We're Grateful for Dinosaur World

Although we are grateful for a great many other things, and we had a wonderful time in TN at Steve and Gayle's, alas, this is all we have pictures of . . . our stop at Dinosaur World in Cave City, KY.

Since this is our second year stopping here, it is becoming something of a family Thanksgiving tradition. The kids seriously look forward to it. And it's only $47 (gasp!) for the whole family to get in. (Hand to heart here. Slow, deep breaths.) But since we saved that much with the drop in gas prices, I guess it's ok.

Phoenix takes his Dino tourism very seriously. He knows his dinosaurs quite well now, and he's starting to sound out letters, so each time we got to a new dinosaur, even if he already knew what it was, he'd look at it, look at the plate to see what the first letter was, then make his best educated guess. "C. Umm, it's a coryothosaurus." Or, "S-t says 'st'. It's a stegosaurous."

Dinosaurs are very serious business. However, by the natural expression on Phx's face, everything is pretty darn serious these days. I worry sometimes that he's going to need Botox by age 10. He's got this little permanent furrow in his brow. See it right there?


Lu, on the other hand, doesn't take much seriously. Unless she's seriously cold, which she was here.

There now. Much better.

There's Phx with his favorite dinosaur--the Saltasaurus. He's even starting to look a bit like one.

Just Another Day

I thought I'd leave you with a few pictures before we head out for Thanksgiving (I'll *try* to remember to take some pictures!) We sometimes do shaving cream words as a way to spice up the more boring aspects of writing. Lu uses the shaving cream to write her weekly sight words in. Phx, however, does whatever he wants with it.

He works it. He mashes it. And he slaps it . . . very hard.

Which is how you get this.

Lu does better at staying clean.

Dragon Love

The kids have been highly interested in dragons lately from our reading of the Hobbit (only 4 more chapters to go!). So the other day we did a paper collage project (an idea taken from this post) on the theme . . . yes, you guessed it . . . dragons. This is Lu's depiction of Smaug.

Here is Phx's dragon . . . no particular dragon . . . but it totally looks like a dragon!! I was amazed, really, that both kids enjoyed this activity. I thought they would whine and complain at some point and think it was too hard. (Why, you ask, did I do it if I thought that might be the reaction? Because you have to try new things, you know?) But no, they dove in with gusto and loved it.

And here's mine. I'm learning to sit down with the kids and really focus on them and the activity at hand, instead of running around trying to "get things done," hoping that the activity occupies them for as long as possible. Don't get me wrong, I do that sometimes too, but I'm trying not to do it AS much. The kids are happier and I am happier too.

Galoshes

The kids have gone nutty over their new galoshes. They wear them anytime and anywhere they can. I never thought I'd have to say the words, "No, you cannot wear your galoshes to Church."

As you can see, we're working on group pictures, but still, I've got nothing. They are better now at "standing close together." But that, in turn, causes its own problems, evinced by Lu's crushing grip on Phx's neck.

Individual pictures are still my best bet (although the un-posed pictures in the previous post are pretty unbeatable).

Anyway, some pictures is better than no pictures at all.

I've Been Waiting for This Day

I caught them at this today and it warmed my heart. Lu is a really good big sister, and Phx, for his part, is a really good little brother. Lu has been getting steadily better at reading and has been reading longer books for some time now, but I wouldn't say she "enjoys" it. She still loves books, when she's not the one who has to read them, but as for *her* reading, she doesn't much do it for "fun." But recently, she's begun to just pick up a book and read it to herself, or better yet, read it to Phx while I make dinner. Ahhhhhh, I have waited for this day.

Warms the heart, I tell ya'. Warms the heart.

New Art

Stayc and I gave ourselves an early Christmas present this year in these art prints by Cricket Press. We were certainly not looking to buy anything new for the house right now, but we were so enamored when we came across them at a local gallery. Playful. Engaging. Organic. (And fairly inexpensive.)

Not to mention the fact that we've desperately needed something on this wall.

Perfect.

Heater Weather

As the weather outside gets chillier, the kids seem to spend more and more time sitting on the heater vents.

Luckily they are still small enough to share . . . and the heater vents are big enough for two little bottoms.

I'll admit, I still sit on them myself when I'm alone in a room.

So, that means for about five minutes. Then someone comes in and takes over my territory. Those of you who knew me when, know that I would have never given up my domain that easily as a child. Now, the kids always win. That's how much I love them . . . more than warmth.

Fall Colors

The leaves have been beautiful around here lately, but alas, they are finally falling down. Which means only one thing . . .

Serious raking. This is an activity that the kids love. When I find myself in desperate need of a quiet moment, I just call out, "Who wants to go rake the yard?!" Wham. They are in the backyard in a flash.

Especially if it means they can wear galoshes. Because who doesn't love galoshes?? And then raking turns into other things . . . which means I get even more peace in the quiet warmth of the house, while they are happily in the yard.

Phx hasn't quite got the hang of the scooter yet. Whoooaaa. Careful there!

And down he goes.

Lutece has on her little Girl Scouts of America "Get Out the Vote" sticker. I think she picked it up at the Farmer's Market or some other such activist hangout. You never know where those Girl Scouts may be lurking.

Don't you just love Fall? Change is in the air.

Of Frogs and Wolves

Or rather, one frog and one wolf. So here is my commentary: 1) Who gave him that sucker anyway? Geesh. We hadn't even started trick-or-treating and I couldn't get a decent picture of Phx the rest of the night without some piece of candy stuck in his mouth. 2) Why did I ever make the wolf snout? It never got used, just dangled around her neck. Note to self for next year? Just paint on a nose. 3) Aren't they cute?

Halloween was such a lovely night here. Seventy degree weather. No daylight savings time yet. We had a little Halloween party before the trick-or-treating began with food, games and crafts for everyone. Here are Lu & Phx with some of their friends, Ryan, Katelynn, and Rebekah. While all the costumes were great, I just have to point out the molten lava volcano that was Ryan. He is super "into" volcanoes and I think this costume is awesome. Talk about original.

One with just the girls.

And the boys (that's Andrew on the right). "Hey, you're a knight." "Hey, you're a frog."

What did I tell you about the lolly pop? Phx's candy was half gone before he even reached home. And ALL the kids' candy was gone in two days. Just how I like it. They even had dentist appointments a week later, and both got high marks and a charge to come back in no less than a year. One more Halloween completed successfully.

Happy Halloween!

A bit late, but no less happy. We sat down as a family on October 31 and drew various (simple) faces for our Jack-O-Lantern. Then we voted. We're democratic like that. "Which eyes do you like the best?"

"Which nose do you like the best (and is easy enough for Mom to carve)?"

"Which mouth do we all like the best?"

Voila! Meet Jack. Jack-o-Lantern, that is. Yep. He's a little boring, but we like him.