Wednesday is Halloween.  However, thanks to Hurricane Sandy, going Trick or Treating is the last thing on many people’s minds.  We knew that Wednesday was likely going to be a washout here.  Of course, if that’s Sandy’s only legacy by us, we’ll count ourselves lucky.

On Sunday, the sky was cloudy, but there was no rain.  It was a perfect time for the boys to a) be outside (something they won’t get to do for the next couple of days) and b) try out their costumes.

JSL had decided he wanted to be Buzz Lightyear.  Unfortunately, all of the Buzz costumes were for little kids and didn’t fit him.  After Buzz, he couldn’t decide on Indiana Jones or Captain America.  In the end, Captain America prevailed.

The costume itself was purchased for Halloween, but the mask and shield were items JSL already owned.  (His mask fit better than the costume’s included mask.)

NHL chose Harry Potter, of course.  We’re in the middle of reading the books and he’s in love with the entire series.  When he needed glasses, back in March, he even picked a frame out because it looked like Harry’s.

NHL loves casting spells with his wand, even if he wasn’t quite character-accurate with the magic he was doing.  Hint: Harry Potter does not tend to use Unforgiveable Curses like Cruciatus or Avada Kedavra.

The kids had a blast playing in their costumes.  We don’t know what the next few days will bring.  Hopefully, we’ll escape this hurricane with minimal damage.  At least the boys were able to have some fun before Sandy struck.

Today is the first day of school.  This means that summer is over (unofficially, at least).  My kids once again need to worry about getting ready in the morning, homework, and other "fun" school-related chores.  Before the sun set on summer fun for the last time, though, we had one more fun moment.  We went to Aunt S’s house by the lake.  There, they enjoyed many fun activities with their cousins and other members of B’s family.

Mountain Climbing

Ok, this is just a steep hill and not a mountain.  Still, the boys had a blast climbing the mountain and running down it.  I, meanwhile, liked climbing it for the view it afforded me.

Boat Trip

What good is a house on the lake without a boat?  Though NHL opted out in favor of the pool (more on that later), JSL and I went out with Nana, Papa, Cousin A and Uncle M.  The trip began in an eventful manner with the engine dying.  We were just far enough from the dock to see it slowly drift away with no way to get back.  We did have a good view, though.

Luckily, Cousin A found a loose fuel injector line, fixed it, and we were good to go.  JSL loved driving the boat and watching Cousin A water skiing.

The boat ride ended with a bang.  Or rather a splash.  JSL was standing at the front with Papa when a big wave hit the boat soaking both of them.  (Sadly, my camera was pointed elsewhere at that moment, so I didn’t capture it.)  JSL was first upset by the sudden face full of water but he quickly decided that it was funny instead.

Pool Time Fun

As mentioned before, NHL opted to go in the pool.  As I understand it, he and Cousin S did some diving into the water.  The next day, JSL, NHL, B, and I went to the pool together.  B didn’t have her swimsuit, so the boys and I went into the water together.  JSL was apprehensive, especially once he felt the cold water, but he soon got in the pool spirit and was laughing along with NHL and me.

Sand and Surf

Our last visit was to the beach right near the pool.  There, NHL and JSL broke out some sand toys and had fun digging in the sand.  We also walked all the way out to the buoys that mark the end of the "safe to walk/swim" area.  Having grown up on Long Island, the beach brings back some great memories for me.  I still find it very relaxing to just sit chest-deep in the water and let the waves rock me back and forth.  I showed this to NHL and he agreed that it felt nice and calming.

Of course, calm isn’t as much fun and getting down and dirty in the sand.

Yes, school might be starting now.  Their freedom to do whatever they want will be curtailed as things they WANT to do take a backseat to things they HAVE to do.  Still, it’s nice that they had one last summer weekend milked for every ounce of fun it contained.