Things to be Thankful For

Family

and more family...

Behaving and getting along while cooking up their own little Thanksgiving feast...

It has been 8 1/2 years and the china finally made its debut with Daddy's family on Thanksgiving!! Doesn't it look pretty!?! Alex and Julia also helped to set the mood by providing the art and decorations...see the ribbons, clothespins, and art on the dining room window.

Turkey 'Up'cakes

Pilgrim Alex on Thanksgiving...Making a turkey with his hand-prints!

Pilgrim Julia on Black Friday...She actually slept in by about a half hour!

Army Duke...and the love between a boy and his dog.

And...the love between a girl and her dog.

Kindergarten Progress...Huh??

Alex has really been progressing since he started Kindergarten. I have always been so impressed with his knowledge, memory, ingenuity, and overall curiosity in all subject matters. Imagine my surprise in a few situations...

1. Parent-Teacher Conferences: Alex's teacher told us how wonderful he is and was going over how he recognizes all of his letters, but needs to work on a few of his letter sounds (specifically 'W,' which he wants to sound out like a 'D' because of the 'doubleu' name). She then went on to say how much he really loves math but that he can only count to '39' and needs to work on counting to 120 by the end of the year. At first, I was like OK...and then all of sudden, it hit me. "Huh...Excuse Me? Alex can only count to 39?" For those of you who really know Alex, you know this not to be a true statement at all. The kid loves to count and at times ENDLESSLY counts...especially in the car. Trust me...He can count to almost 200 and could probably could keep going if he thought someone was actually paying attention to him. I asked him to count for me the very next day and he went all the way to 149 before getting bored with himself...When I asked him why he only counted to 39 for his teacher...He said "I don't know...I guess I didn't feel like counting." Are you kidding me? Is this the beginning? This kid just might kill me.

2. Report Card: Alex received a great report card yesterday! I was beginning to think that maybe they didn't get report cards in Kindergarten...It seems like the first day of Kindergarten was years ago now. Despite its greatness, I was surprised yet again. His teacher included a list of sight words that he does and doesn't recognize. It was based off the same list she gave us a few weeks ago to work on with Alex. Like a good parent/student, I made him flash cards and we have been working on them with him over the past few weeks. Imagine my surprise when I noticed that he 'did not recognize' words that I knew for sure that he does 'recognize.' We went through the flash cards again last night and he was nailing words left and right...Knowing clearly more than what he evidently wanted to show his teacher. He was still struggling with his 'wh' words, but that I would have expected on the list. I asked him..."Why didn't you say the words for your teacher?" And he said..."I don't know...I guess I didn't feel like reading them." Are you kidding me??

Well, now I'm left wondering...Is he doing this to put me in an early grave? Is there some peer pressure involved? Or, is he just more interested in doing what is going on across the room rather than showing his teacher what his true skills are? I don't know...Only time will tell, I suppose. But, in the meantime, I again had a talk with Alex about always doing his best...especially when his teacher is doing testing!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

P.S. Alex's report card did confirm, however, that he can count past 39. He counted for his teacher to 115 just before she did report cards...Still, I was a little disappointed! He can count so much higher than that! Why can't he just show her? Oh, she has to test 24 kids?? I guess it is probable that she cut him off! :)

Carving 'Mucks'

One of the disappointing aspects of your children growing up is the continued development of their speaking and language. It is a surprise...I know, I know. Who would think that it is sad to have clearly speaking children? Maybe, just us, I suppose. Daddy and I came to the realization that Julia was growing up this Fall when she actually started calling pumpkins by their real name...'pumpkins.' For the longest time, she called them 'mucks.' It was always amusing and she was so cute when she said it...Now it is just a fading memory. We have noticed other losses as well...Aunt Nonny is now Aunt Tonya, for example. At least we still can smile when she calls Pepsi, Sepi. I wonder how long it will be before we lose that one...

I have never before seen this in my life...Our pumpkin was pregnant!!! Pregnant with only about a million baby pumpkin plants! A warm, sunny Fall, I suppose??

I know, I know...It is kind of disturbing!

Apparently, she is still scared of pumpkin guts. Her torture was short lived and she forgave Daddy after he got her a piece of pumpkin pie!

Tada!!

Veteran's Day 2010

Grandpa Carl-US Army
Turkey 1975

Daddy, Mommy, Alex, Julia, and Duke would all like to thank our family members who have helped protect our country our family over the years! Happy Veteran's Day!! We LOVE you!!

Grandpa Lloyd--Army Air Corps
Grandpa Richard--Air Force
Grandpa Wayne--Air Force
Grandpa Al--Army
Papa Carl--Army
Papa John--Navy
Cousin Nathaniel--Army

Dear Julia

Dear Julia.

I love it when you see a star and immediately start to sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.' It melts my heart.

Love,
Mommy

Falling Into Leaves

A Spooky ShinDig

For the past few years, we have hosted a Spooky Lunch at our house for the neighborhood kids. This year we did a Spooky Shindig before Trick or Treating...The kids enjoyed themselves and the parents enjoyed themselves even more! It is always fun for the mommies to come up with 'spooky' treats for the kids to eat! Unfortunately, I did not get pictures of everything, but here are few pictures of the some of the foods and the menu to give you an idea of the selection!

Graveyard Dip
Jack O' Lantern Cheese Ball
Autumnal Chili
Salty Bones and a Bloody Sauce
Mummy Pizzas
Devil's Eyes
Spider Web Pudding
Spider Web Cookies
Halloween Cupcakes
Monster Mouths
Mummy Dogs
Monster Toes
Witches Fingers
Candy Corn Cupcakes

Devil's Eyes

Salty Bones and a Bloody Sauce

Graveyard Dip

A Variety of Foods

The Gang

Halloween Buy Back

After hearing recently about the Halloween Candy Buy Back program sponsored by dentists and orthodontists across the country, I had the kids set aside some of their candy to send to American troops overseas. Upon initially mentioning it to Alex, he seemed less than enthused, but after I explain to him how much the soldiers would appreciate it and how it seemed appropriate since he was an American soldier for Halloween, he gave in. I had already set aside candy that I knew that they didn't like or that I don't like them to eat because of fears of choking, but then I told Alex and Julia to pick out some candy to give to the soldiers that they thought they would like to eat if they were far away from their family and friends. I'll be honest...This wasn't completely selfless in nature. Some of the candy that they collected over the past few days just needed to get out of the house...You know how it goes...Mommy ends up eating it. And, Alex didn't put one Reece's Peanut Butter Cup or Hershey's Chocolate Bar in the bag (his favorites). But, he did put plenty of Baby Ruth's, Butterfingers, Kit Kats, Milky Ways, suckers, and Tootsie Rolls in the bag. Julia was blindly just putting candy in the bag for the troops. She has always been good at sharing...We'll see if that continues in the future. All and all, they collected up and donated a little over two pounds of candy and sent two pictures overseas to the troops. And, as I sit here typing this...I wish I would have encouraged them to put just a little bit more in...That candy downstairs is calling my name! :)