Unseasonably Warm . . .

We had a beautiful warm day today - 70 degrees and sunny.
So, I took the kids to the park to play.
It's Athens, home of UGA, and there are DAWGS all over the place!

This is a great park close to where we live. They have a bunch of spinning things that the kids love, especially Logan. This circle spinner is Logan's favorite.

Alyssa was great and played with Logan, while Natalie and Jake stuck together. It would have been fun to stay longer than we did, but Logan got tired and wanted to go home.

It's suppose to get colder tomorrow and the park is closing from Jan. 5th until April, while they do some work on it.
We are glad we got a great day in when we had the chance!

Another Donation

A few months after I donated my hair last summer (see post:"Hair Transformation" 6/16/08), Alyssa wanted to donate her hair as well. We advised her to wait until after soccer season, so she could still pull it into a ponytail and could also let it grow a bit longer before cutting it short. After soccer season, she decided to wait and do it over Christmas so it could be part of her "giving" at Christmas time.

We went today to our friend's house to get it cut.
Here is BEFORE . . . .

THE CUT!! . . . .

HOLDING THE PONYTAIL . . .

READY TO BE SENT OFF . . .

THE BACK OF THE NEW DO . . .
THE NEW ALYSSA!!
No tears. She is very excited to have donated her hair and to have a cute, new, short hair style.

Calendar Board

Christmas just keeps on coming -
Robert finished my Christmas gift today and put it up. He thought my calendar hooked to the wall wasn't aesthetically pleasing - so, technically it was a gift for both of us - and made this calendar board for me. He used magnetic paint for the board and the kids made magnets for me for Christmas.

Now the calendar looks "pretty" on the wall. He even put in a shelf on the bottom that can hold a pen. It is way cool.
Now, if I can only get Natalie's gift done - Christmas will be officially over, but who wants it to end!

Christmas Extras!

A couple of pictures that didn't get into the Merry Christmas post - since the day wasn't quite over yet. . .
The kids start waiting anxiously for Christmas, knowing they will be getting new pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa Lehnardt. Just in time, they have out grown the ones from last year!
And . . .
Izzy wasn't forgotten this year. Now that she is an indoor dog again, we got her a doggie bed/pillow. Robert thinks it shows that deep down I really have stronger feelings for her (really, I'm not a huge animal person) but for me it was so she wouldn't snuggle up on the couch pillows, jackets, or kids' blankets that end up on the floor.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

'Twas the day before Christmas and Alyssa (usually our early riser) was awoken by Natalie (our late sleeper) yelling "TOMORROW IS CHRISTMAS! AND TODAY IS CHRISTMAS EVE!!"
The last ornament was placed on the advent calendar and the kids were getting even more excited than ever!

That night we had our traditional pizza dinner. . . .

And telling of the Nativity story. This year's script and program was written by Alyssa.

The stockings were placed (we don't have the tree by our fireplace) and cookies and milk set out. We watched a movie, Horton Hears a Who (we hadn't seen it yet) and ate treats.

The children MUST have fallen asleep, because Santa came and left presents among the ones from the family.

My great find for Logan was a hit - he saw it right off (hard to miss) and hopped right in.

Logan's first run down the slide ended in a hard land on the floor and it took him a bit to want to go back on, but he did and loves it.

The rest of the gifts were open and all were "just what they always wanted"
(a line from Winnie the Pooh, if you didn't know)Alyssa, especially was super excited for her gift from her siblings - she's been wanting a remote control airplane and a helicopter was just as great. She has been flying it, recharging, and flying some more.

Jake's Hot Wheels set has been played with and rearranged most of the day. Among other things, Natalie got a mirror from Robert, and a cross-stitch from me (not quite finished, but with horses even a mostly finished gift is met with excitement from Natalie).

After I got my gift of a mid-Christmas morning nap and after lunch, Alyssa, Robert and I headed out for the annual Christmas Day work in the woods. It was a beautiful mild day (65 degrees and overcast). Last year we burned a lot stuff we had cut down, this year we worked on privet. Robert has been working on it off and on and today had Alyssa and I to help clear away into piles what he cut down. The bush hog works on the smaller stuff, but in the woods closer to the river they are really thick - some like small trees (and medium size trees) so Robert has been using the ax to cut them.
So we went from this:

To this:
To this:
(not all in one afternoon, but this is what we are working on)
Robert didn't have gloves (he needs a new pair), so we only worked for about 1 1/2 hours before he started getting blisters. Natalie, Jake and Logan survived in the house under Natalie's supervision. Pretty easy when Logan is asleep and she and Jake are on Webkinz playing with their new Lil' Kinz Santa brought.
We have enjoyed our beautiful Christmas day and hope all of you have as well.
Merry Christmas!

The Weekend of the Cat

After rescuing the kitten from the tree (see "To The Rescue" post), we kept the kitten over the weekend until animal control opened on Monday. The kids were in kitten heaven. It was a very sweet kitten - only hissing when Izzy came around. Understandably.

It was a good thing it got picked up Monday, Logan was becoming a bit too comfortable with it.

Robert mentioned that it should sleep with Jake and he was all too willing. I wouldn't let him, but he fell asleep on the beanbag with the kitten that night.

(If you look in the window you can see Izzy checking out the intruder!)
Izzy was kicked out of the house for most of the weekend. She did not appreciate a feline taking over her domain. After the kitten was picked up and we let Izzy in, she rushed around sniffing for a good 20 minutes before she was convince the kitten was really gone and finally settled down.

I just tried to ignore the kitten and let the kids play with it and take care of it. Ignoring didn't work as it nestled up next to me for a nap.

While it was here it had many names (everyone had their own names for it and we didn't need to decide on anything since it wasn't staying) - Alyssa: Dustfur - Natalie: Clover (because it was lucky) and some others given by Natalie's friends.
The guy at animal control who picked it up said that it was so cute and sweet it would be easy to place. I also sent him back with a plate of goodies - this was his second trip to our house, he was the one that had picked up the three dogs that visited us the week before.
There are no pictures of Alyssa with the kitten, because she was taking all the pictures. She was definitely the one who was continually concerned that it was ok.
All the kids were sad to say goodbye to the kitten. Jake now wants to ask Santa for a cat. When I said no, he said "no, I'm asking SANTA." There won't be a cat under the tree, at least not under OUR Christmas tree.

My Boys!

My boys have made me laugh lately, and here's why:

JAKE

story 1 -
JAKE: Pointing to a box, "Natalie, does this number say one thousand two hundred fifty-two."
NATALIE: "Yes, Jake it does."
ME: "Wow, Jake that is great!" (I didn't know he could name numbers in the hundreds let alone the thousands!)
NATALIE: "I taught him the thousands place because he wanted to know what his score on the computer games was."

story 2-
JAKE:"Don't worry, I'm a professional at toast!"
Jake has become very excited that he can make toast all by himself. He offered to make Natalie toast and said the above comment when she tried to give him some pointers.

LOGAN

Logan has moved on from watching "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" to liking "Cars" and "Winnie the Pooh". However, he DOES NOT like the "tractor tipping" scene in CARS. He will put his hands over his ears and run out of the room. He starts getting nervous the scene before and we try to quickly skip over the tractor tipping part.
He loves "Winnie the Pooh" - good thing I have a few of those movies - some variety. He likes best "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh". He gets very nervous, though, when Pooh dreams of the heffalumps and woozles. I noticed he had a very serious, upset look on his face when one heffalump's trunk turns into a pop gun and shoots Pooh. The next day, while we were in the car, I mentioned this to Robert and turned to Logan and started singing the "Heffalumps and Woozles" song. Logan's face turned pitifully sad and he almost started crying! . . . We now skip that scene as well.

Christmas Parties!

'Tis the season for parties. Over the last couple of days Robert's college (the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science) had a lunch party and we had our Christmas party at church.
Logan and I join Robert at the lunch party. At the lunch, your ticket was put in for a drawing of one of multiple gifts they had. The shirt below is what I won! I think it is hysterical! I left pretty soon after that, Logan was ready to go. Robert called me a little while later to say that almost everyone else at our table (mostly people in Robert's lab) won something from the drawing. Robert won a free oil change. That was perfect, because the van needs an oil change!

There was lots of good food at the Christmas party at church, wonderful people to visit with and a fun program. There was a table decorating contest and this one got Logan's vote. As we went to sit where Robert had gotten a seat, Logan saw this airplane mobile that had a motor to turn it about. He stood looking with awe and Santa in the plane and with a parachute. He stood mesmerized for quite a while and cried when I first tried to take him away. I thought we might have to change where we were sitting to be close to the airplane, but Logan was ok with leaving - after a LONG while!

As part of the program, the playgroup kids in the ward put on a little skit. They worked, for the last few months, on songs and actions. During practices Logan wasn't a singer - that would consider to much verbalization, but would smile and shake the bells he had.
As the children were getting ready to do the skit, many had elf hats on and got "rosie cheeks" and freckles added to their sweet faces. Logan . . . didn't like the elf look of his friends. He got really nervous and when he was about to cry I took him off the stage to watch. The children hadn't been in costume at practice. The elves that remained did a great job singing their songs and dancing. Here is a little excerpt from the skit.
(I was a little far away, but this turned out better than the pictures from far away)

I hope your holiday festivities have been as fun.

To The Rescue!

Yesterday a little kitten showed up in our back yard. After Izzy chased it up a little tree (it got back down) the kids took it around the neighborhood to see if anyone had lost a kitten.
No one claimed it.
The kids just left it at the side of the yard where they had first seen it. (Izzy has an electric perimeter fence and collar so she doesn't go outside that area and they put the kitten out of Izzy's range)
This morning Alyssa was outside and heard a strange noise. She looked up and saw this . . .

After much anxiety (on the kids part), wondering if the cat would be ok, and trying to coax it down - to no avail, I made a phone call to Animal Control. The office was closed until Monday. Natalie's friend Savannah was coming over and I thought I should ask her dad what he thinks - he is a fireman. He said, just leave it there and it will come down. . . . More anxiety (the kids again) . . . So, he went home and brought back his BIG ladder - it was really high up in the tree.
And . . . .

The cat was rescued!!
It is staying on our screened in porch and in the empty chicken coop until Monday when Animal Control is open.
The funny thing is, is that I called them last week because of three big dogs that decided to hang out at our house one afternoon and all night and sun themselves in the driveway the next day! Do we have a sign that says "Safe Haven" for any tagless animal?
Sorry if I sound a little less than feeling in this story . . . I DON'T want a cat!

School Play

COLHAM FERRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRESENTS:

The elementary school play this year was a sampling of School House Rock! songs as a teacher (played by the music teacher) gets ready for his first day of teaching.
Both Jake and Natalie tried out. The teachers involved in putting this together, and students, did a fabulous job.
After months of rehearsals, the play ran for two nights (this past Monday and Tuesday).

Jake and Natalie were in "Elbow Room" together. This made practice schedule and after practice pick-up much easier! They had so much fun and learned all the words and actions for the performance.

Robert and Alyssa went Monday night and Logan and I went Tuesday night. The only unfortunate part of the production was that "Elbow Room" was near the end and Logan, even though he loves music, only lasted through the first few songs before we wondered around the darker side of the cafeteria - at least we could still be in the same room.
When "Elbow Room" started I went back to the seats (we were in the front row) and took my pictures (video was not allowed due to copy write laws). Then I convinced Logan to sit with me long enough to hear the rest of the song. He did well during the performance, but was ready to be unconfined.

SIDE NOTE: Robert and Alyssa went to the show on Monday because Alyssa had her winter chorus concert on Tuesday. She tried out for and got a solo for one of the songs. Robert was out of town for the last performance, so he went to this one. I had the camera, so Robert couldn't take any pictures of Alyssa. He said she did great and Alyssa said she felt really good during her solo - no nervous shaking! I told her she will just have to try out and get another solo so I can hear her next time!

Enough Potty Talk!

Enough with the bathroom talk already!

Last week I had the great opportunity to go into Atlanta with some friends to go out to lunch and then to the High Museum of Art. They have on display "The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army."


It was amazing to see pieces from the collection found in a burial area the size of Manhattan.
Of course images of "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" came to mind, but to be close up to the detailed work and pieces excavated is always amazing.
I had a wonderful day, made better spending it with friends and I'm grateful to Emily for watching Logan for me. We got back before I had to pick the kids up from school and now I can't wait to take the girls to see the King Tut exhibit (also in Atlanta) over the holidays.

Too much information! Part 2

This morning I was changing Logan's diaper and once I got it off had to go get another diaper.

Why I even started changing a diaper without having another one ready to go is beyond me!
He took off running and didn't answer when I called for him.
This is where I found him!

I think I like potty training this way!

Too much information!

I'll be talking about Logan poopin' - you've been warned. So stop reading if you don't want to hear anymore.

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

So, I haven't really been too excited about potty training Logan. He is my last, no need to get him out of diapers before another child is born, and - honestly - he isn't articulate enough in his vocabulary yet to tell me when he needs to go. Whenever I have put him on the throne, he immediately tells me he is "done" - that is said with articulation!
Yet, earlier this week at my friend's house he starts grunting (we think there is something in the air at their house because Logan has at least ONE messy diaper every time we are there). He then goes into their bathroom and puts their step stool by the toilet. (He really likes their step stool) I asked him if he wanted to sit on the toilet and he said yes. I helped him on and he let out some #2 and, as a side effect of grunting, some #1 as well.
Cheers all around, high fives and french fries as a reward!
Sure it might be a one time deal, seeing as it hasn't happened again the rest of the week, but a beginning and he wanted to do it - no prodding from me.
Wouldn't it be great if he trained himself? I know some of you out there have had children potty train themselves. I have yet to be that lucky - and have one last chance!

Christmas Parade 2008

Today was the Christmas Parade down Main Street in Watkinsville. It has been really chilly lately, but the parade started with the sun shining - which kept the temperature more mild.
I love parades in Watkinsville! We get there early enough to get seats right on the road (which isn't having to get there REALLY early). And the road is only three lanes! (the middle being a turn lane), so you are RIGHT there with the parade people, cars, floats, etc. And in easy reach of the people tossing candy (good thing, we are almost out of our Halloween stash).

We love the music, floats, vehicles (I thought the chicken VW was great) . . .

. . . the boys favorite - tractors . . .

. . . Natalie's favorite, horses! (also a favorite for Logan - ALL his favorites are in the parade) . . .

. . . fire engines and more. The parade always ends with Santa on the fire engine throwing out candy!

Robert went early - OCAF started today (see "Benches" post 12/2) and is held in downtown Watkinsville as well. He met us at the parade and then headed back. All his cheese boards have sold already!!
You can tell that it clouded up near the end of the parade and Jake put his jacket back on, but a great time.
I hope you all enjoy this wonderful holiday season!