{More} Halloween!

The boys thoroughly enjoyed passing out candy tonight -- possibly even more than collecting it themselves. I was tempted to send their own candy out the door too...

Ah! The anticipation!

They gave freely.

But it was hard work, and it was already past their bedtime. So frequent rests were taken on the stairs.

But I am so glad they could keep their eyes open.... because the best was yet to come! Our neighbors Chad and Sheri hooked their four-wheeler up to a trailer and took the boys on a hay ride around the neighborhood. Twice! "I am so exciting to go for a ride!" the boys kept chanting. Ian was fascinated by the "big junks of hay" we sat on. It was the perfect end to a fun evening!

Happy Halloween!

Tonight was our ward's Trunk or Treat activity. We had a great time!

Ian has been telling people for weeks that he was going to be a tree for Halloween. I loved the idea, but have been somewhat baffled as to how to create it. Finally, after several other unsuccessful attempts, this is what we ended up with. (a colander spray-painted brown, with silk branches laced through it) Although Ian didn't love to wear the tree-top, he loved how he looked in the mirror. 

He looks kinda majestic, doesn't he?

I loved the tree idea in part because it went so nicely with Joseph's monkey costume. And tonight as we were getting ready, Ian said "I am a tree so that Joseph can come swing in my branches!" Ian caught the vision too.

I loved this picture of when Joseph noticed his costume included a banana.

He kept admiring it!

After I set out our candy in front of our car, Ian and Joseph riffled through our bowl and set aside all the best  ones (lollipops) for themselves. 

There was another monkey at the party. The eyed each other closely and then walked away.

Joseph loved bobbing for apples. Ian was on a candy-only quest and was consistently a car ahead of Joseph and I.

I wish I'd gotten a picture of Joseph from behind -- his monkey trousers were constantly falling down leaving his diaper exposed. I loved hearing Joseph say over and over "Mommy! My muh-key pan-ths are fah-wing down 'gen!" This was pretty distressing to him. 

We came home with a ton of candy, and Ian said "Mommy, tonight while I am sleeping I think I am going to come downstairs and start eating all my candy." I believe him, so I hid it on the top shelf of a locked closet. 

Happy Halloween! 

Other Recent Happenings

 The car Scott drove on our first date has hit a milestone. Keep up the great work, Gold Car.

 Scott went to the BYU-TCU game in Dallas last weekend.

The boys and I went to a sandbar hidden within a densely forested area. It takes about 10 minutes of hiking to get there and we never would have known it was there if our friends hadn't led us to it. Fine, nearly-white sand and some shallow, cool water made for a perfect outing. What a great place! Bonus: another fork in the path takes you to an alligator pond! With real alligators!

Way back in September we spent a day at Double Lake. It rained on us the entire time, but the Linford Family, a huge watermelon and some hot dogs made it a fun time anyway.

Joseph could eat an entire melon. Rind included.

His expression for "cooooold!"

 Preschool with the Larson boys and I is off to a slow start. But one very popular activity has been "sorting". I give them a pile of items and they sort them into an egg carton. Note: Don't give them edible items again.

Ian really enjoys having a "big boy bed" without a front on it. We took it off a few months ago, and here Ian is demonstrating all the things he can do with it.

When it was time to pray he exclaimed "I can kneel next to it just like Daddy's bed!" After we prayed with him, he asked if we could please leave as he would like to go to bed.

He still falls out every night, but doesn't usually wake up. Once he apparently decided to save a step and just put himself to bed under the crib. It's also not terribly uncommon for Scott and I to come up to bed and find that Ian has sneaked out of his room and is asleep behind a chair in the hall, with only his legs sticking out.

Joseph is fixing to potty train himself. He asks to go to the bathroom all the time and actually goes. He got some underwear for his birthday, now I just need to get up the courage to start. It was only a year ago that we started all this with Ian...

Fall at the Farm

Last week we took a trip to Old MacDonalds Farm in Humble. We've been wanting to go for years and had a great time exploring with some buddies from church.

 

We knew this place was for us when we heard it had a train! The deer frolicking around the tracks were a bonus.

 

Ian was delighted.

Ian and Joseph didn't trust the animals in the petting zoo. Apparently it was less intimidating to place feed on their backs than near the snout.

 And Joseph would stand as far away as possible while stroking them.

Joseph didn't care for the petting zoo part -- but he was rather taken by the llama. "Can I hold him?" he asked.

 Later I found him watching the cow. He's standing like a cowpoke, isn't he?

A family picture by the big red barn.

Most of the animals weren't interested in the feed. The goats were only interested in the bag.

There was stuff everywhere for little boys to climb and explore.

And we couldn't ask for better weather. I love Texas in Fall.

One barn was filled with hay and had a rope swing. Ian loved it!

Joseph did not.

I loved how the tin walls looked. What a handsome little guy!

A couple towheads waiting to ride a pony.

Joseph loved it! I held on tight to his hip while we took a tour of the corral.

Ian rode around without me and had a grand old time chatting with the quiet horse guide.

Ian asking the peacock to spread its wings.

 Joseph touched nearly every pumpkin before selecting "the one". He'd find one he liked, then carry it over to another one, set it down and pick up the next. Over and over. He finally selected one with a very long stem.

Surprisingly, Ian was very willing to pose around all the fall decorations.

Then we took the pumpkins on one last train ride around the park. 

Some parting shots of the boys looking like turkeys. 

Are you convinced?

Happy 2nd Birthday, Joseph!

Last Friday our little Joseph turned TWO! We started the day with the traditional Larson Family Birthday Picture.

 That morning Ian had taken it upon himself to wake Joseph at 6 am! After I heard them romping around in Joseph's crib I went in there to get the picture. And got a few of Ian as well.

 Since we had such an early start on the day, we got to have a birthday breakfast with Dad! We had blueberry pancakes. Unfortunately I set off the fire alarm while making them. So Joseph covered his "ears".

We also had some time to open a present, which worked perfectly because we wouldn't be home that evening to do it.

Do you think Joseph was excited with his present?

 With all those train tacks you can build an impressively long line!

That afternoon we went to Olive Garden for lunch. Joseph devoured almost a whole adult plate of orecchio pasta. And half a dozen breadsticks. And a bunch of salad greens. He has not yet outgrown his hollow leg.

That night we all went to Kelly's Pond for a birthday camping trip!

 By the time we had camp set up and were ready for cake, it was already completely dark. Here's Scott carrying the cake up the hill from the car.

 Joseph attempting to blow out the candle, and a helpful brother waiting in the wings.

This is about how the night actually looked. There were real bugs flocking around the fake bug cake.

Despite being covered in "buggies", the cake was pretty good.

Cake by lantern light.

All the woodland creatures cleaned up the cake mess by morning. Perfect!

Thanks to some classless individuals who decided to make camp at 10 pm, then laugh loudly, clink beer bottles, discuss Elton John and play music until 5 am, we didn't sleep well. Joseph was also a bit chilly in his pack n play and was restless all night too. He and I both slept better once he snuggled into my sleeping bag with me. The next morning we took a nature walk and packed up. It was actually a really fun quick trip though. And the Shipley's doughnuts and kolaches we picked up on the way home made our sleepless state bearable.

Joseph had a great time "driving" the logs. I think our new family tent in the background is bigger than our first married apartment.

 So far there is no hint of the Terrible Two's. Joseph loves his big brother and is learning to fight back when he is wronged by Ian. Joseph talks beautifully these days and has the cutest conversations with Ian. He's cheerful, observant, nurturing, silly, an excellent sleeper (still 12.5 hours at night and 2 hour naps) and will eat nearly anything in large quantities. He loves his pacifier and yellow "banket". He works his fingers through the holes in the knitted blanket for comfort. He loves animals and babies and trucks and bugs and anything Ian is interested in. He still snuggles and hooks his wrist around your arm when you carry him. Joseph, it is so fun to be your Mom. We are all so glad you joined our family two years ago!