Practicing for Halloween

Mom and Tom took the kids to the waterfront on Sunday for the annual pre-Halloween trick-or-treating! You've seen Andy in his Superman costume -- here's Sylvia, the butterfly! More on Mom's blog:
http://neusnewsblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/both-fly-ones-bug-trick-or-treat-on.html

Gaffe

I may be a jerk for loving this...

Not-so-new Tiabbi

For those who haven't checked Matt Tiabbi's blog lately, he wrote a piece on Palin a while back, which isn't actually so much about Palin as it is about American voters. An excerpt:

"The great insight of the Palin VP choice is that huge chunks of American voters no longer even demand that their candidates actually have policy positions; they simply consume them as media entertainment, rooting for or against them according to the reflexive prejudices of their demographic, as they would for reality-show contestants or sitcom characters."

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/17504

"I come from Alavania with a banjo on my knee!"

I told him it's "Alabama" but he likes it his way! (I love watching Sylvia in the background, she's her own little comedy act).

Field trip

I missed it last year between work and a one-month-old, so this year I was determined to be a chaperone when Andy's preschool went on its annual pumpkin patch field trip, and my Mom took Sylvia so I could go. These kids are such amazing young people! I just loved watching them all interact with each other and the teachers and other chaperones. At lunch, Andy sat at a table with five kids and one of the dads, asking the dad to help him with straws and wrappers -- he was in school mode, and it didn't seem at all strange to him that I was at another table with other kids and moms. I loved how independent and confident he was in his school environment. These teachers rock!

[somehow no pictures of the pumpkin picking - either it went fast or I was too focused on picking pumpkin flowers for breading and frying, so yum with lemon and salt!]

Since the kids found their pumpkins in minutes and we had 15 until the tractor came back to pick us up, the kids entertained themselves by racing back and forth. That's Andy in yellow boots.

Talking to one of the other parents.

With his buddies Keegan and Logan.

Sweet sibs

Our newest addition...

That's right, we finally said goodbye to the '93 Civic, which served us well for lo these many years but, sadly, was about five minutes shy of giving out on us. Say hello to Shawn's new Outback!

Time with Nonna and Grandpa

For more pics of Sylvia's day with her grandparents, check out:
http://neusnewsblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-we-do-all-day-while-mom-day-and.html

Batman

This is Andy's batman outfit - a puffy vest, bike helmet and camelback backpack (along with his water "cannon" - we don't call them guns around here!). When I was taping the video below, it was the first time I've heard Andy sing the batman song and I honestly have no idea where he picked that up. Superhero or superhilarious, you make the call!

I can dig it

"Andy!"

Listen for it.... "Andy!"

Daddy's hat

Friday

She's climbing already - yikes! Dancing and spinning in the (newly organized) office:

Shawn set up his office so the kids have a place to draw while they all listen to music.

Dancing!

A conversation over dinner

Seriously?

Palin pre-empts state report, clears self
Alaska lawmakers expected to release ethics probe findings Friday

Trying to head off a potentially embarrassing state ethics report on GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, campaign officials released their own report Thursday that clears her of any wrongdoing. ...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27105917/

Not to jump on yet another Palin story, but seriously, who clears themsleves?

Gymnastics

Andy has been going to gymnastics this fall and loves it - photos on my mom's blog:
http://neusnewsblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/little-gymnist.html

Rug burn!

Superkids

Without prior planning, turns out Bryn is going to be Supergirl, so we had to pull out the costumes early to see the superkids together!

Dinosaur

From a few months ago...

Jen's back in the blogging business ... some fun photos from earlier in the summer!
http://jentraveler.blogspot.com/2008/09/dinner-with-friends.html