Saturday, November 07, 2009

November 5, 2009 - Now where's the stick and puck?

Ok, just kidding... we'll take a few more lessons first but Colin did great at his first ice skating lesson tonight! We did a test run on Tuesday night and went to open skate at the Pettit Ice Arena and we made it around the rink twice (Olympic size let me tell you!) with Colin holding Mama's hand tightly and only one small fall. I forgot the helmet that night so we were being extra cautious and Colin was frustrated at the difficulty of skating on the ice but still tried!

Our first night of lessons was a complete turn around! Colin was on the ice the full time and learned how to march on the ice, fall down and the right way to easily get back up, did some games and then some free skate time! Ok, so he didn't really skate or glide around the ice quite yet in his first class but the instructor was very impressed with how stable is is on his skates and skill level of Colin and the other girl in his class! I think he's going to be skating circles around me in no time! Colin loves watching the hockey teams play in the smaller rinks and has definitely ask already when he gets to start on the ice with a stick and puck!


I also got a chance to talk to a hockey mom and boy, do I have something coming when we venture into team sports past our current 'lesson' and 'micro-tot' level... Rec leagues, clubs, AAA level and traveling teams... makes my head spin!!!

November 1, 2009 - bike riding in the Bay



Besides our love for the tandem bike, Colin is still getting plenty of practice on his own bike so that when he's "a little bit more of a bigger kid" he can ride sans training wheels!!

Colin rode (and Mama walked) through the neighborhood to pick up some groceries at Sendiks. Now I just need to get a basket on his bike so I don't have to carry the groceries back myself!!
And somehow Colin has learned to associate Starbucks with apple juice boxes... hmmm... I don't know why that is! But we passed one and he was so thirsty for a juice box that we had to stop for a little juice box break :)

October 31, 2009 - HALLOWEEN 2009

Best Halloween EVER! And it was a busy one!

Colin the Tiger started his Halloween trick or treating in the afternoon in Fox Point. Craig (Daddy), Melinda and I walked around their neighborhood while Colin started collecting his treat stash :)
He left a basket of goodies at Daddy's house after hitting a few blocks and Colin and Mama headed back to our neighborhood to give out our treats for a while!


Then it was off to his pal Brendan's house for our annual Halloween night trick or treating, leaf pile jumping and smores fire pit at the Reas!
Yummy pizza for dinner had by all and cutie pie Katie giving a big Halloween grin!
Spiderman Brendan and Tiger Colin play in the leaves / Mama, Colin and Spiderman with his spooky reflective spider eyes!
Colin and Brendan had no problem trick or treating... I think they yelled 'TRICK OR TREAT' about 10 times before they even got to each door! Tiger and Spiderman checking out a treat bowl
Just a normal family photo for the Reas... (ha ha Lauren!) / the best buds!
After such an exciting evening, Lauren reads a story to the sleepy boys before we headed home with Colin falling asleep in the car before we got our of the Reas neighborhood!
The next morning, Colin had not forgotten about his pumpkin full of treats and he dumped out his loot to see the magnificent treats!

October 29, 2009 - Great Pumpkin Festival


The Whitefish Bay Great Pumpkin Festival is a wonderful thing!
I don't know how we had not yet been here since we have lived in WFB... but we are definitely annual regulars now!

The festival is held across from the library in a small park and goes on every evening for the week leading up to Halloween. It was much fun, with pumpkins of all sizes and shapes, professionally carved and created by each family and child in the village! Then the pumpkins all go on display at the festival with every one being lit for an impressive glowing orange festival every night.

Besides that, the Admirals hockey team sponsors the event and Colin talked to the cool hockey dudes and got some autographs, we carved our own pumpkin (with square eyes, nose and grimacing square smile per Colin's request), got some snacks and danced to local live music.
A wonderful evening had by Colin and Mama!







October 25, 2009 - tiger face


We practiced Colin's tiger face Halloween makeup tonight for his costume.

There were too many other fun things going on on actual Halloween to paint Colin's face so I'm glad that we had our practice night because he makes a pretty viscous tiger in full tiger face!

October 22, 2009 - Halloween prep


Colin got a Halloween present from Mama and then we did some dancin' to his 'Monster Mash' singing card!

Colin's cousin Kivrin, the cutest pumpkin ever... and Colin signed his own name on his Halloween cards! Hard to see but all the letters are there... backwards 'N' and all!

We made chocolate and sprinkle covered pretzel sticks for our Halloween weekend fun to share with all of Colin's friends-- it was fun for both of us... and the kitties enjoyed playing with all of the sprinkles that found their way to the floor!

October 11, 2009 - Apple Holler fun day

It was a cold one, but totally worth it! We went to Apple Holler for some fall fun, apple cider for Mama and make your own carmel apples for Colin! A hay ride, stroll through the pumpkin patch and my favorite live reggae musician.

Colin and Mama in the apple orchard

Tall as an apple tree!
Colin on a pony ride!
Playing in the hay mazes and Colin showing off his carmel apple loaded with just a few sprinkles :)
In the pumpkin patch (which was lacking pumpkins!) and feeding the goats
Colin running around the cow maze