Six Flags Halloween

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Let me just say, Six Flags itself is not the best theme park.  So you can imagine my absolute shock when we attended their Halloween festivities and they were less than stellar.  I was pretty bummed because I was expecting more.  For these kinds of things, I think you either go big or don't bother at all: no need to make half an effort because that's a pretty good way to lose customers.  I am wondering if Six Flags everywhere are this lame?  Because as far as I'm concerned, if I never step foot in another one of their parks, I am totally fine with that.  I know the kids have fun and that's important, but when you pay for two adult passes I think that it's only fair that the adults should enjoy it too.

On the plus side, the park was not crowded at all and there wasn't much wait for rides and activities.  And we managed to only spend $6 the whole day!  You can't really beat that.  We had lunch before we left and only bought two soda refills and some popcorn for a show we didn't end up watching.

There wasn't too many events planned and some of them not suitable for little kids.  Oh and the kicker: they have a haunted house but they charge you $5...on top of the admission you already bought!  I previously thought Sea World's Halloween activites were a little lame, but I retract those statements.  They were much better than anything we did yesterday.  And at least their haunted house was free with admission.

We started with what I mistakenly thought would be some trick or treating and turned out to be a very short line to say hi to Scooby Doo and have him hand the kids a goody bag.

As you can see, Serena was a big fan!

Next we slowly made our way across the park, figuring out what we wanted to see and do.

We decided to go on the carasol to kill some time before a show started

The show turned out to be a bust.  We got there twenty minutes in advance and waited around.  When the show finally started the kids got spooked and the little ones started crying.  I made everyone hightail it out of there.  Despite the fact that the employee just outside the door promised that that was the scariest part, I still decided it was best to leave.  Why chance it?  I personally did not want to be dealing with 2am nightmares.  Richard thought we should have gone back in, but I really didn't want to do it.  So we just left.  Outside the building Jameson spotted Daffy Duck and started going crazy pointing at him, so Richard took him over to meet the duck.

And then Tweety showed up and we had to meet her too!

Then Calli, Richard and Jameson went on a fun swing ride.  I love the photo of Jameson and Richard, it is so sweet!  And Calli made a new friend while she was waiting in line (surprise!) so they decided to ride together.

We hung out in Wiggles World for awhile and watched that show to erase the memories of the creepy show before :).  The kids played in the little park they have there before we decided to go watch the Looney Tunes Dance show.  That was a really cute one, but too short!  The kids all got to get up and dance with the characters.  We actually had to coerce Calli to get out there and if you can believe it, she was shy at first.  But once she opened up she really got into it and loved dancing.  Jameson even went out there with her!  She gave him a hug and started dancing with him, it was so sweet.  Of course I couldn't convince Serena to go out there...I'm not sure I even tried.

Here are the girls waiting for the show to start.  We got front row seats!

Crazy hair!!

We decided it was time to head home after the Looney Tunes show.

(Dear Richard: next time you take a photo of us can you tell me that 1) I look fat in the picture and 2) Calli's eyes are closed...instead of snapping the picture, looking at it and announcing it "cute".  Clearly we have differing opinions on what constitutes a "cute" photo.  That is all.)

Fresh Air!!

My absolute favorite time of the year is autumn.  We don't actually have much of a fall and it takes longer to get here, but I just love this season!  It is the beginning of the holiday season and there is so much anticipation of all the fun in store for the next few months.  The air starts to turn crisp and I am in heaven (kind of ).  The air doesn't feel fresh to me at any point between May to September.  We can't even open our windows at 3am because it's still humid and warm out.  The humid air makes it hard for me to breathe, but the cool, crisp air that fall brings here at night is what I live for.  I love to be able to wake up and open my sliding glass door at 7am and know that it is cool enough for a little bit at least to enjoy the air.  We can spend more time out of doors without dissolving into pools of sweat.  I have been avoiding the park and backyard for the last half year because it's just too darn hot.  Now I am having fun because all my kids are finally at the age where I can take them to the park and let them free with minimal intervention.  Jameson is still pretty young of course, but I don't have to follow his every move anymore.  I definitely watch him, but I don't have to hover and I love that.  I can park my butt on a bench, preferably in the shade, and just watch my kids have fun and get some much needed exercise.

So we have been enjoying our nice evenings for the last few weeks and letting the kids out in the backyard.  It shades over nicely and is just so enjoyable to be outside with them.  I am eagerly waiting for it to cool off even more.  80s are better than 100s, but I need some 70s in my life!!

The girls were playing so nicely together this day!

 Look how hard that boy is cheesin' for the photo!

 I love my blue-eyed, blonde haired beauties.  How did we get so lucky!!?

Pumpkin Patch

We had a fun time this year, but man was it HOT!  We spent the bulk of time in the park area where it was mostly shaded by some trees.  We skipped the tractor ride and roasting marshmellows because none of us wanted to sit in the hot sun doing those things!  We still had a good time getting Calli's face painted, having lunch, fishing, playing in the park, running through the hay bale maze and picking out and painting pumpkins.  We went with some good friends so we had even more fun.  I have to say I am ready for some nice, autumn weather.  80s are definitely better than 100s, but I'd like some jeans and t-shirt weather please!!



The kids dressed in their Halloween shirts and socks, ready to leave for the pumpkin patch.

 Sitting in the Starbucks drive thru and enjoying their movie

 Calli pretending she's driving a tractor

 She loves to get her face painted!  This time she chose a spiderweb.

 Fishing with Daddy!

 The kids playing in the hay bale maze

 Calli knows how to swing on her own now and she has been having a blast!

 Serena discovering the goats.  I asked her what they say and she told me "moo".  Well, it's not like I know so why not?

 Calli being a sweet big sister and pushing Serena on the swing

 Jameson enjoying the sandbox

 Serena in the sand

 And Calli in the sand too of course

 Painting pumpkins!

 It's hard to believe that last year Jameson was just four months old when we went to the pumpkin patch, sitting in that same stroller.  Now he is sixteen months and able to join in painting his own pumpkin!

 Jameson and me on the porch swing

 Calli dressing up the scarecrow

 Jameson painting his pumpkin

 Family photo!

 Lollipop time!



In the Middle

Serena has the good fortune to be our middle child.  She is lucky to have a big sister to look up to and a little brother to pick on and she takes both of these roles quite seriously.  When Calli is around she is the typical bratty pestering little sister.  Calli and her get into fights quite often and butt heads; they don't want to share, they don't want to take turns, they yell, they cry, they shout.  It's really enough to make you want to pull your hair out.  But I have to admit, there are those wonderful moments where they play so nicely together and it makes it all worth it.  They have that typical sisterly relationship of "I can pick on my sister because she's mine but you better not mess with her!"  She will stand up for Serena if someone is mean to her and she looks out for her in public.  Serena clings to Calli in social situations when she is feeling shy because her outgoing big sister has no fear.  It is a pleasure to watch their relationship mature and grow (that is, when I'm not ripping my hair out).

And then there is the relationship between Serena and Jameson.  Serena may have picked up a few things from the way Calli treats her and may or may not use these tactics against her brother.  Poor Jameson.  Even though he weighs more than Serena, he still can't manage to fight her off.  In fact, she was in a tackling mood yesterday and kept knocking him over; in Target she managed to tackle him into a wall, which left a nice red mark on his face.  I think she was just trying to help Jameson practice his quarterback skills and showing him how to take a sack.  It is so funny to watch the difference in Serena's relationship with Jameson vs. Calli.  With him she really takes on the role of big sister, knowing that she is "bigger" and can push him around.  With Calli she tends to adopt the little sister role and tattle when she is being pushed around.

Ah what fun to be stuck in the middle!  You get the best of both worlds.  She is my cream in the Oreo cookie and I love her :).

 (she loves to sit next to her brother now in the morning when he is eating breakfast and she is eating her snack.  At dinner she insists on sitting next to Calli, but since Calli is off at school during the day, she wants to be close to him.  Awwwww!)

More Blackmail!

It would be hard to find a more boyish little boy than Jameson.  With his solid build, impish grin and manly swagger he certainly looks like all boy.  He is charming to a fault, generous with his smiles for the ladies and quick to flirt with any female in sight.  He is the very definition of the term "rough and tumble", constantly accumulating bruises and scrapes all over his body.  He falls off couches and chairs, runs into walls and occassionally gets pushed around by his big sisters.  He has the arm of a future quarterback in the making, throwing balls farther and harder than his sisters ever did.

BUT

Being surrounded by only female siblings has led to a slight shortage in boy toys.  So our little man is forced to play with Barbies and princesses, but seems to love every second.  Someday I will show these photos to his girlfriends and we will all have a big laugh.  Oh Jameson, we love you!

Calli's Soccer Game, 10.2.10

Twins

I'm pretty sure our little ones could pass for twins, despite being fourteen months apart.  Look at those cheeks!  They also have the exact same eyes, hair color and fair skin.  Jameson now outweighs Serena by about 1.5-2 pounds.  Lucky for her she is tall for her age and still has two inches on him - not for long though I'm sure!