First Snowman of the Season

Look Ma! No fever!

We finally emerged from our fever-ridden life today. Yesterday, Tessa's fever was around 99.6 all day. And today--back to normal!! She is the last of us to catch the dang-blasted flu. So she was the last one to feel cruddy and have to stay home from things. We missed trick-or-treating this year. Oh well. Maybe next year. Here is Tessa dressed up for the Halloween Parade at her preschool:

So, to celebrate, we went to the park and I took pictures because it was such a sunny bright day!

I have no idea who this little girl was. But you know how kids are--instant besties for the duration of park time.

Cavalia

We took Tessa to go see Cavalia recently. This was probably the most beautiful show I've ever seen involving horses. If you get a chance to go, I highly recommend it.

The horses were very friendly with the performers. They were also very gorgeous (the horses) and well trained. These people must practically eat, sleep and breath horses.
They started off the show with a large puddle in the arena. A woman came out and danced in the water. Then out came this white horse that she danced with and that drank water from her hands.

My favorite act was the woman who signaled about 10 horses to do tricks with just her voice and a lunge whip. It was mind blowing. I have lunged many a horse in my day. This was impressive.

The dressage was a breath-taking study in restraint and composure. Almost like ballet.

There were stunt/trick riders. And lots of acrobatic feats while performers bounced around on the end of wires over the horses' heads.

Tessa was very excited about going. She wanted to pose for a picture before we left.

And her anticipation was high while we sat waiting for the curtains to lift.

As usual, Anthony could hardly contain himself. He's so dramatic.

I had a blast and hope Tessa remembers it for a long time.

Planes, Trains, and Rental Cars

We recently traveled to Michigan for a few family reunions (Anthony's side). To make life more interesting, we took the train to Chicago. Which we half enjoyed and half didn't. It's not nearly as glamorous as you might think. Think really old airplane glam. Because it's like they took the bathrooms and accessories from old airplanes and put them on the train. But we did have a sleeper car. And the kids really enjoyed getting to color and bother one another.

When we got to Chicago, we took a taxi to our hotel. The kids really enjoyed the hotel room.
Jack liked holding the room key.

The next morning we went to Shedd Aquarium. We all enjoyed getting to see the sights there.

And this is why I need an SLR camera and a class on how to use it:

We got to watch a dolphin show.

And I was lucky enough to have Oreos from our hotel room in my bag for a snack when the natives got restless.

We rented a car in Chicago and drove the 4 hours to Grand Rapids. When we got into the hotel there, the kids acted like they had never seen a TV.

But the fun really started when the kids got together. I swear, all we as adults did was watch the kids having fun. I would like to propose an idea. Next time we all get together like this--maybe the adults should go out together one night. Without the kids. Why should they have all the fun??

Swimming was probably Tessa's favorite part of the whole trip. It's all she wanted to do, and she got to do a lot of it!! I think she was more sad to leave the pool than her cousins. She did draw several pictures of herself with her cousins and grandparents when we got home.

We flew home, and Tessa was about as bored as you could get. She was too short to see the TV's (and, frankly, too young to watch what they were showing). At one point, she looked out the window and asked why we had stopped. I tried to explain to her that we were going really fast above the clouds, but the ride was so smooth she had a hard time believing me.

Jack started out the flight in my lap. Then Anthony's lap. Then both our laps. Etc. He kept trying to unlatch the seat trays. And he was thoroughly annoying a guy sitting in front of us. Fortunately, he totally passed out about 40 minutes into the trip.
At this point, I was rocking a raging flu and couldn't wait to get home so I could collapse on the couch. Which is where I stayed for the next 72 hours. Everyone else caught it, too. Today marks the first day no one has a fever since we got back last Sunday (the 24th). Thank God for the little things.

What's been going on?? Glad you asked....

Let's talk about Jack. He will be two this December. He might be entering the "terrible two's" a little early. He's such an overachiever. He is really turning out to be a sweet kid. He aims to please, and he listens really well. His teachers at "school" think he is the cutest and best behaved kid they've ever seen. I'm pretty sure I'm not exaggerating. ;) Jack loves to do whatever Tessa is doing. So he tries really hard to color pictures and dance around the living room. This usually lasts about 5 minutes before he can't help himself and starts throwing crayons, writing on the walls with the markers, and pushing his ballerina sister. Not a very good dance partner. He loves dirt and bugs, spitting, throwing things, feeding his dinner to the dog, and showing off his belly button. He hates waking up, broccoli, being told no, and sitting still. Such a heart breaker!

Tessa has been doing great in pre-school. She is learning so much every day. Her teachers are very impressed with her coloring, drawing, and writing skills. She has been experiencing several firsts lately. She had her first kiss. Which I saw. I admit, this is not the ideal first kiss--one where your mother is watching. But it was innocent and sweet. Here is the boy she kissed--our neighbor, Aidan.
Tessa also got her first broken bone! She fell and broke her collar bone about a week ago. So we are currently in the process of being careful while that heals. And, she received her first stitches on her ear a week ago. She was bit by a dog we adopted from the Denver Dumb Friends League. The dog was great until it got too aggressive with playtime. So the dog went back immediately and was replaced by Sally. Sally is a kitten who needed a good home. She is fitting in really well. She purrs and loves to hang out with Tessa. She even lets Jack carry her around in various less-than-glamorous positions. And she doesn't try to eat my kids. So it's all good!
That's about it for the kids. I am currently getting to know a new friend the Lord has placed in my life. Her name is Christina, and she is amazing. I am blessed by her every moment we spend together. I am also busy staying on top of book club, MOPS, women's bible study, two life groups, and housework. Whew! I need to learn to say NO! Anthony is usually in various states of "swamped" at work. He is such a valued person there--I know they appreciate him and the things God has gifted his brain to be able to do. He is also involved in a men's prayer group, the Worship Renewal Team at church, and teaches often. We stay busy! Hope you and yours are well!! Have a great day!

This Daughter of Mine

Life is full of surprises--the unexpected. And time, which is supposed to be linear and constant, seems to speed up and slow down and, sometimes, stop altogether. She grins like the Cheshire cat, this child of mine. Speeding up time with every centimeter she grows, every letter she learns. Rocketing us into unadulterated adulthood. Forcing us to forget the wonders of our own youth as we become captivated by hers.

And yet...there are moments when the second hand seems to loose its momentum as its cyclical journey to the 12 creeps to a crawl. You see, we are late, and she has discovered her shoes are on the wrong feet. Which must be set right--no matter the cost. And let us not forget holding open the door for this giddy girl as she spies a fallen leaf--the first one of fall. And we watch, our arms laden with bags, as she stoops to examine the curl of its edges, its delicate yellow.

For all the fluctuating speeds of time, she commands the ability to stop its ticking right on a dime. With a kiss, a hug, a mere smile. And I like to think that time in heaven is not immune, but stills while the Father leans forward to hang on the breath of her bedtime prayer.

Are you feelin' me???

I'll Have Two Scoops, Please!

Jesus is like a bowl of ice cream. And, it seems, to me, that everyone tries to mess with the bowl of ice cream.

Some people fashion an eating apparatus (we'll call it the doctrine spoon) advertising it as convenient and able to deliver the ice cream in easy to consume bites. And they get so behind their product, that they begin to say you can't eat the ice cream without the spoon. Then people will fashion different types of spoons. Some that have a twist where others were straight. Some that are multi-colored. Some might even be coated in something like, I don't know, let's say chocolate. Then they all shout at one another that their spoon is better, or the original, etc.

Some people will say that this is a wicked and depraved generation that will not accept just the ice cream. So we better cover it up with nuts or syrup or whipped cream. THEN, they will slowly become a people who say you cannot enjoy the ice cream to its fullest potential unless it has those toppings.

Some people will extensively study the ice cream. They will learn the facts about it until those facts are coming out of their ears. They look at it from all different angles. They study it in different lights. They write theories about why it tastes the way it does.

But do you know what a little kid does when you give them a bowl of ice cream? THEY CONSUME IT WILLY NILLY. Sometimes without a spoon. They get it everywhere. And they know nothing about the ice cream except that they have tasted it and it was GOOD.

At that time Jesus said," I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." Matt 11:25

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matt 18:3

And, as with all analogies, if you pick at it too much you will miss the point.

By the way, the picture on the following "video" doesn't change.

Tessa the Superstar (said with dripping sarcasm)

This past Saturday was the recital for Tessa's ballet class which she has been attending all summer. Every Tuesday, I would drive too far so Tessa could be a part of something she loves. However, she does NOT love performing in front of an audience. Since every parent in the room had been forced to sit through 80 minutes of agonizing round after round of little ballerinas by the time Tessa came out...well...it was no surprise that she provided some comic relief. But eyebrows raised, jaws dropped, and laughing turned to murmurs of surprise when she executed her turns on the very tip or her tip-toes.

As Dave Kellett says, "You can't choose what you're famous for in life."

Last Night in the Kitchen

ME: Jack, do you want a gummi bear?

JACK: Yeah!

ME: Can you say please?

JACK: Yeah!

ME: OK. Say please.

JACK: Yeah!

ME: No, don't say yeah; say please.

JACK: Yeah!

ANTHONY: Well, maybe he'll be good at sports.

Todd Camping Trip 2010

We made it!! We went camping and made it through two nights and two days. We actually were scheduled to stay tonight, but figured sleeping at home would be better for all of us. So we made a day of it in Estes, and then drove back to Roxborough. Here are some highlights:

First morning. (It was pretty cold at night, so Anthony was wearing an attractive shorts/long johns combo. Shong johns? Short Johns?)

Jack before coffee:

Jack after coffee! (and a little dirt--he must always taste and see that what the Lord made is good)

We brought ONE toy. Apparently, my dad is famous for entertaining himself with dirt and a stick growing up. Since we knew there would be plenty of THAT...

But all they wanted to do is play with the one toy. Tessa, being bigger and meaner, basically took it from Jack over and over again. I think he began to lose interest.

Us. After the first night. We might not do this again until kiddos are bigger. Or until they invent some kind of portable, invisible, fence. 'Cause we are exhausted from chasing Jack.

There were lots of wardrobe changes. Mud, water, rain, swimming, and general food and dirt eating were to blame. Lots of bending over going on:

I would yell to Jack to come back, and he would plug his ears. Here's a picture to prove it. Where did he learn to do that??

Morning two after night two. More sleep = more silly:

Well, Jack got more sleep anyway.

Kids didn't know why we were making them sit on a rock.

Waiting for the tram.

Looking out of the tram. Tessa said it was just like flying. I couldn't help thinking "box of death" while we ascended.

Waaaaaaay up high.

Chasing chipmunks in order to feed them peanuts trumped the awesome view for the kids, at least.

Here is why Jack was not allowed to feed the chipmunks anymore.

Tessa thought they could talk, but had their mouths full so they didn't.

She was really good at sitting very still so they would come up to her. Probably thought it was only natural since that's what they do with princesses in Disney movies.

Going back down. Jack heard me tell Tessa she wasn't tall enough to reach the straps. He then grabbed two and held them all the way down while making faces at Tessa. Probably to get her back for the toy truck.

Last stop, go carts!! Poor Jack had to watch.

Asleep at the wheel. After this, we went and packed up the tent and drove home. Poor guy slept the whole time.