Quick Post

I have been really sick this week. More after I am up and around! Lots of Colwell happenings! Stay tuned.

The Great Pumpkin Carving

Last night we finally did it - we carved pumpkins! As much as we are holiday crazy, you are not going to believe this but we had never carve pumpkins with the kids. Chris and I had done it once before kids at our old house but that was years ago. Every year, we run out of time, too messy. too busy, some lame excuse. Last night, we decided to do it! I made Halloween pancakes for dinners - witches, jack-o-lanterns and bats. They were blueberry and delicious! I got the molds last year at Williams Sonoma - they work great and the kids go crazy!! After pancakes, we brought the pumpkins in from outside and Jackson and Jessica knew what was going to happen. "We are carving pumpkins!!" "Yay!!" They were literally jumping up and down. I read a quick article on how to carve a pumpkin and then I designed a classic jack-o-lantern face which Jackson picked. Daddy's job was to do the lids and scoop out the pumpkins guts! YUCK! Jackson and Jessica each stuck a hand in and decided to continue letting Daddy have this job. I traced my homemade pattern and did the sawing on the face. Our first masterpiece is called Jackson O'Lantern. The next pumpkin we tackled was for Jessica who said she wanted a happy face. I tried a couple of designs freehand but then went to my trusty pumpkin craving booklet with tools and patterns! We found the perfect face - Jess O'Lantern! So happy and cute! She loved it. We saved the hardest for last - Chunky's pumpkin which we called Fang Face. Actually that was the name of the pattern I found on the web. The kids wanted a scary pumpkin for Chunky and all the ones in my carving booklet were TOO HARD! Fang Face was perfect!! I think they all turned pretty good. I can't wait for Halloween!!

More Halloween Here!

It has been a crazy Halloween week here! We have been doing something related to Halloween every day. Tuesday, I spent about an hour cutting out Halloween pictures and Jackson and Jessica made Halloween collages. I found Elmer's Glue at Target for twenty-two cents a piece so I let them go crazy! Jessica was so excited. I don't think I have ever let her loose by herself with glue. She used it liberally! The finished products were quite unique. I think I am going to have to start cutting pictures out of our old magazines before they hit the recycle bin. It was a great project for the kids and the had a blast. And you know, really, it was not that messy either.

Jackson Says...

OK, I am going to start a repeating post of "Jackson Says..." or "Jessica Says..." because well, they say weird and funny things.

Here is Jackson over the weekend:
Jackson: Dad, I will tell you my favorite holidays.
Chris: Okay
Jackson: One of my favorites is Halloween because of the candy. Another favorite is Christmas because of the presents and the candy. I also like Easter because of the toys and the candy. My next favorite is Fourth of July because of the candy.

So you see, Jackson likes candy. He also said that he sleeps with his eyes open so I took this picture over the weekend to prove to him that he does not.

For Chunky

Family Day With Jackson

Monday was Family Day with Jackson's preschool class. I must admit, I was not entirely looking forward to it after Jessica's 1 hour and 45 minutes class trashed this old bod, I was very worried about Jackson's 2.5 hour class and how I was going to make it. I could not have been more wrong!! It was GREAT! I had a blast and Jackson had a wonderful time showing me all around. October is Wheel Month at school so he showed me all the wheel things there. He showed me all the toys that he loaned the school. Hello, didn't I haul everything over there? It was cute and he was very proud. They even have an official race car wheel there in the classroom which is pretty cool. Cars are definitely Jackson's bag so it could not be a better month! After cars and wheels, then we did some art. I actually showed Jackson and his cousin Xander how to trace along a stencil. I think Jackson looks like he was enjoying himself! We also did some finger painting. I really need to do more finger painting here at home but the mess!! I need to get over it and let them have fun. Next stop, computer time. Jackson showed me all his awesome computer skills and I must say, I was impressed! I have encouraged him here at home but I must admit, since Jessica has gotten bigger, I have not let him do it as much because she always wants to do it too and there is not that much stuff for her to do. Again, I must get better on this. Outside play consisted of parachute - not one of my faves but the kids had fun! Miss Forrest had some fun games to play that made the parachute a lot more interesting. Something called Cat and Mouse. Two kids are underneath the parachute (the mice) and the Cat is on top, crawling around, trying to tag the mice through the material. It was hilarious! Some mice just stood in one spot but some mice really put up a fight and were scurrying everywhere!! Snack time consisted of pouring their own juice from a pitcher - UGH!! and cheese and pretzels - YUM!! Mommy was hungry as my Caramel Latte did not really fill me up much! We also had some very animated conversation!After snack, we had more play time and did some puzzles and talked about the date and day of the week and the weather outside. What a great school and what a great time!! Also, thanks to Aunt Kris who played with Miss Jessica for three hours while we were gone! Jessica said she had a great time too!!

Nature

Howell Tree Farms does have some of the most amazing mums you have ever seen. Mums too big to fit in our car. You need to check them out!!

Also, check out our little fall woolly caterpillar that we saw, inching along by the corn maze. Actually we saw several. This one, who I will call, Javier, was the most photogenic.

We Love The Fall

Best. Season. Ever. Fall rocks. Football, great weather, leaves turning, school, Halloween, and pumpkin patches! We hit Howell Tree Farm on Sunday and it was awesome. We had been out there once already this season but we were too early to get pumpkins so we went back. Tons of pumpkins and tons of people. The kids had a blast! We rode the tractor that had a big "wagon" (probably not the right term but I am not much of a farm girl) attached to the back and you bought a $3.50 ticket to ride. They take you way out by their mum garden, to their pumpkin patch where you can pick your own pumpkin, walk through a huge corn maze and pick your own squash. One of several tractors will come back to pick you up and take you back to the farm. We also do The Kiddie Koral there, where the kids play in a huge sandbox filled with corn instead of sand. By huge I mean, HUGE, it is basically a big shed with 90% of the floor changed into a big box of corn, over 300 bushels. It is hard to explain obviously but kids love it! There are tons of farm animals to pet and feed, chickens and bunnies to pet! A hay bale maze, see saws and Jackson's favorite addition - the Wiggle Racers, a trike that you wiggle to move instead of pedal. He is a total pro at it. Jessica's favorite thing was the corn pit. She was there forever! She kept saying "I want to play in the corn!" They have a great little cafe there - hot dogs, juice boxes, apple and caramels, chili, popcorn, chips and the most delicious pumpkin bars! All pretty cheap too! The kids each picked out a pumpkin and got one for Chunky. We even rode the tractor again before we left and did not disembark because it was so relaxing and the kids loved it too. I think we are done going out to Howells this fall but we are thinking about a Christmas road trip!! It was a really fun Sunday - the kind of day that really makes you appreciate living in Iowa with all four seasons! Perfection! Now I am on the lookout for the next fall adventure!

Jackson David Beckham

Oh my sweet, sweet life as a soccer Mom. Please read that sentence carefully....I said SOCCER Mom, most definitely NOT a Hockey Mom...shudder! Man oh man how our life has changed on Saturdays! Jackson is gung ho and excited every Saturday morning. On Friday night, I have to tell him who the Purple Gumballs play so he can gear up. This Saturday we played the Denim Dots and believe it or not, I think the Gumballs had their first WIN! It was a beautiful morning, we played at 10am - the best time! Gaga was there and Grandma and Grandpa Colwell both were there too! The stands were packed! OK, there are no stands, just camping chairs and well, I don't know if six onlookers, FOJs (Fans of Jackson), is packed but it meant a lot to us and Jackson. Again this week, we were down two players and a coach. Luckily, a dad volunteered to step in and coach so the Gumballs could play. Everyone had lots of field time and it seemed like all of them were excited to be out there! Before the game started, my little Diva, Jessica, even got in some soccer field time in her glitter pink shades, purple sparkle shoes and embroidered jeans. If you can't be fashionable on the soccer field, why bother? Once the game got under way, all of a sudden, Gumballs goals started happening! It was awesome! Jackson did not get one this week but he got the ball from a gaggle of players right before they were going to score and kicked several kicks, getting the ball all the way down the field! It was amazing! He missed the goal by mere inches but it did not matter to him - you should have seen the kid's face! Beaming! I think he even flashed a thumbs up to his adoring fans. So cute! On the sidelines, Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Jessica and Gaga, we were all going crazy! Jackson, on his few breaks, is a great cheerleader as well. Constantly yelling "Go Gumballs Go!!" The game got over and without a doubt, the Gumballs were victorious. No official score but most of the time, you have a pretty good sense of the outcome. After the game, my family consented to going to the grocery store with me which made an unpleasant task a little more bearable, although at the end, both kids had had enough. After a delicious lunch at home, Jackson got to play some wii - Star Wars Legos - because Daddy stayed up Friday night and opened General Grievous for him to use. This was a big deal. Bigger than even the Gumballs victory. Our Saturdays have been so fun that I am definitely going to be bummed in three weeks when soccer is over. It has been great seeing the family at every game and now that Jackson is having a blast, the whole thing just rocks. Fun fall Saturday!! Can Sunday possibly top this? You will have to wait to see!!

Strike A Pose - The Sequel

Again, no idea why or what this crazy girl is doing. I can tell you this, she is no wall flower.

Friday Night TV

What is the big deal about what's on TV on a Friday night? Well, if you live in our house, you would know that 10-03-08 was practically a national holiday. It marked the first episode of The Clone Wars television series on Cartoon Network. We have been waiting and waiting for this night. The kids were so excited! Then I found out that there are two episodes on this first Friday and they start at 8pm. Not good. 8pm is the kids' bedtime. What to do, what to do? Lucky for the kids that their Mom & Dad are Star Wars nerds from way back. With a slight nap adjustment putting them down at 3:30pm vs. 2pm, easy for me as I was at Costco buying giant packages of breakfast sandwiches and Cascade at 2pm. They woke up at 6pm, we had a little dinner and bath and then boom, down to the Green One. (For those of you who do not know, we call our Family Room the Green One because it has Green Carpeting. The Living Room is called The Big One because, you guessed it, it is big.) As a special treat, Jackson and Jessica got to break out their new matching Halloween PJs that I got them and they got to watch both episodes together on one of our mini aero beds. They were in heaven - totally awesome way to end a long week! Plus, the shows were really good! We all went to see the new movie when it was in the theaters and I actually enjoyed the TV shows more. Both kids loved them of course and already were talking about next Friday. Jackson has been humming the theme to Star Wars ever since. Even as I type this, Jessica is playing with an Ewok and C-3PO. Good kids, good kids.

What a Poser!!

Seriously, can you believe this pose? She ought to be a model! Maybe she is practicing because I have no other idea what she is doing.

I am Getting Old

Yesterday was Family Day in Jessica's preschool class and I am just now recovering. How sad is that? Her class is only an hour and forty-five minutes long but my knees are saying it was at least a week and a half. Constant up and down, sitting at a table eighteen inches high, sitting on the floor playing Little People. It was super fun and Jessica had the best school day ever, but my old bod was aching! I did not tell her until the night before that I was going with her and she was excited! This is her first school experience and she has wanted Mommy there a lot this first month so I am glad I could finally oblige. Then Jackson also had a surprise at school - he had loaned the preschool some of his car/wheel/track toys and they had set up some auto & car centers around his classroom. I told him he had a surprise waiting for him at school. This was the first morning since preschool began that he came up to me in the morning, as I was checking my email, and asked if I was ready to go so we were not going to be late. This was at 8:10am, preschool is at 9am and about 5 minutes away and I am never late. Ever. I think we have been the first ones there every morning. Just a pet peeve of mine - early is much more relaxing. We have time to read a quick story in the parking lot or play rhyming games or whatever I come up with and I hate being stressed out so being early is just easier on the mind and soul. Needless to say though, this was the first time Jackson has ever been concerned and we were NOT leaving at 8:10am so I put him off for awhile. Once we got there, everyone looked so cute, I had to take some pics. Then, into the school! Jackson saw the car center and was thrilled! Plus his teacher gave him a big thank you so I think he felt pretty good that morning. Then into Jessica's classroom where she proceeded to pull me around from center to center.From activity to activity. We played in the water table, we played playdoh, we played car garage, & we played dress up (and kept the princess outfit on for quite a long time!!). We had delicious snacks (thank goodness, I was starved, no breakfast that morning), and read stories. We also hung out with her best friend, Abby whose mom, Shari, is also one of my best friends, so we had a great day together at school - I can't wait for more opportunities! (Monday is Jackson's family day and his day of school is 2.5 hours long! Ouch!) As if having Family Day and a new Car Center wasn't enough, we decided to go downtown to eat with Daddy and Aunt Emily. This is always a special treat! They love mooching off Aunt Emily's lunch and it is awesome having an extra pair of hands during a meal out! Then we went to the bank, got suckers and tried to take naps which should have been a HUGE success but for some reason, neither of them were too interested in their beds. Bummer! After the crazy day yesterday, we have been chilling at home all day and gearing up for Survivor and the VP Debate - I don't know which one will be more interesting but I have a feeling I know who will OUTWIT AND OUTPLAY on one of these shows. :-)