Weekend Wrap-up

Our weekend was filled with football, the fall festival, and the pumpkin patch. To get us fortified for the weekend activities, we started Saturday morning off with donuts and Starbucks. Once the boys' bellies were filled with donuts and Brent and I were in our caffeine-induced euphoria, we did a little clothes shopping. Our first stop was REI because Brent needed to replace his fleece pullover that he has been wearing since graduate school. Just a side note....we don't normally shop in REI, in fact we rarely visit the store, and now I know why. Can you say EXPENSIVE! I was floored at the prices. I was browsing through the women's workout clothes thinking I might find something cute to wear in the upcoming race, and nearly stroked out when I checked the price tag. And I thought Sports Authority was pricey...whoo hoo, REI makes Sports Authority look like yard sale prices. I don't know who can afford to shop there, but Brent did find a really nice pullover that was on SALE. So we bought it and got out of there fast before any more money jumped from our wallet. Then we headed to Kohl's so that I could get the boys some roll-around-in-the-mud play clothes. Brent and Jack went to watch the Miami game with other UM alums, and Will was very upset that he was left behind. He knew that they left him to go have some fun. Just so sad.

When Brent and Jack got back from the game, we went to our church's Fall Festival. It was so much fun. Lots of inflatables, putt-putt golf, rock wall climbing, face painting, hair painting, carnival games, music, and a cake walk. And the most brillant idea of all...a tent set up like a mini sports bars. Several TVs showing the different football games with bleachers for your viewing pleasure and a beer tent just 2 steps away. I can only imagine how much money was raised here =). Jack loved the giant inflatable slide and Will wanted his turn on the slide. Will thinks that anything Jack does, he should be able to do too. So Will and I went to the preschool zone of the festival and he climbed through the dragon inflatable and thought that he was so big!

After church today, we went to the Pumpkin Patch. I don't know why we don't go more often; the last time we went, Jack was 3 and we had a great time then as well. The first stop was the ropes course. Two years ago, Brent had to help Jack through the course, and I mean really help, like hold onto him the entire way. This year Jack ripped through that course all by himself. It was exciting to see how much his strength and balance have improved. Jack even did the rope zip line all by himself...it was quite impressive! And of course, Will had to have his turn on the ropes course as well, so Brent "carried" him through. Then we went to the craft area where both boys painted mini pumpkins as well as themselves. Next stop was the sky buckets that took us to the top of the mountain, where Jack and Will made a beeline to the first puddle and proceeded to get soaking wet. All I could do was just shake my head. After a quick bite to eat, we ended our afternoon at the Ball Barn. I don't quite get the attraction of the Ball Barn but kids just seem to love it. The kids go in and get a wristband and a bag. Then they proceed to pick up stray balls off the floor and put them in their bag. When the bag is full, the child swipes his wristband at one of the many ball bins, then dumps his balls in the bin, and get points for the number of balls that were collected. Then the kids race off to pick up more balls. Every single time, I stand there astounded. I can't get my kids to pick up a single plastic animal or matchbox car off our playroom floor because cleaning up is "sooooo BORING!" Yet here at the Ball Barn, they happily spent a whole HOUR picking up balls off the floor. HUH?!?! You can bet tomorrow I am going to wrap some tape around their wrists, give them plastic Kroger bags, and tell them to have at it in that wreck of a playroom; and I better not hear the first complaint after what I witnessed at the Ball Barn!