Preschool Happenings

We absolutely love Nick's preschool. He has such a great time and is learning so much. He even has a crush on one of the teachers! He is always saying she is so pretty and her hair is so long (even though it's not!) So cute. On Sunday they had "Father's Day Pancake Breakfast". The kids all brought their Dads to the school for activities and to make/eat pancakes. It's so great that they take the time on the weekends so that the Dads can be included. Today I went to school to join them for their Thanksgiving Feast. Also great that parents are welcomed with open arms to all activities. I was so proud to hear that Nicholas is doing great. "Just fantastic. Couldn't be any sweeter and is a such a wonderful addition to our class" was the direct quote from one of the teachers. I can't wait for parent conferences in February so that I can get more details!!!!

Loves math just like his Mommy!

Such a studious little boy

That didn't last long! Crazy boys.

Nick was called up because the teacher was explaining the clothes that Pilgrims wear and she wanted to show everyone a collar. You should have seen his face when he was standing there...he was so proud/embarassed/excited. Priceless. I had a little tear in my eye (I know, obnoxious). Of course I didn't have the camera ready so I only got the departing shot.

Getting ready to make Pilgrim Bread (aka Monkey Bread) for the Feast!

At the corn table. Who knew that playing with kernels of corn could provide hours of fun??? Set one up in the basement!

Time to burn off some of the Feast (that I failed to get pics of but during which more tears were springing up. One of the teachers read a "grace" about being thankful that the kids repeated after her and it was the cutest, most touching thing I have ever heard. Too bad I didn't have the camera ready on video mode!)

Party, Party, Party!

Very late posting of Chelsea's birthday party pics. We had family and a couple of her friends over for games, food and cake. Since Daddy was cooking, Mommy was the photographer and the hostess. I hope I was a good hostess because I didn't get that many great pictures!!! We have a great Mommy moment of me "yelling" at Nick to not blow out her candles on video though! That won't be on the blog...not because I don't want it seen, because we took it with the "big" video camera and I don't know how to get those videos onto the computer! Everyone was well fed and had a great time so that's all we are going to remember!!!

Helping to "make" her own cake. It was a giant Oreo Cookie this year (aka "black cookie"...her favorite)

Papa running the Elefun corner

Game attempts: Ring Around the Rosie (I think we went three rounds)

Simon Says (Emma (and Jill) were too hard to get out so we gave up after about 5 minutes)

Chelsea and Leah in cahoots

Cake!! She wouldn't even attempt to blow out the candles...every other kids' most favorite thing to do!!! The cake was delicious though if I do say so myself.

Can you say Destroyed Basement???

Olivia naking calls. At one point she was riding the four wheeler and talking on the phone...look out!

Binky, blankie and giraffe...she was asking for a nap at 6pm! Apparently not quite the party animal (yet).

Cousins! I think this was the 4th one we took...Nick's grip on poor Abigail loosened with each shot! Could Chelsea look any more tired???

How old are you today? "I six"

Happy Birthday to our beautiful bubba girl!! The big two yesterday. Apparently she wants to skip ahead a few years because every time you ask her how old she is she says "I six". But we want to keep her right where she is. She gets smarter, cuter and more fiesty every day. I find myself saying at least once a day, "Ry, listen to Chelsea" or "Ry, look at what she's doing" or "Nick, did you hear what Chelsea just said". She has quite the personality and I am happy to say that I already fear for the boys in her life...this girl doesn't take anything from anyone...look out!!!

If you listen very closely you will hear her "blowing" the candles out. Gotta work on the lung capacity I guess! Party pics to follow...

Spidey & his Princess

Happy Halloween! Two weeks late is better late than never! Nick was Spider-Man and Chelsea was a princess. On the day before Halloween I thought it would be a good time for Nick to try on his costume to make sure it fit and we didn't have any surprises on the actual day. Well, he put the costume on at 8am that morning, and it didn't come off until he went to bed on Halloween night...that's about 36 hours!! We definitely got our $12 out of this one! Chelsea was really good about wearing hers too except her tiara kept falling off...it seemed a bit too small (even though the age was 4+...darn big head!!) These pictures are in reverse order (obvi. it's been a while since I have blogged and I am out of practice, but I am too tired to load them in again).

Checking out the night's bounty

SKITTLES!!! Nick's favorite. All of the neighbors were awesome. They know he's allergic to peanuts so some of them bought Skittles just for him (the big ones!!)

Making the rounds to see all of our doggie friends. This is Sadie (and her Mom, Susan). (Chelsea is crying because Sadie's Dad is at the door and for some reason Chelsea didn't like him that day, even though he's the nicest guy! Poor Chad.)

One of our neighbor's front "patches" (wish I could say it was ours)

Next doggie stop...Foxy. This dog is a riot. She actually gets up on her back legs and "waves" when she sees you coming. Nick was a champ with the mask, wore it the whole time despite a few near collisions with bushes, people, etc. because of the limited peripheral vision.

The kids did an awesome job saying, "Trick or Treat" and "Thank You"/"Take Ew". I think a lot of people were pleasantly surprised that they didn't need much prompting.

Ready to go. First doggie to meet us coming out the door...Daisy. She would have sat there forever posing for pictures. So cute. Spidey and Princess are pretty cute too!!!

Field Trip!!

Nick has been LOVING pre-school. We only know this because of the giant smile on his face when we are driving up to it and because his teachers say he's doing great and because he has a giant smile on his face when he answers the question, "What did you do at school today?!" with "I don't know". We get very little information out of him, so when the field trip slip came home asking for chaperones, I was all over it!!! I couldn't wait to see the other kids (and the Moms too!) We went on a hay ride, pumpkin hunt, had races, played with the big parachute and did the chicken dance! What more could a kid ask for??

Nick and his pal Jack

Getting ready to sprint off for the pumpkin hunt

Such great listeners!

Waiting for the rest of the kids to come back with their pumpkins

Noses on blue and feet on green!!

The whole gang. I always think of Nick as BIG...maybe because I always see him next to Chelsea, but he looked so little when he was with 16 other kids his own height! They looked like a gang of munchkins. So cute. Next school event is a parent's social...can't wait!!!

Fall is in the Air

Pumpkins, hay rides and corn mazes...OH MY!!!! Although I would take summer-like weather all year round, we have been enjoying all of the fun activities that fall has to offer...

Great job carving Daddy!! It took him about 1.5 hours and the kids became totally disinterested after the icky stuff was scooped out.

Flint Farm hay ride

Self-portrait attempt

Get ready, set, GO!!

Sneaky boys weren't supposed to be off the path!

CORN!!! There were corn cobs ALL over the place and every time the kids saw one they'd yell MORE CORN!!! (Yes, children we are in a CORN maze)

Cousin Abigail

We welcome with MUCH love, Nicholas and Chelsea's new cousin, Abigail Elizabeth Wagner. We visited her yesterday and she is a LOVE! It was so nice to cuddle a warm, fuzzy baby again! The kids were quite curious and very gentle and loving with her. We are looking forward to making many more memories with you Abby!

Decent group shot (if we do say so ourselves!)

Big Cousin Nicholas did such a great job holding Abby tight

First time I held her was for about 2 minutes because Chelsea was VERY jealous but this picture was taken in the middle of a 1 hour holding marathon (heaven!!!)

Niiiiiiiicccccccccceeeeeeeeeeee. Chelsea kept saying as she stroked her head. So cute.