A shot from 'the morning after Halloween'! I'll take any help I can get keeping the floors clean pirate Kennon. Kennon actually loves to sweep and will quite frequently get the swifter broom out from the closet on his own when he sees me cleaning up the house a bit.
Maddox and Kennon with their Operation Santa shoeboxes. It has sort of become that our neighborhood does a group activity each month. In August it was the block party, September was the first annual Century Heights road race, October was an outdoor movie night (which we sadly missed as it took place when we were in St. Louis) and November was putting together shoeboxes for Operation Santa. We, or rather Kim, my good friend who is the creative mastermind behind all of our neighborhood activities, thought that November's group activity should be about giving back and being thankful!! Perfect!! Certainly all the children in our neighborhood are quite blessed and it is nice to give back. Maddox chose to pick items for a girl aged 5-9 and Kennon for a boy aged 2-4. We were to get them a WOW gift, such as the doll for Maddox's girl and the deflated soccer ball (with a pump!!) for Kennon's boy. Then we got them other trinkets based off a list an American compiled who does a lot of missionary trips where these boxes end up. The premise is to actually spread the word of Jesus Christ in addition showering the children with gifts they wouldn't normally receive. In fact it says in the literature that most of the children open the box, take one item, and then hand it back to the adult…not knowing that the ENTIRE box is for them. Wow…!! The kids both enjoyed packing their boxes and we'll get an email soon as to where they end up! They are shipped throughout the world.
In addition to the gifts, the kids get to tell the child receiving the box a little about themselves (there is a translator involved as needed). ….what state they live in, what country they live in, their favorite food, color, what they are thankful for etc. It was fun!
The deflated soccer ball was still quite cumbersome in Kennon's box so we had to do some fancy packing to get all of the items to fit.
Maddox decorating the lid top to her box.
The finished product!
The little sign says 'This is my hand. When you place your hand on mine, think about me. I prayed for your to receive this box.'
Maddox and her finished gift….a doll, jump rope, bandaids, soap with a case, toothbrush with a case (a lot of then live in dirt type homes so you can imagine the little toothbrush cover would come in handy) , pencils, a calculator, hair bows, erasers, socks, etc.
All of our neighbor friends and their families and all of our boxes!! Last Monday night (when it was still nice and warm!!) the kids, Eric and I loaded up the boxes and took them to our church, Heritage. Heritage was a drop off site in the Quad Cities for the boxes. From there they were loaded into a big semi truck and, I believe, were delivered to an Operation Santa hub and shipped to the children from that point. Such a good activity to teach about the Love of Jesus Christ and giving back to the world.
Mason, our neighbor friend across the street, Maddox and Kennon on one of the warm days we've had this last couple of weeks.
Selfie as we waited in the drop off line at Kennon's preschool. Kennon has had his food habits turned upside down a bit in the last several weeks. We have decided to do a 'no dairy' diet for KTK to see if it helps with his asthma/respiratory issues. So far so good…I do think it is helping. Not sure how we are going to work that with Thanksgiving but we'll try. Kennon is really embracing the new routine and basically tells anyone that we meet that he is allergic to 'dairy and grass!' with this cute little grin on his face. I have no real idea about EITHER of the items…but that's fine for now. I actually have him scheduled to go through an extensive skin allergy test through our ENT on December 11th. I'm excited to get some definitive answers for our happy, comical guy.
Last weekend Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jean took the kids for the entire weekend so Eric and I could could attend the Minnesota:Iowa game and get a little shopping and solo time in. It was a much needed break from the role of being a parent 24:7 and getting to put in some time together as just Eric and I!! A big thank you to Dad and Jean for keeping the kiddos for TWO nights and for embracing Kennon's new 'allergy' and serving only dairy free food. The kids had a ball and Eric and I certainly benefitted from the break from the kids…..AND the Hawks won!!! What could be better.
Kinnick stadium before the game.
The Hawkeyes getting ready to take the field.
Kennon had his Thanksgiving program at preschool last week. He was very animated during the singing portion….saying all the words and doing all the motions just right!! Happy kiddo right in the center of this picture.
Getting ready to have our Thanksgiving feast with Kennon. Each preschool class prepares a dish for the meal at school. This year Kennon's class got to make the yummy cornbread. Last year he made the jello. Never mind the big bowl of dairy filled cheese cubes sitting in front of him. He was a trooper and was not disappointed that he couldn't have one.
We invited Grandpa Jim over for the event. Kennon was excited to have Grandpa Jim join us at the feast and see him perform. After the 'meal' we grabbed lunch to go from Arby's and went out to Maddox's school to surprise and eat lunch with her.
Kennon- 4 years old.
Maddox went on her first official field trip on Thursday. It was to the Hauberg Indian museum in Rock Island at Blackhawk State park. Since Eric is quite the history buff in our family….he opted to go with Maddox rather than I :) They both had a grand time. She was so excited to have Eric join her. Eric was one of 5 dads from her classroom and 4 mama's. Mrs. Gaspelin even had her mother come!!! Apparently she comes up from Florida every year this week and joins in the fun with her daughter's class. She was a teacher too and Eric said she got right in there with the kids, facilitating and disciplining as needed. Eric got to know Mrs. Gaspelin a little more on the trip…and we sure do LOVE her.
Maddox wrote the names on the lunch sacks…by herself. I had her add 'Eric' as I reminded her, her dad wasn't the only dad going. She looked at me kind of funny…like 'oh I hadn't thought of that'. Almost like…she thought she was only one who called her dad, Dad!! It was so cute to watch her expression changed from 'what do you mean mom….to …Oh yeah..I get it!'.
Maddox really loved the animal presentation part of the field trip. This fella named Chuck, who is an animal expert (and also does spinning with me a the Y in the morning :) talked about animals native to the Quad City area. He had several animal skins. This one is a buffalo. Maddox came home proclaiming 'it takes 17 kiddos to make a buffalo!' She was very interested in the animals and raised her hand to answer most all of the questions. We had Maddox's conference with Mrs. Gaspelin a couple of weeks ago. She is doing quite well and Mrs. Gaspelin really only had good things to say about Maddox. She is doing well with he reading, which is the primary focus in Kindergarten, and is meeting all of the behavior/emotional type markers. Mrs. Gaspelin only informed us she needs to learn to tie her shoes (which I really did not know was a marker for Kindergarten) and that she is holding her pencil incorrectly… which we are working on and Maddox is improving. We are so happy with Mrs. Gaspelin. Her years of experience with all types of children and all types of behavior and needs has really come in handy with Maddox. Maddox is enjoying school and is happy to hop on the bus each day.
Maddox is part of the presentation here. She and Chuck measured out 15' with a tape measure. She got to choose whether she wanted to be the skunk, or the fox. Naturally she chose the fox, not realizing that meant that she was going to be "sprayed" at by the sunk (who was Chuck)! He was a funny guy, I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, the parents who were laughing at his humor or the kids who were enthralled with the animals
Here is Maddox trying to answer yet another question from Chuck as he gave clues to the kids about what animal (or pelt in this case) he was holding. The children also learned about the Indians native to this region of the country and their focus during each season in order to survive. The museum has 4 stations, one for each season and the presenter did a great job of talking about their activities and engaging the kids in a dialogue about the scene and what was going on.
I cut these last two roses from my garden Thursday night at like 11pm!! I knew the snow was coming Friday so I snatched them up and they have opened up just beautifully and smell just as sweet as summer! Both of these are Grandma Doris'.
Taken two days after being indoors. Love love love those ruffly pink petals! …For those of you thinking 'she puts pictures of roses in every post!'…I have become a bit obsessed with these beauties. I think it's because I never considered myself a rose person but these are just gorgeous and are thriving in the section of my garden Eric picked out for them. Till next spring beauties. Sleep well!
Friday, Kennon and I made a whirlwind trip up to Aurora to pick up the last of the goodies from Mom and Dicks' house. Dick has the house on the market and it was time to clean out the basement storage. Thanks to Papa Dick for boxing it all up. It has been "fun" unpacking it all. Kennon was a trooper and really enjoyed himself the entire trip despite being in a seated position for 2 hours up and 2 hours back!! He actually only slept for like 10 minutes of the entire trip.
We knew the snow was coming so I got out and got the kids some new snow gear…specifically Maddox because she had outgrown all of her gear from last year. At school Maddox will go outside and play in the snow for two recesses per day. I can't imagine 17 Kindergarteners getting all their gear on and off TWICE in one day…but apparently they do. She'll wear it to and from school too while on the bus….according to the other moms in the neighborhood. And the crazy thing is that she'll wear all of this as she eats her lunch. They go right outside after lunch so the students (rather than going back to their rooms) put all their gear on BEFORE lunch, eat lunch in their coats, hats etc, while managing their lunch trays and goodies and then go right outside. Seems totally crazy to me…but I guess they do it…!
A little person got ahold of my phone!
All ready!! The kids went out Friday night the minute it started snowing but then got in two good play sessions on Saturday. Such a nice weekend. We really were home most of the weekend and enjoyed the snow, getting prepped for Thanksgiving, watching football and playing boardgames.
'King of the snow fort'….that he did NOT make. Maddox and I constructed this smallish fort and then Kennon showed up for the picture!! Hah… never fear though this little guy was scooping snow all day. He loves to just shovel snow from one place to another with no real purpose. Or rather HE has a purpose but I have no idea what he is really doing. He is actually outside 'scooping' snow right now…all by his lonesome. Maddox and Eric just came in from another round of playing today but he is still out there. He is very insistent on 'breaking the ice today mom'. With the cold temps last night the snow sort of froze and he knew that the moment he woke up…he wanted to go out and 'break the ice mom!'. He is a little worker!!
This is what the kids do most days when Maddox gets off of the bus. So sweet…totally unsolicited by mama. I do think he misses her (a bit) now that she is gone all day… They play pretty well for like 2 minutes and 32 1/2 seconds when she gets home before the arguing starts!! Hah.
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