MEA

Last week was MEA for Minnesota schools.  I don't even know what MEA stands for but I do know that as a kid I absolutely LOVED that weekend.  I also remember thinking it took forever for MEA to get here.  As an adult, it feels like it was just last weekend that we were celebrating Labor Day and then taking First Day of School pictures!  How are we already to MEA?!?!  Also, since when does MEA cover Wednesday, Thursday and Friday!?!?  Way back in the Olden Days we only got Thursday and Friday off.

I think it's safe to say Kade's very first MEA was a blast.  On Wednesday Erik took the afternoon off and we went to a huge playground/pumpkin patch with cousins Violet and Isaac.  On Thursday Kade got to go to daycare with Mason.  On Friday they spent the day at Grandpa and Grandma H's and then got to have a sleepover Friday night at Grandpa and Grandma C's!  By Sunday they (and everyone else who took a turn with these 2 Tasmanian Devils) were exhausted.

Pictures from the pumpkin patch.

We were trying to get a grand kid picture for a Christmas present for Grandma.

Sorry, Grandma, this is the best we could do.  Not quite framing material.

Attempt #2 at a cute grand kid's picture ended up with one of Erik's face and one of Erik's mid-section.

We'll keep trying!!

Oh dear.  Mase in jail.  Not good.

At the end of the day we all could've used a rest in the back of the wagon!

Busy kids, beautiful day…life is good!

A couple Wednesday's ago Mason and I took a trip to the apple orchard.  We didn't actually pick any apples because that sounds like more than a One Man Operation trying to pick out good apples off of the tree and not lose Mason in the 200+ acres of crop!  Instead we just played and then bought a couple bags on our way out.

Seriously…that smile.

Mason was in Mou Heaven with these decorations!

I should have asked where they got them, they'd be the perfect Christmas present for him.

Mice…rats…what's the difference!

Since Kade was in school and didn't get to join us on this outing, I can't forget to add a few pictures of the handsome devil!

Don't be fooled by his grin!  This was a forced snuggle and he was trying to bat the phone out of my hand.  I just got lucky in that split second that he appeared to be smiling!

Kade was Student of the Week last week for Phy-Ed!!

I asked him what he did to deserve the honor and he said he picked up 8 balls and everyone else only picked up 2.  So, either the Phy-Ed teachers have extremely low standards when choosing OR Kade has no clue how he actually earned it.  I'm going with Option 2.

Kade has officially turned into a school age boy.  He's sassy and talking back (more than usual, anyway) and every other word coming out of his mouth is "poop, butt or fart".  He's even tried out a couple swear words that he picked up on the bus--a few time outs and a bar of soap has eliminated that problem (hopefully, or he's just saying them out of our ear shot).  And, he's too cool for everything.  He seems to be at his worse during the week when he's over tired and around other kids.  Thankfully, on the weekends, we usually get Sweet Baby Kade back.  The one who talks nice (most of the time anyway), plays nicely with his brother and still LOVES to do jobs.  

Besides all of that, school has been great for Kade.  I don't think he's ever going to be the kid that is overly excited to go but he doesn't protest it either.  He loves phy-ed and recess (obviously) but he also really likes art and music!  He's singing new songs every day and tells me all about the kids in his class.  One kid speaks Spanish as his 1st language and he's been teaching the other kids in the class how to speak it as well.  Although, I'm fairly certain he's teaching them naughty words because every time I hear Kade and his buddies say a phrase in Spanish they laugh conspiratorially.  Whatever…hey, at least they're learning a new language! 

Mason.  Oh Sweet Baby Mason.  He's moved past every other word being "butt hole".  He's on to bigger and better words.  Yes, now every other word is "damn it".  We were trying to ignore it because, like any good 2 year old, he wanted the reaction.  But then he started saying, "Damn it!  That funny?".  So, he's also had a few time outs and that word seems to be disappearing as well.  Although, judging by the words Kade has brought home, we might be hoping for the more innocent "butt hole and damn it"!

He still takes naps every day and still loves to snuggle when he wakes up.  Thankfully he's not too cool yet!!!  And, like every younger brother, Mason likes to do EXACTLY what Kade does.  For the most part, Kade lets him.  

Every day Erik and I marvel at how much Mason has grown up these past few months.  He's now able to completely undress himself and put his shoes on and take them off.  Not to mention his vocabulary!  He's speaking in full sentences, asking appropriate questions, and responding correctly to ours.  We can actually have full on conversations with him!  When did that happen?!?!?

Our little boys aren't so little anymore.  

We had lots of rain a couple weeks ago so the drainage ditch was full.  The boys spent hours playing in it.  Judging by the following pictures, it should come as no surprise that the crappy, little electric 4 wheeler is no longer working...

Gopher Game

A couple weeks ago we took Kade to his annual Gopher Football Game.  This year, along with cousin Violet, our friends The Z's joined us.  I'm pretty sure it's safe to say everyone had a great time!  And, the Gophers won!

We had to leave bright and early to make the 11:00 game and still have time for the important stuff….tailgating!

This is probably the quietest it was in the car, when no one was talking (aka screaming) because they were smiling for the camera!  They were a bit excited, I think.

L to R: Paityn, Kade, Charlie

Kids vs Dads in, what else, touch football of course!

Those people in the bus had the right idea, I've never seen so many adults (enjoying adult beverages) get off of a bus before!

Mom's making sure the food and drinks don't fall out the back!  It was a tough job but we managed to do it.

The whole gang!

Violet, Kade, Paityn and Charlie riding the student shuttle to the game.  Last year that was the highlight of the trip for Vi and Kade.

It just happened to be Goldy's birthday that weekend so we got to enjoy free birthday cake!

Like father like son?

The following pictures are the ones Kade took at the game.  He's so proud of them he would be disappointed if I didn't include them too.

Cutest fans of the game, in my unbiased opinion!!  

(Isaac included, but he was busy napping on a lap at the time of this picture)

Since we didn't take Mason to the game (chasing a 2 year old in that situation sounds beyond exhausting!), he didn't make it into any pictures.  He did, however, get to have a sleep over at Grandpa and Grandma's where he got to stay up late and eat all the popcorn he wanted! 

I absolutely LOVE these pictures!  They captured Mason's heart melting smile perfectly!

He made a Johnny Appleseed crown at daycare.  

Our little Gopher fan!  

I'm not sure I've fully explained just how OBSESSED he is with mice (mou), chipmunks (kipmunk) and mice traps.  He cannot get enough of them!!  He even has his very own mouse trap (unused) at G&G's that he carries around with him wherever he goes.

Give this kid a mouse trap and a set of car keys (real ones because he knows which key goes to which ignition) and he'd be the happiest 2 year old you've ever seen.