Big Man

Caleb to Jamie: "Daddy, you a big man.  You can do it!"

Dinner of a Different Kind

After the Thanksgiving and birthday eating extravaganzas I was unmotivated to prepare an actual meal.  I had some errands to run and suggested that we just do a hodge podge of favorites.  The result was met with great reviews from the littlest Guilds: "please can we have this dinner, again?"

What are the favorites, you ask: popcorn, squishy eggs (my children love hard-boiled eggs with a little salt), oranges and apple slices.  Maybe a little chocolate for dessert?

Daddy-o

If you haven't caught the memo: I'm not generally very sentimental or sappy.  However, having these children has at least given me pause for a few tears in the last couple of years.  It has also given me an even deeper love for the man that these boys call, "Daddy".  His birthday was Saturday, and the boys were beyond excited to make gifts for him and wrap the gifts.  They made at least eight pictures for him and gave him some books from their shelves that they were sure he would like.  They were also most excited about the prospect of cupcakes.  Birthdays are to be celebrated... so celebrate this wonderful "boy" we did!

 The "wrapping" for one of the gifts

 Daddy, in all of his Hawkeye gift attire

The much awaited cupcakes

Happy Birthday dearest James, Daddy... we love you!

Deck the House

The boys wanted lights.  On the house.  On the backyard canopy.  In their rooms.  On the tree.  Life holds lots of things to which we must say "no" so to this we said, "yes, yes, yes, yes".

 We put up our fake tree.  We seriously considered making this year the inaugural real tree, but we opted for simplification and using what we already had in house.

Race

Carla and I ran a "turkey trot" to start off a lovely Thanksgiving Day.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect, and we enjoyed our start to the day.

 Jonathan has been asking to "run a race" since he visited my dad's cross country team practice in late August.  Today was the day: his first "fun run" was indeed fun for the little man.  He took off like a shot when they said go and managed to run the whole race.  After we were done he asked why he didn't get to run as far as I could.  "Next time, how about if I get to run as far as you, Mommy?"

 Jamie and I ran with him as we weren't sure exactly how far it was, and we didn't want him to get lost in the shuffle.

Caleb was happy to spectate and eat a bagel.  He was a little irked that he didn't get a shirt with a turkey on it.  Next year, kiddo...

Wittle

Jamie and I love, love, love the way that Caleb pronounces some words with "l" sounds.  The other night as we were laughing about his words, Jamie said, "I don't want Caleb's fun way of saying those things to end."

Some of our favorites:
"Wittle" instead of little
      Just a "wittle" bit
"Wike" instead of like
"Wot" instead of lot
       I "wike" it a "wot".
"Waughing"
       I was just "waughin"

Caleb, sometimes we wish just a "wittle" bit of you would stay small a bit longer.

The Includer

Neither of my children are of the "peacemaker" variety.  Nor are they ones to work hard at pleasing people.  They appreciate encouragement, of course, but what makes them tick is not knowing they've pleased us.  However, Caleb does have a little "includer" in him.

Whenever we discuss thankfulness, Jonathan is always thankful for "my daddy" and a few other assorted things.  Caleb, being ever so kind to his momma, always looks at me after Jonathan is done (and usually hasn't mentioned me) and says, "I thankful for you, momma.  And daddy, too."

Running

James and I run.  He started running when he met me... supposedly to impress me.  That is a funny story for another time.  We ran a marathon together BC, and we still find enjoyment in the sport.  Jonathan, liking to be like his father, decided to go for a run the other day.  Caleb rode his bike.  Daddy coached them in the finer points of 'pacing'.  

Tidbits

 - Caleb is potty trained.  I am well aware that we could regress, but it seems as though the LONG three weeks of cleaning poo out of underwear and being on guard for pee at all times has ended.  Success for the littlest Guild (with a little help from Bob the Builder)!

 - Jonathan spent over two hours putting together a lego semi-truck from Grammie and Grampie yesterday.  His stubbornness has its upsides.

 - We have stuffed animals for pets, now.  Three stuffed dogs.

 - The marathon of perfect weather that lasted for two and a half months seems to have ended with cold rain this week.

 - Our current reads include:  Fly Guy books, non-fiction truck, tractor and nature books, and books about fall.

 - Caleb's favorite song from the options in the car is "Peter Cottontail".  Jonathan's favorite: "Humpty Dumpty"

Some random pictures to follow...

Leo the Lion

In an era of my husband's life before me, he helped out at the camp he had attended as a child.  He carried on the tradition of storytelling started by his father.  One of the stories shared was "Leo the Lion".  When we were having a campfire with our good friends a week ago, the topic of Leo storytelling came up.  I had never heard Jamie tell the story.  After just a little coaxing, Jamie appeased our requests for a rendition of Leo.  The boys were delighted.  They have requested encores of that performance ALL week.  "Daddy, can you do just the last part of Weo", "Daddy, just do the part where Leo burps."

 My boys, delighting in the story told by their Daddy.

My man, in all his storytelling glory.

Trick or Treat

My boys don't have a great affinity for costumes, and they probably get their lackluster attitude from their mother.  I have never given much effort to "dress up" events.  However, the boys were thrilled to wear their baseball jerseys and "bat hats" for a little trick or treating with our neighbor friend.  Jake and Josh joined us for a bit and Jake was a baseball player, too.