Making a List

This is #1 on his list currently.

The holidays must be fast approaching because the mailbox has been chocked full of catalogs.  The boys pore over them planning how they'll use each item that that NEED.  I am loving finding dog eared pages and I especially liked Freddie's awareness of prices.  I don't think he's quite got a grasp of how far a dollar goes or how long it takes him to earn a dollar, but I like this new opportunity for us to discuss money.

Gear!

Not sure if everyone realizes this but the best part of any sport team is getting the uniform.  Are ya with me on that one?  If not perhaps you should talk to my boys because the t-shirts for soccer and the tall socks and pants for baseball were probably the most exciting part of participating. Freddie, more so than Hans, was a little disappointed that the girls in his class were showing up each week with flashy leotards but he was just in his same old gym shorts.  Oh boy, not sure what my future holds with this one and his new found fashion sense.  Thankfully their gym got in the "team" t-shirts this week so the boys could be suited up as well.  I have to admit that I love seeing them decked out in their gear as much as they like putting it on.

Lovin'

• Sunday morning soccer
• Excitement over homework
• Meal planning (and leftovers!)
• Pirouette cookies
• Halloween costumes
• Halloween decorations
• Halloween candy
• Pumpkins everywhere
• Lego creations
• Fall brews
• Boots and sweaters

Prospect Park Zoo

We finally made it to Prospect Park Zoo.  It was the last of the New York City Zoos for us to visit.

Just like the Queens Zoo it is very small and can be tackled in just over an hour so we headed out to Brooklyn after soccer on Sunday.  The weather was perfect for a zoo trip.

There aren't any big animals here, but you'll find lots of birds and rodents as well as a fantastic baboon habitat and a "barn" area where the kids can feed goats, llamas, and sheep.

Charlie attempts a "super hero" boys like the boys have been striking lately, although
Freddie says he missed the mark.  

A sink in a barrel!?!?  They were quite tickled by this.

Freddie was excited about the "craft station" manned by a teen volunteer where she was able to create a animal themed project.

a bird!

More than anything the boys liked running around and exploring.

And Charlie and I are content to follow them around, watch them, wait for them, read the signs, and hold their sweaters.  

Some notes on the zoo:

• The eating options are limited to some candy bars, packaged sandwiches, and bottled soda.  Bring a picnic lunch lunch and take advantage of the picnic tables.
• Street parking
• $8 for adults, $5 for kids
• 30 minute drive from our building, 60(ish) minute train ride

Kindergarten Field Trip

Freddie finally got to ride on a school bus!  His class took a field trip to the Queens Botanical Garden last week and Mama got to chaperone.  At first Freddie kindly requested I not attend.  Surprised? I wasn't and didn't take it personally although I did want to see my guy and his new class.  Finally he came around to the idea, I imagine after hearing about other moms that would be chaperoning.

I didn't get to take many photos since I was working hard keeping track of my assigned group of five year olds, and my own five year old didn't exactly stick with me allowing many photo opps.  He did ask me to sit with him at lunch though.

How'd he look with his new group?  Right at home, super confident, and in in the mix of everything.  I'm thankful to have had a peek into this other life of his.

Apple Picking

Loaded up on the hayride to the back of the orchard

Apple picking time!

I am not a New Englander by any stretch f the imagination, but I do love the crisp fall mornings, cozy sweaters, and  picking apples in the "country."

The boy, all three of them, love apple picking and the apple cider donuts that come with it. Everyone skipped breakfast to fill up with donuts once we got to the orchard.  Yummy!

I love that halo of curls.  My angel.

We returned to the same farm from last year because well, their donuts are the best we've tried, and they have a pumpkin patch with pumpkins still on the vine.  This year next to the patch there was a huge offering of pre picked pumpkins which was overwhelming for the boys.  They wanted a big one, a small one, a round one, an oval one, a tall stemmed pumpkin.  Many we could have filled our trunk with pumpkins and just about did.

It was tough work, and muddy in the patch but they finally narrowed it down.  The boys picked pumpkins for their classes and a pumpkin for us to carve at home.  That's a lot of pumpkin when you're paying by the pound.

After the pumpkins decisions were finalized we headed into the corn field.  The boys got to see lots of corn growing as we drove through Minnesota this summer so it was nice for them to see the stalks uo close and have the chance to pull off a few ears.

It was Indian Corn so we tried to find a few ears with varying colors to make a nice display at home.

Freddie, my child who is concerned about aesthetics, took this job very seriously while Hans just took the opportunity to play hide and seek.

This year the farm had sunflowers for picking, $2 per stem.  This was my favorite part and I love having the flowers on our counter at home.

Finally after checking out the different varieties and looking at the honeybees working around the blooms the boys made a selection.

And we were off to the main attraction... Apple Picking!

The boys scrambled to grab the first apples they saw to test them out.

Hans needed to compare varieties...

This may be part of the reason he's hovering at the 90th percentile in both height and weight!

There were a few varieties ripe for the picking, and we filed our bag.

The boys love spotting the fruit and generally just running around enjoying the outdoors.

Thankfully it was a quintessential fall day and just perfect for enjoying time outside.

One day everyone will be better at posing for photographs as well.

Bring on more Fall fun!  We're ready.