2 Yellow Belts

For those unfamiliar with Tae Kwon Do, the advancement to Yellow Belt...is a good thing! (something I just learned this last month too!)
Clayton and Jamison have been taking TKD for a couple of months now and taking to it very well. They really enjoy it and have surprised me at how hard they are working at this. I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised that they love the kicking, punching, running and yelling that is TKD- but still...

So last week their "Master" tested them in front of the class to advance from white to yellow belt- and they did great. They're kind of like little robots doing their drills up and down the floor but it was really fun to watch and see them having such a great time.

I especially love to see them do it together. Congrats boys!

Halloween blur

Halloween this year seems a bit of a blur- it came so fast and was over before I felt like I even got the last costume fixed right. Plus Ben was out of town so I felt like I was just in survival mode.
And to top it off, Ben and I officially entered the history books as the "meanest parents in the world" because we didn't let the kids go trick or treating on Sunday night (in a town where they really do trick or treat on Sunday)... so we were trying extra hard to help the kids enjoy the village, school, and friend parties.

In the end-the parties ended up being just the right amount of "fun" and the kids had a great weekend. Sunday night we locked our doors, shut off all the lights, and gathered in our bedroom with candles, board games, and caramel popcorn. It was a great night- and the kids have let us know that the "meanest parents" thing may be dropped by Thanksgiving.

(Emmy aka Athena, Jamison aka Race Car Driver, Clayton aka Master Ninja, and Lincoln aka Superman!) Whew!

StudentS of the month!

Don't you love it when other people say nice things about your kids?!

Clayton and Jamison were both chosen as "student of the month" for their classes. They were highlighted for their Respect and Responsibility.

Way to go boys!

Emmy's 10th

Emmalyn turned 10 this week and took 2 giant steps into growing up.
She came to us months ago asking for only "2 things"... 2 things that she wanted more than anything else in the whole wide world. Sounded like a pretty good deal to Ben and I...then we got the full story.

"I just want a room that isn't pink (said dripping with icky-ness), and my ears pierced."

Ok Em- that is one tall order.

We honestly had been talking about doing the room switch for a while and planned on doing it sometime soon because we need to move poor Lincoln out of a crib and into a real bed (good grief, that poor neglected last child).
So we were on board with #1. But, pierce your ears? What? For some reason this one knocked us off our feet. I suppose part of it is because I was so embarrassingly old (21!- ugh) when I finally got over my fear and pierced my ears. And also because she is our first and this whole pre-teen/tween stuff is coming as us very fast.

So, like the good push-over parents that we are, we agreed. All the while, having a "Holy Cow-when did she get so old, when did I get so old?" dialogue in our heads.

The room project was a blast and turned out just like she wanted it; i.e. a move into the other room, lots of color-lots of turquoise, and the smallest amount of pink we could manage. She is loving it.

And the ears...again a blast! We made a night of it at the mall with her two friends and I actually did NOT cry watching her sit and get her ears shot with a small gun. A success. And she looks darling...a little more grown up even.

So, the big double digit year came in with a bang for Emmy. I may seem to be dragging my feet on this whole "growing up" think, but I really am having a great time with it too. Emmy is such a great girl. I often just feel it a pleasure to be a part of her life. She is uber-smart, driven, and a perfectionist- I'm often running to keep up. But she is also so kind and sensative and aware and concerned for others-she has wonderful friends and makes them easily. She is always sticking up for the under-dog and making sure that life is as fair as it can be. I probably depend on her too much, but she is a great help and support to me often.
Watching her grow is truly a joy.
Love you Em!

Going NUTS!

On Sunday morning we all got up and found the sun shining, so we grabbed our jackets and headed outside for a walk in the woods before conference started. It was beautiful- the leaves are gorgeous. It was a whole lot more chilly than we expected but a great start to the day.

As we were walking, the boys began noticing that the trail was covered in acorns being dropped by the oak trees. Being perpetual collectors- bugs, rocks, sticks- they began filling their pockets with the acorns. They collected till every pocket was bulging. Meanwhile, I was wrapped up in figuring out a new "fun place outside" for the acorn collection. Ben, on the other hand, couldn't miss this opportunity to throw a little "learning" into the mix. Thus commenced the discourse on Native Americans and their resourcefulness with acorns- crack them, mash them, grind them, make a flour substance, and then pancakes and various other yummy acorn treats! Emmy even had "acorn knowledge" from a book she's been reading as school. What?!
And my boys, not being ones to throw away new treasures of knowledge were soon begging to go home and try it! What?!
Apparently I'm the one out of the loop.

After I finally convinced them that mashing and grinding acorns was probably not an appropriate Sunday activity we found a bucket for the acorns and moved on with the rest of the day. I honestly thought (and secretly hoped) that all would be forgotten by morning and that would be the last of acorn pancakes.
Silly, silly mommy.
Monday morning came and my boys were up early! They flew through their chores and were begging me for mashing tools by 7:30 am. What?!
But, honestly, how can you say no? So... I found my kitchen hammer and helped them bundle (even the cold couldn't stop them) and, much to our neighbors delight, I sent them out to mash acorns!

The result: a LOT of mashed acorns!
Turns out it's a lot harder than it looks. But it's official now: We've all CRACKED! We're NUTS! (ok, I'll stop now, but I bet none of you are arguing!)

Locks of Love

Emmy started 5th grade this year which has meant all kinds of changes for her. First of all, 5th grade is Middle School here- lockers, changing teachers, after-school clubs... It has also meant that she goes to school an hour earlier than the boys, but she's been great about getting up and getting ready. She's been so excited about it all and seems to be holding it together well.

Then on top of all that Emmy decided she wanted to finally cut her hair. She's been "thinking about it" for a long time and she felt like with all these other new things she might as well change her look too. Even minutes before the haircut she still wasn't sure how much to cut off- she has loved her hair for a long time (and rightfully so-her hair is thick and soft and BLONDE-it's beautiful hair). Right at the very last minute she closed her eyes and said: "OK- let's cut enough so that I can donate it."

So she did it! 14 inches came off.

She looks absolutely adorable, and maybe even a little more grown-up too (but I'll be the last to admit it).
She's loving it. And she loved being able to donate her hair. Somehow knowing that someone else might get to enjoy it made it seem even better. I agree.
Just one question: Why does all this growing up have to happen all at once? Love you Emmy.

Summer's Last Hurrah

A few days before school started we were able to spend one last (beautiful) day together and with our friends the Francoms. We took the Francom's sail boat up onto the St. Lawrence River and sailed across the channel into Canada. It was a gorgeous sail and the kids all took turns not only learning to sail but swimming behind the boat. So fun!

Once we were there we spent the rest of the day at Upper Canada Village which is a complete town restored to the 1800's with workers re-enacting and working the village. (It's actually the place where the church films many of their historic movies now.)
It was such a great day. The kids loved it-we all loved it!
Thanks Jeff and Kelly!