Fall Fun

Fall is my absolute favorite season.  The temperatures drop, the leaves change color, and the stores are filled with pumpkins and carmel apples.

Unless you live in Vegas.  We're still sweating in our shorts and t-shirts here, cacti stay the same shade of green, and the pumpkins and carmel apples will literally melt in the heat if you're not careful.

*Sigh*

I miss the Midwest.

But I was NOT going to let living in Las Vegas take away from MJ's fall experience.  So we've spent the last few weeks doing "fall" things, even while we sweated.  First things first was a trip to 'The Farm.' (Growing up the country, I'd say it was a pretty sorry excuse for a farm, but it was better than nothing.)  There were pumpkins to pick, tractors to ride, and a hay maze to explore.  But, as usual, I couldn't get MJ away from anything that had wheels on it.

Wasn't too sure about the scratchy hay . . . 

RUN, CHICKEN, RUN!!!

And so began my son's obsession with pumpkins.  He would NOT let go of it, even while he sat, completely exhausted, in the car.

I'm all about fostering independence, but I thought that it might be a BIT too early to introduce MJ to knives . . . so we settled for painting the pumpkin instead.

"Please, no pictures.  The artist is working."

Uggggggggggh.  Messiness is one of the hardest parts of being a mom.

"Yep, I think that just about does it."

MJ's finished pumpkin.  If you ask him what it's supposed to be, he says "Mom."  I'm not quite sure what to make of that.

A few days later, we visited ANOTHER pumpkin patch.  This one had carnival games and such, but I'm a little leery of carnies.  So we stuck to picking out pumpkins for Mommy and Daddy.

Straining to pick up Daddy's pumpkin.

These were a little bit more his size . . . 

. . . so I told him we could take one home for Oskar.

We took the pumpkins home and painted them.  Here are the finished products!

And, of course, you can't JUST have pumpkins at my house.  I decorated the house for fall in 90 degree heat.  Not kidding.  But, at least it LOOKS like fall-ish!

Fall also means football.  And, according to Daddy, it's never too early to teach the fundamentals.

"Brown-54-Razor!  Hike! Hike!"

Fumble recovery!

We don't really let MJ have candy, but we didn't want him to miss out on his first trick-or-treating experience.  Our community has a sort of "trunk-or-treat" even at the park, where local businesses come out and pass out candy.  There are also games and a DJ.  We thought it would be a perfect time for MJ to get dressed up and experience Halloween without all the door-to-door fuss.

The Incredible Hulk, ready to trick-or-treat!

Our candy snatcher getting corralled by Daddy.

Even the Incredible Hulk needs a lift sometimes.

Trust me . . . you wouldn't like him when he's angry.

Happy Fall, everyone!

Fun with Kay-Kay

One of the hardest parts about being a military family is having MJ grow up so far away from family.  This is especially true about his cousins.  Some of my best memories about childhood are playing with my "built-in-best-friends."  As I've grown older, I've lost touch with many of them, but it's still nice to remember those days . . . but it also makes me sad that MJ is not going to be able to experience that like I did.  So welcoming family into town is one of the most joyful things we get to do these days, and we recently had the opportunity to welcome Jonathan's sister Allison and her daughter Katie to Vegas for a few days.  And, since Alli was really here for a work conference and Jonathan was working the whole time, MJ and I got to spend a few days, just him, I, and Kate.

On our first Vegas outing, I took the two of them to Spring's Preserve.  This is a natural oasis in the middle of the city.  The first people settled in the Las Valley because there were natural springs under the ground, giving them fresh water in the middle of the harsh Mojave Desert.  However, by the 1960's, Las Vegas's growing population had nearly sucked these natural springs dry.  Spring's Preserve grew out of a desire to protect what remained of the natural springwater and habitat of the valley.  It's now a 180-acre plot of land in the middle of the city with botanical gardens, museums, and a park.  The museums are very hands-on, and you can learn about everything from Las Vegas history to living sustainability in the desert.  And I think it speaks very highly of the place that MJ (who's almost 15 months) and Katie (who's 9) BOTH loved it.

Here they are exploring a compost heap in the sustainability center.

MJ driving a car of the future . . . 

This was one of my favorite exhibits.  Here, Katie is getting ready to learn about flash flooding.

Here comes the flood!  Notice Katie is no longer standing next to railing. ;)

Not scared at all of the spider exhibit.

A little hesitant to go into one of the old train cars from the Nevada railway . . . but if Katie would do it, so would he.

"Riding" the train (the pictures in the windows moved, not the train itself).

Absolutely LOVE this picture:  the two of them watching Old Nevada through the train windows.

Digging for dinosaur bones.  I honestly think the two of them would have stayed in this spot all day.

Help from Kay-Kay to see the rabbits.

I promise he really does love Katie.  There was too much to see to sit still for a picture!

Ummmm . . . you do realize that's a big snake, right?

More sand.

Never too old for the sandbox!

Katie trying on a turtle shell.

Following Katie into the train!

Love their goofy faces here!

I imagine MJ was a hobo in a past life.  I could almost hear him singing "Jimmy Cracked Corn."

The next day, we took a jaunt out of the city.  We drove through Red Rock Canyon so Katie could see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, and then went on to Bonnie Springs Ranch.  This place used to be a stopover for wagons headed west to California on the Old Spanish Trail.  Now, it's been turned into a "living museum," with an old west town, petting zoo, train ride, and gun shows.  

Here, Katie gives MJ a lift to look into an old wagon.

Checking out an old mining cart.

MJ in the middle of the old west town.  Honestly, all he wanted to do was sit down and play with the rocks.

Taking a break from exploring.

Katie cheesing it up.  She said she wanted to be this lady because "at least she's dressed."  (The other option was a lady in her underwear in the bath house).

We hit Katie's jack-pot with the petting zoo.  She literally petted every single animal in there and got to feed a few of them too.  She was little grossed out by this pig though.

Feeding the donkey.

This deer was her favorite.  Unfortunately, it wasn't interested in eating the animal food.  It only wanted her shirt!  Luckily, she laughed it off, and I didn't have to explain to her mom why she was now terrified of deer. ;)

I was a little wary about letting MJ touch any of the animals, and I made him stay in the stroller the whole time, out of fear he'd find a piece of poop and stick it in his mouth before I could stop him.  But I did let him touch this goat . . . and then I doused him in hand sanitizer.  

Getting ready to ride the train!  They are both watching the conductor.

Again, he really does love his cousin.  But the train was pulling out the station, and there was no time to stop and smile for the camera. ;)

Thanks for coming out, Allison and Katie!  We hope you come back really soon (and bring the rest of the family!) :)