Little Guy Sleeps

Little Guy is doing great in his big boy bed. Except for the occasional facing the wrong way (and being attacked by a pant-less Prince Charming). Maybe it's because his pillow matches his blanket.

This is why parents can never lie on the floor

There are 3 kids on B in this picture.

Decorating

The kids have broken me. Last year we decorated the day after Thanksgiving. Which is unheard of in my world. This year we started on Saturday. Before Thanksgiving. I'll blame it on their persistence, their love for holidays and decorating, the fact that we'll be gone and then I'm hosting book club on December 2nd and would like my house to look festive.

Little Guy tried on his stocking. I'm not sure if he really thought it went on his foot or if he was just being goofy. Last Christmas he was about to turn two, so I don't think he actually remembers too much, if anything. After I hung the stocking he kept trying to put random stuff in it. I explained that it's for "Santa" to fill with candy and toys. He said "Oh. Hmm." Lately he says "Hmm" a lot. Not a thinking "Hmm" but a more of a "huh!" hmm. I heard him explain to B earlier that that is his stocking hanging there and it is for toys and candies and stuff.

Greece

We are finishing up a unit on Ancient Greece and a mini art unit on sculptures. It seemed only obvious that we should try to create some sort of Greek sculpture. I thought the kids would enjoy building the Parthenon (but didn't take into account that salt dough wouldn't be strong enough to make columns out of).

Princess Sparkley made a relief.

We baked Buddy's in pieces and then hot glued them together.
It had collapsed by the next morning. :(

Little Guy described his as a birthday cake with LOTS of candles.

We ate Gyros for dinner the other night too... yummy.

Veteran's Day at Great Falls National Park

B had never been to Great Falls National Park and since we'd been a few times, we knew there was a great hike (involving a bridge) that we wanted to go on there so we took advantage of the free admittance to National Parks today and headed out for a hike. The weather was beautiful. Driving to the park was beautiful. For some reason, most of the trees in the park were leafless already.


The Scenery:

If you look closely (and click to see it bigger), you can see in the bottom right hand picture, a kayaker. B was holding Little Guy while we watched this kayak make its' way through the falls/rapids. At one point he said to B, "I do that when I'm bigger in my own kayak. It be fun."

The kids in the scenery:

Arlington National Cemetery

B had an interview in Arlington today so we dropped him off and went to the Arlington Cemetery since it was just a few minutes away. I hadn't been since I was 14 or so and the kids have never been.

We made it there just in time to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown. Then we wandered around some and ended up at the Arlington House (with its' beautiful views) and L'Enfant's grave. Then we wandered around some more, stumbled upon Robert Kennedy's grave (without knowing it until we got home), got lost, missed Taft's grave, found JFK's grave and then wandered around a bit more until the kids were worn out and it was time to go. Washington DC looked absolutely beautiful with all the bright colored fall leaves on the trees.

Cookie Pie Math

Princess Sparkley went to Activity Days at church last night and informed one of her leaders that she made a cookie pie for math that day. She also told a friend, but she also explained to her friend that she's learning about fractions in math. Her leader probably thinks we are weirdo homeschoolers now. But she really is learning about fractions and I made her do all the measurements on her own. I only stopped her and made her think a little harder when she was only going to add 1/2 a cup of flour instead 1 AND a 1/2 cups. Plus, it was pie shaped and we used fractions as we cut it up. AND, so she doesn't forget her times tables, she did a worksheet about those as well.

New front sidewalk

We received notice from management that we would be getting a new sidewalk. Just our townhome. They marked a crack with a giant florescent X and left the note. Little Guy is a huge fan of the X. He told me all about it when I tucked him into bed the other night. Then the next morning at 7:45 a jack hammer woke me up. Nice. Not only can I not use my front door. Or park in my space. I also don't get to sleep. The kids were thrilled though when the cement truck backed up to our door. And again when the workers all left and placed a giant orange traffic cone on our step.

Occupying Little Guy During School

Little Guy still has a loud screech. He doesn't take naps, but desperately needs them. Spends most of the time we're trying to do school bugging the big kids and demanding that me, or Princess Sparkley or Buddy do something for him or with him. I can usually pop in a dvd for him and occupy him long enough to power through the difficult stuff when the kids really need to concentrate like math, or the instructions for the handwriting practice, etc. But our TV is only about 20 feet from our table where school happens, so I've had to have Little Guy watch dvds on the laptop with giant headphones on. He looked so cute today I took his picture, but once he realized what I was doing, he got a bit paranoid.

Soccer Trophies

And Soccer is over. It was a lot of fun for the kids, but I am glad to have our Saturdays back. Plus it was starting to get really cold for those early morning games and practices as the sun was setting. Princess Sparkley's team had a party after their last game and they were given their trophies and a certificate the coach had made up for each kid on the team. The coach's awards were all silly things about the kids. He gave PS the "positional player and listens to the coach" award because (especially at the beginning of the soccer season) when he told her her position, she didn't stray from that spot on the field at all. They didn't keep score, but the kids all knew they hadn't won a single game, except for the last practice of the year, they scrimmaged against the parents and beat them 8 to 2. The kids were all happy about that.




Buddy's coach has a daughter on Princess Sparkley's team. So he just handed out trophies really quickly after their game ended, took a few team pictures, and one parent brought little cupcakes for everyone. Then we all ran up the hill to PS's soccer party.

And the crib is gone...

Little Guy has been doing great in his "big boy bunk bed." He doesn't even get out. I went in to wake the kids up Saturday morning for soccer games and he sat up and asked, "It morning now?" In an "I'm asking permission to get out of bed" tone. And this morning, Buddy was up first and already downstairs when I heard Little Guy yelling from his bed asking if he could get out. If only I'd trained my other kids so well about never ever getting out of their beds I wouldn't be as crazy (and hoarse from yelling at them at night) as I am.







Here's the before... well, not really the before, more the middle.

Boys' Room

Princess Sparkley has had two twin beds (the top bunk and her new day bed) in her room since my parents were here in August/September and it's been a bit messy and disorganized. We finally bucked up and booted Little Guy from the crib (and took away his binky), to the lower bunk and organized/rearranged bedrooms. The boys' room is done (although still with a crib up just in case Little Guy isn't handling the "big boy bunk bed" well). Princess Sparkley's room still has a lot of work to be done. We'll get there. Until then, here's a peak at the boys' room:




The big boy in his big boy bed with his new doggy, Chocolate that he bought with his money to help the transition from crib to bed (and losing binky) to go smoothly. Don't worry, his favorite doggy, Bubble, is in the background. Along with his other doggies; Gus, Heart Doggy, and Cuddles. As well as an alligator.


Here he is wishing he had the top bunk.



And here's Princess Sparkley's room in its current condition. The boys' room was just as bad so there is hope.