. Once Owen saw Adam there, he crawled over, got his own plastic bowl, whined and said "uh, uh, uh" until I put cheerios in it, crawled over to the rocking chair, climbed up, and watched TV -- JUST like Adam.

Watching babies learn is so much fun!

Today was a busy day . . .  here's a recap for my sake.

6:45 wakeup
7:55 got Julianne and Trent out the door
8:35 got Catherine and Madelyn out the door
9:00 got the car packed with all 4 kids soccer stuff, halloween costumes, jackets, fleeces, and more!
10:00 had Joy school at my house
12:30 started getting ready for afterschool by making pizza
1:00 called the soccer hotlines and fields were open
2:45 cooked pizza, sliced it and put on plates in a cooler to stay warm
3:35 picked Catherine and madelyn up from school
3:45 dropped Julianne's soccer stuff off at her friends where she had walked home from school.
4:00 coached Madelyn and her soccer team, while the rest ate pizza in the car b/c it was freezing
4:30 Julianne arrived with her friend at her own soccer practice
5:00 sent Madelyn & Owen with Trent (who came to soccer fields straight from work) to go to a birthday party and go buy halloween candy, coached Catherine's team, took Adam to his practice
6:00 Met back up with Trent who then headed home to change clothes and meet us in an hour, got Adam from practice, sent Julianne back to her friend's house with her costume, drove to pick up Madelyn from Birthday party
6:30 got Madelyn and drove to church for Trunk R Treat
7:00 all of us Trunk R treated
8:00 drove home with tons of candy and freezing cold!

My day

First I drove around like mom's always do -- but I snapped this picture showing the beautiful fall (although not quite as beautiful as last years).
 
 
  Then I came home and made something I found on pinterest -- YES, actually made something from there! I didn't add all the little flower embellishments . . . yet!!!
 
 




  Then I went to the meeting formerly known as enrichment that was formerly known as homemaking . . . (I always get the sense that the Relief Society is having an identity crisis) and I learned that people can make cool spreadsheets to help you plan out food storage. And it was cold and rainy and I borrowed Julianne's Uggs. I never envisioned borrowing clothes or shoes from my 11 year old, but they kept my feet toasty warm.     

Adam and the world . . . puzzle

Adam is such fun to be around during the day. I had planned to work on some of his reading this afternoon but when I asked him what he wanted to do he said, "the world puzzle". We hadn't done it for a while and we definitely haven't done it without all his sisters around to help, but we got it out and went to work. I'm not one for bragging -- but this boy of mine is sharp. We finished it in just under an hour and then he said, "Now, where is Chicago?" I don't know where he came up with that?

The Activity Days Halloween Carnival

Our Activity day leaders let the girls throw an entire carnival for their siblings and friends today. The kids had so much fun coming up with their own booths and activities. Catherine did a put-put golf game and Julianne did face painting.  They also got a first run through on their Halloween costumes.  Julianne is a witch.  We found her costume at Costco and I had to take in the shoulder seam and side seams but now it fits her great.  Owen is a leopard.  This costume is old.  My mom made it from fabric her mom bought.  I think my brother Shad was the first to wear it.  I had to tack in a new hem for our short Owen, but he made one cute leopard.  Madelyn wanted to be a candy corn witch and since we have several witch costumes already I did not want to buy yet another so we fashioned this one out of her own clothes.  I love how it turned out (and that is an appliqued candy corn on the top.  Adam (despite having several costumes to choose from) chose the same as last year.

Some old photos and my mom's parenting philosophy

I have loved getting my old photos scanned. It is fun to reminisce. These photos are when Tyler was about 1 1/2 years old. He is wearing the same costume Owen will be wearing this year for Halloween. Look how young Amber is! Times sure have changed. My mom was so much fun to be around. For as long as I remember my mom had a worn copy of this poem on her bulletin board. She mothered just like this poem. While she taught us a lot of things through words and books, she taught us most things by just playing with us and having fun. I sure try to play with my kids and live up to her example.
 
 
I tried to teach my child with books,
He gave me only puzzled looks.
I tried to teach my child with words,
They passed him by often unheard.
Despairingly I turned aside,
How shall I teach this child, I cried.
 Into my hands he put the key,
“Come”, he said, “play with me!”
-Author Unknown

Fall Sunday Drive

Although the leaves this year are nowhere near as spectacular as last year, they still are beautiful. One of my favorite things this time of year is driving to our church's Stake Conference every October. It is a 45 minute drive through New York and it is stunning. This year we stopped and walked down by the pond for a photo.

Does Owen love Soccer Saturdays?

Today was cool, crisp and very fall like. We got up early and headed out for our four soccer games. The kids are all sure playing soccer well and really enjoying it. I am just not so sure that Owen is enjoying it.

Ding Dong Spiders

I am a day late posting this.  Yesterday we were surprised by a fun box arriving from Nana and Grandpa.  We had a lot of fun opening the box and looking at all the fun halloween activities included.  We made the "ding dong" spider craft that was in the box.  We made 12 of them and took 6 of them to some friends.  Here is a video of the construction.

Morning Favorites

There are just some really simple things about the morning routine that I hope I don't forget. So I will blog about them.




All the kids eat breakfast at the counter. Usually it is just cereal. Owen crawls around on the floor as if he is a little puppy just waiting for table scraps to come his way. I used to put him in the high chair so he could be at the same level as the other kids and watch them, but his penchant for escapism and his thinking that it is perfectly safe to sit on the front of your high chair tray with your legs dangling over the edge has lost him his high chair priveledges.



Then there is the cereal searching. The kids search for doubles (where 2 pieces of cereal are stuck together). The more doubles, the luckier your day will be. And if you find a triple??? super lucky and a quadruple??? it is like winning the lottery here.



After breakfast, piano practice starts. It takes Owen approximately 10 seconds from the first note being played to get to the piano to begin HIS practice. It annoys his sisters, but it is very cute.

Lastly, Owen's energy and laughter. He kicks his feet so fast all the time. And he laughs all the time. We don't have to actually touch him -- we just have to say, "I'm gonna tickle you" and he is in stitches.



In other news. I hung a new photo of my grandparents over the piano. I LOVE IT!!! The pictures is seriously so perfect. I think they are on their honeymoon. I think they are in Italy. But aren't they lovely? Do you want one hanging in your home???



And I haven't hung it yet, but I got a print on metal of Owen for his first birthday and I love it. I ordered more prints on metal today.

Jeans

Owen looks so cute in jeans.

The problem is that most of his jeans are too long. (apparantly he is 18 months in the waist, but not in the length). So I hemmed them today (folded them up, and tacked them so I can lengthen them when I need to).

and then we went to Costco and Owen got his very own smoothie. He was so happy.

Plain jane Tuesday

Today was just a normal day. Adam played with legos and worked on his "word wall" (maybe i'll post pictures of that tomorrow) He has gotten good at making Lego creations by following the directions. (and I am very glad because I do not enjoy making things with legos exactly like the directions -- i'm too much of a free spirit that way I guess).
Then he came out with a roll of toilet paper in his hand and announced that he wanted to be a "mommy" -- he meant "mummy". It was a beautiful day outside and so we swept and cleaned off the deck (the leaves are already piling high). Everytime I turned around though Owen was up on top of the table. He sure is adventurous! Owen also loves to try and get my iphone!

Stew Leonard's

Today while Adam was at Monday club, Owen and I went to Stew Leonards. Stew Leonards is a grocery store that specializes in dairy. They always have a person in a cow costume walking around as well as a big cow head that moos. Some kids love it. Some are terrified of it. Here is Owen's reaction.