Patrick and Joe spent the weekend in New York at Grandma and Grandpa’s. I decided to stay home, get some work done, and relax with a little “me” time.

That was fun for about 10 minutes — I miss my boys!

Here are some photos from their trip. They’re on the way home now with more!

2008:

2009:

2010:

Joe came home from school today with a permission slip for his first field trip! On Oct. 13, he and his little friends will be going to the pumpkin patch at Boulevard Flower Gardens. Can you imagine the cuteness?!

Included with the slip were some instructions on getting approved as a parent volunteer and tagging along on the field trip. You better believe I’m going to do that — if I didn’t have that option, I’d be parked across the street with a telephoto lens, trying to get photos of his adventure.

Stay tuned!

I’m sure they don’t actually have a favorite, but still …

(Editor’s Note: They were Goldfish crackers, not actual goldfish. — Joe)

A local website is having a Mommy Makeover contest, and my mother was kind enough to nominate me for the big prize. If you have a second, vote here and help me get my groove back!

Joe’s occupational therapist has added a new item to the list of things the kid has to put on every day: thumb splints!

They are meant to improve his grasp by positioning his thumb in a more adaptive way throughout the day. Here he is showing them off:

Meanwhile, he’s learning new stuff all the time. His new favorite after-dinner activity is a game we call Climbing Over Dada to Get a Toy:

Fall in Richmond means festival season is upon us! Every weekend, there is at least one festival going on, and it usually means really good food.

On Friday, Joe and I met Patrick at the Armenian Food Festival and the three of us enjoyed hummus, boreg, pilaf, hye burgers and chicken kabobs. Yum.

Saturday was Oktoberfest, where Patrick had a bratwurst with potato salad and I had a pretzel the size of a bed pillow. Somehow, we managed a couple of beers and a slice of German chocolate cake too.

Today, Joe and I went to the Family Peace Festival, where I (miraculously) didn’t eat a thing but we both enjoyed the music and the variety of exhibitors.

Here is Joe in the Festhalle at Oktoberfest: