Year 3, November 19th-21st, 2018: Fall Break Week

Ah, a breath of fresh air!  No school this week!  We've fond time to play and laugh, get out Christmas decorations, have our sister in law and brother in law with their girls for dinner, catch up on business stuff, yes, and just breathe.  Sigh.  Maybe I really should have a 6 weeks on, 1 week off schedule or something year round, lol.  Or more regular breaks instead of pushing through.  Something to think about.  On Monday we dropped Benaiah off at work at 1:30, stopped at the church, and then headed to Grandma's house so Justin could rake leaves.  The cousins were there and they helped too.  Then Grandma and Grandpa took all 5 cousins out for supper and shopping for Nora's birthday.  I had my Monday appointment and then Jared and I got to stay home alone.  Tuesday we all stayed home, woke up Benaiah around lunch time so Grandma could take him to work, as she dropped of the girls for us to watch for a few hours before Aaron and Shauna came home from the hospital.  Shauna had spent the night overnight in the hospital with her mom and they waited so they could talk to the oncologist.  Shauna rested while the kids played here and then we invited them over for dinner.  They stayed until bedtime and the kids watched another movie while the adults chatted in front of the fireplace!  Hey, that's exactly what I thought of when I planned out each room!  Perfect!  Tomorrow we pack up a few things to go to Ohio for Thanksgiving, staying at a hotel overnight before joining Leah's side of the family for dinner.  Then we'll be back home the rest of the weekend.  Lots more stuff to do, but steady on as they say.

Bedhead buddies.  Abishai must have missed me over the weekend because he was extra cuddly and clingy on Monday.  Check out that adorable smile and round cheeks on him!

Benaiah is working extended hours at CFA because he is off this whole week!  So we got to wake him up both Monday and Tuesday.  Abishai helped him get up by licking his arm!  Ewww!!!

At Daddy's office, Abishai knows he has to say the names of the animals in order to get Grandpa's candy.  So, without anyone really paying attention, he asked himself, "What is this one called? Zebra.  What's this one called? Rhino. What's this one called? Elephant, etc" and when he was done, he rewarded himself by taking a piece of candy out of the bowl.  Older kids have to spell the names.  I asked Dan Hamel to do that when he took a piece of candy, and he said he probably couldn't.  Also, Mrs. Ellen stepped into the office when we were there and chased Abishai on her hands and knees throughout he office!  So cute!

Abishai was wired for sound, so he ran laps inside and around the gaga ball pit, without any balls around!  Literally ran in circles!  

The kids love it when Daddy spins them in his chair.

I should have grabbed his heavier coat.  He and I didn't last long outside.  But he's super proud of the Santa hat!  We opened one box of Christmas stuff and both he and Keturah were ecstatic to have their hats!  They also put up the stockings.  We put out the books and music on Tuesday.

Everybody pitched in and they got a lot of the work done.  The leaves were decomposed a bit and wet because of some drizzle we had had.  But I was tired of it being on my to do list so I made them work on it.  The weather might not get any better, so just get it done while we have time this week.  Justin was supposed to go over today, but didn't.  I might send him over on Wednesday after he packs his overnight bag.  Otherwise, he can add it to his Friday chores at Grandpa's house, which includes putting up the outdoor Christmas lights.

Everybody worked hard!

While this one went exploring and talking to himself. about it.

He was singing the "Mister Rogers" tv show theme song because he had been watching Daniel Tiger, which is a cartoon tv series that is loosely based on the land of make believe in Mister Rogers.  It was so cute to hear him sing a song I've heard all my life.  It's a great TV show, too.

Abishai and I watched from the glass front door as the rest of them worked out in the cold.   Many hands make light work!

Leah goes to crochet group most weeks where the older ladies work on different handcrafts for charity mostly.  I'm thinking my mom went when she lived here, and I know Leah's mom went as well.  This group is one of the "unsung heroes" of the church.  "Little old ladies" making blankets for newborns, or prayer shawls for cancer patients, or mats made from woven plastic bags for the homeless and countless other things.  They are the touch of God on people's lives.  Leah asked for a prayer shawl for Shauna's mom.  This kind of thing is what my mom loved to do with her crafting.  She didn't really enjoy selling it.  She would have much rather given it away, and she did give a majority of it away.  From handmade socks for the Native Americans to baby hats and sweaters to potholders and table runners to her best friends, all very precious things.  And when I see or talk to our old friends, especially back in NH, they remind me of just how loved my mom made them feel when she gave those things to them.  I wish I had time to keep the tradition alive.  At least my kids try to appreciate what we do have and use of my mom's handiwork.  Abishai is wearing a winter hat that my mom made.  Keturah used to wear socks she made.  I have my sweater.  And every Christmas, there are many things I pull out that my mom made.  I can't say enough about these treasures we have an the older generations.  So sweet!

Isn't this shawl gorgeous?

Nora LOVES to help!  She helped Grandma make the rolls for our Thanksgiving dinner.

In his mind, Abishai thought today was Christmas!  He and Keturah spent 30 minutes hanging up the stocking, making sure Socks had one, and setting up the train and Little People nativity set.  And then he ran around and jumped up and down in his Santa hat declaring today is Christmas!  Granted, he's watched a lot more TV than the others did and he must have seen Christmas episodes, too.  But Keturah was also excited to help.  I'm grateful we have young ones that are still this excited!

The flowers I received from my friend's baby shower just naturally dried so beautifully in the vase they were in.  So I carefully took apart the bouquet so she can keep them as is or use them as potpourri.  So gorgeous!

The yellow roses of course remind me of my mom, who died in the yellow rose unit (I believe that's what it's called at Methodist Hospital downtown, basically for people dying of cancer I think, and on hospice).  We had a lot of yellow roses at my mom's funeral.  I can't remember if they were her favorite or maybe they meant something to my dad.  Anyway, yellow roses hold a special place in my heart because they connect me with my mom.

Tuesday morning escapades!  He was trying to find a hiding spot behind all his stuffed animals!

Time to get Miah awake!

Whoops!  In their wrestling match, Justin put his feet up against the wall with his knees bent and when he went to stretch them out, he pushed the whole bed away from the wall!  I facetimed Jared only for him to observe the fun we were having.  Benaiah was being a good sport and all three boys bonded.

Massive wad of dog hair found underneath Benaiah's bed, along with pillows, and his other good Sunday shirt!

He-yeah!  This is how boys bond and it's hilarious!  You have to hurt each other in order to tell the other guy you love him?  Anyway, crazy boys!

So many arms and legs flapping around!

He was leaving in 15 minutes and just had to turn his computer on for 10 minutes to check whatever.  It was left on for the next 10 hrs doing nothing but glowing.  Sigh.  Teenagers.

First of all, Keturah tried to part her hair to one side and I didn't realize it until right before bedtime.  Hm,...I think I'll need to help her with that.

But second, she is being the best big sister and reading books to Abishai and pointing out things in the books.  Very motherly!  And she and Abishai both love the Alvin the Chipmunks Christmas book with sounds.  Abishai asked for it at bedtime.  He said, "Simon book" and we had no clue what he was talking about.  So he runs off and gets it.  Oh, Simon is one of the chipmunks!  Gotcha!  So cute!

Everybody enjoying some down time in the afternoon. 

Socks' new favorite person.  Only Evelry is sensitive to animals.  And the Othello game is still kicking around.  That game is older than me!  It's a simple game, but the kids love it.  We still have most of the pieces, too.  And I pieced the box back together after Abishai tore it last eyar. 

Catching the crafty ladies in action.  Poor Keturah's glasses had fallen to the bottom of her nose.  I don't know how she stands being in her messy room!  Ah!  They were listening to Christmas music, too.

And the other three were crafting with Lego while we waited for Aaron and Shauna to shop up for dinner. 

Hiding from Mommy.

It was getting late, way past Abishai's bedtime, so he found a person to cuddle with.  He was very upset when Daddy tried to move him.  Adorable!

Wednesday - Thanksgiving trip prep/getting to hotel in Ohio

Yes! We saw TWO of them playing chase that night, but he got one!  Now we have traps out for the other.  Haven't heard or seen it though.  Hm,....

Escapades with breakfast food.  I love how it fits on his trucks!  Play on, sweet child!

Abishai said the doggy needs a hat!  Poor doggy!  Good doggy for laying still though!

Ready to drive over to Grandma and Grandpa's so we can leave for Thanksgiving!  It's been a long time since we had a car that could fit 3 kids in the backseat!  (The van can of course, but yeah, not the truck.)  I'm too busy to find the picture, but it's on Facebook of when we brought Keturah home from the hospital.  We had two carseats and Benaiah in the middle all in the backseat!

Last minute project at Grandpa's house: remove the old pine tree in their backyard.  Sad day, though.  They did the job in 30 minutes though!

Yes, our son drinks yellow mustard straight up from a cup!  Weird kid! He was very hungry when we stopped for dinner before we got to the hotel.

Dimple face!  Grandpa is always good about finding hotels with pools, although he doesn't always swim with the kids.  Benaiah doesn't always swim either.  We stayed overnight in a hotel so we could help with dinner prep and spend time with family on Thanksgiving instead of driving.  It was about 3 hrs from home.

Watch me in the deep end, Mom!  (That's Keturah)

Jump in feet first with water above his head, bob up, kick like crazy to get to the side, and then heave himself up, and REPEAT.  His little baby toes were like little motors.  And he didn't want help!  This kid has no fear of the water!

Daddy did assist him at times because Abishai would eventually tire out.  And Justin is about to do a sneak attack on Jared.

They have the best Daddy in the world, who gets into the pool, despite having a head cold, and despite the chlorine drying out his already dry skin.

It's a good thing our room is on the other side of the wall.  I think if Aaron and Jared had tried to do this as kids, their parents would have hushed them.  I think they've learned their lesson though, that it's just a boy thing.  Brawling Brothers Bonding.

Rolly polly guy.  Abishai WOULD NOT settle!  It was after 11 pm before he finally fell asleep.  He kept all of us awake, including poor Keturah.  And then of course, when he wakes up, he rolls around, too.  Check out the video below of what we endured!  This is why he shouldn't have 2 hr naps in the car!  We only let him have a 45 minute nap on the way home the next day and he did got right to sleep on time.  Goofy guy!

Trying to keep Abishai entertained.  There's no use in forcing him to sleep.  When the babies would get up in the middle of the night and not go right to sleep, I would let them play quietly, in their room, with the lights dimmed until they were ready.  I stayed with them of course.  It was much better than wrangling a squirmy baby. It only happened a handful of times though. We don't mind.  We have great sleepers, so once in awhile when this happens, it surprises us, but we know why and we handle it and get more sleep another night.

Go to sleep, Candy Candy jammies!!!  "But I'm big like you, Mommy and Daddy!"  The ONLY time this child has wanted to be a big boy!  Usually he responds with, "I'm the baby!"

Short night of rest, but we were up and ready to go in no time the next day.  Oh, and I also had to help Keturah with parting and blow drying her hair!  She wants to part her hair on the side, which, if she's anything like me, won't happen without much effort.  But I haven't blown dry her hair in years.  I think we gave away our blow dryer(s) because I haven't seen ours since we moved back from Canada.  We typically let our hair air dry anyway, so I haven't needed one.  Saves on electricity, time, and hair damage!