Halloween 2014

Ryder didn't really get the whole "dressing up for Halloween" concept, so when I asked him what he wanted to be, he just stared at me blankly. We were watching Gator Boys at the time, a show on Animal Planet about an alligator rescue and wrestling, and since he is obsessed with it, it seemed like a good suggestion. He was all about it.

There are not a lot of premade gator wresting costumes, but we put one together pretty easily. I got an authentic Gator Boys T-shirt, some cammo pants (Paul wears shorts), a gator tooth necklace, a bandanna, and a stuffed gator.  Everything was a go except the bandanna.

A week before Halloween we started practicing with our costume. He would only wear the bandanna if Trent and I put ones on as well, and I was certain we would be trick-or-treating as a Gator Gang. He worked out a whole routine where he would wrestle the gator just like Paul and Jimmy; he jumped on the gators back, held his mouth open, and put his head inside. We had to tape his mouth shut with electrical tape (just like the real Gator Boys) so he wouldn't bite.

Ryder got bit right under the eye by another boy at daycare. While that could be a blog entry in itself, the upside was that it added to the authenticity of the costume. When life deals you lemons ...

When Halloween came and he discovered candy was involved, I think I could have gotten him into a tutu without any objection (other than from Trent). He put the bandanna on with no argument, and was gung-ho.

But he wouldn't wrestle that gator for love or money (or candy). He started the night marching around with his candy bucket and his gator.

Then dad had to handle the gator so he could focus on the candy ...

And by the end of the night, our tired wrestler had to be carried. Mom had the candy and the gator. This Halloween stuff is hard work.

Put the Poop Down!

Ryder gets in trouble a fair amount, but it isn't often I video myself getting after him.

Picking up poop makes a mama do crazy stuff.

Feed Truck Follies

It is that time of the year when we start feeding cows. Ryder and I get to hang in the feed truck while Trent puts out hay with the tractor. Keeping Ryder from realizing he would MUCH rather be on the tractor is a full time job. This is a glimpse into how our time in the feed truck goes.

*Disclaimer: In one of the videos Trent swears at the cows. This is normal, and one of these times I'm convinced Izzy is going to swear back at him.

Punkin Patch

This year marks the first time I have ever been to a pumpkin patch. I'm not certain if they didn't have these when I was young, or if my parents weren't suckers enough to take me.

These pumpkin people have a little gold mine on their hands ... and Trent and I spent all of our time trying to figure out how we could open a patch of our own. We have the basic ingredients. We have goats, horses, and calves. How much can a couple pigs and a sheep or two cost? We have hay. Of course ours would need a little organization. We have the makings of a hayride in that we have a tractor and a trailer. We have pumpkins (3 that we actually grew, but we were at the patch early enough on a Sunday morning to see the truck "deliver" the homegrown pumpkins still with the "Texas" stickers on them). I think we are on to something.

Ryder had a great time. Of course the animals were his favorite, but he liked the slides and the corn maze too. Luckily it was nap time and he was getting sleepy or we would probably still be there.

He likes the goats, but couldn't figure out why they weren't brown and white (like Papas)

That is a $1 breakfast carrot

Feeding the sheep

Notice the 3 little pigs and their houses in the back. I could do that ...

This was the reaction on seeing the turkey. It was a scary turkey.

Pumpkin Man

On top of Hay Mountain. He can't read yet.

Sliding down the big slide

Fun riding daddy

 Wipe out on the corn maze

 Not sure what the tires were all about, but he loved the beach sand

Excellent Family Fun!

Fall 2014

I'm a little behind in my blogging, so we will do one SuperPost to catch up on some of our happenings from the last couple weeks.

A new batch of kittens was born on the farm. While Jimmy the Black Cat is still his favorite, this new group is more willing to ride around in trailers.

Somebody is ready for some football!

I'm not sure where the obsession with roping comes from, but everything is fair game from kittens

to stuffed Bison 

He has discovered a love of salsa. He dips the same chip into the salsa over and over, licking off the chip and sticking it back in. He is a triple-dipper for sure!

Daycare turned 4 and had a party complete with bounce house. It was a big hit!

Nana found some of Trent's old trucks he played with when he was little. Ryder thinks they are the coolest things EVER.

Always fun in the tub.

Cooler mornings mean blankie time for the ride to school

Still nothing better than feeding cows. Although he has decided to be scared of them ... and insists they are going to "get him".

How cool is it when you Papa has a real full size road grader?!?

I

Bunny Slippers

I bought these last year at the Tulsa fair. Ryder put them on, walked around in them ... LOVED them. I wrapped them up and gave them for him for Christmas, and he screamed (not a good scream) when he opened them. He has refused to even look at them since.

With the weather getting cooler, I suggested he try them again. They are, of course, too small now but at least he wore them for a little bit. They make him go fast.