A night with the Dinosaurs

One of the halloween activities was a night at the museum. It was a wonderful night at the paleontology museum in Ithaca. They had the kids dress up in costumes and they had all these amazing science booths set up. The boys were in heaven. At each station they were handed more candy, which was awesome!

This is the bones of a whale that hangs at the front entrance

Will has a walking stick on his hand. He loved it!

Here they are petting the snake and lizard

Helping press some cider

This was their favorite station, the homemade ice cream! It was made with liquid nitrogen!

Pumpkin Carving

Its time to update the blog. While I was at Dad's I uploaded a bunch of pictures and was going to post and then he passed so I am working with old material but things that should be posted anyways. We really had the best time during Halloween in New York. There were all sorts of events for us to attend. Here are the pictures of the boys carving their pumpkins. I was shocked at how cheap pumpkins were in New York, granted we are in the country, the heart of the Amish, so I guess I shouldn't be so surprised by how inexpensive the pumpkins were. We bought them at my favorite Amish farm and we carved them a few days before Halloween. It was a lot of fun. Dad came out to watch the boys carve their pumpkins. He loved watching them squeal when I made them take the guts out and just how happy they were to be doing something that is so much fun. Aunt Amanda helped with the carving. After the pumpkins were all cleaned out the boys picked their design and they went to sleep. Aunt Amanda and I finished the process.

Wills completed pumpkin

Here he is taking all the guts out. He really didn't like that part.

James's pumpkin.

James taking his guts out. He also didn't care for it but didn't put up such a fight about it.

The pumpkin cleaners!

The hospice house

Dad went into a hospice house on Tuesday and here is some pictures of his facility. It is beautiful and the people are wonderful. They are so full of love and patience. I am thrilled to have him there and have him be taken well care of.

Dad took a stroll outside yesterday with his rolling bed. He loved every minute of it.

The sign in front of the facility.

The great room. When you walk in the front door this is what you see.

From the door looking into Dad's room. He is in room #2

Dad's room. The hoist is not usually there. They used it to get him out of his bed and into the rolling bed.

The view out of Dad's room

Looking from Dad's door. There is an additional living area out there.

The sitting area outside of Dad's room.

The kids corner of the great room. The kids love all the games and coloring.

William's Birthday!

Today we brought cookies to Will's class for his birthday. Here he is so happy to have brought snack.

Willam's Birthday Crown

Will was given a totally awesome crown to wear while at school today. Here the kids are singing happy birthday to him. He is just so happy to finally be five and celebrate his birthday!

James first day of Preschool

James was so excited to go to school this year. He watched very impatiently all last year while his brother went to school. He would cry when I wouldn't let him stay so at the end of last year I promised him that he would start this year. All summer long whenever we passed the CDC he would point and tell us it was his school. We laughed because we passed that school a lot, when I say a lot, I mean a lot. It is at the entrance to our housing development! Then when we went to orientation he cried when it was time to go because it was his school and he wasn't done yet. So yesterday morning when I explained he also needed to get ready to go to school and I got his special shirt out he was beyond thrilled. I didn't have to ask him twice to help me at all. He was so perfect and willing to help. Not the usual James. We get in the car and he sang all the way to school, we took some pictures and he continued to sing. He sang until we got on the play ground with the rest of the kids. Then he just smiled, gave me a hug and a kiss like he had seen his brother do and then he was off. I stayed and talked to some of the mothers and took a few pictures, but he didn't look back for me once! When I went to pick him up he was so content to stay and play, but went home with me willingly. He loved his first day of school. I am so happy. I was able to scrub the bathrooms and give them a deep cleaning while the kids were gone. It was fabulous!

His picture in front of the building.

Being so cute! He picked his own shirt out at the store and couldn't wait to be allowed to wear it. He was thrilled to put it on.

A picture with his teacher.

Riding bikes with the other kids in his class.

Then he found the sand pit! He was so happy to play in the sand with the bobs. He was very content when I left.

Lil'Wills first day of school

I can hardly believe that my baby is old enough to start Kindergarten! It is very shocking to me. This morning started without much fanfare, since he slept in until 8:20 and didn't really get out of bed until 8:30. Luckily I had set aside his clothes for today and we were able to get him dressed quickly and get some food in him before we jumped in the car. He was so sweet to me. At the door he gave me a huge hug and several sweet kisses and then lined up with his class mates and walked into the room. Mommy and Daddy had tears, but he did not! Lol! James also felt lost without Will and had to have his blanket with him until his brother came home. Will came home from school very tired and hungry. They don't give him a snack, something he usually has at 10. Needless to say he ate lunch chatted with Grandma and went to sleep. I am thrilled since he hasn't taken a nap in almost a year!! I am very excited for his kindergarten year and I hope he is too!

Our boy on the drive to school

Walking with Dad to the school. Look at how big that back pack is!

Waiting to get into the class.

The most handsome Bennett boys!

Walking into his class and leaving mommy behind! Many tears were shed here, just not his!