She's Five

Abigail asked if we were going to make her cake on the grill. After two birthdays without power, I guess she thinks it is normal. I decided to make her a little ice cream cake. Donny went out of his way to make her happy which wasn't easy because the past few days have caught up to her and there were many tears tonight.  If you look closely at the photos you can tell she just finished crying.

Happy Halloween

We have been very busy for the past month and this blog reflects my lack of time. Now that things have calmed down a bit I will try to catch up on the last month in the next few days. Until then, here are the kids with their friend Sarah before we went out for treats.

Random Photos

I haven't blogged in awhile because we have been a very boring family. I have two photos that I did want to share.

Donny took this self portrait at the orthodontist.  He thought his "girl glasses" were hysterical.

I just had to take a picture of this outfit Abigail picked out for school.  She looked so darn cute.

Closet

                                               Someone has been in Mommy's closet.

Lunch

I received a note from Abigail's teacher informing me that a boy in her class was going to celebrate his birthday at school. The boys' mothers was providing pizza for lunch.  With this knowledge I did a secret happy dance because I really hate packing lunch everyday.  Abigail had others ideas, "I don't want to eat the pizza.  I will have to eat it with my hands and I don't do that."  Thinking peer pressure would sent in, I sent her to school without a lunch hoping she would pick the pizza up and eat it like four million other Americans.

All day I thought about what happened at lunch, I couldn't wait for the bus to arrive so I could begin my endless questioning.  Finally the moment of truth, "How was the pizza?"  "It was good, but I was still hungry so I bought lunch."  "What do you mean you bought lunch?"  "I went in the buyer line and I bought lunch."  "I don't understand.  How could you buy lunch? You don't have a code." "I got a chicken patty and I just put numbers in."  "Why did you do that?"  "Because I didn't like the grilled cheese." "NO, why did you think you could just buy lunch?"  "Because I was still hungry. Please don't send me to school without a lunchbox again."  "I though Herbert's** mother was bringing lunch.  Was she even there or is a different day."  "She was there and the cupcakes were good."  "I'm done.  Do you want a snack?"  "No, I'm not hungry."

I am still confused.  Each child is assigned a numerical code for lunch and each code comes with an account the parents add money to when needed.  I never set up our account because I prefer to send the kids with lunch.  I apologize and thank the parents who paid for Abigail's chicken patty.


**Names have been changed to protect the pizza boy and mother.

Moved

Abigail informed me she was moved in class twice on Friday.  When I asked her why she was moved she replied, "I can't help it if so many people want to talk to me."

Good Boy

Donny's behavior over the past few days has been outstanding.  He is helping me around the house without being asked or told.  The love he has for his sister is evident in his actions and his performance at school is really excelling.  I pulled him aside today to tell him how proud I was of his behavior lately.  He was looking at me while I was speaking but he seemed to be looking at my head rather than my eyes.  As I was wrapping up my I love you, you're so wonderful speech he whacked me on the side of my head.  "What? I know how much you hate bugs and there was one on your head."

Love

I just had to share this photo that I took this morning before school. I love the way she is looking at Donny. Makes my heart burst with pride.

Reading

I questioned Abigail about her day while she was in the bath.  "Do you like school?"  "We haven't learned to read yet so what's the point of this whole Kindergarten thing anyway?" "Abigail, it's only your third day of school be patient."

Pumpkin

When I was a little girl I would go to my Uncle's farm and walk through a giant field to pick out a pumpkin for Halloween.  My father mailed me two pumpkin seeds that he got from my uncle and I hoped for the best.  I planted each seed in a starter pot and once they were big enough I transplanted them to the side of the house.  I took a photo of Donny next to one of the pumpkins last night.

For You

Big Daddy suggested Abigail mix her cous cous with the mashed cauliflower,  "Daddy, I'm only eating this white stuff to impress you."

School

We put our little ones on the bus Thursday for the first day of school. It was a bad day for mommy a lot of crying. I worried about Abigail all day. She is a year younger than Donny was when he entered Kindergarten.  Deep down I knew she would be fine I just missed my little ones and have to face facts, they are growing up.

Surprise Trip

Big Daddy and I spent Sunday the 25th packing for a surprise trip to Ohio. I rented a travel trailer and had it delivered to my father's house. The kids had no idea we were doing anything.  In fact, as we packed around them they didn't seem to notice.  They finally caught on by the end of the day but thought we were going back to Jellystone.

We pulled out of the driveway around 5:30 the next morning.  I gave Donny a map and told him to follow along and he might figure out where we were going.  He lost interest and six hours later read the Welcome to Ohio sign.  "Since we are in Ohio can we visit Grandpa?"   We spent the night two hours from our final destination.  I realized the last time we took the trip Abigail was only six months old so we made quite a few stops making the trip much longer. 

The kids were so happy when we pulled in the driveway at Grandpas and when they found out we were sleeping in the travel trailer it was pure joy.  Donny was able to spend a lot of time with Grandpa and even got to ride in the Model T to a car show; no car seat or seat belt.  Big Daddy, Abigail and I met them at the car show.  Donny walked up to us and told us we could go.  I was so glad they could spend that time together.  Donny is going to remember his outing with Grandpa for the rest of his life.

Grandpa joined us for a trip to Wright Patterson Air Force Base which has the best airplane museum in the county.  (my opinion)  Donny was beside himself and both of the kids were afraid of getting crushed by the aircraft hanging from the ceiling.   We attended the Heritage Festival on Saturday and I was so excited because I have not been there in years.   I wasn't happy about the heat.  It was hot!  When my sister and I were little we camped in the encampment with Dad.  I couldn't wait to show the kids the encampment.  A man dressed in mountain man garb walked passed us as we were entering the festival and I heard Donny say this is going to be awesome.  We spent the day with grandpa, Aunt Steph, Uncle Derrick and the cousins.

Our plan was to leave on Sunday but the cousins had such a good time together we decided to stay an extra day.  We spent the last night at Aunt Steph's and the kids played for the entire day.  We had two very tired little ones on the plus side they slept a lot on the drive home.

Abigail cleaning the Buckeyes we collected.  Grandma Barb helped the kids make Buckeye necklaces.

Donny helping Grandpa fix the lawnmower.

Grandpa and Donny leaving for the car show.

Grandpa's old house.  I love this house.

Donny eating his new favorite food an omelet.

Wright Patterson

Grandpa's Model T

Abigail wanted to know why the man was getting scolded.

Only in Ohio.

Need I saw more?

Outside of the museum.

Inside of the Indian Museum at the Heritage Festival.

Abigail skipped the magician to watch the Elvis impersonator.  She told Big Daddy that he wasn't the real Elvis because the real Elvis is dead.

Cousin Riley and Grandpa on the canal boat ride.

The pond behind the Johnston House



Grandpa and Grandma's beautiful deck was perfect for Abigail's photo shoot.

Our home for the week.

Piqua Heritage Festival

Johnston Farm

Busy

The last days of summer have been very busy.  To be honest I can't really remember what we filled our days doing last week,  but I know we were always on the go.  Donny went for a hike with his Cub Scout pack, we spent some time at the park and there were play dates.  Yesterday we finally took the kids to Splashdown water park.  We promised Donny we would go last summer and never got there.  I was determined to go this year even if it was only 75 degrees.  The kids had a great time and the park wasn't crowded so we didn't really have to wait on line very long.  Once the kids lips turned blue, they decided it was time to leave which always a plus when the parents aren't the bad guys.

We returned early enough to put up the tent and cross off another summer wish list.  It was the perfect night to stick the kids in the tent because the water park wore them out.  They fell asleep in record time.  Big Daddy and I had a much tougher time trying to sleep with all the noise.  Between the coyote's, the very large plane that sounded as if it was about to crash into the mountain, Lovey the cat circling the tent and meowing, the thousands of insects making noise and the car coming up the road that sounded as if it were going to drive through our house, Big Daddy and I did get a few hours of sleep.

Waiting for Donny to join us.

The best photo I could get of the both of us.  Doesn't my face cream just shine in the light?

The next morning.

Abigail wanted me to take this picture so it would be on TV. I'm not sure what she's talking about.

Home School

Donny asked me if he could be home schooled and I actually figured it out pretty quickly.  He is starting to worry about this years flu shot.  He cannot have the nasal mist because of his asthma so he must get the shot.  He asked me the other day if he really needed to get one.  I confirmed that he did need the shot because he goes to school and can catch the flu from the other children.  So instead of just getting the shot, he would prefer to isolate himself in the house.  I am sure I have not heard the last of his grand plans to avoid getting the flu shot.

Day at the Lake

I have been trying to make a trip up to Lake Taghkanic with the kids for a year and a half. Well, we finally made it today.  The weather was wonderful and the three of us had a wonderful day, big Daddy had to work.  Donny spent most of the time trying to catch a fish.  The school of fish would swim under the rope and as Donny tried to scoop them up they would swim back under.  I enjoyed watching him, he tried so hard.  I think he made a bunch of little friends.  Abigail didn't want to get to close.  She didn't want the fish to bite her legs.