Simple Fun

What I really enjoy about every holiday now is how into it the boys get helping with decorations, baking and preparations.  I have realized that there are some really simple crafts that the boys absolutely love doing ....and that do not cost much to do.  This year we made Halloween spiders.  Everything was purchased at the dollar store so it only cost us 3 dollars total for the entire craft (and there are still supplies left over). 

We took foam balls and painted them black.

We left them dry overnight but a few hours would have sufficed.  To dry we placed them in Styrofoam cups so they wouldn't roll all over :)

The next day we took pipe cleaners and cut them in half to make it the length we wanted for legs.  The boys then counted out 8 pipe cleaners for each spider (we practiced counting and colour patterns during this)

The boys then bent the pipe cleaners in any way they wanted and then decided on the colour order for their spiders legs.  I used the glue gun to glue them on.

Then we added the googlie eyes.

Next step.....play with our spiders......they marched in lines....walked on our arms....played itsy bitsy spider etc.

 



















We then decided to hang the spiders up on a line.  We have been doing this lately for items and it's so easy and the boys love seeing their crafts.  For the spiders we just hung fishing line from two picture frame hooks that we already had on the walls.  Yay for not damaging the house and double yeah for having their crafts as part of our house decorations :)

Halloween!!

Halloween preparations this year were tonnes of fun with two four year olds.  At school they have been learning many halloween poems and songs so it was nice to add to that at home.  I will write a separate post about the songs and poems but this one will be quick about the actual halloween evening.  The boys finally understood the concept of halloween and were excited for the first time before it even occured.  They kept talking about how many houses they wanted to go to.....the final huge number that they came up with was 15.....because apparently 15 is a huge number in a four year olds world??!!???  They made sure that they both chose runnning shoes because they decided that was the best way to run really really fast and not get tired (hahaha good foresight for a 4 year old too I might add hahahaha).  Well halloween turned out to be more fun then we could have imagined.  Our two little dinosaurs took of running from house to house with their loud screams of laughter following them :) 

It brought back great memories of being a kid and just running on halloween evening having a great time....just carefree fun :)

Lighting our jack-o-lanterns to get ready for our trick or treaters!

So excited for halloween to finally get here! 

They loved our halloween pirate ship!

I hope when they see these pictures when they are older it reminds them of all the excitement and happiness they experienced!

Our two dinosaurs! 

They were happy to do some trick or treating with some of their good friends!

After many houses of trick or treating.  They were looking for the witches in the air.  Zachary was quite dissapointed that no witches flew over.  I personally would have been scared to death if we had actually seen a flying witch.

After we were done trick or treating the boys had a blast giving out candy.

And who doesn't love spreading out all the candy at the end of the night and checking out the loot!!

Mornings???

So the other morning it was about 6:45....some houses are just starting to stir....some are tucked deep under the covers still.....some are showering......well you may wonder what is going on at our house??  What else.....a flash dance hahahaha!

I guess we forgot that lesson

In the year leading up to school we went over many things with the twins to get them ready for school.  Many of the lessons we went over many times were sharing with friends, abc's, 123, how to take our turn, how to put our shoes on etc.  Well I guess after the look of their lunch kits today we forgot a lesson........if you open your yogurt drink and don't drink it all.....it's okay to put it in the garbage.....DO NOT replace the open container that no longer has a lid back into your lunch box....oie what a mess!

The Perfect pumpkin

One of our favorite yearly family outings is to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkins!  This year we went out on thanksgiving weekend with my sister and her husband.  The pumpkin patch is always a great time but this year with the weather being so warm that weekend we went to the pumpkin patch in short sleeves.....can you imagine....most years we have sweatshirts, coats and even hats and mitts.

The pumpkin patch does not only entail the pumpkins, it's all about the atmosphere.  There's animals and corn mazes and tractor rides and snacks :)

We loaded on the tractor to head out to the fields.  With two boys the tractor ride is definitely a highlight. 

After just a few short minutes the fields come into sight.  It's amazing and so surreal seeing all the pumpkins in the fields.










Once we arrive at the fields we definitely do some serious pumpkin inspecting. It's important to inspect all the pumpkins to make sure everyone gets the one they think is perfect.

Jason and Zach trying to decide if these are the ones they want.

Dan thinks he may have found the two he wants.

Matie and Mommy with our pick!

We search high and low to make sure we don't overlook the perfect pumpkin.  I swear Dan hiked miles searching! 

Marshmallow roasting is always a nice little treat too.  Mathew prefers the barely warmed, non browned marshmallow.

 Dan on the other hand got a little over zealous......I believe his marshmallow was still on fire at this point...hahaha  Matie pointed out that his marshmallow looked way to hot to eat :)

A little hike through the woods and a quick tire swing ride was enjoyed before heading back to the tractor.

I love the look of excitement on Zach's face as he boarded the tractor with his special pumpkin.

Mathew was quite excited to have found his very own pumpkin.

The corn maze was a little trickier this year then in the past.  We had a great time going in circles trying to navigate the maze.

And they are off!

We were in there so long that we had a chance to even stop for pictures hahaha!

It was so fun watching the boys running and having a great time trying to navigate us.

The final stop of the outing was selecting the perfect giant pumpkins from the huge pile.  Shannon and Jason were waist deep searching for the biggest ones they could find.  Zach wanted they biggest pumpkin we could find. 

 

We love carving the pumpkins as well and we will probably do that this weekend.  We have way more pumpkins then we need but I'm sure we will have a great time and make more memories carving them together!

Here's a look back at the year's past at the pumpkin patch!

Here are a few from last year......

 

And here are a few from the year before.......

Wow we have enjoyed it through all the years of toddlerhood!

My favorite time of year

This month has been so busy that I am far behind on blogging.  I still have so many things I want to write about so I will start getting to those posts I have been meaning to write. 

Fall is my favorite time of year.  The smell, the weather starting to changes, the gorgeous colours etc make it the perfect time to get together with family and friends and enjoy some great outings before winter sets in.  We have been on a few hikes this year and I just can't get over how gorgeous the leaves are as they change colours.  The boys and I have been collecting leaves to make numerous crafts and just enjoying what nature has to offer us.  A week or so ago we were joined by some great friends and all of the kids had a great time just running through the trails. 

 

It's great to see the kids having a great time just enjoying nature.  How do your families enjoy the fall season?

Hockey Mornings

Hockey season has started for the boys and they play at 7:35 on Saturday morning.....yikes....that means we have to get up at 6:30....half an hour before their normal wake up time.  This Saturday morning was rough...they bounded out of their beds but man did I ever have trouble getting myself up and going.  How is it that I am so tiered and they are even in the mood to play with all their equipment on while I get dressed??