Alex's Holiday TV Appearance

Alex is in the 3rd-6th grade choir this year and they went to a local TV station and were recorded singing a song that aired after a newscast. They had been practicing with a piano, but found out when they got there that they had no piano in the studio.  They sang it a capella for the first time and did pretty well.  The TV station has made it available online at

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/video?id=6516614

if you want to check it out.  Look for him in the lower left of the screen at 37 seconds into the clip.

Halloween 2008

Becky helped with Aaron's class Halloween party and was able to get this shot of the kids in their costumes on the steps of the Wolfe Gallery.  Needless to say they enjoyed the party more than the posing.  Aaron is in the Mario costume on the far right with an enormous cheesy grin (mozzarella, of course).

I didn't dress up for work today, but when  we went out for trick or treating with the kids, Becky put on her fortune teller outfit she wore at the school party and I felt left out, so I pulled out my Jedi Costume from last year.  Makes for a great Christmas letter picture.

The boys were more polite than ever and scored lots of candy.  Many of the grownups we saw loved the boys' costumes.  Houses that also had puppies were a bonus for Aaron.

 

All in all a fun day (and night).  Happy Halloween!

Miakonda Halloween 2008

We brought the Mario Bros to Miakonda again for a Trick-or Treat experience run by the area Boy Scouts.  They went from cabin to cabin and played a game or survived a haunted house to get their candy.  They always end up with more loot from here than they get on Halloween in our neighborhood, which is part of the reason that they like to come.  The other reason is that it is a lot of fun.

During a snack break in the Council Lodge, Becky tried on Aaron's hat - prettty cute!

We ended the afternoon with a haunted hayride through the forest surrounding the camp.  Lots of scary guys jumping out at us, but we weren't afraid.  We had the Mario Brothers to thow fireballs at them if it got too hairy.

Mario Bros Drumming in the Cemetery

Aaron and Alex debuted this year's Halloween costumes at a cemetery bash set up by my medical assistant, BJ.  She sets up a spooky cemetery in her front yard every year to enhance her neighborhood and this year she had a fun party to kick off the season.  It was a cold night, but the boys were reasonably warm in their chosen costumes.  As you can see, they are still very much into the Super Mario Brothers - Luigi and Mario.  This year Aaron got to be Mario and Alex chose Luigi because he's taller.  They worked out this pose almost organically whenever we asked them to pose for a combo shot.  BJ made the little sign between them that reads "SUPER MARIO BROS IN PERSON".  We also got to enjoy snacks and cider and a small fire inside a cauldron on their driveway, which helped with the cold.

Her daughter came over and played the drums while she sang the witches' song from "Hocus Pocus".  The boys each took a turn at the drums.

To anyone passing by, it had to be a little surreal - The Mario Bros rocking out on drums in a cemetery.

Independence Day Sparklers

We've always done sparklers as a celebration on the 4th of July.



They're festive and fun and they have always seemed easy for the boys to be able to handle.



This year however, we learned differently.  After Aaron's sparkler went out, he wanted to find out what happened when you touched the glowing rod that remains, to see if it was still hot.  He found out that it was.  He only burned a small spot on one finger and it'll be OK.  But I think we may take a break from sparklers for awhile.

Fireworks at the Fort

We came out to Fort Meigs for their Independence Day celebration in Perrysburg again this year.  We hoped to have time to let the kids ride some of the carnival rides, but the weather had other plans.  It has been raining alot over past several days, including a heavy drenching yesterday.  This left the park rather soggy, especially right in the middle of the carnival rides.  Not to mention the power cords for the rides running through the impromptu swamp.  No thanks.



Becky brought us a picnic lunch and we bought frozen dessert from an ice cream truck.  We made our way into the fort and set up our chairs with a great view of the sky above the Maumee-Perrysburg bridge which had been shut down for this evening's launch.  We played frisbee and chased bubbles.  We read, listened to the nearby band playing patriotic songs and settled in for the fireworks.



They seemed bigger and lasted longer than last year, whether because they really were or because the passage of time had shrunk last year's pyrotechnics in our minds.  It was an uncharacteristically cool night for July, but the extra clothes Becky brought on a hunch that we would need them kept us warm.  After the show we made our way through the swampy park (I found a dry path along the outskirts actually) in the dark to our cars.  Leaving Fort Meigs after the show was a pain again because we were forced by the police to turn to the right.  The main road was to the left, but the right led deep into a maze of residential streets.  We got lost in there for over an hour before stumbling onto a road that led us out.  We'll have to plan better next year.  Still, hard to beat fireworks seen from a fort.

Snowy Easter Egg Hunt

A fresh layer of snow yesterday made a challenge for our Easter egg hunters this morning. It was good that they had a chance to play in it it yesterday so they knew what to expect. However, yesterday's playing in the backyard obscured our attempt to hunt for Bunny footprints.
We think we saw some at the back of the yard. They may have been just standard bunny prints (some live nearby), but there was an egg near one of the prints, so we can't say for sure.
The boys worked together to collect the plastic eggs and brought them inside. All of the candy, money and little toys inside got put into a communal pile to share.
Happy (Snowy) Easter!

What Pretty Eggs

It is officially Spring , but you can't tell by looking outside. However, because of the weird calendar juggling that picks Easter each year, the Easter Bunny is going to need to bring a thick layer of fur, and possibly a coat on top of that. We all prepared with our traditional colored hard-boiled eggs.
We tried traditional dyes, as well as stickers, shrink-wrap plastic sleeves, and clear crayons that kept the dye off of the eggs, allowing us to make neat reverse patterns on the eggs. We even tried a few two-tone eggs.
All in all, a pretty plate of eggs. Now if we can just get the boys (esp. Aaron) to try one. Alex will usually eat the whites with a little salt and pepper.

Valentine's Party in P3

Becky planned this year's P3 Valentine's party for Aaron's class. There were games, valentine distribution, and of course, Valentine cookies. Guess what Aaron's favorite part was. :)

Merry Christmas 2007!

We woke up this morning and had a leisurely breakfast while we opened presents. The boys were excited to see that Santa had brought them something they had asked for. Aaron got a Larry Boy car with Larry Boy and Alfred action figures. Alex got Mario and Donkey Kong plush toys. We were all blessed with lots of presents from our family and friends.
While we received and appreciated many great gifts, the boys were particularly excited about 2 of them. They found out that Grammy and Grandpa Hardage would be taking us to Walt Disney World in Florida for Spring Break. We've been wanting to take the kids for a while but we hadn't been able to coordinate time off and the financing for the trip. Plus we think Aaron is now old enough to enjoy the parks and keep up with the pace of the vacation. Secondly we got the family a Nintendo Wii which has a unique controller that responds to its position in space which allows for some fun moves. You can swing the controller like a bat to hit baseballs for example, or use a bowling motion to throw spares and strikes. Alex though he might be getting a handheld videogame, but was thrilled to see that we had gotten a Wii.
Becky decided that we would honor Jesus's birthday with a Happy Birthday cake for Christmas dinner dessert. A couple of weeks before, Alex asked if we could honor Melinda with it also, since she was in heaven with Jesus. We couldn't say no. We found a cake covered in chocolate frosting and "1000" chocolate chips to honor Melinda's love of chocolate. We smiled as we talk about about what we loved about her. It was sad but nice. We miss her.

We hope your Christmas was filled with love and good cheer. Merry Christmas!

Posing in a Winter Wonderland

It was very nice for Santa to pause his present delivery preparations the day before Christmas to pose with the boys. They did a great job this year in matching sweaters.

They found Santa at the Children's Winter Wonderland that we go to every year. I couldn't go because of work, but Becky was able to take them with Grammy & Grandpa Hardage. That strap across Alex's chest is holding the case for his birthday camera. He's been taking a lot of pictures and video since getting it. Tonight we're going to Nagoya for dinner which is a Japanese hibachi style restaurant where they cook the food on a big griddle at your table. Should be a fun Christmas Eve.

Happy Thanksgiving 2007

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We stayed at home this year and were joined by Becky's mom, Susan. Becky and Susan weren't feeling well, so I whipped up Thanksgiving dinner. For years we've kept the turkey cooking simple by reheating a precooked smoked turkey. To that I added garlic mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, corn, green beans, and pumpkin pie. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Assembly

The day before Thanksgiving break is always a fun one at the school. Becky helped with festivities in both classrooms. Aaron's class made "Stone Soup" like in the classic children's story. Each child brought in an ingredient and they all helped make a yummy vegetable soup. While Aaron loved making it, he was not alone in not wanting to try it. Alex's class participated in a Primary-wide Thanksgiving Feast. They helped make and ate corn muffins, pop corn, "gobblegood stew", and cookies.


Afterward, before dismissal, all the school gathered in the Resource Center for a tradition of singing Thanksgiving songs. Becky got to participate with her two favorite kiddos.

The Family That Trick-or-Treats Together...

I got home a little early so we could get out on time for neighborhood trick-or-treating. We paused to capture the family in full costumed regalia. Alex as Mario, Aaron as Yoshi, Becky as a Goth Witch, and me as a Jedi Knight.
Our neighbors really did a great job decorating their homes. Some had spooky lights, some played Halloween music, some were in costume themselves, and some had elaborate set-ups with inflatable Halloween "scupltures" in their yards. Alex and Aaron's costumes were recognized pretty much everywhere we went - someone even gave them extra candy because Mario Bros. was their favorite video game. One lady even walked candy out to the sidewalk where Becky and I were because she was impressed with our costumes. My light saber had a small flashlight bulb in it that wasn't really visible in the daylight, but looked cool when it got dark.
Aaron took on one other mission tonight - he had to pet every puppy he could find. Some of the dogs were even in costume. This was Buster - only 8 weeks old. We got back in time to hand out candy to the stragglers in the neighborhood and then we packed it in and got to bed. What a long but fun day!

Star Wars: Revenge of the Nerds

Ever since about 1977 I've wanted to be a Jedi. 30 years later I got to at least dress up like one. Susan, my mother-in-law, found some McCall's patterns that got her close which she modified to look like the uniform of Jedi Knight Obi-wan Kenobi. She and Becky found the belt and I picked up the light saber for $5 last year. The costume consisted of a dickie worn around the neck (and a plain white T-shirt), a long-sleeved tunic, shoulder armor pieces that hung down in front and back, and an obi (like a cumberbund). The belt was centered over the obi and the hooded cloak went on over it all. I wore some light-colored cargo pants and my brown hiking boots to complete the look. Becky rigged a couple of S-hooks for my light saber on the right and my stethescope on the left so I could work in it. It was a big hit at the office and my patients loved it - some more than others.
Two of my patients are Star Wars fans as well and got wind from my nurse that I would be dressed as a Jedi. They pulled together a Sith Lord and Stormtrooper costume and we had to have a duel in the hallway. I'm sure the video from that battle will never come back to haunt me. I enjoyed this so much, it will be my default costume for a while. It was the coolest costume I've ever worn, and didn't involve zombie make-up.

Dueling School Halloween Parties

As P-3 Grade Parent, Becky was in charge of helping Aaron's class plan and execute holiday parties. The first one was today's Halloween party. She got a lot of help from other parents which helped her divide the classroom up into game, craft, and snack stations. She developed a few fun games for this age group, including tossing "pumpkin" beanbags into a cauldron and bowling over some ghosts built from a toy bowling set. They ended with a long parade through the school showing off their costumes.

She then came over to help with Alex's Primary class party. It has become a tradition for her to set up a "touchy-feely" station where the kids stick their hands into decorated pumpkins that contain an icky item for them to feel and guess what's in there. This year she had them feel Vampire Bat Wing Bones (dry Ramen noodles), Hairy Werewolf Noses (unpeeled lychee nuts), Giant Ogre Ears (cactus leaves, needles removed), Zombie Veins laced with Maggots (cold cooked penne and rotini), and Evil Troll Eyeballs (peeled lychee nuts). Another big hit, but all this success comes with a price. After 4 years, she's running out of things to put in there. We trust her creativity and can't wait until next year.

Halloween Pumpkins 2007

In addition to our efforts at the preschool pumpkin party, we carved a few extra pumpkins to decorate the house. I found this pattern for a one-up mushroom from the kids Mario game. Becky carved it and then tricked it out with some LED lights and a color changing light on the inside.
Alex attempted a Mario face, incuding cutting all the way around the face. It ended up looking like a scary skull, sort of. He was very proud of it. We balanced the face in the pumpkin and lit it up.
I decided to go with a new pirate ship pattern. I messed up and cut the nose of the Jolly Roger skull almost out, but it actually left it floating in the middle of the skull.

Cub Scout Halloween Party

The Boy Scouts held a Halloween party for the Cub Scouts out at Camp Miakonda. This was our first year for this, but it won't be our last. They had one Friday night, but it was rainy, so we came to the daytime one today. The kids got dressed up as Mario and Yoshi - two characters from their favorite videogame, Super Mario Sunshine. Everyone seemed to recognize them, even many of the adults. They went from station to station and played games, got their face painted, or went through a haunted cabin. They even had a haunted fort set up at the back of camp. Aaron sat out of the haunted houses. Each of the stations gave them a treat - one of the stations gave out a banana.
The games were relatively easy and they gave out the same amount of candy whether you won the game or not. The Council lodge had a snack station set up, so we paused for some hot chocolate, root beer floats and a taste of the treats they had gotten so far.
One of the special parts was a haunted forest hay ride where ghouls and goblins jumped out at us. We were warned that they wouldn't actually touch us, so we were asked to please not throw candy at them. It was fun and would've been a lot creepier at night. Becky got this picture of a sweet moment between the boys before we got under way. This party was better organized and more fun than ones we've tried at the zoo, so we'll be back next year.

BJ's Cemetery

We were minding our own business, when this ghoul wrapped in an old Ace wrap appeared out of nowhere. He made a drooling, hungry noise and scared us out of the house. We drove for miles down to Maumee to seek refuge at my medical assistant's (BJ's) house.
There we found a cemetery full of bones, cobwebs, and creepy sound effects. And a fog machine that Alex quickly took charge of.

She also had a steaming cauldron that was surprisingly cold, probably from the dry ice subliming in the pot. They had a fire pit set up and rubber snakes to scare their mother with. They wrapped the night up with candy that turned our ghouls back into sugar satisfied munchkins and all was right with the world.