First Fieldtrip

OK, our little boy is growing up. We celebrated our first class fieldtrip this fall-the pumpkin patch.

See the little girl on the far right in the orange jacket? Her name is Daisy, and apparently she's the most popular girl in class. As parents were arriving at the pumpkin patch, someone metioned wanting to meet Daisy becuase her son was always talking about her. Then, one by one, each parent of a boy spoke up (including myself) with comments like, "you know, Gabe talks about Daisy too. And she's the only girl he talks about." Later we all met Daisy, and it became obvious why the boys like her. She made her way from one little boy to the next, saying hello to them, holding their hands as we walked from place to place and giving some of them "hello" or "goodbye" hugs. She seemed to make every kid feel like he was her best friend. Most 3 year old girls still think boys are germ infested, barbarian beasts to be feared or ignored. Not Daisy.

Elijah the photographer

Eli took this picture one Sunday while Eric and I were making lunch. Notice the perspective. I forget how big everyone and everything must look to him.

Tree decorating

Elijah's favorite "toys" are common everyday objects that he uses in new and creative ways. His bag of "costumes" helps him transform into superheros, airplanes, rescue heros, and whatever else he can think of. To illustrate, notice that Elijah is pointing to something on the Christmas tree? This is his very own ornament that he created and attached to the tree himself. Want to know what it is?



Its a beater that he took out of a drawer in the kitchen. First the beater was the front of an airplane, then it was a drumstick as he discovered that the bongo drum made a really cool noise if you hit it with a beater instead of your hand, then it was a "shooter", and finally it came to rest on our Christmas tree as an ornament. He attached a piece of string to the top of it with LEGO blocks, carefully hung it and then came and got me to show me. Who knew a beater had so many uses?

Where do they learn this stuff?

Elijah has had some problems at school lately. He thrives on routine and any disruption in routine causes a disruption in his behavior. Well, our lives have been nothing but disruption this month. He missed school for two week when we went to Canada, then we had the stomach flu, then he got the stomach flu, and Eric was gone to FLAME classes in Michigan for a week, so Miss Pam has remarked at his change in behavior and we've been doing our best to give him consequences here at home for his school stuff. Anyway, last week he brought home a review paper on opposites. He had to draw lines between the opposite objects (hot & cold, big & small etc.) and all of the lines were drawn correctly. I was holding him on my lap praising him for doing such good work, trying to encourage his good behavior to help curb the negative yada, yada, and he looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I didn't do that." Huh? Who did? "Ellie was sitting beside me and she did it for me because I didn't want to." Great, and he's only 3 years old. Is this a sign of things to come? I wish I had pictures to post, but the camera is still broken. Maybe we'll get each other a new one for Christmas. Anyone have any suggestions on a good digital or what to do with a 3 year old cheater? :)

Some days I wonder where the time goes...

Vacation

We're back from two weeks in New Brunswick with my family and although we enjoyed the time away, we're glad to be home. We drove the 24 hours to NB with all three kids in one little van, straight through on the way there. We stopped over night in Utica, NY on the way home. Overall, the kids did great! Who wouldn't get a little stir crazy after that many hours in the van. We took out one of the middle row seats so there was some floor space for diaper changes and for either Eric or I to sleep while the other drove. Elijah and Isaiah were in the back row, Micah in the middle and usually either Eric or I sandwiched between the two in the back, feeding Isaiah a bottle while he was still in his seat or coloring and playing with Elijah. Portable DVD player, a wonderful thing! Not sure how the pioneers on the Oregon trail did without it. We watched a DVD of Looney Toons cartoons for about 6 hours straight one afternoon, so I've had enough Donald Duck for the rest of my life. I'd have some great pictures to post too, but I dropped our camera and it is no longer functional. So you'll just have to imagine what we looked like after 24 hours in the van.

Its always nice to visit another church. Go Woodstock Wesleyan!

My mom was also gracious enough to stay with the boys several times so that Eric and I could spend some time together. That was WONDERFUL but also made us aware of an awful truth. If you're not into the bar scene, there's not much to do in Woodstock or any other small town. Those of you from small towns can probably relate. You can't even go hang out at the mall- it doesn't exist. And Tim Hortons attracts a certain crowd- we'll call them MATURE. No wonder the church has a void when it comes to 20s and 30s without kids. Help me out all you 20s and 30s. Where do you go? What do you do for a spontaneous, unplanned night out? Any suggestions? Maybe we're just not creative enough.