pumpkin pie

celebrating the last of november

grateful sunday

This week I am thankful for:

• Safe travels. We went to Dallas for Thanksgiving and our drives each way were quick and safe and comfortable. Also, we got to listen to the Hobbit, so I'm also thankful for audiobooks and Tolkien.
• The wonderful time we had in Dallas. It really was the perfect holiday weekend.
• Casper's guardian angels. I lost him at the arboretum on Friday. Actually, I completely left him behind. He was happily playing in one of the exhibits but I assumed he had moved on with the rest of his siblings and cousins. Fifteen minutes later, I noticed he was missing. I rushed back through the exhibits and found him happily playing just where I had left him. I'm so grateful for his safety. Also, be sure to nominate me for mother of the year.
• Todd's new computer and BJ's expertise in helping him choose parts and build the thing. Building your own computer is one of those things that I find completely intimidating, but also really cool.
• Our "whole house fan". I had no idea what these were before we bought a house with one, but they are so very awesome. We've been using it almost daily for over a month and I love having the cool breezes and the lower electric bill.

• 
  

pinup

Today, Grandad took the whole family to the Flight Museum at the local airport. Initially, he and Granny had planned to take Gwennie, Linus, and Casper alone, but when he realized that the kids' cousins were also interested, he decided that having the sets of parents along was a good notion. The Museum was located in a small hangar, with numerous refurbished or replica aircraft hanging from the ceiling and staged around the smaller installations.

There was also a play area with a bounce house, a traffic control tower to climb, and a little airplane to fly (and slide out of in a funny combination -- as if they're saying that if the kids are going to fly the plane, they'd better leave the emergency exit slides down, just in case).

Linus was the most excited by the museum, as we'd expected. He spent most of his time running from plane to plane, asking to have his picture taken. I spent a good deal of my time trying to track him underneath the various aircraft (including helicopters, missiles, and space capsules) on the floor of the main gallery.

In the World War II exhibit, we found a large model of a B-26 Marauder. Linus was thrilled (at least momentarily, until he started off toward another plane). Later, though, he started asking about it repeatedly: "Daddy, do you know what I'm thinking about?" Eventually, I was able to predict his answer: this B-26 Marauder. After this exchange occurred a few times, he asked whether I remembered the woman painted on the fuselage of the plane, which let me in to his thinking. As innocuous as a poorly-executed pinup fifteen feet off the ground may seem, it's heady stuff to a four year old. We talked about it a bit, and I thought that the issue was over.

Because of his enthusiasm, Grannie gave him a catalog (or "wish book") containing similar model planes and merchandise, which he started reading. After a while, I noticed that one page was full of reproductions of pinups -- Betty Page, playing cards, posters of Gil Evgren paintings, and so on. He was looking at these slyly and bashfully, but also seemed to want to show them to the adults in the room (his parents, auntie and uncle, and Grannie). After he picked up the catalog for the tenth time, I asked him whether he was going to look at the page with the pictures of the ladies who aren't being modest. In a shy but emphatic voice, he said, "yeah!" After a second little conversation, he proposed that "when I get to a page that's unmodest, I'll just close my eyes." Which, surprisingly, he seemed to do. I get the feeling, though, that we'll see this combination of innocence and deviousness again.

five in a row

We spent much of this morning exploring the Arboretum with our sweet cousins. The kids had a grand time roaming the grounds on a gorgeous Fall day. When not wrestling children who wanted to be outside, I enjoyed the indoor exhibit of creches from around the world.

back at the sunken garden

thanksgiving (the day, not the sentiment)

Today we give thanks for healthy kids with healthy appetites, the love of family, safe travels, and turkey.

in the autumn

chickeroni

Casper asks for the "Chickeroni" from his pizza (a first).

When you ask Casper what his name is, he responds, "Tasper"

Letting us know that he is finished with dinner, Casper explains that there is "feud in my tummy."

Upset at bedtime, Casper explains his problem to Todd:
Casper: "I sad, Daddy."
Todd: "Why?"
Casper: "Mama take me in my bed."

Monday best

grateful sunday

This week I am thankful for:

• This amazing video on gratitude. I, too, feel immense gratitude for the things mentioned on this video: My minivan, a bed to sleep in, food on my table, hope for the future, lessons learned from adversity, my health, my family, my Savior.
  
• The "giving" part of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has never been one of my favorite holidays (it's a turkey thing. I don't like turkey. Or cooking.), but this holiday reminds me to be thankful and reminds me to give. We've really focused on the giving part in our home the past few days and for that, I am thankful.
  
• Crisp mornings. The weather has finally cooled enough for us to need blankets on the beds, footie sleepers and occasionally, central heat. I love the chilly morning air.
  
• Natural light. My house has a lot of it and I especially appreciate it on these short winter days.
  
• Understanding and helpful strangers. The boys were tired and bored and reaching their limit during the last 10 minutes of Gwendolyn's gymnastics class when another mother sitting nearby started making and flying paper airplanes for my boys. It calmed them right down. Another mother helped me with a disobedient Linus at the library on Thursday. How thankful I am to be a part of a community of mothers who all help each other out.
  

trio

nature spot, November

7.48 am

Just one more reason to love homeschooling.

bananas

When we shop at our local greengrocer's, one of the employees often gives the kids each a free banana, which they totally enjoy. During our last visit, Linus decided to save his banana instead of eating it right away like he typically does. The temptation was just too great for him. Five minutes later he told me, "I'm hungry, Mama. It's a good thing I have this banana handy!" before digging right in.

gift of gabber

Casper's conversation has become more and more clear, and even more full of personality, in the past month or two. Perhaps because he's always struggling to keep up with his brother and sister, he's quick to jump into a situation and hold his own -- linguistically as much as physically. Here are a few examples of the scoldings he's given over the past month:

To Mason, who had lunged at him: "You bad, bad cat! You bad, bad cat, Mason! Hiss! Don't scratch!"

Similarly, to his family: "Tear you all pieces, Mama!" (or Daddy, Brother, or Sister). This is an any-situation response to a circumstance he doesn't like. As a parent, I feel a little at a disadvantage with this one; I want to teach Casper to be kind, but it's one of those sayings that is simultaneously tiresome and funny, and I'm pretty sure I'll miss it once he's moved on to more generic sass.

Most of the time, though, he's charming and positive:

"Yes, finished eating chocolate, Daddy, yes."

"Kitties in that shower, Mama! They have party in that shower."

grateful sunday

This week I am thankful for:

• The principle of gratitude. Todd spoke in church today on this very topic and his talk was wonderful. Gratitude is something we tend to focus on this time of year, but I think it is often undervalued in our day-to-day lives. I'm thankful for Todd's insights and the efforts we plan to make as individuals and as a family to be more grateful for our many, many blessings.
• Quiet time. We have daily, mandatory quiet time during which the children are required to stay in their rooms (or in the case of Casper, his crib, where he usually naps) for about an hour to an hour and a half. We all need and benefit from this alone time. It does wonders for my mental health on those difficult days, and usually affords me some time to check a few items off of my to-do list.
  
• My laundry room. It's big. It has two closets, a number of cupboards, a sink and our second fridge. It is often a dumping ground since that is where the backdoor is, but I love all the space we have there, the storage room, and the door that closes and can hide the clutter.
• Working automobiles. Todd and Gwendolyn made a quick run to the grocery store on Saturday and when Todd called me near the end of their shopping trip, I could sense the panic in his voice. My heart skipped a beat and my first thought was, "Oh, no. The car didn't start" (this has happened before). Actually, the car was working fine, for which I am extremely grateful. It turns out that his debit card had expired, which is an easy fix.
  
• The Visiting Teaching program. This is a program instituted by our church which pairs women up to go visit other women in the church to chat, develop friendships, and to serve and help each other. I spent much of my Sunday conducting interviews with women who participate, and came away with my testimony of this program strengthened. And how I love the wonderful visiting teachers I have and the amazing women I visit teach! How I admire and respect the amazing woman who is my visiting teaching companion!

standing in judgment

Once my Dumbledore duty was completed, I decided to get rid of my lingering winter beard. I wanted to see how long it would take for the children to realize that it was gone, so I shaved off bits at a time (mustache first), then wandered around the house until I got a reaction to the new look. (It took three stages, incidentally.) But I guess the joke was on me, because I wasn't prepared to be scrutinized so thoroughly -- Casper just stared, and the other two acted as if they constituted some kind of facial hair tribunal:

Linus (in a tone of modest disappointment): "I'm going to have to get used to your face, Daddy. It's going to take some time."
Gwennie: "You're kind of scarier now."

self-portraiture

Doesn't this photograph look like one of those victim-aging recreations, where police attempt to speculate on what a missing person might look like ten years in the future? Except for Gwennie's tiny tiny teeth, of course, which mark her as a baby. It's a little unsettling.

watering

Gwennie: Can we have dessert?
Mama: How about a fruit?
Daddy: When did you get orange juice?
Gwennie: Did you say fudge juice!?

After our trip to the mall (the first I've ever taken with Gwennie and Linus alone, and which I found excruciating -- though not at all because of the company):
Gwennie: "Well, I totally understand why people come here."
Daddy: You really liked it, then?
Gwennie: Oh yes.

laser car

This kid is a builder. He would be happy spending the entire day building (with blocks, legos, lincoln logs, tinker toys, bristle blocks and train tracks) or manipulating transformers. In fact, Gwendolyn recently came to me in tears complaining that Linus no longer loved her. Her reasoning? He would rather build things than play games with her. (And it's true.)

Linee's spacial awareness is amazing for a 4 1/2 year old. He's a whiz at puzzles (this weekend he put together a 3D giraffe puzzle with minimal help from Todd) and the things the builds with his blocks almost always have moving parts. His mind works in a way that is completely different from mine. Maybe for Christmas we can give him a broken toaster and some screwdrivers. He'd be in heaven.

grateful sunday

This week I am thankful for:

• The amazingly beautiful weather we've had. My kids have been so happy this week, I think in large part due to the fact that we have spent so many hours outside. Mild sunny days with low humidity and brisk nights -- I think these November days are the reason that people live in Texas.
• My productivity. This week, I've cleaned out and organized four closets and packed up/gotten rid of all the clothes the kids have outgrown. I'm not always the most organized, but it feels really good when I am.
• Todd's cooking. Cooking is not a chore that I enjoy. Cooking is a chore that Todd enjoys, and is very, very good at. I love the fact that he cooks most of our meals and that they are so delicious.
• My calling. This is not something I am always grateful for, and at times I would list it under the category of burdens instead of the category of blessings, but the past month or so, I've really come to see it in a different light. I see ways that I have grown and matured and drawn closer to the Spirit because of my service in Relief Society. But it's through our trials that we come to know God, right?
  
• My children who are of sound mind and body. Sure, they drive me crazy with their fighting, messes and getting into/destroying everything they can get their hands on (that would be the 2-year-old), but in those frustrating moments, I try to remind myself that they make messes and get into mischief because they have healthy little bodies and strong and curious minds. And for that I am grateful.
  

duck pond

friday at the park with friends

We had a two and a half hour playdate at the park this morning. It was awesome. Isn't it great when your kids have friends that they don't tire of or fight with, even after exceptionally long periods of time together? Even better when you have such a great time talking to their parents. Thanks for the fun morning, T* family.

the great equalizer

My kids can fight and argue and bicker all the day long, but pull the lid off the sandbox, and they get lost in their own little worlds and play sweetly. Of course, I have to pay the price with laundry and sweeping, but it's worth it.

break up your band

In the van after her piano lesson, Gwendolyn asked,
"Do they have to be names of animals or can they also be names of trees?"
Jen: "What are you talking about?"
Gwennie: "I'm thinking of what to call my band. Do you think 'The Cats' is taken?"

Later, after Todd mentioned that she has the right idea, seeing how the hip kids are all calling their bands names with "Wolf" (though that's pretty last season) or "Whale" in the title, she decided that maybe "My Favorite Whale" was the answer.

Hearing the conversation, Linus looked up from his pasta and said, "Daddy, you just gave me a great idea. I'm going to have a band called 'Big Stomper.'"

more cats in our lives

These are made of sidewalk chalk, thankfully. Linus' drawings are usually quite abstract, but this one is very clear -- a cat in the rain with lightning coming down. (Maybe cats were on the children's minds because we took our two kittens to the vet to get neutralized yesterday.)

(And for our loved ones up North wondering about Linus being outside in shorts and a t-shirt in November, our high temp today was 78. )

adios

My Mama and sister left this morning and we miss their company already. When Casper realized that they were leaving, he got very upset, "Granny and Tiffy going to Dallas? NO!" I feel the same way.

grateful sunday

This week I am thankful for:

• My sweet Mama and the wonderful time we've had with her this past week. We've been basking in her love and generosity for days and days. It's going to be lonely when she leaves us. How thankful I am that she lives close and that we get to see her often.
• My sweet sister who arrived on Friday to spend Halloween with us. She is so cute and sweet and fun to be around. I'm so blessed to be friends with my siblings.
• All the Relief Society projects that I had "due" this week and that are now behind me. I was a little stressed this week because I was short on time and had committed to helping prepare a FHE handout, a General Conference reading bookmark and teaching Relief Society on Sunday. All turned out beautifully and all are behind me.
  
• Todd's willingness to help out his wife, and his design skills. Late Thursday night I put him in charge of designing the conference bookmark. He devoted a lot of time and energy to the project, put up with my stress and antics and created a beautiful reading schedule bookmark for our Relief Society sisters.