Fun Day at the K

Today the Royals held an open house for potential season ticket buyers, so we thought we'd run over there and let the kids wander through the seats for some free entertainment. It turned out to be even cooler than we imagined- free hot dogs, drinks, Cracker Jacks, and popcorn, plus the chance to sit in all the seats, walk on part of the warning track and both dugouts, check out the Diamond Club restaurant and the swanky Crown Club private lounge, and tour the visitors' clubhouse. Plus 20% off in the team store! I got a clearance Billy Butler shirt for about $10. Great-Grandma Meyer had sent the kids each $5 so Ben excitedly picked out a pack of baseball cards and Elizabeth chose a set of 2 necklaces with big baseball beads (she wanted to touch everything else in the store first, though!). We will definitely try to check this out next year, even if season tickets aren't exactly in the budget!

Elizabeth makes a call to the visitors' bullpen- we could actually hear it ring in the outfield!

He wanted to run like Daddy & Uncle Eric did at the 5K.

"GO ROYALS!"

Ben calls the Royals' bullpen and tells them to get Greg Holland ready to pitch.

In the Royals' dugout

The view from the $16,000 seats! (I am not kidding!)

In the clubhouse

Happy Halloween!

After a few days of rain, we had a nice evening for trick-or-treating. Elizabeth has been getting used to her ladybug costume over the last few weeks. She wanted nothing to do with it at first but after seeing online photos of other kids in the same costume, she understood what it was and let me help her try it on. (Full disclosure: they were bribed with delicious apple cider caramels to sit together and smile for the picture!)

On Halloween Elizabeth was excited to get her costume on (did not even want me to bother with the shirt or tights, just wanted "bug! bug!") but freaked out when the first trick-or-treaters came to the door. We carried her most of the way when we went out, though she did warm up and want to go get "treat, treat!" eventually. She was really interested in the Hershey bar she got to eat when we got home and savored it in little bites with intense focus

Ben had a ball in his Chiefs outfit and ran from house to house enthusiastically yelling, "Trick or TREAT!" He also enjoyed watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" with Dave when we got home.

Elizabeth at 21 months

Elizabeth is 21 months old and in the middle of a really fun developmental period. She's learning more words, loves to explore, and is definitely developing opinions! "NO" is one of her favorite words. She loves books, music, peek-a-boo, This Little Piggy, and Play-doh but don't try to get her to finger paint or take away something she wants or you will hear her protests!

This truck has probably been the best toy purchase we've made. We bought it for Ben's first Christmas and both kids have driven miles and miles around the living room and kitchen.

Dancing together

A neighbor of Dave's parents is a beautiful woodworker and had made these rocking horses for his grandchildren, who are older now. When they moved out of KC, he gave them to our kids. We cycle them in and out but this was the first time we'd gotten out the big horse for Ben. Ben and Elizabeth like "racing" each other. Elizabeth is as fearless as Ben was on the little horse, necessitating the beanbag to keep her from rocking too far backward. We're pretty sure the horse is designed not to let that happen, but just in case, the beanbag is there.

I changed her diaper and then went to wash my hands before getting her into pj's. She used the time to lounge around and grab a book!

Hanging out in the mei tai during our zoo trip

She has been getting more into using markers, crayons, and dot markers. Here she is gleefully shaking the crayon box:

Proudly modeling a Play-doh watch designed by Mommy

Autumn has arrived!

After a September with rather unseasonably warm temperatures, it is finally starting to feel like fall in Kansas City.  The kids are enjoying being outside and would probably stay out there all evening if we let them.  Ben loves playing football, baseball, soccer, and going up to the middle school track with Dave. Elizabeth likes when we help her sit in the tree, taking walks or wagon/stroller rides, and carrying around a baseball glove and ball.

Eric and Dave completed the Royals 5K run at Kauffman Stadium. The kids and I went to cheer them on. Elizabeth did NOT like it when Slugger, the Royals' mascot, came over to say hi after the runners left.

Eric and Dave high-fiving the hot dogs as they run into the stadium. Dave is in the Frank White shirt, Eric's ahead of him in dark blue.

Running along the warning track in the stadium

Celebrating! (Ben is unsure and was probably wondering where the promised free food was.)

Dave took Ben back to the stadium for the last Royals' game of the season. (I was at camp for work and Elizabeth was getting some extra Grandma & Opa time.) They got to see a 10th inning walk-off grand slam by Royals player Justin Maxwell to win the game, then got to run the bases afterward!

In September, our friend Neilam visited from California. We had a great relaxed weekend with trips to the local farmer's market and of course, the obligatory barbecue meal!

Ben & Neilam playing "Word on the Street," which is a really fun game!

My parents flew out at the beginning of the month and Ben milked his Papa time as much as possible, with two trips to play miniature golf and a lot of outside playtime. We had lovely weather and the kids loved spending an extra day home with Grammie & Papa as their daycare was closed on Columbus Day.

Elizabeth & Grammie goofing around

Ben doing a puzzle sent by Great-Grandma Meyer

We also took a trip to Bass Pro Shops on a randomly very warm day in September. It's one of our favorite free places to go on days where it's too hot or too cold to spend much time outside. The kids love watching the fish (giant catfish Bess is below) and the ducks.

Ben thought he might add this boat to his Christmas list.

End of summer photos

It has been a busy summer, with activities and visits with friends. Still, with all the activity, Elizabeth decided in the photo above that despite it being way past her bedtime, sleeping was for suckers. We finally gave up, brought her downstairs to watch a little baseball with Daddy and play for a half-hour before trying again to get her to sleep.  Somehow, even when she stays up late, she is generally up bright and early, typically about 45 minutes before we would like her to be awake! Other random happenings from the last month are below.

Saw her tutu in her closet and insisted on putting it on over her pj's

I can't remember who gave her this crab & fish romper, but it's so cute!

Photos from a sleepover at Grandma's & Opa's. Elizabeth is trying to figure out the stethoscope.

Splashing in a fountain after a trip to our town's farmer's market

After a relatively mild summer, we had a small heat wave over the last 2 weeks. We broke out the beach ball sprinkler from cousins Ruth & Dick and the kids enjoyed it. We also had it out when the kids had friends sleep over and it was a big hit.

Ben tries to catch the water on his tongue

We had a picnic with friends at a local park that had picnic tables, a sand box, baseball field, great playground equipment and a little splashing waterfall/brook. The kids absolutely loved it and loudly protested when we had to leave.

Ben was SO excited to get to pitch on a real baseball diamond!

Splashing in the brook (cute Strawberry Shortcake shirt courtesy of Uncle Tony & Aunt Jen!)

Playing with toys by the waterfall

We babysat for the same friends' kids last weekend and broke out a bunch of ideas I found on Pinterest, including making homemade play dough and this game from the Hands On As We Grow blog. You put painter's tape sticky-side out like a spiderweb and throw newspaper balls at it. Once they got the hang of it, they had a lot of fun! Elizabeth also noticed that the painter's tape made great bracelets.

Elizabeth enjoyed stomping in the paper afterward.

We had a family photo taken for our church directory a few weeks ago. They also take a bunch of other photos in the hopes that you will buy a whole package. There was a lot of posing and requests to hold still and smile. Needless to say, with a four-year-old and an eighteen-month-old, that did not work so well. It was tough choosing one good photo for the directory!

However, we got some cute pictures of the kids when we got home.