Art Night

The kids school held Art Night tonight. All of the classes make something to put for sale to raise money for the school to have special art projects. Like a professional artist come and work with all the students to make their own painting, etc.

John made a poem about his favorite color and a collage with it in his class. His class also made a really cute lemonade stand/ puppet stand! I was outbid by $5 so we did not get to bring that home. We were bummed, but we might just make it ourselves.

John with his poem.

John's poem.

Alison's class made magnets. Her class also made fingerprint animals on a frame around a mirror. It was cute.

Halloween

We had a good Halloween here this year. No rain and no coats necessary. We started with lunch at Sweet Tomatoes, kids in costume eat free! We met our friends the McBride's there. Then it was off to another friend's house for a party. Followed by Trick-or-Treating. Mark cut that part short by about 6 houses, due to the fact that the kids kept fighting (on people's door step) about who's turn it was to ring the door bell, if the other was doing it fast enough, and "he keeps running ahead and he is going to get all the candy!". Oh the memories.

Darth Vader

Twiggy

Hannah Montana

Halloween Party

The youth held a Halloween Party for the Primary kids at church. Lots of games and candy. We had a lot of fun!

I thought this was the cutest costume!

John and Alison (aka Darth Vader and Hannah Montana)

Luke vs. Darth (Brandon vs. John)

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoons are perfect for putting together a 300 piece puzzle.

Spooktacular Dinner

I had a lot of fun making this dinner. The whole family enjoyed it and ate everything.

Monster Mash (Italian Cream Cheese and Chicken)

Ghost Brains

Puffed Rats

Vampire Teeth and Mummy Fingers

Ogre Ear Wax

Graveyard Surprise

Carving Pumpkins

The kids had a lot of fun carving their pumpkins and decorating them.

Do I Want To Grow Up?

I was working on the computer and heard someone getting into the closet in my bathroom. A few minutes later Alison appeared with her newest "creation". Every now and then someone in dance class or at school will comment to her about sucking her thumb. We have discussed with her what her options are, if she wants to stop, but are leaving it up to her.

"This is so I won't suck my thumb!"

"See, when I want to suck my thumb, I will think it tastes gross and I won't."

She then asked to pick a movie. Right when the movie started she went to suck her thumb. "Mom, I can't suck my thumb. I think I will try this another time. I want to suck my thumb while I watch the movie." We don't mind her staying "little" awhile longer.

Lego Master Builder

We received an invitation to go and help a Lego Master Builder build an 8 foot tall Yoda. He is traveling the country so look for him at a Lego store near you. It is free and the kids had fun. They both received a certificate when they were done building.

John and Alison hard at work.

This is what the finished Yoda will look like, only a lot bigger! If you look behind Alison, those are the bricks we were working on. I think we were the first stop on the tour. And yes, it is made out of solid Legos! Lots of fun!

Homework

Alison got the assignment to fill a bag with 10 things that were important to her.

This is what was in her bag:

1. A craft she made because she likes to do art.

2. Playing outside.



3. Cuddling with mom.

4. Playing with her toys.

5. Music; singing, dancing and listening to it.

6. Sharing with her dad.

7. Playing dress-up.

8. Colby Jack cheese.

9. A pink heart. Her favorite color is pink.

10. A beetle she found outside because she likes to collect things from nature.

Top Reasons to Always Carry a Camera

You should always have your camera with you because you might be at a stop light and look at the car in front of you and see this...

(click on the photo to see it bigger if you are having trouble viewing it)

and this...


If you didn't have your camera with you, you would not be able to take a picture and post it for all your family and friends to laugh at, I mean look at.

(no clowns were actually harmed or had their feelings hurt in the publishing of this post)

Sweet, Sweet Alison

Heidi took Alison out for a photoshoot this summer. Alison became quite the diva. When it was time to leave and I told her to get in the car she looked at me and said, "who's going to open the door for me?".

Family Pictures

It was time to update the family pictures. Heidi did a great job as usual!

When I grow up...

Alison: "Mom I know what I want to be when I grow up."

Me: "You do. What do you want to be?"

Alison: "I want to be a plain ol' mommy like you."

On the Seventh Day of School

my Kindergartner says to me...

"mom, all of the girls in my class wear things in their hair".

Alison has not let me put things in her hair. She does not like the "feeling".

Oh the power of friends.

On the Fourth Day of School

My Kindergartner says to me...

"Mom all of the girls in my class have their ears pierced."

Kindergarten

Alison started Kindergarten today. She was so excited! She went to bed last night telling me how she was going to pose for her pictures in the morning. This year I am giving her a choice between two outfits (that match) and she gets to choose which one. I have been trying to teach her about matching, one piece is a solid while the other has a pattern. She is learning.

Alison's fashionable poses.




Mrs. McNeel and Alison.

Alison is so excited to be in school and loves Mrs. McNeel. She will also be attending Kinder Day. Kindergarten is only 2.5 hours. Kinder Day takes the kids, no more than 12, from the end of Kindergarten to the end of the school day. Alison is so excited to eat lunch at school and ride the bus with John and the other neighborhood kids. I was nervous for her first day riding the bus. It was hard for me to let my baby go and not see her again until 2:30 pm. She is loving school and I know she will have a great year.

Homework

John's first homework assignment was to decorate and fill a bag with 5 things that were important to him or that told something about him. Here is what is important to John right now:

Cheeseburgers (we put a wrapper in the bag)

Red is his favorite color. He had me cut him out a heart with my Cricut in red paper. He said it also represented love, because he loves everyone.

Doing art.

Legos. Duh!

Friends. This is John with Blake. They both put this picture in their bag.

2nd Grade

John started 2nd grade this year. He was very adamit that we could not call him a 2nd grader until school started. His teacher is Mrs. Rinehart. He is getting more used to her and thinks she is very nice. He was sad that his friend Blake was not in his class this year, but we are encouraging him to play with other kids as well. His anxiety is really high right now and we are working with the teacher to help him feel more comfortable in the classroom. We love him very much and are so proud of him.

Mrs. Rinehart and John

I can't believe he is in 2nd grade!

Cuddle Time, Alison Style

Since she was born, Alison has been a cuddlier. As she has grown, she has become specific on how to cuddle her. For example, when you cuddle at bed time she will put her cloth over your face so that the air you are exhaling will not get on her. You are to sleep on the edge of hthe bed and not rest your hand or arm on her. However, when she is actually asleep, she is right up next to you. If you move even an inch, she will find you within 3 seconds. Tonight she tells me, "Mom I'm used to looking at your face while I go to sleep now and you are breathing your breath". So nice to know that I, and my breath, am loved and accepted.

Dance I Say, Dance

This summer we started dancing. The kids are loving it! They enjoy their own class and like to watch the other classes when it is not their turn.

Alison is in a Ballet, Tap & Tumble combo class.

John is taking Break Dancing. He can "freeze" with the best of them.

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

I am working in the house while the kids are playing outside with the neighborhood kids. John and his buddy Blake come running in to tell me, "Mom, Alison and Pierce kissed on the lips, twice!" Thanks for telling me, lets go and clean up outside and take Blake home.

When I go outside, Pierce's parents are out too and then Pierce and John both tell them what happened. Heather, the mom, and I discuss what we will be saying to the "love birds".

Later that night as I am putting Alison to bed we have a talk. I tell her that it is not okay to kiss someone that you are not married to. She is only 5, I can tell her to wait until marriage for at least 5 more years. She then tells me that she and Pierce are going to get married so it is okay for them to kiss. I restate, that when they are married they can kiss, but not until they are married. But mom, we are going to get married. I can see that my point is not fully being made. So I throw in, you will have a time out if you do it again.

Fast forward a week. I was outside tonight visiting with some neighbors as the kids played. One of my neighbors mentioned that he saw on Heather's blog that Alison and Pierce kissed. The other neighbor then tells me that he saw them kissing yesterday as they drove around in Pierce's power wheel. The image of a moonlight night and a parked car come to my mind.

I tell Alison latter when we are in the house that one of the neighborhood dads saw her and Pierce kissing yesterday. She looks at me with a big smile and then immediately says, "no we didn't. We were just hugging in his jeep".

4th of July

July 4th brought fun, relaxing and hot weather. We started the day with a trip to the local spray park to try to cool off. We had a lot of fun. The kids love to stand with the water in between their legs so it looks like they are peeing. Oh, kids!

Fun at the park.

Potluck dinner and dessert with the neighbors. Lots of yummy food!

Fireworks, fireworks, and a lot more fireworks! A big thank you to the Kelly's and Brown's for the organization and firework show. We look forward to next year.

Look Who's 5

Alison, you joined our family on July 1, 2004. You have brought us so much joy and happiness. You are a wonderful sharer. You love to cuddle. You love your brother, John. You want to do everything he does and then some. You love to sing and dance. You love to explore nature and play outside. You love to swing. You love chocolate milk, "Ducky" and "clothy". You put your shoes on the wrong feet every day. You are excited to be in Kindergarten in the fall. We love you very much. We are so lucky to be your parents.

Just so cute!

Alison, how old are you?

Did someone say presents?

Dinner at Red Robin