our week

 I love halloween!  and this year in all of the chaos of Mack- it sort of just snuck up on me.  Usually I am much better with coordinating costumes and being more involved- but it didn't happen this year.  Luckily- we live on an air force base- which is pretty similar to living in a small well organized town.  There was SO MUCH to do!!  parties, festivals, lunches, actives, and on and on!

First off was the school's fall festival.  It was great! tons of games, food, and even a pumpkin patch!  it was the day before mack was born- and a perfect family activity.

 they had a pumpkin patch and FREE pumpkins for every member of the family!! our porch is now covered in pumpkins :)

 it was pretty nice to have a faux pumpkin patch.  I really miss Ohio apple orchards and pumpkin patches and hay rides!  here are the kiddos posing with the 'Mendel panda',  He's the school mascot.

this past week I have felt SO MUCH BETTER.  I can't believe that I was so miserable last week and in such intense pain.  And then this week- I'm a million times better.  like a new person.  our bodies are pretty miraculous and amazing,  sealing up spinal dura holes by themselves!?!

after spending a full week cooped up inside my house- lying flat on the floor-I HAD to get out this week. and luckily- there was lots to get done!

 a couple of days before halloween-  Ike had a kindergarten festival.  We walked over to the school and joined him for the afternoon.  He is so funny at school.  I have no idea why I was even concerned about him starting this year.  He LOVES it.  He adores all of his friends and loves to play with them.  I'm also so impressed with how much he's learning and improving.  Zeb went into kindergarten pretty far ahead of the game so I didn't notice a lot of what he was learning.  Ike's learning curve is crazy high.  He is really thriving in his classroom and I couldn't be happier.  I thought he'd never learn to read (he and I don't mesh well together in a teacher/student relationship) but he's loving it now!

kindergartners kill me.  I would lose my mind if I had to work with that many every day.  I am lucky I got ike to wear a costume to this thing.  he's so weird about costumes this year.

here he is with his friend comparing lunches.

 metta loved being a part of the whole day.  she's spoiled.

I've also been able to get out of the house every day this week and go walking.  I'll be running soon :)

And this kid has been a FABULOUS baby so far. During my walks- he just sleeps.  I know he's still a super sleepy newborn- but I'm pretty sure he's going to be a great baby.  Metta was already showing signs of naughtiness by this point.  lots of crying and nighttime fussing. 

Mack is pretty typical- waking up every 3 hours to feed- but he doesn't fuss - and he goes back to sleep.  I'm hoping for a full nights sleep in a few weeks :)

 it's been chilly in the mornings this week and I even saw my breath one morning.  I love it.  I forgot a hat for mack a couple of days- and my walking friend showed up with this one for him.  Sometimes I forget how to parent!

 baby burrito.  he's getting pretty cute.

this week the boys also had a jog-a-thon at school.  It's a fundraiser where they get pledges for running laps.  I made a deal with them that if they ran the most laps in their class  I'd pay them a dollar per lap.  Each lap was 1/4 of a mile.  Ike predicted he'd run 8 laps.  Zeb predicted he'd do 12.

 metta and mack and I went out to do a couple of laps with them and cheer them on.  Metta ran an ENTIRE mile by herself.  1/2 of the mile she ran shoeless!  she was passing up all of the walkers and kids who gave up early! I was really impressed.

 turns out my kids have more endurance than they- or I- thought.  they ran A TON!!  Zeb put in 18 laps- 4.5 miles!  a few of his classmates outran him, though.

but ike.  Oh my goodness. he is OBSESSED with money.  he collects it.  carries it in his pockets constantly. steals it if we leave it out.  really- he LOVES it.  and I should have known that offering a financial incentive to beat his classmates would have given him PLENTY of motivation.  He ran 27 LAPS!!  over SIX miles.  every time he ran by - people commented!  "who is that little kid?" "how many laps has he done?!?" "he is STILL running!!".   he beat ALL of the kindergarten through second grade classes!  when all was said and done- he told every member of his class: "I get TWENTY SEVEN BUCKS!!!!"  he was so so excited. 

He also got a new helmet with kent this week.  He's pretty excited about it, too.

On the actual day of halloween- we partied ALL day long.  

The kiddos were out of school- so we visited kent at lunch for a work party!  he really does work with the greatest people.  We are so lucky that the other pediatricians are so fabulous and they all get along so well and work so hard.   This place really is the perfect fit for us in every way.

they all dressed up as nerds.

 later that afternoon we went to the hospital for trick or treating!  both metta and Ike were reluctant about their costumes - so we made some changes.  Metta went as a pirate.

Ike was refusing to wear a costume entirely - but I lucked out with this BYU football uniform.  I'd borrowed for a college themed officer spouses club night this month.  He finally relented and said he'd be a football player.  He's such a turkey.   Zeb stuck to the original plan and was a ninja :)

we had fun trick or treating with all of our neighbors who also happen to be in the med group.

 metta and her pirate pal, owen.  

Zeb and Ike  LOVE testing each other's vision at Kent's office.

 the night of halloween- it was drizzling rain- but we were not going to be stopped.  Trick or treating here is INSANE!  oh my goodness.  there were so many people and so much candy!!  metta found her pal, daphne, and hung out under her umbrella for much of the evening!

 people here are HARDCORE.  they were some SUPER scary decorations and mini haunted houses set up all over the housing units.

 this guy was giving out candy and was really freaky.  Metta is rarely scared by halloween decor- but she was pretty timid with this guy.

 and these guys were equally as bad!   I thought the dayton neighborhoods were pretty intense- but they were outdone!

 there were kids EVERYWHERE!  on the main strip of housing- people went through 500-1000 pieces of candy!!

 these guys were just walking around randomly.  not with kids or anything.  I think people get bored around here!!

I took mack, metta, and zeb home after about an hour out and about. Ike and kent decided to stay out and get more candy.  it didn't surprise me.