Thanksgiving 2009

We had a great Thanksgiving in Albemarle with Wesley's family. It was nice to get away for a couple of days. The kids always love the attention of their aunts and Grandma.


Wesley's mom prepared a delicious meal. James' favorites were the candied yams and rolls. He said he was thankful for "cookies and pies."



Naomi loved the turkey and macaroni and cheese.


The weather was also nice enough for the kids to be able to spend time out on the trampoline.


As usual, we visited family while we were in town. James had lots of fun playing cars and football with his cousins.


The kids made these turkey cards to send to family in Chicago and Indiana.

Little Dragonfly

James played on his first soccer team this fall. The Dragonflies were a young team compared to most of the others they played. The first game was rough. James played for a minute, but he fell and thought one of the other players pushed him down, so he refused to go back in.


After a few more games and practices, he started to understand how the game worked. His coaches were great. They were so patient with the kids and had some very creative games to teach soccer skills.


The Dragonflies had a great season and celebrated with a party at Chuck-E-Cheese. James got the "Golden Shield" award for best defense.


James' soccer season was a lots of fun. He especially enjoyed the social aspect of the game.


I think that he really enjoyed being part of a team.


I'm so glad that James' introduction to sports was positive, and we're looking forward to many seasons in the future.

James' Dinosaur Party

This year James wanted to have a dinosaur party. We invited a few of his friends and had the party in the community room at our apartment complex. To start, the kids decorated bags which they would later use to hold the prizes they won in the games.




Once everyone had arrived, it was time to eat. They had dino nuggets, fruit, and other snack foods.


Next, it was time for the games. We had three games for the kids: balancing a "dinosaur egg" on a spoon and placing it in the "nest," digging for dinosaurs, and gator golf. Digging for the dinosaurs was the definite favorite.






After all the games, it was time for cupcakes and opening presents.




I made paper mache "dinosaur eggs" in place of goodie bags. They were basically mini-pinatas filled with mini dinosaurs, bouncy balls, a magnifying glass, and some candy. James had a great party, and he is already planning the theme for next year.

James is 4!

It is hard to believe our little boy was born four years ago. He has grown so much in the past year. I decided to list some of the major things that happened in his life. This year James:

- loved wrestling with and being chased by his daddy
- enjoyed helping in the kitchen
- has shown incredible will and stubbornness
- conquered his fear of costumed characters, most importantly the Demon Deacon
- loved and protected his baby sister
- attended VBS for the first time
- went on 3 big roadtrips and did surprisingly well
- loved our many trips to zoos and museums
- started preschool
- played on his first soccer team
- challenged us and taught us so much


And now, a look back on his birthdays...

Fourth birthday - an ice cream sundae at Red Robin.



Third birthday - a rice krispy "cake" at home.


Second birthday - cake squares at daycare.


First birthday- waiting on his piece of cake at his party.


One day old - hospital picture.


We love you, James. Happy Birthday!

Fun with Oobleck

James has been very interested in science projects lately, so we decided to make some oobleck to play with. Oobleck is solid when touched, but liquid when poured. I vividly remember playing with this as a child...the smell, color, and feel of it. To make it, you mix 1 1/2 cups cornstarch and 1 cup of water and add food coloring for fun. Naomi wanted nothing to do with the oobleck, especially after she tasted some. It entertained James for a long time and he learned a little bit about liquids and solids.

Applesauce

We made a batch of applesauce last week. It was very simple, but so good. We used mostly Jonagold apples, but added some Granny Smiths to make it a little more tart. James was a good helper, and it reminded me of making huge batches to freeze when I was a kid.

Halloween!

Our little astronaut and fairy had a great Halloween. My mom made great costumes for them again this year. It was fun to watch Naomi enjoy the day, she really loved trick-or-treating, but was too shy to actually say "trick-or-treat." Costumes with masks and face paint kind of scared her, though. James loved the parties, candy, and running through the hallways with his friends and sister. Student Family Housing is such a great place for the kids to enjoy Halloween.