Pumpkin Prep

Between Dexter's field trip for school and his pumpkin patch expedition with Grandma and Gunker, we ended up with four little pumpkins to carve into Jack-O-Lanterns.

Between my school and Ben's teaching, we had one hour and twenty minutes of family pumpkin carving time this afternoon.

We let Dexter draw the faces on the pumpkins and "help" cut the shapes out.  It was quality time at its best.  Stay tuned to see how they turned out!

I'm Calling It Karma

 Last month, another student in my cohort, Ray, was moving into a new place from a far away city and didn't have any household items so I pulled together a few items that we didn't need to help him get settled. As I was packing up a loaf pan for him, Dexter and I decided to give it to him full of lemon cake.  Last week, Ray and I had a brief exchange about intrinsic motivation and altrusim with me arguing that there is no such thing as altruism and him pointing out that it was altruistic of me to give him a bunch of necessary things for his apartment.

This morning, after our TA session for Statistics, Ray gave me a coffee cake and some Halloween-y cupcakes for Dexter as a thank you.  Not only did we get to enjoy these treats but I also got to frame my "altruistic" gesture as banking some good karma.

 Here is Dexter's face after wolfing down his chocolate cupcake.

Here is Dexter's face when I told him he couldn't have another one.

Halloween Hedge Trimming

Daddy, not Dexter...

Back to Work

Ben and I decided to use 41.2 lbs of Dexter to weigh down the raked leaves in the bin - got the job done and Dexy really enjoyed himself!

Union Break

After being such a big help with the yardwork, Dexter enjoyed a drink of bubbly water on the front porch steps.

Shoveling Leaves

Dexter is a HUGE help with the yardwork!

Pumpkin Patching with Grandma and Gunker

 Grandma and Gunker helped me out again by taking Dexter out pumpkin patching so I could do my Stats homework on Saturday while Ben was at work.  They are the BEST!

 When I looked at all the pictures they took, I couldn't believe how much they did at the pumpkin patch!  They rode a train and a pony...

 Fed some furry animals...

 Found their way through a corn maze...

And played/rested in a huge bin full of corn kernels. Dexter slept like a log that night (I bet Grandma and Gunker did too!).

Showing Off Skills

 Both Dexter and Ben got to show off their mad gaming skills for Grandma and Gunker!  Dexter was thrilled to play on a big air hockey table (we have a small one at home).

 Engrossed with pretend driving!

Shooting hoops!

In the Zone with Grandma and Gunker

While I was sitting all day at a meeting in DC, Dexter was living it up at Jump Zone with Grandma and Gunker (and Daddy)!

Dexy was intimidated by the big slide but eventually figured out how to do it in a way that he felt safe.