Happy Halloween

Ben is waiting patiently outside the JBU dorms Thursday night to do some early trick or treating.



Ben and Eliot ready to go inside and get some candy! Eliot is Thing 1.


Eliot Posey as Thing1.

Ready to go home....Ben's bucket was FULL.



mmm...purple suckers




Friday night we went trick or treating in downtown Siloam. The local business' hand out candy to all the kiddos. I think all 13, 000 residents were there getting candy! I've never seen such a long line in my life. But, the bank was handing out full size candy bars---whoo-hoo!! Then we walked over to church for Trunk or Treat and it was a blast. Ben was fascinated with the dry ice and of course the eye ball candy. We are all tuckered out and Ben is still asking for candy. He tried some Junior Mints and declared them "spicy." He loves them.

Ben, roving reporter

A new show on PBS this fall is Sid the Science Kid. He interviews his friends at school and now it is one of Ben's favorite games. Here's Ben asking Jake what he likes about school. The popsicle is the microphone.

Jake is answering the question....he said I like my friends and school and then Ben says I like my friends at school too. Then Ben asks the same question...what do you like at school? It goes on and on.

Now it's Jake's turn to ask the questions. Ben isn't as good at answering, but it's still cute.

Potty Diaries

No, I am not showing off our coveted cranberry toilet and linoleum flooring (a truly '80's bathroom). I am showing off the success to Ben's potty training. The baseball potty! Today was the biggest day in Ben's potty training history. He pooped on the potty. It took several tries because he was scared. But somehow the conversation got around to popsicles and I told him he could have one if he did his business in the toilet and he did. He was so surprised at himself and exclaimed, "I did it!" when he was finished. Alas, we didn't have popsicles, but we did have sherbet. So, at 9:15 in the morn Ben was all smiles with his bowl of pineapple bliss. He even went to play group this morning in undies and he went potty there too!

Potty Training Boot Camp

Day #1 of potty training has been a little long. Ben is currently watching Little Einstien's because we are all worn out. I think Ben was even a little stressed today with the schedule we kept him on. Jake set the timer for 40 minutes all day long which signaled potty time. I think he was afraid to actually go because after waiting 40 minutes, sitting on the potty for 5 or more minutes, and then finally getting up, Ben would still go in his undies. I'm sure he had to figure out what it "felt" like to have to go, too....but, we did have success. Below is Ben in his first pair of underwear for the day. It's about 7:30 am. I had to do laundry during nap (we still put him in a diaper for nap) to keep up with the accidents. By 6:00 pm, Ben finally went pee IN the potty which was underwear #7 of the day (and he still needed to put on pair #8---getting to the potty caused a little excited tinkle)! We were all so excited and yelling and clapping and cheering and eating candy corn (Ben's incentive) that I'm surprised the neighbors didn't hear us. As I'm posting this, Jake is at the store buying more underwear. Six undies will not last long especially when we get to the pooping in the potty party. Ewww. Hopefully this time next week will be much easier. Doesn't he look so big?
George was there for Ben, helping him get the big day started.

Landscaping

Jake got all the bushes out of the front and we're slowly planting a shade garden.
We also got the side of the house ready for something :-)
cool toad lily
from the left in the back: toad lily, fern, thyme, and more thyme
from the left in the front: some kind of purple flowering plant, parsley, oregeno

After bath

Freshly bathed mummy.

Halloween Costume

Ben starts with B which rhymes with T and stands for TROUBLE

Ben decided not to nap today. I found him with his bed stripped, his shorts off, his diaper off, and a puddle of pee on his mattress. Right now he's thanking God for his life because he's been banned to his room. Good thing there are toys in there and a window for fresh air. I thought about treating him like a puppy and rubbing his face in the pee so he could just potty train himself....I think I need to hire a nanny.

Pumpkin Patch

Ben and I went to Ranalli farms in Tontitown this morning to check out the pumpkins. Ben touched every single mini gourd and mini pumpkin in the display area. He didn't really take a bite...but he pretended to about 50 times.
Checking out the "goose" gourds as Ben called them.
BOO! (Actually he said ROAR!)
Ben and the mini pumpkins.

He's saying pumpkin instead of cheese.
more loud pumpkin....it's just that saying pumpkin doesn't create the same smile effect as cheese

He was very proud of himself for stacking the pumpkins.

I like this series of pictures...you can tell when he's getting tired of me.

Once Ben discovered the wagon he was either in it or pushing/pulling it. His friends Ellie and Lauren Moore.

Ben's big boy room

We have a new bed (a queen! Yes, we've been sleeping on a full size for 10 years). So, Ben has a new BIG bed. I switched some furniture around so he has a bed-side table and a lamp. He's so grown up. And he is reading his new children's Bible. He's perfect.

The funny part is that he wants to sleep in his crib. He likes to play and read on his big bed. And check out his new cowboy boot bank. Great grandma-Snodgrass (that would be Gramps' mom)gave it to Ben. It even has some change in it.

Ben in his favorite attire: shorts, tee, winter boots, batting helmet, and ball.