Picture update

The Helgoth's prep for the egg dropThe egg droppers (Cub scouts, American Heritage girls and some parents) "Bombs away" This is the highest drop. Where RA's broke. DG's broke on the first drop. (Fantastic idea, bad mechanics -- we needed to tie it tighter.)CertificatesEgg Drop? I thought we got to play.Me (yes a picture of me) handing out badges and awards to the Pioneer/Patriots (the level I lead for Jr/Sr high girls. Imagine we working with that age level)

RA receiving her necklace for attendance, completion of different sections, and bible memorization.

RA's American Heritage Girl troop at an awards day.

DG and Daddy went to see the Harlem Globetrotters with the Cub Scouts. The kids got to sit court side during warm ups.

I wish you could see this better. It is a snowy owl. It was at a barn about 40 minutes from us. Usually (oosually as PG would say) they don't come any farther south than Canada. This is also an adult male which is very rare to see.

Is this normal?

Sometimes my kids make me wonder. Yesterday, they came up from the basement and said, "PG is a superhero and we are supervilian." PG said he was Larry Boy (ok). DG was Powerman. But RA was Flake????????????????

A quick change in a phonebooth and we have Cowboy man.

Quote of the Day

Tonight as I put RA to bed, I read her the story of Our Lady of Fatima. It went into detail about each of the children's lives after the apparitions. When we got to Lucia, it mentioned nothing of her death since it was written before her death. So I pointed out that she had died a few years ago.
RA asks, "Did she die of age?"

Update

Dear friends,
I know I am sadly remiss in updating my blog. I'm sorry! We arrived Tuesday evening and stayed the night at my parents' house. The movers arrived at 9 the next morning and left our house around 3:30. Since then we have been unpacking boxes and taking trips to get food and other little things we need. Tonight we had a much needed reprieve and headed to Blake's aunt's house for his cousin's 40th surprise birthday party.
DG said something really funny yesterday. We went out for lunch and he said, "I'll be glad when we can just eat at home and don't have to go to any more restaurants or anyone else's house." I second that one.
More updates to come. Be patient. I am so tired before I even get to the computer and feel free to call my cell is still the same.

Activity

I realized that I haven't been doing enough physical fitness with the kids. So I decided today to do some streching, crunches, an attempt at pushups, jumping jacks, running in place and a small cool down. All the kids joined me. PG was a hoot. At the end, they all wanted water. At which point, RG said, "I'm a little tired but that was good" and DG said, "I think I broke something." while holding his shoulder. Sheesh!

RA and reading

Today, RA was reading a story. She read "Matt can play." She looked up at me and said, "Of course he can play, everyone can play." Then she went back to reading. I nearly fell of my chair. She said it as if she had just read the most ludicrous thing ever. Oh my kids are so funny!

After Nap Time

Today, I put PG down for his nap. I could hear he wasn't sleeping but we were doing school so I let him play in his crib thinking if he wanted to get up he would let me know. It is not atypical to go in his room after a nap and find the contents of his crib on the floor. But here is what I found when I entered the room today (no picture as someone might find it offensive):
All the contents of his crib on the floor, the only thing left in the crib was the mattress (no sheet) and PG. He had no clothes and no diaper on. I was shocked. We have had the same crib mattress for 6 years. It is old and was torn up pretty well. So the other added bonus was the foam was drenched. I called my husband up from downstairs. He said "This is a disadvantage to working at home. I am only suppose to hear about these things at the end of the day not see them." We bought a new mattress today and PG says, "Me no pee in my bed. Me no take my diaper off." At least he is learning. Maybe its time to potty train!

"Me ride jaff"

So as you know we went to the Children's Museum last week. Two nights after PG - the two year old- wakes up in the middle of the night. He wanted me to rock him. I was holding him and he looks at me and says, "Me ride jaff! Tars spin round." It took me a second but I figured it out.

"Yes PG, you rode a giraffe at the museum and the star spun around on the ceiling."

"No, me ride jaff!!! (angrily)"

"Oh you want to ride the giraffe, now?"

"yah!"

"PG, the museum is sleeping, now." It was 2AM. "We will go again a different day."

"Otay Mommy."


So today we went to the children's museum.

PG's phrases

Ope my white = Open my white playdough
Tank you = Thank you
Me George! = well he is P. George
Big in response to how old are you
Purhul = purple
Blue Truck = Grandpa Bowen
Tree in my (big breath) house (you have to hear this one)
mulk = milk
Gia = RG
Domic = DG
Naha = Nanna
down tairs = down stairs
my new toys = all the gifts he got for his birthday
no/nowing = snow/snowing
no downstairs = what he says when you tell him when he wakes up that it is snowing

No Christmas?

Tonight we were doing our tradtional Advent bedtime routine: family rosary, Jesse tree ornaments with Bible reading, followed by a chapter of the Best Christmas Pagent Ever (a little old for my kids and a litte too mean spirited but I love it too much not to share it with them). Before the Jesse Tree reading, RA said, "Mom, I have a question. Why don't we put all the Jesse Tree ornaments up on one night?"
I explained to her that it is to remind us that each of the people we talk about spent their whole lives waiting for Jesus (he didn't come quick) in fact none of them lived to see Jesus. She looked at me with really big eyes and said, "They didn't have Christmas?" She was agast.
I said, "No, their lives were all Advent."
Only a child can cause us to stop and meditate on the meaning of this season, in a way we hadn't thought of quite like that before.

After the Birthday Party

After all the fun, my parents, myself, DG and RA all headed off to the high school state football game at Lucas Oil Stadium as Cardinal Ritter High school (where my dad teaches) were playing in the 1A division. They won! Go Raiders! RA spent the whole game cheering, every defensive play we heard, "Push 'em, back, shove 'em back, [big breath] way back!" The little kid in front of us started cheering with her in the second half.
As for PG and 'Daddy', they stayed home and played with "my new toys!"
http://www.wibc.com/IHSAA/2008/fall/boys/football/photos/11.28.08_1a.aspx

PG's 2nd Birthday

PG is now officially 2. Although if you ask him how old he is he says, "Big!" And if you ask him his name he says, "George." I think he is confused. We had a great day, since my mom had done all the cooking the day before we invited them over for a chili lunch, then we opened presents, and then we had cake. There is a gift that needs explaining. Ever since I was pregnant with DG, my mom didn't like the idea of being "a grandma". She was ok with the duties, just not the age. So she wanted to be called something else, she chose Nanna and it stuck. My dad was fine with Grandpa. Well now PG can say Nana or something that resembles it but he hasn't even attempted Grandpa. So the other day before his birthday I asked him who lived with Nanna. He said, "Blue Truck" (as my dad has a blue truck). So now Grandpa is "Blue Truck" so PG got a blue truck from Blue Truck.

PG talks

PG is beginning to realize what we have been telling him for the last three months is actually true. If he would tell us what he wants he might actually get it.
He is starting to say words. The first was Daddy. He usually screams that from his crib whenever we put him down. He says, "Mom". He will either pick up one of RA's purses and put it on his shoulder or his play keys and walk to the front door and say, "bye!" My personal favorite which might beat "Daddy" as the word? whenever you ask him a question he can't say the answer to or doesn't know like, "where is your sippy cup?" He will look you straight in the eye, shrug his shoulders and say, "Ummmm!" :)

Art Class

Today DG had to match pictures by the same artist. When asked why he grouped these four together, he said, "Because they were all 'cracky'". I wish my kids came up with the English language. It would be so much more fun!!!!!