Halloween 2010

This year the kids really got Halloween. Andersen begged to be BUZZ Lightyear for at least 2 months before Halloween. I got the costume a month early and by the time Halloween rolled around, he wanted to be a superhero (Spiderman or Ironman), but this mamma wasn't about to buy him another costume. Now that he's seen Toy Story 3, he's back to being a Buzz lover. Holly was a great Ladybug (thanks Layne for loaning us that cute costume). She kept up with Andersen and Bensen (boy across the street) quite well and I never had to carry her. It was fun to walk the neighborhood with Shante (Ben's mom) and then we stopped at their house after the kids' hands were frozen for some warm food. Tate just got dressed up for a pre Trick-or-Treating gathering at Granny and Grandpa Louw's house, where the kids could see their Pew cousins dressed up too. (He hated wearing the hat! If only he knew I stayed up late the night before sewing (if you can call it that) on the "potatoes".) Charl and Tate manned our house and gave out treats, watched football, and stayed warm. Once the tricker-treaters faded, we took the kids to Keith and Amber's for on last treat. Fun times.

"I don't like this hat!" "Why do you keep putting it on my head?!" (Notice we had to hold his hands.)



Happier without the hat.

A beautful "Sack-O-Taters"

Ants in His Pants: A Not So Reverent Day

I try my best to be prepared for church so that the kids can be reverent. I have not been successful with this at all, especially with Andersen. He is a kid that has ants in his pants when it comes to church. Yesterday we got to church early and found a nice middle pew about 5 rows from the front. We had cars, crayons, paper, etc. packed in the bags. Of course, none of those things entertain Andersen. He wants to copy whatever Tate does. He's noisy. I said to him, "All the people can see you acting silly and not being reverent." His response to me is, "Only the people behind, not the ones in front of us." Of course people around us can hear him. He's all over the benches and floors, even trying to turn sommersaults and getting his feet up in the air. We sat next to Bro. and Sis. Stone (our next door neighbors) and she even tried to get him to sit nicely. Tate got fussy and Charl took him out. Holly is great at church...just sits there and colors, or she just sits. So at this point I mostly have to tackle Andersens antics. We did okay for about 1o min. and then Charl came back with Tate. (Now there's only like 7 minutes left of Sacrament Mtg.) Andersen makes his way to the aisle and starts licking the pew. The father of the family across the aisle really got a kick out of that. When I nudge Charl to make him stop (he was closer than I was), Charl grabbed him and pulled him back in our row, but with a little too much force, so he started crying. Charl then had to take him out, shoeless. I look over at the father and yes, he's laughing hysterially at the series of events.

So now on to Primary. He has to say the opening prayer. That went okay, but he wanted me to stay with him. I had Holly with me too, because I needed to help her go to the bathroom before sending her to nursery. So Andersen said he had to go potty, too. I take both kids to bathroom and took them back to their classes and all is well....until...the third hour. Sister Stone ended up last minute substitute teaching Andersen's class. She ended up bringing him to me because he just kept saying to her that he didn't want to be at church. She didn't have any help, so she just brought him to me. Charl took him to the "timeout" room for 5 minutes and then he came back to sharing time with us. Sis. Stone came back and got Andersen to see if he wanted to draw the picture. He went willingly, but with 5 minutes left of church, the primary secretary comes to get me. Andersen is standing at the doorway, with the lower half of his untuck shirt all wet. Yes, he apparently went to the bathroom again, but did not successfully move his shirt in time and he peed all over his shirt. At this point, I figured it was just time to GO HOME. Which we did.

I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and I had Andersen take some to Bro. and Sis. Stone and he apologized for not being reverent in church. She was so nice and hugged him and said this is like our lesson today...being kind to others because that is being like Jesus. So the day ended better than it started.

But, I'm still in need of a solution for a kid with ants in his pants. Suggestions welcome.