Start spreadin' the news, I'm leavin'...uh...tomorrow!

Just a quick message to let all of you know...I have LOTS to blog about but, starting tomorrow, I'll be away for a quick trip with my mom and oldest niece, Brooke, to NYC to buy some fabric with my sewing idol Peggy Segars. Hopefully we'll also get to visit with my sis-in-law Beth while we're there. So, if any of you see Addy's hair askew or Keith wearing pants that have flowers on them, just remember...Brian is in charge while I'm gone!!! yikes. Do pray for me to be able to let go and not think about how many toys are not getting put away in their proper spots while I'm gone!

Also, just so you all know...Pumpy went to medical school last week and is now a practicing MD.





Until next blog,
Jen

Addy's Thanksgiving Feast

Does everyone remember when they were in preschool and made pilgrim or Indian outfits, and then had a feast?? Well, that was today for Addy's class. However, they leave it to the parents to make the original Thanksgiving garments for their little ones. Normally I would have moaned and groaned about how "I'm paying all this money and they can't even staple some construction paper in the shape of pilgrim's hat for my kid"??? But, I recently purchased a new "felting" machine (sort of like a sewing machine) and was excited to use that to craft Addy's outfit (she chose to be an Indian). And, thanks to my mom who saved a bunch of things from my childhood, I was able to put new life into a 30-year old feather headress to complete the outfit. Since I was in the Thanksgiving spirit, I even made a quick costume for myself!! Addy was very excited to have Brian and me come visit her school with her and we had a great time seeing what she does.

Addison (Indian name: 'Flutters with Butterflies') ready for the feast



Pilgrim Jennifer with 'Flutters with Butterflies'



Addy's friend, Maggie (her Indian name was 'Runs from camera')


'Flutters with Butterflies' and 'Runs from camera' sit and listen to a story with their classmates



The kids play a game "Hide the Turkey". One kid hides a stuffed turkey while the others stuff themselves in these cubbies so they don't see the secret hiding spot. Here, Addy's headress gets pushed over her eyes while getting out of the cubbie. Due to this unfairness, I thought about calling a "time out", but soon realized that it was just a fun little game and it didn't really matter if Addy found it or not. Really, it didn't. But, just the same, we'll be playing hide the turkey at home, for practice for next year.



Addy sits patiently, ready to do the ever-popular turkey-made-from-your-handprint craft



The mini pilgrims and Indians sit down to their Thanksgiving feast (this was the 3rd of 4 feasts for her teachers!!!)



Chief Turkey feather with his little Indian home from the feast



Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Remember to thank God for all your blessings!! I know I have too many to count!

Until next blog,
Jen

Turkey Run on a mild November Day

On Wednesday Brian took a day off so we could have a family day. Since the weather was so nice, we decided to drive to Turkey Run State Park. We bascially had the park to ourselves; there were only 4 other cars in the parking lot. We hiked for nearly 2 hours and had a very enjoyable time taking it the fall beauty! Here are some pics of the day...



The kids and myself at the beginning of the hike



Brian and the kids climb to the top of a rock



Taking a break to eat a snack



The kids take one (of many) "tree rests". We finally found an activity that tires them out!!



Father and son enjoy the fall foliage



Silly faces on a tree stump



Tuckered out just before we reach the car!



Until next blog,
Jen

Magic? Worm

Well, late last evening Brian returned home (yay!!). As any good traveling dad does, he brought home junky surprises for his kids. His surprise for Addy was a Magic worm (see picture below). Perhaps some of you have seen this in any of several souvenier stores...there is usually some video playing of how amazing this little creature is and how it looks so real moving around and around like its alive. So, the video suckered Brian into buying one. The video never tells you how it actually works, you just have to buy one to see. He surmised that it was weighted somehow so that gravity made it move. When he pulled it out of his bag to show me, I just started laughing. You see, a few years ago I, too, was conned into buying one of these! So, Brian asked, "where is the one you bought?" to which I replied "I probably threw it away!" The "magic" is that it is tied to an invisible fishing line so your friends can't see it and think its moving on its own. WHAT CRAP!!! We both laughed that we were mesmorized by its magic and suckered into buying one.


So, this morning Addy wakes up and goes to her surprise. Brian opens it up and puts the string on the worm.
Brian: So, see, Addy you pull it around like this and it looks like its moving on its own.
Addy: Uh-huh
Brian: See, it looks like its moving by itself because the you can't see the string
Addy: What do you mean, Daddy, I can see it! Its tied to its nose!



So, I guess you can't fool a 3 year old, but you can fool a 33 year old!!!

Until next blog,
Jen

As long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive

Yes, I will survive. Brian has been gone since Thursday morning for a work meeting in New Orleans and won't be home until late tomorrow. I tell you what...I don't know how single parents do it!! And I've had LOTS of help from my mom, nieces, and in-laws and I'm still POOPED! OK, enough complaining...the kids actually have been very good for the most part, and today we even had nice weather to go out and play! Here are a few pics, but I'm just too worn out to do a lengthy blog!

While I sorted laundry, the kids did water paint in their high fashion sunglasses!





Addy insisted tonite on wearing her new "Chuck Taylors" to bed (she got to wear them after her bath and while reading stories, but I put my foot down to actually wearing them in bed!)



Keith models his new eco-friendly "g" diaper (the liners are biodegradable, flushable, and compostable!) He loves them and they work pretty well (unless runny poop is involved then, not so much)




Until next blog, and I have more energy,
Jen

Thoughts on Heaven

I had an interesting conversation with Addison today that I thought I'd share with you on today's quick blog post. I have no idea why she brought this subject up since, at that time, we were playing with matchbox cars in the leaves outside.

Addison: Mommy, I don't want to die. But everyone has to die, don't they?
Me: Yes, we all have to die. But, Addy, you don't have to worry about it, because if you believe in Jesus then you have the comfort of knowing that something better is waiting for you after you die. Do you know what that is?
Addison: Heaven! Thats where Peepaw and Pickle are.
Me: That's right, and you will be able to be with them and all your other loved ones that have gone before you. And heaven will be spectacular (by the way, thats her new favorite word). The bible says that the roads will be made out of gold, so just imagine how amazing everything else will be!
Addison: Do you think that there will be mountains made out of candy in heaven?
Me: I bet so!
Addison: And Keith and I can eat and eat them for a long, long time and never get belly aches.
Me: Yes, you can. So, see, you don't have to worry about dying. OK?
Addison: OK. Can we go to McDonalds and get a milkshake now?
Me: Sure.

So, this conversation leads me to a good blog question for anyone to comment on...I know we can't possibly fathom what heaven is like, so the very thought of trying to answer this question with our limited minds is preposterous...but just for fun...What would your heaven be like???

My answer: Of course, I can't wait to be with my dad and grandparents again (and anyone else who might go before me!), so that is something I always think about. But, besides that, I would have this amazing voice that would be so awesome that, if I wanted to, I could win American Idol, no contest. I would also be able to eat as much chocolate as I want and actually LOSE weight while doing so!! And there would be flowers EVERYWHERE!! And heaven would look like Walnut Grove.

OK, your turn!!!

Until next blog,
Jen

Pumpkins out the wazoo!

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Addison who had a best friend named Pumpy.



Since Pumpy was a pumpkin man, the whole month of October (especially the end) was full of excitement for the both of them. And, as a good family would, her whole family joined with Addison in the adoration of everything pumpkin! Whenever they drove down all the familiar streets, someone from the family could be heard shouting "Look! A Pumpy!" as a new halloween decoration was spotted in someone's yard. The family went to several orchards to track down some of Pumpy's lost relatives. They also planted pumpkins in their garden, which amazingly was the only thing that grew that year (and practically took over the whole back yard!) Many junky things like flashlights, napkins, and plates were purchased if they had a pumpy face on them. Nana baked cookies with pumpy's on them! And Grandpa Billmeier even decided that this year he would celebrate his birthday on the Pumpkin train!





Even our friends decided to join in on the pumpy fun! Laura and Jared Hill hosted a pumpkin-carving contest (Due to the graphic nature of this contest, Pumpy was NOT invited!) Here is Hunter presenting the final display (ours is the cat-face).



Since Addison's family bought and grew so many pumpkins, her mommy and daddy decided one day to have a carving extravaganza since, of course, they had nothing better to do with their time!



The month of pumpkin-palooza was nearing the end and it had really tuckered out Addison and her brother, Keith. So, while her mom and dad put together the costumes for the final pumpy celebration, the kids lounged...






And on Pumpy's 3rd birthday, Addison and Keith got dressed up to go beg for candy which would rot their teeth and make the guts of their mom and dad bigger!! Since Addy went dressed as Pumpy last year for Halloween, she decided this year to go as the other love of her life, a monarch butterfly (hmmm...I wonder where she got that from???) and Keith dressed up as one of his favorite toys, Thomas the tank engine. Addy later told me that Pumpy went trick or treating with HIS mom and dad (who, strangely, are stuffed frogs!) and that Pumpy dressed up as Jesus.







As you can see, the trick or treating was a success and, while coming off of one the biggest sugar highs of her life (second only to her first birthday after eating sugar for the first time), Addison climbed into bed, hugged Pumpy, sang him Happy Birthday, and then exclaimed "I love Halloween!!"

Happy Belated Halloween to all my blogging fans!

Until next blog,
Jen