Fun/Free Times in October

Perhaps I will miss this time, if for no other reason than how many FREE and sometimes fun activities there are for little people! 

In a fun twist at the beginning of the month, I had a meeting away from school in the afternoon and managed to pick up the boys and make it home by 5:15. FIVE FIFTEEN! It was amazing and I was a bit giddy all night; it felt like I was on vacation. We ate dinner at a normal time, actually played and I think I even made it to bed at a normal hour. I truly love my job, but the bus duty and commute get a little bit tiresome occasionally. 5:15. I keep thinking about it. 

On a different note, how much fun is this bubble machine that Clare gave Max? 

Speaking of loving my job...there were a few weekends where Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg stuff was FREE for teachers & 1 guest. And, kids under 2 are always free, so SCORE! (Brandon was, of course, working so we had an epic time with the Brimers!

First up, Wonder Works! Now, I can tell him, "We have already been there!" every time we pass The Upside Down House. 

I love that Max is free when we go places because I feel like it is a total victory. He has just as much fun as Anderson!

Then, because she is awesome, Clare suggested we hit up the Aquarium and it was AWESOME and also FREE!! A shark tunnel! What on earth.

In addition to the amazing sights, they touched crabs & jelly fish!

Max was SO pumped about all of it. FISH! SHARK! TUR-TLE! (I love how he says turtle)

As always, we are so lucky to have these Brimers in our lives!

I love, love when I walk into sights like this.

A visit from our girls where we made Halloween houses. 

 And Amazing Noni took the older ones to Chuck E Cheese to battle the crowds in their Halloween costumes (free tickets for kids in costume and, you know we had free token coupons, too. Noni paid the rest, so technically...still free for me!)

while I kept these 2 and fed them ice cream for lunch. 

During my 2 day Fall Break (I LOVE MY JOB!), both boys were sick with Hand/Foot/Mouth virus and Max, of course, had ear infections, but that did not stop us from having fun running errands and cleaning the house! We did manage a few fun things like a visit to the library but, overall, my kids are destined to always associate breaks from school with productivity. Other people have vacations and we have oil changes; it all equals out in the end. 

We played hooky one afternoon from school & went to the Foothills Fall Festival, and, you know that a visit to a Fall festival is not complete without Noni/Bop along for the ride!

I got some really high quality pics while we were there like this one of Max climbing the basketball thing.

Really, I think that might be the best picture that I got with the exception of Twiggy the water skiing squirrel . You know it is a good time when there is a rodent on skis.

This Ferg loves his Bop. 

Due to the fact that I have already had one vehicle/construction/rescue loving boy, we have seen every truck in Knoxville at some point, but Round #2 deserves some truck love, too. So, we hit up a Fire/Rescue thing and Max was in heaven. 

There were all kinds of businesses giving out free stuff and we, of course, promptly hoarded all of it, including a little football. 

Just like I always do, I took many, many amazing pictures of everyone. 

Another Friday night, another football game. Bop & Anderson came with me to a few this season & it was really fun because the people I work with are amazing and have goody bags ready for Anderson/food Pops likes in the Press Box. I am serious. Also, it is fun when I get to hang out with them while "working."

 Fall festival at their preschool. I truly love that place.

He kept trying to pose as if he was scoring. 

Reese is seriously adorable. Her little petiteness, her excitement about Max, her little face. It is all too much. 

 We hit up the YMCA Fall Festival, which was a totally misleading name because there was definitely nothing "fall" about it. I think it was maybe 80 degrees. but, the heat did not stop Max & Reese from totally dominating the play doh table.

 Max LOVED the pumpkin painting. It was fun to watch him so focused.

 Anderson had a baseball game, but he came for a few minutes to paint a pumpkin, too.

 Then we hit up Sunny's 4th birthday party! The boys had such a fun time playing outside and hitting the piñata. I cannot believe Sunny is 4!

These 2 together are so precious and WAY less intense (emotionally, anyway) than their older siblings. 

And, here are a few videos from the month,  so I can easily find them when I want them: 

Anderson talking in the car

Max making animal sounds

Anderson explaining his solar system drawing

Max talking in the car

A link to an Anderson funny