Trick or Treats, Andy Griffith & Goofy Grunts

Holy cow have I neglected the Rutl Farm. Our beloved blog has taken a back seat for the last couple of weeks to a weeklong celebration of Halloween, a weekend trip to Mt. Airy with our friends, and the parental juggle that is our daily life.

Halloween taught Amy & me first hand that holiday celebrations can drag out for a long time. The holiday isn't just about trick or treating anymore. Not that it ever was I suppose, but this was our first exposure to day after day of Halloween parties, preschool celebrations, neighborhood get-togethers, church events all around All Hallow's Eve. The boys only have 2 teeth left and they just sit around all day on the couch eating their weight in Snickers and Milk Duds. Ok, so it's not quite that bad, but it's safe to say Mars, Inc. stock has gone up lately.

I cannot complain about the celebrations though. The kids' enthusiasm -- although draining -- is so contagious and fun to witness. Gus dressed up as Batman, Owen as Robin, and Tess as a pink kitten. We trick-or-treated with several families in our neighborhood, adults hanging out in the street as kids bounded for each door. It was really a fun time.

Last weekend we trekked up to Mt. Airy, North Carolina which some of you may know as the real-life Mayberry where Andy Griffith based his TV show on. (The Andy Griffith Show still runs in syndication on just about every channel in NC by the way -- we North Carolinians love our Andy, Aunt B and Opie). Our friends the Wises have a place there, and the boys got to fish, camp, run wild with other kids, and roast marshmallows for 48 hours straight. Just when I think we couldn't possibly compress more fun into a short period of time, the kids find a way.

We do have a few pictures to share. But that's mostly because Amy got a Flip video camera for her birthday, and she takes videos instead of still shots. It is a pretty cool little gadget that allows us to capture some cool moments of the kiddos. We will definitely get some of those posted here soon to share.

Tess's vocabulary still continues to grow. Only it is growing in ways that only parents understand. She mumbles things whose meanings Amy & I have deciphered like cryptic code. So either we are making progress understanding our 20-month old or she is having a fun time seeing how many words her parents can assign to her goofy grunts.

For example:

"Oh" = Owen
"Duh" = Gus
"Da" = Tucker (dog)
"Opper" = Harper (cat)
"Dut" = Dutch (cat)
"po-po mm-mm" = purple blanket
"eye-na mm-mm" = the blanket that's not the purple one

It is amusing fun to be able to build communication with a toddler, even if it does seem a little crazy to people witnessing our attempts from the outside.

We will get some videos out here soon. Before Thanksgiving I promise. In the meantime we're gearing up for the start of college basketball season, watching the incredible Flash Forward, and looking to see where the po-po mm-mm happened to end up.

Cheers!

Super Dragon Turtles

Halloween is just an enormous event in the life of a three year-old. That's probably stating the obvious. But the enthusiasm of little ones leading up to the day where they get an endless supply of chocolate and sugar is just contagious. Owen & Gus woke up ready to seize the candy. Luckily we held them off until dark.

Amy got twin red dragon costumes for the boys. The costumes fell slightly in the "cutesie" column with the ears, wings and big tail. But as this is probably the last Halloween that cutesie could be pulled off, even I have to admit they were pretty doggone cute.

Gus switched gears though at a Halloween party earlier in the week, choosing Woody (from Toy Story) over the dragon. With his brother altering the costume plan, Owen then took a detour as well by declaring he was going to be Spiderman for that same party. Mom was somewhat crushed that her boys had thwarted her plan. But whatever made them happy. (Luckily for us, the boys have a closet full of hand-me-down costumes thanks to our next door neighbor with three older boys who has already been through this stage.)

So when Halloween came Gus settled on Superman, and Owen wouldn't reveal his choice until right before Trick or Treating. Luckily for Mom, she got her dragon as Owen decided he would "breathe hot fire" on people for candy.

I took the boys trick-or-treating and walked them all over the neighborhood. By the end of the night the little guys were absolutely worn out. Gus even said to me, "Dad, I want to go home and take a bath and go to bed" when we finished our last house. I think that's the first time those words have ever escaped those lips.

Tess was dressed up as a turtle -- the same turtle that the boys spent their first Halloween in. She stayed home with Amy and gave away candy to the neighborhood kids. We probably had 150 kids come by -- not as many as last year but still a good turnout.

I have spent an insane amount of time the past few weeks on ripping up bermuda grass in my front yard & re-seeding it. With the constant care required to get the good grass to come up I roped off my yard with flags and stakes to prevent the kids from walking through it that night. Amy gave me a hard time that I was being the grumpy old man (insert Presidential candidate here) -- "Stay off my grass!!" But I didn't care -- I'm not about to have all those hours of watering, tilling, & seeding go for naught. At least I used orange rope between the stakes & orange flags for Halloween. I'm festive, right?

Now we just have to unload all of this candy before too long. Owen & Gus have zeroed in on Kit Kats and Snickers; Amy on the Snickers; on all the above. We will hit our limit pretty soon, and I'll take the rest into work to donate to sugar fixes among software developers.

(Note: I have a feeling the next dozen posts are going to be political. Election Fever is in the air at la casa de Rutl.)

Cheers!



Super Dragon Turtles.



Amy got her wish as her "Mini-me," Owen, decided to go with the dragon costume at the last minute on Halloween night.



Tess just chilled out as a turtle. She is simply a happy, mellow little reptile.

Boo!

The day started early at our house today. Two boys were ready to go Trick or Treating at 6:00 in the morning. Amy & I finally herded them into the van to go to school in time to make their little Halloween parade. The camera flashes were in full effect from all the parents. Fun times.

Amy got the boys red dragon costumes for Halloween. But Gus has discovered the superhero costumes in his closet that our neighbor (who has 3 boys of her own) passed on to us. So Gus decided he was going to be Superman this morning, all day, and tonight to Trick or Treat. Owen stuck with the red dragon this morning. But when I asked him at dinner who he was going to be he had still not decided.

"Is it going to be a gametime decision Owen?"
"Yep, gametime decision."




Tess is intently watching her brothers as they dress up and shriek about candy. She is biding her time for when she can go out begging for sugar.

Cheers!

Trick or Albuterol

The boys celebrated Halloween this week as Fire Chief Gus & Fire Chief Owen. The yellow firefighters quickly got the hang of "trick or treat" and happily opened their bags for candy. Amy & I took them up & down the street while GJ, Sayla and Tucker manned the door.


Owen was exceptionally excited about the brief rush of joy that a small piece of sugary candy provides.

He insisted on more, even robbing the candy bowl at his own house.

Unfortunately he also learned that what comes up -- like a two year old on a sugar high -- must come down.

Gus was not 100% himself on Halloween. He developed an awful cough and a fever on Monday and was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia on Tuesday. His fever (and contagiousness) was gone by Wednesday afternoon so he did get to go trick-or-treating to a couple of houses. Still he wore down and had to come back for treatment with his dinosaur inhaler. Hopefully next year will be better little fella.

Not wanting to be left out, Owen developed the same awful cough and had to go to the doctor on Friday. He didn't have pneumonia, but he is still on albuterol breathing treatments, antibiotics, and ibuprofen to nix the fever.

Let's just say it has been a long, confining week. Amy and I have been to the doctor on Monday (for her), Tuesday (Gus), Thursday (Gus), Friday (Owen), and Saturday (Gus). I am going to the doctor on Monday, as is Gus again. I think it is safe to say we are lucky to have GJ here visiting to help out around the infirmary.

Release the Hounds

We had a tremendous Halloween. The neighborhood was decorated, kids filled the streets running from house collecting candy and the adults took some time to chat in the streets. The boys proudly displayed their canine costumes and loved being outside watching all the other characters trick-or-treating. It was a great night had by all!


The dog pound



Still working on the 'sit' and 'stay' part. Obedience school? Note, Gus is upside down on the left.



Run, I have the keys!!


The boys ended the night relaxing on the neighbor's swing.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from our little pumpkin monsters to yours!



BTW, we closed on the old house today. Not without jumping over some more hurdles yesterday with deck encroachments, utility easements, yadda yadda, but 'tis a done deal. The house ordeal is finally over -- wooohooo!

Cheers!

Pumpkins Galore

Halloween has turned into a popular festive season for Owen & Gus -- and we aren't even to the candy part yet. The boys have been running to their closet on a daily basis, tugging at their dog costume, and happily issuing a barrage of "woof woof"s. Couple that with the joy of pointing out all the pumpkins on people's front porches, and it's safe to say the boys are pumped for Halloween.

This past weekend we ventured out to a pumpkin farm outside Apex where the boys thoroughly enjoyed their first pumpkin-picking experience. They were treated to a sea of pumpkins, a hayride-pulling tractor, and two donkeys. Later the boys got to finally put on their dog costumes and celebrate Trunk or Treat at our church.

Yes, I believe Halloween is going to be a favorite holiday for some time. Just wait til they figure out you get to eat chocolate on top of all the other fun. Cheers!


"I want that one, Mom!"

Gus doubles as a pumpkin.

"Wooohooo! C'mon brother, make the getaway while they're not looking!"

The honor system -- leave your money in the mailbox.

Mini pumpkins are just our size.

Big Red prepares for a Saturday of hayrides while Amy & Gus scope out the asses.



Dad explains that although eating the pen is fun, drawing a jack-o-latern face on the pumpkin with the pen is better.


Gus happily displays the decapitated pumpkin scalp.


Owen shows his lonely puppy dog eyes at Trunk or Treat before warming up to the crowd and running wild.


Gus immediately heads for Tigger and Pooh with keys in hand looking for an audience.