Trick-or-Treating

Tonight, after a very quick dinner, we headed out to begin trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. We had thought that we would only go to a few houses on our street of the neighbors that we know the best and then go to a few houses around Granna and Grandpa's that we know real well too. It was a good thing that was all we had planned! The boys really enjoyed trick-or-treating for awhile, but then they were ready to go back and home and play pretend baseball in the house in their uniforms. So cute! They caught on to trick-or-treating real fast. They took turns very well at ringing the doorbell at each house. While riding in the wagon between houses, they would remind each other whose turn it was to ring the doorbell next. They learned the routine very quickly -- ring the doorbell, say "trick-or-treat", get some candy, and then say "thank you"!

 

Getting ready to head out to trick-or-treat!

 

With Daddy -- in the wagon and ready to go!

 

With Mommy -- enough pictures, let's go!

 

Across the street, trick-or-treating at Ms. Delores' house!

 

Next door, trick-or-treating at the Elders' house!

 

Trick-or-treating up the street at Granna and Grandpa's house!

 

Jack emptying out his candy!

 

Jack checking out the bag full of goodies from Granna and Grandpa!

Halloween Festivities at Children's House (Preschool)

First of all, I've got to say that Halloween just got way more fun this year for this Mommy! Watching Jack and Mark get so excited has made Halloween so exciting this year for me! The boys have been so excited about getting to dress up as baseball players. I think it makes them feel like real baseball players. They have been asking each morning, "How many more days till Halloween?" It's been really cute!

So today we started off with a Halloween parade at Children's House (which is what they call the preschool at SAS)! All six classes participated in the parade. The parade route consisted of three laps around the drop off/pick up circle in the parking lot! The kids had a blast walking around and having all the parents wave and cheer them on (while of course having their picture made a few times too!)!

Here are a few pictures of our little sluggers in the parade. Jack was more than willing to wave to us and smile at us while skipping along with his friends. He seemed to enjoy the attention of walking in the parade. Mark, on the other hand, just walked along, never looking at any of the spectators. We would say "Hi" to him and he would smile and cut his eyes over at us, but never would he look at us or acknowledge us. It was quite funny! I thought they would be at least teenagers before we, as their parents, would embarrass them! Oh well.....

 

Mark was walking along doing great in the parade until he saw us and we started waving at him and cheering for him! And, then he turned away like this!

 

Jack started skipping along and was all smiles when he saw us and we started waving at him and cheering for him!

 

2nd lap for Jack, still just as excited about parading around with his friends!

 

Luckily, someone at SAS captured this picture of Mark, which is far better than any that we got of him. At least you can see his face!

 

 

After the parade, all the parents were invited inside to their child's classroom for a Halloween party and trick-or-treating on the playground! Mark's class had been learning a dance to the Time Warp song. So, we both went to his room just long enough for the dance performance. Mark had a bit of stage fright and did not participate in the class dance (as did several others in the class!!). It was quite the bummer though, as all of the teachers and the mom who had choreographed the dance told us that Mark was one of the best dancers in the class. And, we have no doubt about that - the kid has got some dance moves!!! After the dance, Daddy left to go to Jack's class to be with him and Mommy stayed with Mark for awhile.

 

 

 

All lined up the begin the dance! Our little baseball player is on the front row, far right!

 

After the dance, Mark took his hat off and said, "Mommy, take my picture, I hold my hat like the baseball players do!"

 

Mark enjoying some popcorn (one of his new favorite snacks) at the party in his class!

 

 

After awhile, Mommy and Daddy switched so that we could spend some time with our other son too! Here are some pictures of Jack in his room at his party!



 

Jack's favorite snack at his class' party was the pretzel rods! He LOVED them!

 

Jack checking out the treats that he got while trick-or-treating on the playground!

 

Then, Mommy and Jack went to Mark's class so that the boys could get changed out of their costumes and into their clothes. When we got to Mark's class, they were outside on the playground trick-or-treating. So, we went out to watch them.

 

 

 

Mark trick-or-treating on the playground!

 

Two baseball players...two brothers...two best friends...our two sons! We are so blessed!

 

Mark's class picture!

 

Mommy and her boys before she had to leave to go to work.

 

Daddy and his boys before he had to leave to go to work.

 

What a fun and exciting morning we had! Happy Halloween!







Operation Christmas Child

After church on Sunday, we went to Target to get things for a couple of Christmas presents for Operation Christmas Child.  Each year, we will fill two shoe boxes of Christmas goodies for boys that their age.  They would see something on the shelf at Target and ask if they can get it for their friend.  It was very cool and sweet to see and hear.

Once we got home, we started to put the items in the box.  The boys enjoyed it.  They were proud of their shoeboxes. 

Here are some pictures of the boys working on the shoeboxes:

 

Mark gets ready to put a basketball in the shoe box.

 

Mommy sorts out some of the items to be put in the boxes.

 

Does the box close with all of this stuff in it?  - Jack

 

Mark shows the finished product.  He is very happy.

 

Likewise, Jack shows his stuff to Mommy and Daddy.

Fall Farm Fun

On Saturday, Jack and Mark were invited to one of their classmate's house for an afternoon of fun on their farm.  Chloe's family lives on a farm north of Durham.  A lot of friends were going to be at the farm.  On the way up, we listened to the first half of the NC State- North Carolina football game.  State was up 28-25 at the half when we arrived at the farm. 

Although it was a farm, the only animals that Chloe and her parents owned are a couple of horses.  But there was plenty to do.  The boys could decorate some small pumpkins, get their faces painted, play some football or cornhole, as well as play on a really nice playground swing set and slide.  Mark went down the slide around 100 times it seemed.  He played football for the longest time.  Jack joined him playing football when he finished decorating his pumpkin. 

The boys did not want to get too close to the horses though.  When the horses came towards the fences, they backed up to the house.

Some of Jack and Mark's friends that were there include Chloe, Reese, Lily, Holly, and Alex.  The boys had a really good time. 

Here are a few pictures from the good times we had out there on the farm:

 

Mommy, can you get me another sticker please?  - Jack

 

Time to go down the slide.  - Mark

 

Why do I have to stop swinging so we can have another picture?  - Jack

 

It is cornhole time.  We challenge anyone and everyone.  - Jack and Mark

 

Well, Jack beat me on that round.  I have to run one lap.  - Mark

 

Woah.  That is a cute girl over there.  - Jack

 

 

Mark says "throw the ball to me.  I will catch it like a Wolfpack wide receiver."

 

Mommy and Jack having fun.

 

Time for a new game.  Let me untangle this rope.  - Jack

 

Thanks for giving this to me Jack.  I will show you how to do this.  - Mark

 

 

As Jack and Mark show, everyone has fun at Chloe's farm.

 

Fall Fest at Church

Friday night was the annual Fall Fest at Trinity Baptist Church.  This was the first year that the boys were really looking up for this event.  They were so excited to be wearing their costumes.  This year they are dressing up as baseball players.  I know, big shock that they are some sort of athlete.  When they put their costume on, they thought we were going to take Jack and Mark to a baseball field.  How cute.

When we got there, they didn't disappoint.  They went immediately and started playing on a bounce house, before we went inside and started playing all of the games in the gym.  They had so much fun.  It was fun to watch them start learning how to stay in line at an event like that. 

Here are some pictures from the evening:

 

Timeout for the playing of the national anthem as Mark puts his hat over his heart. 

 

It's basketball time.  Who wins at Pop-a-Shot?  Jack or Mark.

 

Time for the windup and the pitch.  Here comes the heater.  - Jack

 

Ahh, the windmill hole.  I have played this before.  - Mark

 

I really like popcorn.  - Jack

Trip to Kingsport

This past weekend we went to Kingsport to see Mimi and Poppy.  Also, Janet and her family were going to be in Kingsport so it would be a family weekend.  We didn't leave Raleigh till after work on Friday so we didn't get to Kingsport until 11:30.  The boys woke up when we got there so it was a chore to get them back to sleep again (although we definitely expected that).

On Saturday, we played outside in the morning.  Kate and Macy had a good time playing with Mark and Jack and their toys.  They enjoyed playing baseball, golf, and also using the stomp rockets.

After nap time, we had a family friend come down and take some family pictures of all 10 of us.  They turned out really good.

We had a good time with Mimi and Poppy, as we helped celebrate Mimi's birthday.

Here are a couple of pictures from the weekend.

 

The DeVault family:  Jarett, Macy, Kate, Janet, Poppy, Mimi, Mark, Daddy, Mommy, and Jack

 

Daddy sees how high he can throw Macy up in the air.

 

The four grandkids stopping for a second from pulling bark off the tree.

 

The original DeVault family:  Craig, Mom, Dad, and Janet

 

Daddy, Jack, Mark, and Mommy

Two Good Lookin' Boys

A "wordless Wednesday" post!