Saturday morning we skipped art class and I took the kids to Symphoria's Halloween music concert. They do such a great job for kids. The theme is superheroes, so all the music is theme music from superheroes movies and TV shows and everyone wears costumes, including the musicians. The kids don't even recognize the music but the conductor does a great job of helping the kids think about what might be happening in the music--is the hero in trouble? Is he flying high? Is there a battle scene or a romantic part? He encourages the kids to yell out their answers and ask questions. It's also very laid back, so there are kids talking and babies crying and people going up and down the aisles to the bathroom. Also before the show there is an "instrument petting zoo" where there are instructors on lots of different instruments who show kids what they look like and let the kids play whatever they want. Both the boys played the violin and thought it was really cool, so I'm thinking about how and when to get them started with that.

Saturday Theo had his friend Chase over to play. They have similar temperaments and play styles but the most striking similarity is their huge smiles. They had a great time (especially when Beckett was gone to bike with Daddy).

On these warm fall evenings when it gets dark earlier than the summer, we've been taking a lot of nighttime strolls through our neighborhood between dinner and bedtime. The boys have lanterns from friends Emily and Chris that they love taking with us. There's something extra fun and wild and adventurous about going out at night on a walk. It's been fun watching more and more Halloween decorations going up around the neighborhood.

The playground at the JCC on the east side of town is pretty awesome. There are three or four different preschool play areas, each fenced in, with sandboxes and awesome trucks, and then a huge awesome big kids playground in the back. If we lived closer we'd be there all the time.

Last weekend we took a trip to Springside Farms, a neat little farm south of Syracuse. They had a barrel wagon ride and hay bale swinging and ziplining and lots of slides and tunnels and pedal carts and a barn-sized trampoline pad. Plus apple fritters and donuts. Jeff took pictures of the big boys so maybe he'll add his pictures later.

Beautiful fall weekend

Last Sunday we started out the day at Webster Pond feeding the ducks and geese in summer-like weather.

We spent the afternoon at friend Heidi's house for her son Cameron's 8th birthday party, which was Harry Potter-themed. My kids apparently didn't mind a bit that they had no idea what Harry Potter is. They still enjoyed broom races, treasure hunts, potion-mixing, and candy. Reed and Theo especially enjoyed the butterbeer (cream soda with melted salted caramel ice cream mixed in).

Fall adventures

Auntie Alexis came for a visit.

The boys and I went to the Downtown library after art class one morning. They have great toys and interactive play stuff. Making ice cream cones was a big hit.

We visited our favorite local pumpkin patch, The Hollow, with our neighbor Michelle and her little guy, Cameron.

The bunny was Reed's favorite.

The boys had their annual physicals (always scheduled in the fall now because they can get flu shots while they are there). They are growing right on schedule!