Last night we went to Snowflake Lane! There is loud music and characters walking around (including evangelical Mormons!) and even snow! The snow was really just soap bubbles, but it looked like snow and was lots of fun. The kids had a great time. Travis liked his sucker the best and Elliot enjoyed finding all the sources of music. He hid when anyone in costume showed up.

When we got home, I told Elliot to put on his pajamas. He included his dad’s glasses in the ensemble.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAdvEX26bvQ?fs=1]

Elliot made this Lego Christmas tree all by himself!

So I made a Santa to go with the tree.

This is what Trav did with his Legos.

(Trav says his Legos are “guns from the gun shop.”)

Have you met Wilbur? He is Elliot’s imaginary friend. He is a character when the kids play (for example, Elliot is Jake, Trav is Cubby, and Wilbur is Lightning McQueen.) Wilbur is 7 years old and Elliot says he sits between the boys in the back seat. The kids are so matter-of-fact about Wilbur that sometimes I look around for a real person.

Today we are going crazy. The weather is bad and all the indoor play spaces are packed. So I pulled out the last resort: paint! I reserve paint for outside projects normally, but today called for something drastic. I had an actual project for the kids to do, but as soon as they saw the paint they wanted to just mix all of it together. Which is what they did.

And then Elliot used his mixing spoon to make a special drink for Wilbur.

Here are some photos from yesterday’s school program. The kids made their own costumes. Elliot’s is a train conductor and Trav is wearing an astronaut costume. The program was really just their regular circle time with a special treat: the kids had made their own caramel apples. I will try to post the video again. It didn’t work the first time.

Today I took the kids to the Bellevue Art Museum. Only one floor was open so we got free tickets to come back when more exhibits are installed. There was a modicum amount of appreciation by the Dunn Bros. Here, Trav wants to crawl under the bridge.

Elliot dropped his toy in one of these baskets.

Trav enjoyed this mountain of flags.

Finally: something they could touch! Yarn Wall was the best thing we found and kept them entertained and entangled like cats for the better part of five minutes!

We knocked on lots of doors last night and said Trick or Treat! And then Elliot generally complimented the door greeter on their lovely Halloween decorations before thanking them for the candy and meandering slowly away. He takes it all in. Trav, on the other hand, went to about half the houses before he was ready to call it quits and go home for the candy eating. So I took Trav home and Elliot stayed out with his dad and some other neighborhood friends. Hope your Halloween was just as much fun!