Scarecrow Festival

HP, The Dude, Yamma and I took in the Ottawa Scarecrow Festival this morning.  It was a perfect day to be outside.  The kids were both VERY excited!  

We saw some of our friends from daycare (Peanut, Swanny Jr, Ms. Frances, Gum's Mahoney) and you'd have thought the kids hadn't seen each other in years (rather less than 24 hours).  

As grown-ups, although we may be happy and excited to see our friends, we never show it the way children do.  There is something so cute about watching your kids squeal with delight when they recognize a familiar face.   HP, The Dude and Peanut were truly happy to see one another!

The festival was well attended and it seemed like the entire town was out to enjoy the nice weather.  

HP, getting her face painted.  She was dead-set on getting a butterfly and was pretty darn bossy towards the artist, demanding that it be pink.  She used her manners, but had to dig deep to find them!

The Dude and his blue balloon.  He was standing on top of a giant Lincoln hat when I took this picture.

Some of the vendors...

The Dude doing a bean bag toss.

HP trying her hand at bean bag tossing...

The Dude getting a white mouse painted on his cheek (I have no idea why he chose that).

The posers.

Yamma, feeding the kids some of their free candy.

HP loved the petting zoo.  She really likes animals (I wonder if she will still feel that way after she meets my parents hissing cats this Christmas...time will tell!)

The kids checking out the smelly animals...wait...did I say that out loud?

I love these kids.

Crew Cuts Vol. 3

Another bunch of posts from the most random daycare this side of the Mississippi.

Boo's pickin's!

The girls on Big Rock.

Bing-Bing "reading" a little Eric Carle.  We are working on getting him to hold his books right-side up! ;)

Bubbles with Ms. Francis.  The babies LOVED it!

Sissy's baby blues.

The Dude and Ms. Frances son, Gum's Mahoney!  Aren't they adorable?

Peanut.  She was all up in a huff because she lost her flowers.  Poor thing.  Thank goodness she found them in her pocket two minutes later!

The cuteness factor was through the roof today!

Miss. Thang.  Taking the word "cheese" to a whole new level.

HP and Boo playing with their shadows on Big Rock.

Shmook in a pretty hat!  

Swanny Jr.  This is what he looks like every time he wakes up from his nap.  The kid is a perpetual morning person! :)

HP the Bag Lady.

Peanut and Swanny Jr.  Their love for each other is evident every day!

 Boo in a moment of reflection.  She insisted on wearing the bow to Big Rock.  Such a fashion plate!

Halloween in the Hood!

My neighbor Dave loves Halloween.  

Although we had moved in to our current house by October of last year, we were so busy that we missed the full effect of Dave's preparations.

This year, we are taking it all in.

The Dude is BESIDE himself.  He couldn't get the words out fast enough when he saw him start putting up the decorations.  

"Mom!  Look...look...over there...at Dave's...HALLOWEEN!...we need to buy my Werewolf costume...NOW!"

HP was a bit more reserved.  She took one look at the decorations before declaring (with her little snobby nose in the air)

"I don't love it"

I am sure she will change her tune come Halloween.

Aren't we lucky to have such fun neighbors?

Edited to add:  In the 7th picture down, there is a rocking chair.  On Halloween night, Dave dresses up in a Reaper-like costume and sits perfectly still.  Right as the kids ring the bell and yell "trick or treat!" Dave springs to life and scares the pants off them (he only does this to older kids).  Living across the street gives me the best vantage point to watch Dave terrify the neighborhood kids.  It is AWESOME!

Remember when...

You know when we all rallied around Ivy, the little girl who was denied medicine to make her quality of life better?  

Well...it worked!

There were enough signatures to have the "board" take a second look and they have agreed to treat her!  

Isn't the blog world wonderful!

Way to go guys!

Crew Cuts Vol. 2

I know this is a ridiculous amount of pictures, but I cannot help it.  I am surrounded by cute kids all day.  They are constantly doing amusing things (see yesterday's post for proof) and I just find myself being drawn to the camera.  

Once again, I am going to let the pictures do the talking (with my commentary thrown in for good measure).

Here is The Crew in the backyard.  They sit in the tree house and play house constantly.  It is so funny to listen to them call talk to each other in "character".  HP is especially dramatic, not a day goes by that she doesn't refer to one of her friends as "sweetie" or "honey".

HP, could her skin be any more milky white? 

I love this picture for the pure fact that Peanut (the anti-picture child of our group) is doing a crazy face in the background as if she WANTED to be in the picture.  Silly girl!

Miss. Thang reading Shmook a book.  I love how nurturing she is with the younger ones.  She really has blossomed into a little helper at daycare.  I also dig Shmook's little tuft of hair on the top.  I think I kiss it at least 20 times a day!

Miss Thang, using a drawer as a seat.  The time 20 minutes post-nap, brings out the weird in everybody!

Boo, with a serious face.

Sissy.  Her eyes sometimes take my breath away.  They are SO pretty!

Peanut and I.  Two crazy crackers (not meant in a derogatory way at all, its what the kids think is funny, like saltines) in the backyard!

Bing-Bing trying his best to bite into an apple.  Poor guy couldn't wait for the caramel to cover the apple, he had to dig right in!

Boo, showing off her skills from jump-jump (gymnastics)!  Don't you just love the boots/capri's combo?  So fashion forward!

Bing-Bing helping me with the vacuuming!  Now if only I can teach him how to sprinkle carpet potpourri!

Sissy and Piggy.  She as just transitioned to a cot from a crib and is doing wonderfully.  I love that she made sure Piggy was good and covered up before passing out!

The girls.  Doing what they do best...playing princess!

The Dude in Hemmy's Olympic swim cap.  This cap has been around the block and back again.  I hope you are proud Hemmy (and Chipmunk!).

Shmook LOVES the swing!  This is his "ha, ha, look how cool I am" pose!

Swanny Jr.  Oh.  My.  Lord.  This kid is a-friggin-doreable!  No joke.  If I could be guaranteed to have another kid, and him have the sweet demeanor of Swanny Jr., I may just consider it (quick, somebody slap me!).

I love Sissy's bed head.  Very chic.

Poor HP.  She has to wear the dang eye patch (again), but wouldn't you know she is being a total trooper.  The Crew has been clapping for her at afternoon circle time (when I have to put it on) and praising her "braveness".  I am SO proud of HP for being such a good girl and wearing her eye patch! (and is this not THEE most pathetic picture ever taken?)

Is it just me or is he looking more like a little boy?  AAAGGHHH!  Someone STOP TIME!

Miss. Thang, showing me her "eye bleed".  Poor girl was all up in knots about it.