Thanksgiving

Last year we were unpacking boxes on Thanksgiving. This year we were fighting the flu and other various ailments. And then there was snow.

I wish this Thanksgiving was full of celebration and fun. It was filled with family, but unfortunately the majority of us were too ill to really enjoy the time together or the food. Even the kids were ill.

PaPaw helped plow the driveway during the snow that fell the day before Thanksgiving. We got about 8 inches of snow.

Oliver and Chloe enjoyed playing in the snow (before they got sick).

Having some fun with Uncle John in the front yard.

One Year in the House

Thanksgiving 2013 was spent moving boxes. This year we will celebrate the holiday with family in the home we have been in for one year.

Closing Day 2013.

Saying Goodbye

We said "goodbye" to our English Setter, Lizzie.

Wadsworth's Dizzy Lizzie, the greatest athlete (human or otherwise) I've ever known went to run the fields of heaven and will never have to slow down again.

She is irreplaceable and will be missed. I will forever carry her memory in my heart and in the scar above my eye and my slightly bent ring finger (both from my not completely thought through attempt to exercise her while I rode on a bike and she ran and then really ran to chase a butterfly).

You will be missed.

Spell Check

From time to time, Oliver comes home with a book or other craft that is made and put together by the class. The latest was an "I See" book where each child in class made a drawing of something they "saw". We were to read the book with our children, see what all the children in class drew/saw and then write a comment/praise on the back pages of the book.

Oliver and I flipped through the book and he "read" each of the drawings by his classmates. Then, we came to his page.

I SEE THE  SEGALL.

"What did you see Oliver?"

"A sea gull. You know, the white bird that eats trash."

"Yes, I know. I was hoping you saw a Segal painting or sculpture."

"Who? What?"

"Nevermind."

What's a SEAGALL? And, more importantly who wrote that? The teacher, the aide? If so, Oliver was NOT going to be in public school for long. Hello home school.

And then, what "praise" did I write in the back. I could hardly write a scathing note on using spell check, especially when it came to a book that was being sent around to all the parents for viewing.

I flipped to the back of the book to see what the other parents had written. The first comment calmed me down somewhat and made me smile. Someone else had caught it too.

"We really enjoyed looking at all the drawings and reading the book as a family. Such wonderful colors and so creative--butterflies, robots and SEA GULLS! Great job!"

Yes, they did. All CAPS.

So I put a note of praise for the drawings and for Oliver's SEA GULLS. Then I called the teacher.

It was a classroom volunteer, another mom who did the writing. I didn't care to know who. I felt better it wasn't the teacher or the paid classroom aide.I can take the kindergarten home school kit out of my Amazon shopping cart.

School Pictures

Oliver - Kindergarten.

Chloe - 5th Grade.

The Latest with EC

Its been a while since I've done an Emma Claire update. She's approaching 27 months old and is starting to come into her own opinions, likes and dislikes.

Since September we've been doing a Mommy & Me class and she's been doing a Parent/Child gymnastics class with me while Oliver is in his gymnastics class.

She takes time to warm-up to things and is very wary of strangers. But, this year she has started to come out of her shell as she gets used to the weekly classes. She really loves gymnastics and likes to swing from the bar and do flips. She even let Miss Kathy, who was the teacher last year and this year, actually help her! That's a big step as she wouldn't even look at her last year.

Emma Claire is still waking at night and getting her to nap without me in the room is problematic. Naps are generally hit or miss with her and I really have to force the issue. We changed Mommy & Me classes because she still sees an OT for some fine motor skills work and both were on the same day. She was falling asleep at OT and she loves her therapist. We've now moved to another day and into a smaller class, which works out great.

Playing a sorting game in Mommy & Me.

In her pumpkin overalls (that once belonged to big sis, Chloe).

Bouncing at gym.

Balancing with help from Miss Kathy.

She loves to do flips.

BBQ & F1 Barn Party

Matt says to me about a week and a half ago, "Don't you think it would be fun to have some people over to watch the U.S. Grand Prix and we could have Texas BBQ?"

"Sure. We could do that."

About 50 people later and lots of grocery shopping later we were having a BBQ and F1 watch party in our barn on a Sunday afternoon. Matt was up early manning the smoker.

It was lots of fun and good to put the space we have to use. The kids had lots of fun, lots of people brought desserts, beer and wine and there was plenty to eat.

I barely watched the race, but I know Hamilton won and that's all I need to know about that.

Oliver playing with the Scalextric. It was a BIG hit. Matt bought it Saturday and set it up that night. Oliver and Chloe really love it.

Paige helps keep the cars on track.

A look at the set up.

Brisket, smoked sausage and pork shoulder were on the menu.

The kids took full advantage of the space. The buffet table only got knocked down once.

Gathered around the TV watching the race.

Kids that race karts will drive anything.

Case in point.

More evidence.

Emma Claire even took a seat to watch the race.

BBQ and a F1 race in Texas. Good fun.