Wax Museum and a party

Today Emily and Andrew's school celebrated Halloween. The fifth graders put together a wax museum for the rest of the school. It is really a creative process. These guys came up with some really cool ideas. This year there was a lemonade stand, various sports, a roller coaster, band concert, a flight, beauty pageant, a spa, hunters, roller parks, and other cool vignettes. Emily's group decided to put together a camp-out scene with boys attacking them. I just have to let you all in on the organization behind this scene. My daughter made up different lists for each person of things that they were responsible to bring. On top of the list it said, "please tape on the cover of your binder." So unlike her mother :). The fifth graders stood perfectly still. It was great to walk through the museum. After spending the morning setting up the wax museum, and watching the Halloween parade run by, I got to spend the afternoon in Andrew's classroom. Somehow, I was in charge of the whole class party. We had a pumpkin bean-bag toss (made by Andrew, Emily and Grandma Ginger-thank you very much), a bat craft, Halloween bingo and a "wrap the mummy" game. Of course, there were snacks too. I did not get as many pictures as I had hoped today, because I was busy running the craft table and other various things.
Then it was off to my class at the U-sadly no fun Halloween party for me, just a powerpoint lecture-boo.
Over all, it was a REALLY fun day and now I am REALLY exhausted.

Promises

Today was a fun day. Actually, it started with me in the dentist chair and that is NEVER a fun day. So I am going to focus on the fun part of the day. I decided it was time to make good on a promise that I made to Emily I would do years ago. It was simple really. I told Em that I would eat lunch with her at school. I don't know what took me so long to show up. I am glad I finally did though. Today we enjoyed a yummy Subway sandwich, chips, pop and a cookie. It was fun to be back in the elementary school cafeteria. Not much has changed. Still the long lunch tables, and the yucky garbage cans. I do think the company has gotten better. These girls are hilarious.

Of course the girls could not help but pose for some fun pictures. These were taken in the name of the yearbook.

I am grateful that Em has so many wonderful friends at school.

Of course we could not resist stopping by Andrew's first grade class. First graders are some of my favorite people on this planet. Somehow Andrew does not look amused that his mom is taking pictures in the middle of his school day. He'll get used to it : )

Let the wrestling begin!

Andrew started wrestling (officially) last year, but he has been drawn to wrestling since toddlerhood. Andrew participated in the preseason wrestling clinic put on by the HS wrestling team and tonight was the grand finale. Wrestle-Mania! The clinic was a fun way to brush up on the skills from last year and get ready for this season. The wrestling coach had the high school team members demonstrate some moves and then help the boys as they practiced with their partners. Then they had time to free-wrestle with their partner. Andrew really got some good take downs in tonight.
I do have to say it is really a strange feeling cheering your kiddo on as he pins some other kid to the ground. Oh well, when in Rome.

The house guest tradition lives

You were warned that we had people visiting us this past weekend. If you have ever read this blog before then you know what this post will be about...More specifically..we had a fun family outing to Nickelodeon Universe.We started the afternoon riding the rides with our little cousins. It was so much fun to watch them take in the entire experience. I really think that Fletcher and Fiona had a good time. It brought back so many memories of my little kiddos riding these rides...Little cousins are a fun excuse to ride rides such as Blues Clues ride and the Diego's Rescue Adventure.
After a filling dinner at the food court, some of us stayed to ride the older people's rides and some of us brought little ones home to bed. Ben, Ryan, Emily, Atom, Jennifer and myself did the Flying Dutchman. In fact, I have to add that Ben did a few of the bridges "no hands." I kept my same old style of holding on for dear life through the entire thing. This trip also marks the first time Em has actually wanted to go on the Rock Bottom Plunge and even begged to go on it twice in a row (which we did). That turned out to be the group's favorite ride too. She also conquered her fear of the Avatar ride. She is one step closer to going to Valley Fair. Here's a fun tip for going to Nickelodeon Universe. Go during Monday night football while the rest of the state is watching Brett Farve not win another football game..the place was empty. Simply fabulous.

Family and Apples

We are having amazing weather around here. Weather that makes you want to cry if you have to stay inside. Weather that actually may be, dare I say, too warm. I take that back. It can never be too warm in October. We also have family visiting us this weekend. My cousin Atom and his fabulous family are here. It is so much fun to get to meet little Fletcher. He is adorable. We decided it would be fun to take these guys to an apple orchard. After all, they ARE visiting Apple Valley.Here are some the the cousins. Actually this is a picture of most of Grandma Hamer's great-grandchildren. Emily, Fletcher, Ry, Adele, Fiona and Andrew. A pretty cute and fun group of kiddos if I do say so myself : )
We went to the Fischer's Croix Farm Orchard in Hastings. We got to pick apples, eat apples, feed animals, eat apples, go on a wagon ride, eat apples, get lost in the corn maze and then eat some more apples.
It is so much fun to have so many members of the family together.

Anyone want to come over for homemade apple sauce? Better hurry : )

Happy Fall

We hope everyone is having a great fall!

Go enjoy a big leaf pile and a yummy Snickerdoodle. :)