This is Halloween!

I thought I would share out awesome Halloween costumes this year.  The boys saw the Avengers costumes at Costco back in August and after telling them initially that it was too early to get them and that they would never last until Halloween, Rob and I acquiesced with the condition that they would not get another one no matter how torn up it was.  They lasted pretty well after two months of heavy wear.   So here they are: Cooper is Spiderman, Marshall is Wolverine, Barrett is The Hulk and Graham is Captain America.

 I dressed up this year too. I wouldn't normally bother to dress up but this year we had a Fall Fest at church and the theme was superheros and deep down I always wanted to make my own version of a Wonder Woman costume.  The twins call me Wonder Woman when they are playing Batman and Robin and I thought it would be fun. They were so excited about it and did not want me to take it off. Marshall was adamant that I not use the

The moment I commit to being absolutely ridiculous.  And it feels great!!

 Cooper was concerned at first about how I was going to make the costume: "You're going to wear pants right?" 

 

Cub Scout Fall Camping Trip

After three years of watching Rob and the big boys drive off with the vehicle loaded up with camping stuff, the twins and I joined them this time.  We spent three days and two night at Brazos Bend State Park and everything went surprisingly well.  We only had one incident with the fire (Graham touched his hot stick and burned his hand) and the mosquitoes were only bad one night.  Although Robert bore the brunt of bites as he obviously tasted better then the rest of us. 

Mmmmm. there is just something better about perked coffee.

We heard hoot owls at night and the crows woke us up.  Graham woke up saying "the birds won't be quiet!"  

They are making what they call "smoker sticks."

Egg burritos for breakfast

This tree was the envy of all the boys at the camp out.  We had several visitors who all tried to climb this tree and swing on it's low lying branches.  It was like a built in playground at our campsite.

Barrett at the actual playground.

Look we are camping and happy about it!

Playing Batman even in the wilderness.

Speaking of birds, we were very fortunate that there was a birds of prey exhibit at the nature center.  We got to see a a falcon, a hawk, an Andean Condor, and an owl.  It was so very interesting to see them so close and to watch them eat chicken legs in a matter of seconds (the condor).  

They loved the birds but alas sleep won out. 

Marshall was awarded his Bobcat Saturday night.  He even did his good turn the next morning by helping me make breakfast.  

 

 

Nature Study Monday - warning there are maggots!

We met up at the hippo park today for some more exploring.  The big boys spent quite a long time digging up rocks out of the path.  They even started collecting tools to help them dig from the tree limbs and sticks.  This was the prize of the day that was finally unearthed after about 20 minutes of digging.

I took the little guys for a walk and I found the mother of all nature study find.  A pretty well decomposed squirrel with maggots underneath!!!  Best quote about it was "That is awesome... and very disgusting."  Nature is not always pretty but this is part of the process of dying and decomposition and I am glad the boys were able to see it firsthand.
 

 Marshall found a stick with a "V" in it and was using other sticks to balance it.  I like this kind of experimenting.

Barrett said he was a frog jumping off his rock. 

Nature Study Tuesday - wait nature study is on Monday right????

 The boys did not let me forget that "we did not go on Monday and we need to study nature!"  So, we went to the park Tuesday because evidently we have made nature study a habit (inward evil chuckle at making this a habit). We picked up Cooper's best buddy Luke and headed out to the park that is commonly referred to as the hippo park or pocket park and our favorite name for it "the stink park" since it is right by a waste water treatment facility.

Five boys at a park all with bicycles and plasma cars and all had a good time.  Trees were climbed, stick sword battles fought and nature was explored observed and even sketched from memory the next day.

Graham noticed the moss growing on the concrete.

"I'm a beaver!"

Fungus growing inside a hollowed out tree

Nature Study Buddies

No water bottles for this crew, I now only go to the park with my trusty 2 gallon water cooler

My rules of tree climbing - "Don't climb anything you can't get down from by yourself."  Seriously, there is a natural internal tether kids have to the ground.  If they know you are not going to come rescue them, they will 99/100 times not climb too high.  Even when they call me to come help them, I only offer footing advice and stand there in case of a fall.  It is far better that they learn the courage to take that blind step backward than to be rescued over and over again.

"Quick momma take a picture of me being a sloth!"

Graham has brought a twig to the stick fight.

Chinaberries and my new super pretty nail polish.

I have to admit this is my watercolor of the different berries I saw.  I get better sketching out of the boys when I sit and do it with them.

Marshall's sketch of the culvert covered with moss and a blue jay

Cooper's culvert. He drew in what he thought it would look like with water.

Cooper's sketch of the tree he climbed, a spider web he saw, and his bike.