We found a fun tree farm in North Bend. After hunting around for the perfect tree, we found a building with a warm fire, hot cider...and Santa! This was the coolest Santa. He visited with each kid for quite a while. Consequently a short line took a long time to get through.

By the time we were finished we decided to pick a pre-cut tree and be on with our day!

We track Kenzie's spelling progress over time by having her write shopping lists. I don't give her any hints, just tell her the item and she gets to spell however she likes. Sometimes it makes for an interesting shopping trip as I try to decipher what she meant, such as "letes" = lettuce and "backen" = bacon. But she got pretty close on a lot of them!

And, because she's thinking ahead, she put a star next to each one so that she can fill in the star as we find the item. Which she did. She's actually quite handy to shop with, like having my own little assistant. Maybe I'll buy her a clipboard for Christmas.

Thanksgiving was at our place tonight. We had a nice day with friends and family. We asked the kids to tell us one thing they were thankful for.

Kenzie - "I'm thankful for nature. Even the sticker bushes because they turn into blackberries."

Mason - "I'm thankful for wheels. If we didn't have them we wouldn't be able to drive."

This is another post that must be disguised into obscurity in order to discourage one curious juvenile from further study.

I am a novice Dental Gnome. With approximately 39 loose bicuspids and incisors ahead, I will surely get more practice. However, last night required four separate trips into the chamber of the juvenile. The first one I carefully stepped, tip toe, tip toe, hand ready with coinage all the way to the dental cushion when a little voice said, "Mom, what are you doing?" In quick step I replied, "I'm just checking to see if the TF came yet. Nope, you better go to sleep or she won't come."

After thirty minutes, adventure numero dos began. Tip toe...success. Exit. Parental until number dos returns to inquire about the dollar amount, which was singular. She doth protest and insist on doublage. Trip number three I begin. Tip toe...seven more coins, clink, clank. Exit, success. "Did you remember the tooth?" Dang! Back I go...tip toe, empty entire cushion, retrieve object, replace coins, exit.

Alas! Kenzie was saying goodnight and showed me her tooth. I said, "Kenz, that needs to come out. Just twist it." She grabbed it, twisted, and then squealed in utter joy. She is ecstatic that her tooth is out!



She left this note for me before she went to bed:

Kenz had her first official slumber party last night at her friend Taylor's house. It was Taylor's seventh birthday. That seems so old!

The kids (boys and girls) were dropped off at six. They ate pizza, watched half a movie, had cake, kicked out the boys, then watched the other half of the movie. She self-reported going to bed at "midnight-oh-six." The mom woke them up by popping balloons (never met her, but think I like her already).

How long can this one wiggly tooth hang on (literally by a thread)??

Mason's preschool got in the Thanksgiving spirit.


Later, Mason demonstrates that a feather is truly a versatile accessory.

Evidently we like to pack our life changes into small, one-week segments. Perhaps to get it all over with, perhaps to add interest and intrigue. Regardless, this was one of those weeks.

Cindy started teaching this week. Except for summer school, this was the first teaching job she's had in over five years. So this week she signed up as a substitute. One day she taught little kindergartners and the next she was in the juvenile detention center teaching middle schoolers. To care for the kids, Grandma June stayed with us the whole week. She and Bob are selling their house and planning to move near us. Very near as a matter of fact! We're starting construction on a new house on our lot! With Mason just starting preschool and Kenzie starting two after-school activities, everyones routine was changed.

Change is hard for everyone, but we're excited about the good things ahead.

Mason started preschool today! He loves his new school. When Cindy picked him up the teacher said that he had a good day...except for when he and "Jason" snuck away from snack time into the bathroom to spike their hair with water. And so it begins...

...is a necessity. Meat is just a vehicle to transport the ketchup. Pasta will do in a pinch.

We had the chance to sit down with Miss B., Kenzie's teacher, for conference. Kenzie is doing great in school. Miss B. described Kenzie as a "quiet leader, not one of those who is bossy and yelling at the other kids, but the one who is always there, setting a good example and ready to help everyone else." (I was a lot proud...and a little surprised.) She said that Kenzie is one of the more mature members of class, and has the rare ability to consistently follow multi-part directions. Kenzie listens, does what's asked of her, then raises her hand (as instructed) to indicate she's done and available to help anyone who needs it.

Her reading, math and writing skills are all very strong. It was all good to hear because our biggest goal for our little Spit Fire this year was social skills. We weren't concerned too much about academics at this point, but we all needed to focus on her ability to be a good team player. She still has opportunities. Such as earlier this week when a classmate said, "Kenzie, when you're done with that book can I borrow it?" and Kenzie replied, "No." She was surprised to learn Miss B. was right behind her and offered suggestions on how to handle it differently!

So, we have a couple of things to work with her on...but all told it was a great report! Good job Kenzie!

Last night this country elected Barack Obama as president. As we sat with friends in our living room waiting for each state to report, the kids were trying to understand what was going on. Evidently fed a line by someone in the room, Mason kept blurting out "Go-bama." He would get a laugh every time, but of course he didn't know what it meant. As the night wore on and we were watching the results, Kenzie kept trying to take it all in.

At about 8:00 the networks announced that Obama had won. John McCain gave an incredible concession speech that encouraged everyone to unite. It was just what we needed to hear as we waited for Obama to come on the stage. Finally, as he and his beautiful family appeared in Chicago, it hit me. I think it hit everyone in our room. We were watching history be made. A Black Family was about to enter the White House. This was truly amazing. Our living room was quiet as we listened to the words of our future president, who was breaking a barrier that perhaps none of us thought we would live to see broken.

Then Kenzie leaned over to me, "Mom, what's the big deal?"

I looked at her face and realized that she doesn't know prejudice or discrimination. I tried to explain to her how amazing it was that our country has overwhelmingly elected this man of color to its highest office, but I realized that race is a non-issue for her. How incredible is that! She goes to school with people of all different colors of skin and they're just all kids. As I looked back at her, I could feel the changing times. It was palpable and yet so surreal.

I didn't have the right words. I tried to say that some people still judge people based on their skin color. She tilted her head a bit, focused on the center of my eyes, as if to see if I'm really telling the truth. To her it was inconceivable. To me, her innocence gave me great hope.