Pumpkins & cider & hayrides. It's Fall!

Finally! I didn't think it would ever really feel like fall. It's still been hot during the day and only cooling off a little at night. Today was the first day cold enough for a jacket, and now that it's night it's cold enough to turn the heat on.

Silas had his fall field trip with his school on Friday. It hadn't cooled off yet so we were all in shorts and tees. It just doesn't feel right being at the pumpkin patch in shorts. Wah wah, boo hoo. If it was freezing, I'd complain about that too. He had a great time and we were both worn out at the end of the day.

I was trying to apply some of the techniques I learned in photography class over the course of the day. Actually doing it is a little harder than learning it, but I tried. I didn't do too bad for a point and shoot camera. I'm hoping Santa puts a dslr in my stocking.

And how's this for a random picture? This is painted on a concrete tower down by the river. It's just not what you'd expect to see amid all the graffitti and tags.

Of course, anyone who likes Johnny Cash is ok with me, vandal or not.

Do you want to know if your kid is "THAT kid"?

Piglet goes to preschool three mornings a week. In general, I am extremely happy with the school, staff, and students. But...there's that kid. The one that sneaks a punch as piglet runs by, that makes sure teacher isn't looking then wrestles the toy out of his hands, that pushes, pinches, and terrorizes. Piglet has been at this school since his 2nd birthday. He has never had any problems with any other children. He's never even been in time out.


But this year about three weeks in, I started to hear about how Tony is bad at school, Tony got in trouble, Tony hit so and so. Then I started hearing about not wanting to go to school. That had never happened before. Piglet is very excited to get away from me for three hours go to see his friends and his beloved Miss Aura. It broke my heart to see his joy and eagerness offset by trepidation and hesitation (and maybe even a little fear). I gave him different options for how to handle the situation from asking Tony to stop (duh) to asking the teacher to intervene. After several more weeks, I spoke with the teacher myself and she promised to keep an eye on them. I probably should have let piglet handle it himself, but for the king's ransom I pay them, and the fact that there's only five students per adult, I thought the kid could use a little help. He's a very gentle soul, my piglet, who would never think of retaliation. I'm working on that. We start boxing next week. I kid...they won't let him start til he's five.


I had a chance to observe Tony in action at a birthday party. The third time he ran by my kid and hit him in the chest, mama bear got up on her hind legs and did a little roaring. I got down to his level, shot lazer beams of death looked him in the eye and told him if he did it again, he and I were going to have a talk with his mama. I explained that some kids don't like to play like that and that piglet would like for him to stop hitting, like he's asked him eleventy hundred times.


The boys' mother is nice enough. She's got a one year old in addition to Tony, along with older children. She's obviously overwhelmed and at her wits end. My question to you wise folks on the interwebs is this: Do you think she wants to know her kid is THAT kid? Or do you think she knows and doesn't know what to do about it? Would you want to know? And lest you may be thinking piglet is a sniveling snissy who needs to man up and handle his own ;) the other seven boys in the class have the same problem. The girls seem to be safe...for now.