The story of the Punks and Halloween

Happy Halloween!
Let me tell you about my punks. These are a couple of my punks. They have been rescued, so they are even more special than they used to be.

Here are some of our other punks. They have not been rescued for 2 reasons 1) the big one is too big for most kids to carry and 2) after they were decorated they were put in the back yard for the Bug and the Butterbean to see, but no one else. Why hide the adorable punks? Because I have had to rescue our other 2 punks from some real PUNKS!
Before I go any further, please know that I am not perfect and I had my share of fun when I was younger, but I don't remember stealing off of any one's front porch.
So about a week ago, while I was waiting for Allen and Jackson to come home from a haircut, I was sitting in the living room reading books to Miller. I heard what I thought was Jackson's voice and him opening the storm door. We were just finishing the book, and a minute or so later when I went to the door to open it for them, no one was there. I looked in the driveway and Allen's car wasn't there. Strange, but I just kept reading to Miller . A few minutes later they come home and when I open the door for them I notice one of our punks is on it's side and one is missing.
Those PUNKS had taken one of our punks right from under my nose. To say I was mad would be like saying that Donald Trump has bad hair. I was fuming! So I proceeded to walk barefoot down the street to the corner and sure enough, about 3 houses away, I saw 3 PUNKS tossing my punk into a pile of leaves. So I did what any crazed person would do---I started hollering at them to put it back on my porch! They were all pointing at each other, and it was pretty obvious that all 3 of them were involved. The littlest one started sobbing, apparently because he had carried it down there and it was so heavy! So I told them that they had better put it back on my porch. I couldn't help it! The teacher in me just came out and just had to set them straight!
So I walked back to my house with a sobbing boy behind me, whining about how heavy it was. Uh huh, I bet it's heavy! When he puts it back I told him that if he ever comes back to my house again, I was going to tell his mother what he had done. He cried all the way home.
Serves him right. So he is either scared straight or he is on his was to being on COPS in the near future!
About a week goes by and to my surprise and delight our punks all remain on our porch. We even did these little Mr. Potato Head pumpkins with the boys rather than carve jack -o-lanterns. Because they really can't carve yet. And Miller would probably try to to eat the pumpkin guts. We knew that they wouldn't last long so we put them on our picnic table in the back and they have been very happy there!





Then today I leave to run errands mid morning and one of our other punks was missing. I got all mad again and did a little jog (in the minivan of course) around the block to see if I could locate those PUNKS, but sadly I didn't find it. After errands it was still gone. Boo Hoo!
When I left to go pick up Jackson from preschool, I saw it as soon as I walked out the door. It was 2 houses down and across the street, in one piece. It was back in my loving arms again! Reunited and it feels so good. Because I am taking a stand I put it back on the porch. I took a picture tonight because I'm not counting on seeing it again! Maybe I will use it for the MISSING posters I will need to create tomorrow!

This afternoon we went to a Halloween festival. They had lots of fun until Jackson was told he could only have one turn on the bounce house. Then it went downhill faster than Miller eats a cheese stick, but all in all it was really fun.
Hopefully we are going to get some better pictures, but enjoy these for now.






Oh and if you are looking for a costume that is super easy to spot in a crowd, look no further! Where's Waldo?

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys

I used to love the song,"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys" Why? Now that I understand it, it seems strange, but I do love a little Waylon and Willie!
Maybe it all started with my love of the Dukes of Hazzard. Maybe I watched Urban Cowboy too many times. Any way you slice it I cam a country music fan.
Did I forget to show you these? They are from way back in September (Gasp!)






He just so happened to be wearing his cowboy get up when we went to a festival with a free pony ride. That is what I call divine intervention. Oh I just remembered that the REAL divine intervention was that Allen walked back to the house to get the camera so we could document. Thanks sweetie!

Pumpkin Patch

We got a chance to go to the neatest Pumpkin Patch before we went to NC. We had heard good things about it and it didn't disappoint. You walk into a huge barn filled with all sorts of pumkins that were about $5 each. Yep, $5! I don't know about you, but it bothers me to spend a lot of $$$ on someone's fruit that is going to rot. I also have a weakness for pumkins, I want them ALL! So this place was right up my alley!
After the barn you go up this hill where they had slides, haybales pained like jack-o-lanterns, a big corn maze, a petting zoo, a pirate ship, and more stuff that I can't remember.
Miller was trying to crawl down the slide


We went to the edge of the corn maze and swiped some corn to feed the animals.


And that started a fight in the pig pen. Those suckers are mean-
and smelly!



And then there was the GIANT SLIDE. Imagine (you don't really have to imagine because you know I am going to show you pictures)two ginormous black plastic drainage culverts on a steep hill. Then they add more height to it in the form of a ramp. Jackson must have gone down it 386 times. He had so much fun. Allen took Miller down it a few times. Fun stuff. Except when you get to the bottom and there is a two inch or so drop onto hard plastic! Ouch!




This is his "take me again look."


Our friends ended up coming also and the kids (and adults)had fun going on the slide another 483 times together!

"Hey kids everyone look in different directions!" They nailed it!

I tried making him pose by the corn, but he hasn't yet learned the fine art of the bribe yet!

You wanted a pose well I will pose on this tractor!



Then after all that fun we did a tractor ride out to the pumpkin patch. Upon getting there Jackson decided he'd rather have one of the pumkins from the barn. It didn't stop him from picking up several and dropping them like a hot potato. So we ended up getting 2 from the barn. One of which almost met an unfortunate fate, but that is another post all together!







After all that fun we headed home and enjoyed the rest of our beautiful Fall afternoon. If it gets any better than this, don't tell me!

Home!

Did you think we had fallen off the face of the earth? We didn't, but we were out of town. Allen had his High School reunion in N.C. so we went to see his parents and have a little fun.
It was a great trip. Not many pictures, but a fun trip. The boys are totally spoiled, but we will get them back on their routine soon.
Here are a couple from last weekend, that I love!
Jackson was helping his dad cook pancakes. He didn't even need a stool since he was wearing my clogs. Too funny!

Miller has been bringing me things to put on him. I had nothing to do with picking these out, he did it all on his own. I merely put them on and admire his blue eye! Garrr!

Fall Frolicking

Before we did this, we went here and it was great! The weather was cool and sunny. There were pumpkins to check out, animals to gaze at and of course apples to pick. In a few days we will be making our pilgrimage to the pumpkin patch, so stay tuned for pictures of that.
I have a ton of pictures, so just skip through them if you prefer!
Enjoy these pictures as much as the butterbean enjoyed picking up apples that had already fallen down and taking a bite from them before dropping them!