Christmas #1 with the kids...

We're leaving for family visits after our little Christmas at home. So here is the first Christmas.
New princess dress! Big girl bed...and this bed is huge! She should be harnessed to safely climb up the side! Magnetic 'paper' dolls.
We gave both of them their very own chapsticks. Very exciting...and perhaps not very smart. We'll see how long hers lasts. It is sort of fun to think about where it'll end up. Will she eat it? Rub it into the carpet? So many options. But...I didn't want to give him one and not her... so its my own fault.

Spidey t-shirt!

Zip line spidey.

Dad and Caden figure out the directions to the spiderman guy.

Merry Christmas to all!

I learned it from you, ok?

We're in Ohio at my parents house for Christmas. Caden has gotten into a contradictory phase. If someone says "that is a nice shirt", Caden will say "that is not a nice shirt". This is both annoying and disrespectful. This comes and goes, and I've spoken to him about it before. A couple days ago, he was in full swing, and Shann pulled him aside and told him to knock it off. Shann reiterated the disrespectfulness of it, etc. Caden started wailing. He said to Shann "I'm just trying to be like you!" Shann asked him to explain. "You're always saying funny things," he said, "and I want to be funny too!"
I guess humor is a difficult art.

tree topper

Happy Birthday Daddy

Last Tuesday was Shann's birthday. The kids were SO excited...you might have thought it was one of their birthdays. They helped pick out gifts, make dessert, wrap gifts, and then hide them. By the time Shann should have been arriving, they were very nearly beside themselves. I had Caden call Shann to determine his arrival time. When Shann answered, Caden burst out with " We made you a giant cookie!"
I had repeatedly told the kids our evening schedule. "When Daddy gets home, we'll eat, then he'll find his presents, then we'll do dessert. But the moment he came in the door, Alyssa ran and got a gift out of hiding, and shoved it in his face, both of them jumping up and down, screaming Happy Birthday!
After she rehid the gift, we barely made it through dinner before the kids were ready to play the hot and cold game to get him to find his gifts. However, their version is more like "getting warmer..OK LOOK IN THE BACK OF THE DRAWER!" As Shann opened his first gift, Caden could not contain himself. "ITS CHAPSTICK!", he screamed.

I thought this night worthy of being recorded, as in the coming years, I'm sure this enthusiasm won't always be quite so intense.
"Today is your birthday, lucky you. Tra la la la la la lu."

The Glad Game

In a voice as if she were eternally grateful, Alyssa said to me "I don't have peanut butter in my ears, Mom!"

Santa figured out

I cracked. I told them that Santa is fun to pretend about, but isn't real. They took it well. But in the car on the way to small group last night, we were listening to "Merry Christmas Santa" by the Beach Boys, and both of them were singing along (Alyssa in a key of her choice) like this: "Merry Christmas Santa, but we know that you're not real...". Then Caden continued "And we know you're not real because every day we check our stockings, and there is still nothing in them."

So I guess its solved...until next year, when once again they forget he is pretend, and we go through this again.

Cozy?

I came upon Alyssa putting little princesses to sleep in some unusual beds.

Pat-a-cake with Grandma

We bonked heads, she and I

3rd cousins

Alex and Caden amusing themselves with bodysurfing down the stairs while we were in Illinois. I was not aware of this activity at the time!

Santa?

I've never been a proponent of Santa. I'm always afraid that it'll take away from the meaning of Christmas. So last year and the year before, I've told the kids that Santa isn't real. We'd still read some Christmas stories that included him, etc. This year Caden seems to have discarded the little fact that Santa is imaginary. We saw Santa (quite by accident) at Walmart, and so the kids sat on his lap, and got a candy cane.
So since then, Caden has been talking about him, and asking questions. Somehow Caden heard that Santa knows if he is 'bad or good'. So in the car the other night, he asked if Santa can see him.
Eeek! I draw the line at this. I'm not into assigning supernatural qualities to him! I told him that only God can see us, and knows what we're thinking, etc. Next he said, "So does God see us, and then tell Santa?" At this question, Shann and I looked at each other, stumped.
I don't want to be a kill joy, but I REALLY don't want to drown the birth of Christ in other meaningless fluff.
Thoughts?

Group photo

This is why I haven't posted a picture of my Grandma and family. But here it is, so that I can at least say I did it!

Flights

This past weekend, we flew to St. Louis to celebrate my Grandma's 100th birthday! More pictures to follow. Our first flight was delayed, and we didn't land in St. Louis until midnight, getting to sleep at almost 2am our time. But in spite of tiredness, the kids did pretty well. Here we are on the flight home. This was taken right after Alyssa went to the bathroom. After we came out, she announced very loudly, "I went poopy on the potty!". Everyone was very happy for her. The pilot allowed them to sit in the cockpit! So fun! Now lets get out before the wrong button is pushed...

Unusual Grandparents?

Park

Refrain

I've been wanting to catch Caden at Just the right moment, when I actually Have my camera, and he is once again making up a song. And I still haven't done it, but this song I have to at least try to describe. It went something like this:

I can spin in a circle
I am an impressive kid
I can jump on one foot and close my eyes
I am an impressive kid

Mercies

I had literally JUST stepped into a hot shower this morning, when I heard, piercing through the rush of the water: "Mom, Alyssa wet her pants!" Ugh.
Regretfully, I turned of the wonderful water, hastily dried off, and put on my normally cozy bath robe, which was NOT cozy at the moment since I was not fully dry.
I stomped out of the bathroom in search of the perpetrator, grabbed her and wiped her off, dressed her through gritted teeth, and cleaned up the carpet.
When I got back into the shower, I thought how I'm supposed to be kind and gracious when she has an accident, encouraging her to do better the next time. But I've exhausted the niceties. My mercies are definitely NOT new every morning like the other One we know and love. Good thing His are.

Halloween Pair

People giving away candy like cute. And we scored big! another bunny and carrot at the zoo!

Cool

Yesterday, I got Caden's clothes out for church. Green cords and a creme and green sweater. An outfit that Shann would gladly wear, were it his size. Caden did not care for it. He said, "It isn't cool! My sunday school teachers will make fun of me!"

I highly doubt the Sunday school teachers make fun of kid's outfits.
And where does this idea of 'cool' come from? And how does Caden have an opinion of it?

Deep

The other night in the van, I borrowed Shann's chapstick. He must have been grousing about it, as Caden decided to stick up for me. He said, "Dad, you should give mom some of your tubes of chapstick, because you have a lot!" (This is true). I smirked at Shann, and he said to Caden, "Mom has plenty, she doesn't need any of mine".
Caden retorted, "But she is a girl, and girls just need more things!"

I thought this was both hilarious and somewhat insightful. Oh, how I'd love to know how that little brain works.

Catch Up

As I was about to post Christmas decorating photos, I realized I never posted this!

Down the Drain

Last night while Shann was helping Caden get ready for bed, Caden kept turning the water on and off, sort of playing with it, and wasting it. So Shann explained that we pay for all the water coming into the house...in the tubs, toilets and sinks. All the water we use, we have to pay for. And the more water we waste, the less money we have to do fun things, like going out to eat, and buying toys.
Caden looked at Shann, clearly flabbergasted by this new information, and said, "Does Mom know?"
So I'll now have my very own water police. Super.

Carrot Girl

While Caden was in Harrisburg this weekend, Shann and I went to our local parade with Lissy in her costume. We raked in the candy, as everyone thought she looked so cute. And Shann positioned us right under a street light so she could be seen! Every time a new float came by, we told her to stand up and wave and say hi! So we sort of pimped her out to get candy, and I feel a little bit bad, since she won't be eating much of it.
But hey, she's a carrot. We're just trying to keep her healthy. :)

An amazing sight

Today I met Shann's parents at Cabela's Outdoor World, where there are hundreds of real stuffed animals. You know, stuffed taxidermily. :) There are lions, alligators, bears, moose, buffalo, mountian goats, zebras, an elephant etc. etc. We were in the deer room, where there are not only more than 100 deer, but all sorts of other animals from this region, inlcuding foxes, otters, beavers, pheasant, mountain lion, squirrels, etc. An amazing sight. We were taking it all in, when Alyssa screamed, "Mommy, there's a pinecone!"

Obviously, each one of us is blessed in different ways through the spectrum of God's creation. :)

En Garde

First horsey ride!

This is my cousin Tamara's horse, PV. He is 30 years old! Just the right ride for a kid!
Both of them were SO excited to get on the horse. Alyssa was very anxious for her turn to begin! She cried as the horse carried Caden away from her during his turn!
Finally it is her turn!

Tam, PV, excited kiddies.

Fall Frolic

Last weekend, we drove out to my Uncle Dave and Aunt Pat's house to see them as well as my cousin Tamara, whom we hadn't seen in 4 years!
We found a few tree stands in the woods. I'm sure those hunters love visitors to their hideouts.

Daddy the pack mule.

Caden and their dog, Gretyl. Mom and Dad
Tam and I. So good to see you, Tam!

Proverbs 6:6

"Go to the ant, you sluggard, consider her ways and be wise".

I was convicted by this verse today. I have felt rather sluggardly lately, and the house shows it. So as I was cleaning the bathroom this afternoon, Caden walked in and said "Are you cleaning the counter?" I told him I was. He said "Woah, I think you clean the counter like once a year!"

So I think God has a sense of humor.
And by the way, please remember preschooler's time perception is a bit off.

Apple Picking!

While Grandma and Grandpa were here, we went apple picking to this beautiful orchard that has espalier apple trees. Instead of round - they're flat - trained along wires for easy picking! So cool.
Alyssa was Grandpa's helper. Caden helped Grandma.
She's on a mission!
The group!

Pulling the apples up the hill is tough!
Now home to make applesauce!

Lulu

I'm glad she's a girly girl, but I'm a wee bit worried about her fashion sense.

Sight and Sound

Last Thursday, we went to see In the Beginning at Sight and Sound with my parents (right) and Shann's parents (left). The show was great. Caden enjoyed it greatly as all of us did. One thing that I hadn't thought about was the introduction of Satan. We haven't talked much about him with Caden. The show really played up his character and then his fall and banishment from heaven. Caden said, "God took away his wings so he can't be on the Angel Team anymore". So I'm not sure if more questions are coming. I'm trying to be ready.

Beach

Many of you know the event that is going to the beach with children. All the gear that is needed: sunscreen, toys, towels, umbrellas, blankets, coolers, etc. etc. Neither Shann nor I are beach lovers. I like the idea of it more than being there I think. Salty, dirty, sunny, sandy, sharky. I'll probably like it better when our kids are older. Anyway, we packed it all up and headed down one morning while on vacation. As soon as we got there, Caden went in the water up to his waist. Immediately, he started crying - the salt water was burning his thighs due to some chafing that was happening. So Poppy took him up the pool to rinse off while Grammy walked 1/2 mile back to the cottage to get cream for him. After he and Poppy got back and the cream came, we had a few moments of fun.
Mucky feet. :)
We created a forest in which cars could wreck and dinosaurs could maraud. So fun.
After this fun wore off, Alyssa kept voicing her desire to "go to the other pool". So with Shann's view of beaches in general (see below), we decided to pack it up and go to the pool.
Fun ride back to the cottage in the golf cart! Yay, we're done!