Pressley Punkins

Since Jones was born, my mom has laid a major guilt trip on me every Christmas about why I don't do more holiday decoating. "Because, Mom," I've told her, "The boys don't care yet, so it just makes more mess than is necessary. I'll DO more when they WANT more."

Turns out, that time is now. 

Jones has become VERY excited by Halloween decorations - particularly pumpkins. Seeing this, I found some cheap decorations (that required multiple trips to Dollar Tree and hauling home a "punkin" that's been in the Stultz family, since I "wanted more" decor in the first or second grade). 

The first of these decorations that I showed Jones was the family of punkins - the one we've had forever and three smaller ones I bought from a lady on Facebook. Jones got VERY excited about them, naming each one of the four for a different member of our family and kissing them good nite, as they sat on Mom's hearth, before heading to bed. 

Seeing his excitement, I thought we might find some more things to add to our collection by visiting Hobby Lobby. There, what most excited Jones were the Christmas trees. If he asked once, he asked twelve times, "Mama, trees, please?" 

So we left the Lobby with empty hands and headed to the Dollar Tree, which is probably where we should've started out. That's where we found lighted paper lanterns, votive candles to illuminate the Punkin People, and, best of all, PLASTIC WINDOW CLINGS, which Jones calls "steekers," and which he held in his hands, talking to the different characters on the sheet the entire drive from Greenville to Asheville.

While Jeremy finalized his car purchase in town, the boys applied their steekers to the playroom window. Freddie was more destructive than constructive (as he has a tendency to be), but Jones had a ball. In this video, you can see the final product. I'm posting a transcript that's not 100% exact but close enough, since I realize that I understand him WAY better than anyone else does!

ME: JoJo, what'd you do to the window?

JONES: I put the window!

ME: How's it look?

JONES: Datt's so pwetty?

ME: Tell me what's on the window.

JONES: Freddie got it ... here go, Mama.

ME: Thank you, Freddie. Tell me what's on the window, Buddy.

JONES: That on the window.

ME: Are there any scarecrows?

JONES: Yes. Right dere, and hair is 'nudder screecow up here.

ME: Yeah

JONES: This. we put on window. YAY!

ME: Yay. It looks awesome, Buddy. 

JONES: There's star. There's star.

ME: Where the punkins?

JONES: Right there

ME: What color are they?

JONES: Dey oranges. 

ME: Well, you did a great job, JoJo. I'm really proud of you.

JONES: Melcome, Mama. Melcome.

ME: Freddie, did you help?

JONES: I help Mama.

ME: Yeah, you did, didn't you?

JONES: I did. Here go, Mama.

ME: Freddie, don't pull.

JONES: Don't pull. 

I also pulled out the punkin lanterns and set them up. Jones would reach for them and say things, like,  "Hey, Little Buddy Guy, Punkin." Then, he'd pull them to him. 

After the boys went to bed, I decided a second trip to Dollar Tree was in order. If a little bit of "unnecessary plastic objects" (to quote Nanci Griffith) would make my babies happy, then a LOT of them would make my boys EUPHORIC. My plan was to have the house decorated by the time the boys got up the next morning. 

And that's what happened. 

See for yourself. 

JONES: ... deen?
ME: Yeah!
JONES: Oh! It so bwahifull! Sank oo, Mama!
ME: Oh, Buddy! You're so welcome!
JONES: They're oranges! Hey, Dada Punkin! Dada, we got Dada Punkin! He has hat. And Mama Punkin and Freedie Punkin and JoJo Punkin. Ohhhh. Sank oo, Mama."

So, needless to say, I see a lot of trips to the Dollar Tree in my future - whatever it takes to make their holidays this happy.