Pumpkin Patch - Corn Maze

No trip to the pumpkin patch would be complete without a run through the corn maze. Sam did a great job, walking the whole way. We did the medium of the three routes through the maze. It took about 30 minutes to make it through. Pete and Sam took turns being the "leader". Sam was the leader when we emerged from the maze. Then it was time for a drink and a gem hunt in the sandbox.

Pete took some great pictures in the maze. The second one below is one of the all-time best photos of Sam.

Pumpkin Patch - Zip Line

Pete and Sam had a blast riding on the zip lines at the pumpkin patch. We knew this would be fun for Pete:

but had no idea that Sam would be able to make it across all by himself.

Sam even went back during the campfire to do some night riding on the zip lines.

Trampoline Hair

I noticed one day that Pete and Sam had some cool hair after rolling around on the trampoline.

Keeping It Level

Here are the framed photos of Pete and Sam on the wall outside the playroom:

It may seem like a lucky happenstance that they are at roughly the same height. But in fact, this is not a random result. We used to have them staggered, but discovered that so long as one of them was one millimeter higher than the other, there was great outrage expressed by the oppressed individual.

Tooth Trouble

Pete: Dad, can you grab me a flosser?

Dad: Sure, why do you need it in bed?

Pete: I got a piece of bookmark stuck in my teeth.

Nightly Checklist

On Sunday, we instituted the rule that you have to finish the "Nightly Checklist" before you are eligible for dessert.


This started out pretty well. However, after about 45 seconds we were discouraged to discover that Pete lost the checklist.

Pumpkin Patch - Rope Swings

When we heard there would be rope swings at the Pumpkin Patch, it was even odds that Pete would go head first into a haystack.


As you can see, Pete kept it pretty basic. Actually, this was before he decided to try to jump and grab the rope while it was swinging. Fortunately, we were able to convince him to go to the pig races before he started doing flips from the rope.

New Game

We invented a new game at dinner the other night. You ask Sam a question, and if he says "why" you win.

Some winning examples:

"Sam, my drink is wet on the outside"

"Sam, I'm going to play tomorrow at Corey's house"

"Sam, this blue crayon is naked"

Actually, this is a pretty easy game to win. He will say why to almost anything these days.

Closed or Open?

Me: Good night, Pete. Do you want your door closed or open?
Pete: Closedpen
Me: What?
Pete: That's half closed, half-open
Me: How am I supposed to do that?
Pete: I don't know, try a clothespin

Evolution of a Back Flip

After years of practice, and no training, Pete is now able to do a standing back flip on solid ground. He does about 15-20 varieties of front and back flips on the trampoline, but doing it on the ground is another thing entirely. Below is a brief history of his flipping via video links:

Age 5: Assisted back roll in karate class

Age 5: Running front flip on a blanket

Age 6: Front flip on couch

Age 6: Front flip on trampoline

Age 7: Back flip on solid ground

Pumpkin Patch - Rope Ladder

We finally made it this year to join our friends at the Belvedere Plantation pumpkin patch. Since it was a sunny warm day in September, it was not crowded and we had a great time.

Here are Pete and Sam climbing the rope ladders:



Sam actually developed a knack for these ladders and made it all the way to the top later in the day. Of course, Pete had no trouble scaling the ladders.

Note, Mom and Dad were able to make it about half way up the ladder.

Magtastik

One day Pete and Mom were at a karate tournament, so Dad and Sam built some Magtastik sculptures. Of course, we had to take some pictures to show Pete when he gets home.

Kings Dominion - Rides

We split up Pete and Sam for most of the day at Kings Dominion, so they could each go on appropriate rides.

Above is Sam on the carousel. This was the funnest ride of the day, because Pete waved to us each time we came around. Then he started running alongside the ride. Then Sarah and Kyle joined in. Sam was very special to have such a posse of friends running and waving to him each time around.

Pete is the daredevil, which you already know. He will ride any ride that is permitted by law and park regulations. He rode Rebel Yell, forward and backwards. He rode Drop Zone. It will be interesting to see if Sam will be willing to join on these rides when he is tall enough.

It was pretty hot for September. Pete and Kyle took a quick break for a drink. Then it was time for some more roller coasters.

Kings Dominion - Lunch

Our trip to King's Dominion included a pre-paid lunch at the pavillion.

Sam had a hamburger bun and some water. If he ever goes to prison, and they feed him bread and water, that will not be a hardship for him.


Here is Pete eating a cheeseburger. He usually likes it with only pickles, but on this day he decided to try lettuce (some of which appears to have remained on the burger). He did finish the burger, which qualified him for dessert. Then it was off to the Scooby Doo haunted house ride.

Sword Stick

Sam found a very cool stick that looks very much like a sword at the train museum. It has a little handle and everything (although hard to see in Sam's hand). To the treasure box!

Can't Spell Pete Without P.E.

Pete had two exciting developments at school recently in P.E.


First, he was selected star P.E. student of the month for the school. This is his second year in a row winning this prestigious honor. We talked to the head P.E. teacher on Back To School night. She said normally she will not allow the same student to win twice, but they had a new teacher picking the winners this year and he chose Pete without knowing who the past winners were, so she decided to go with his selection. We asked what the criteria are. She said he's just a fun kid and he has a genuine joy for all of the activities that they do.


Second, Pete almost became a Husky by doing 5 pull-ups. You need to do 6 to be a husky. There are only about 20 kids in the whole school who have achieved this. Pete can try again soon to do 6. Note, he also selected the "harder" type of pull-up, which is the overhand kind.

Shirt-ja Vu

Here is Sam playing at a playground in Overland Park, across the street from a geocache he went to with Dad. Note that he is continuing to enjoy his favorite Power Rangers shirt. We bought him a second one, so now he actually has two of this same shirt.

Mystery Craft

It's craft time. I think sam is making cards with little hearts for sending to his relatives.

Pete is performing his standard service of running around and heckling everyone.

Train Museum

We had a fun time with the Cub Scouts at the local train museum in Fairfax Station, VA.

We arrived early, so grabbed a quick geocache in the wooded area by the museum. Pete and Sam spotted it.

The caboose was fun to climb around in. Note that, since it was a football Sunday, Pete insisted on wearing his Eagles clothes and not his cub scouts uniform.


Sam enjoyed playing on the caboose also.


Someone tied Sam to the tracks with some invisible rope, but we were able to rescue him in time.

Ready For Halloween

Hopefully we are ready for Halloween, now that Pete and Sam have their Power Rangers costumes.

Of course, with costumes like that, you need a little fight action.

Falling on His Sword

Following up on yesterday's post, the other night it appeared that Sam fell on his own sword in bed.

Dead or Alive

If you don't watch Pete for a few minutes, he usually shows up dead. First, there was the incident with Kyle at Cub Scout Camp:

But apparently he was just a playing a dead Egyptian preparing to get mummified.

Then last weekend we found him on the ground at Kings Dominion. But he was just tired from riding on Drop Zone and Rebel Yell (forward and backwards).

Red Ranger

In case you were wondering what the Red Ranger likes for breakfast, the answer is Cocoa Puffs.

Cub Scouts First Meeting

Mom and Pete went to the first cub scouts meeting of the year a few nights ago. Pete is a Wolf scout this year. Pete was pleasantly surprised that they gave out awards for the Raingutter Regatta that was held over the summer. Here is Pete with his 3rd place trophy.

First Day of Pre-school

Sam is excited that he is attending pre-school this year for the first time. Here is a picture from the first day of school. You can see that he is wearing his new Power Rangers Operation Overdrive shirt that he got at the mall. He actually wore this on the second and third day of school also. (Note, it was washed and these were not consecutive days because he goes on Monday and Wednesday). We are pleased to note that we finally got him to wear his Spongebob shirt to school one day. So hopefully his teachers know that he has at least two shirts.

His friend Christina is in his class. His teachers are Miss Kay and Miss Patti.

Also, after starting pre-school, for six nights in a row he picked "Blue Goes To School" as his bedtime story.

Mystery Pictures

One day a few weeks ago, Pete decided that he wanted to add some pictures to his blog. So while dad was mowing the lawn, Pete was seen wandering around inside and outside the house with the digital camera. I'm not sure what he was planning to write on his blog, but here is a sampling of some photos that appeared on the camera:

Dinner and a Movie

One evening mom decided to open a restaurant for Pete and Sam. They could order anything from their own special menu with all of their favorites. Then they had to pay with some Monopoly money.

They both enjoyed several courses and drinks. It was a fun idea that we will have to try again sometime.

By the way, Pete and Sam forgot to leave a tip. Also, they were playing outside until bedtime, so we'll have to do the movie another time.

Trip to New York - Museum

No trip to New York would be complete without a visit to the Museum of Digging, Twister, and Etch-a-Sketch.

Trip to New York - An Event in a Park

More mystery photos from the trip to New York. Here it appears that they went to some sort of outdoor concert. Sam is doing break-dancing moves, so they are probably waiting for the show to start.

Trip to New York - Geocaching

Mom took Pete, and cousins Sarah and Joey, on some geocache hikes during their New York trip. Here they are getting ready to embark on a treasure hunt in the woods. Overall, they were successful in finding three out of four caches that they searched for during the week.


Here's a geocache where Ashleigh joined the group. At least I'm guessing that since I see someone wearing a shirt that says "I'd like to help you, but I can't fix stupid".

Something In Common

Dad: Pete, stop banging your head against the window. You're going to crack your skull.

Pete: Well, mom cracked her head three times - once when she was 2, once when she was 10, and once in college. And I'm sad because I don't have anything in common with mom. (Pause) Except we both always yell at Sam.

Trip to New York - Joey's Yard

Pete and Sam had fun running around cousin Joey's yard with Joe and Sarah during their trip to New York.


Meanwhile, Dad worked on many exciting things back home, such as filing, weeding, mounting bikes, and re-painting the front door.

Last Weekend

This past weekend was the "last hurrah" before back to school. The weather was nice, so we got to do some fun stuff.

On Saturday, we went to the National zoo in DC. Dad dropped everyone off near the kids area and then parked the car on the local streets. Not counting gas, the whole trip cost $1.50 (for a pack of sour skittles). We asked Sam later what his favorite part of the zoo was, and he said the sour skittles, so clearly this was money well-spent. For the record, we also took Stripey to see the tigers, Libre to see the lions, and walked through the Kids Farm for the first time. We also saw some other animals on the back side of the zoo that we hadn't seen before, such as Eagles, Wolves, and Prairie Dogs.

Saturday night we dropped mom at Wal-Mart and dad/Sam/Pete went in the woods just before dusk to do a geocache. Pete somehow spotted a letterbox on the way to the cache location also. Then we all had dinner at Ledo Pizza.

Sunday we split up - mom and Pete went to Toys 'R Us and Friendly's, and dad/Sam went to dad's office for lunch, and then Burke Lake Park to find some geocaches and ride the train.

Monday we had some chocolate chip mini-pancakes and then went to the pool for the last day before they closed. Sam got to show dad that he has learned to swim underwater. Then we barbecued some chicken on the grill and Pete played kickball with the kids on the street.

Goodbye Summer of 2007, we will miss you.

Happy Shorts

Sam has a pair of red shorts that he calls his "happy shorts". I overheard this conversation yesterday:

Sam: Look Pete - my happy shorts!
Pete: Cool. But when you pee in them, they're your sad and angry shorts.

Site Update

Our digital camera seems to be broken, so there probably won't be many photos for the next few weeks.