Lots of Leaves and a Reluctant Turkey

You might be a grandpa if you rake leaves into a big pile . . . 

. . . specifically so kids can scatter them all over your yard.  Anna had fun playing with Ethan, the son of Uncle Rob's girlfriend, Amanda.

I think the big boys had even more fun with the leaf pile than the little kids did.

Hmm, looks like the turkey isn't done yet.  Better put it back in the oven.

How about another round of bocce ball while we wait?

Dinner ended up being delicious, and it was wonderful to share it with people we love.

The Fall Sing and Thankful Pirates

The two big kids performed in their school's annual Fall Sing last week.

Each grade had learned a couple songs to perform, and the whole school sang a few songs together.  Joy and Daniel have been singing their songs around the house for weeks, and it was fun to hear them perform the pieces they've worked hard to learn.

The kindergartners were in front and to the left.  If you have a magnifying glass handy, you may be able to spot Daniel about five kids from the left, wearing an orange shirt (like ten other kids in the picture).  I spent the whole concert trying to spot Joy and never found her until after the concert ended, so alas, I don't have a picture of her section of the crowd.

Today I taught preschool again, with a Thanksgiving theme.  I told the story of the first Thanksgiving, showed the kids a Norman Rockwell painting of a Thanksgiving dinner, and . . . read a story about some pirates who were grateful that their sworn enemies saved them from a sea monster.  'Cuz, shiver me timbers, it's all about gratitude, right?

We also made handprint turkeys and the kids listed things they were grateful for (popular subjects included family members, toys, and favorite shirts).

The kids even held an impromptu Thanksgiving parade. :)

Preschool with Letter Cookies

It was my turn to teach Anna's preschool group today.

I focused on the letter "C," so we made Colorful Cookies (shaped like Cs).

We also played dress-up . . .

. . . built train tracks . . .

. . . and played Hide and Seek (Joy's top bunk was a popular hiding place).  We also did some more academic things, but I figured it would be too distracting to the kids if I whipped out the camera in the middle of a lesson or story. :)

The big kids were intrigued by the cookie letter idea, so we made a second batch after they got home from school, featuring lots of Js and Ds.

Our Budding Pianist

Joy and I attended one of her teacher's monthly "play parties" today (no goats this time).

Joy played "Cuckoo," the same piece she played at her first party about a year ago, but this time she did it with both hands and it sounded like a lovely, complex song instead of just a simple tune for a beginning student to play with one hand.  I'm impressed with the progress Joy has made in her first year of lessons.  

I'm also glad that she often sits down to play something just for the fun of it.  She plays Suzuki songs she's learned, her own minor-key "variations" of them, and other familiar tunes that she figures out on her own.  I hope she will continue to enjoy music and creativity as she gets older.

Play Date at the Park

This afternoon we went to the park with a family whose youngest kids are the same age as Daniel and Anna.

Anna had a nice time swinging with Scarlet . . .

. . . but I think she was just as happy sliding on her own.

Daniel had a great time playing and exploring with McCoy.  He seemed happy to have found a buddy who is just as rambunctious as he is.

Seasonal Decor and Crumby Faces

I love decorating our home for the holidays this time of year.  Most of our decorations came from a store and are used year after year . . . 

. . . but some are more natural and temporary, like these colorful leaves the kids and I brought home today, or the little pumpkins (I think it would be fun to grow our own in a garden some day).

I also bought an amaryllis bulb this week, just like my mom has done for more years than I can remember.  Those flowers always make me think of home and Christmastime.  Hopefully ours will bloom around Christmas next month.

On a different note, the kids and I made peanut butter cookies this evening.  They turned out a little crumbly (I think I made the dough too wet), but the kids still enjoyed them . . .

. . . almost as much as they enjoyed making silly faces for the camera.

Lotsa Ways to Play

At the park today . . .

. . . Joy bonded over dirt with new friends . . .

. . . Daniel practiced being a back seat driver . . .

. . . Anna defied gravity . . .

. . . and Todd got an E-ticket ride with his big sisters.

Baby Fashion Shoot

Mama and Daddy gave Todd some snappy new Sunday duds for his birthday this week . . .

 . . . and I thought the event merited a little fashion shoot.

Blue Steel!

Daniel's clothes aren't new, but he looked so handsome I decided to snap a few pictures of him, too.

Anna got in on the act, and quickly discovered how challenging child portraiture can be.

Are we done yet??

Future Readers (and Minecrafters) of America

I attended an award assembly at Joy's school this morning.

It was fun to watch the kids enthusiastically run up to receive their awards while their classmates cheered them on.

Joy received an award for excellence in reading.  How many second graders do you know who have read the entire Harry Potter series on their own (multiple times)?  Yep, she's my daughter, all right.

Joy stood on the stage next to her best friend Michael, who received an award for math.  They love to talk about Minecraft all the time.  In fact, I'm not sure if they ever talk with each other about anything else.

And yes, Joy's hot pink coat is rather smashing.

Even Todd thinks so.

Birthday Engines and Etch-A-Sketches

Todd's adoring relations gathered at our home tonight . . .

. . . to wish him a happy first birthday!

Red Grandma gave each of the three big kids a mini Etch-A-Sketch, a device which Joy found completely enthralling.

Papa initiated an epic round of Engine, Engine Number 9, with every guest participating.

Only Anna and Red Grandma are left!  Who will win?  As you've probably guessed, Papa made sure Grandma "won" so he could tickle her.  That was probably half the reason he suggested the game in the first place. (Note that Joy is still Etch-A-Sketching nearby.)

Todd's birthday dessert was pumpkin cookies.  We put a candle in one of them and sang him Happy Birthday (while Joy kept Etch-A-Sketching) . . .

. . . then Big Brother Daniel helped Todd blow his candle out.

After dessert, Anna led us in an encore round of Engine, Engine Number 9.  She loves that game.

Halloween Fun for the Young and Young at Heart

The big kids had their annual Halloween parade at school today.

Per tradition, the kindergartners all wore their spider hats.

Joy wore her Enderman costume.  She got to walk in a position of "honor" next to her teacher, because she kept stopping to talk to people and holding up the parade.

I love that the teachers . . .

. . . and even many of the parents dress up for this fun event.

I recalled more than once today that last October 31 I was nine months pregnant, waddling along with my kids as they trick-or-treated, hoping my baby boy wouldn't choose to be born on Halloween.  He considerately waited a few more days before coming to join our family.  Thanks, Toddlet.

Happy Halloween!