Fall Y'All!

We finally got a decent day to go to the farm last weekend! We had a blast! The hit this year was the kettle corn station, where we got to watch kettle corn being made. After that, we ate LOTS of kettle corn...YUM!!!!!!! The kids also picked pumpkins and enjoyed the animals. There were plenty of kittens to play with this year! Caleb wasn't so sure what he thought of them. The first time one of the kittens pounced on his leg, the look on his face was priceless :0)

Stay tuned for the big Jack-O-Lantern reveal!

Thanksgiving preview!

A Plain Old Trip to the Gas Station

Yesterday, I needed gas for my car. I decided to wait to get it until after I picked Caleb up from school, so he could come with me and get a treat if he had behaved in school (we have had a little trouble with C not obeying his new teacher, so we have started rewarding him for a certain # of good reports). As it turned out, C had indeed earned his treat (yippee :0)!!) and we were off to the gas station. To be completely honest, I was so proud of C for behaving well, but I was also nervous about going into the gas station. C usually becomes easily overwhelmed in a new place, especially a small store, chock full of tempting items and people. The thing that causes me the most tension in places like a gas station is C tends to dart away from me extremely quickly and I can lose sight of him really easily. Those situations always give me flashbacks to the time we spent in Russia, where I lived in a state of panic (over the fear of losing my son in a foreign country) for the entire week and a half (even while I was sleeping).
Anyway... we went in, I told C what he could pick, he picked it, and we went to the counter to pay. As we were paying, it suddenly dawned on me! I had, just at that moment, realized that C had stayed with me the entire time we had been in there. I had never had to chase him, I hadn't had to force him to hold my hand... I hadn't even said a word to him about staying with me. As we stood there at the counter, C just chatted away to me and really seemed to be relaxed and enjoying himself. I have never seen him so relaxed... and so ... normal in a situation like that.

Wow!

I am beyond thrilled that C is showing signs of being able to enjoy something as simple as going to the gas station with his Mommy to pick out a well-deserved treat :0)

Sneak Peek into Caleb's Future

Here's what Caleb said to me out of the blue in the car yesterday (this is mainly going to make sense to people who go to church with us- for those who don't, Chuck is the contemporary music worship leader at our church)...

Caleb: "Mommy, when I grow up, I want to help people."

Me: "That's great buddy! You mean like Daddy?"

Caleb: "Yeah, like Daddy do. He helps lots of peoples."

Me: "Yes he does, buddy. That's awesome that you care about people so much."

Caleb: "Yeah, I do care about peoples. You know what else?"

Me: "What, buddy?"

Caleb: "I also want to be Chuck."

Me: "You mean you want to play music and sing for a church like Chuck does when you're big?"

Caleb: No, I want to BE Chuck!"

Watch out, Chuck! Someone wants to take not only your job, but your identity!

Where Did September Go?

Is it really Ocrober already? How did that happen? The last few weeks have been so busy... the last days of summer and swimming, Caleb's dedication (I'll have to post about that- it was awesome!), D is teaching a class for the fall semester, fall festivals (Andrew got to ride in the parade in one of the squad cars this year), making s'mores in the backyard, the start of the hockey season, lots of homework, flu shots, and the first cold of the season (comes early here in the Midwest).

Ashley and Riley enjoy the last day of swimming with friends


Riley and her cool butterfly face painting she had done at the JDRF walk

Caleb did NOT like the loud sirens during the parade


Caleb LOVES motorcycles, so this ride thrilled him!

Dennis thought it would be a great idea to send me on this ride with the kids (it was called the tornado and yes, I am deathly afraid of tornados- Robin, you would have tossed your cookies for sure!). Clearly, this is a before picture.

Andrew rode in the squad car in the parade



The fire looks like it is about to burn Caleb up, but I promise you, it was perfectly safe!

Caleb does not see the sense in waiting to roast the marshmellows!