Halloween

We went with the Torchia family to trick-or-treat and dressed up with a family theme of Star Wars. We had the "throw backs" of Han Solo and Princess Leia, along with Anakin Skywalker, and a Storm Trooper. We were hosted by Rocky (Chris Torchia), Wendy Witch (Stacie Torchia), a Bounty Hunter (Nic Torchia), and a Dinosaur (Henry Torchia).

Dax had Red Ribbon week at school and the last day was Career Day. Right now, he wants to be a firefighter when he grows up.

Tuesday were Fall Centers rather than a party for Dax's class. We made paper plate owls, dough pumpkins, egg carton spiders, and marble spider webs along with owl snacks. It was quite a busy hour and a half!!

Colton Hallelujah party

Colton's "Hallelujah Party" at preschool included trip to the "patch" in the courtyard, fall snacks, decorating their pumpkins, and his second "goody bag!!!!!" for the year. He had choices between all sorts of stickers and feathers and such for his pumpkin but made an "ayien guy like on Chicken Yittle with all the eyes." He was a storm trooper which he calls "men" and talks about how they get killed (all this from the Lego Star Wars video game).

A Housefull of Go-ers and one Tag-a-long

One of the risks involved in marrying a "go-er" (one who wants to go and do and not stay at home too much) is that he will produce more "go-ers". I am a 50-50 go-er/stay-er (when I go too much I spring back into defese mode and get in a 10-90 ratio) but David is mostly go-er. Dax is probably 75-25 go-er/ stay-er. Cole is all go-er! That boy would rather be out enjoying the world all the time! This week I have gone and done more than usual (with something 3 out of 5 nights) and it is still not enough for him! So we went and watched Daddy ref today in the cold and the mud of the "playground" by the field (it consisted of swings over mud puddles and a merry-go-round on its last leg settled in the middle of a mud "moat")! Colton still swears it was not a playground because it did not have a slide:) He still liked being out even with the 45 minutes of just being out of the house and playing in the "back-back" of the Pilot. I have wondered the past few weeks why he has been less aggrivated with life since he started school -- assuming that he was learning social skills etc. I am beginning to think it may just have to do with going!! This week I thought I would try going a little more and see if my hypothesis was correct. I did have to get creative with funds and gas and self-sacrifice but all in all I think I will be tagging-a-long a little more(not all the time, mind you, they need to learn to be home too)!

The Journey

Tonight, over dinner, the boys and I were discussing God. It went something like this:

Dax: "He is so big. He is everywhere."

Cole: " He is in us."

Dax: "We are inside Him too, huh?" (with that "light bulb" face that shows a new connection with his previous statement of "everywhere")

(More discussion followed about Him, about how we love those He loves, how they get toys we give to other countries and to kids who need stuff as well as processing what it is like to live somewhere that doesn't have all that we have.)

As our evening faded to night and they lay in bed, I wonder at my role in "evangelizing" these fellas. For me, it is different from working in ministry and "being His arms and hands" to students who do not know Him. I wonder at these Truths that my children were discussing: how they know this right now (and what portion is merely a regurgitation of sorts), is it a result of childlike faith, what age is it that they will be held accountable, and what to do as well as what to hold back in order to connect these two that I love to this One that I love.

Surreal

It is surreal when you have a baby...surreal when you have a toddler... REALLY SURREAL when you are a preschool parent...and EXTREMELY SURREAL when you are an elementary parent. The boys are definately growing. Last night there was a fall festival at the church that Cole attends for preschool and they both new about it. Some of Dax's friends from kindergarten were going because they attend church there and of course, and Cole is currently there. Dax was so hoping to see his old preschool buddy, "Dusty" along with some others. He did have a mini-reunion with some but Dusty wasn't there. He was so happy to see them due to they are all at different kindergartens in the county. It was a strange feeling having him know so many people not just from preschool and not just kids but also adults now that he is in an even larger school. Cole also enjoyed introducing me to new friends (he switched classes this week) and other teachers. They had a blast getting candy, jumping on the inflatables, enjoying the hayride, participating in their first cake walk (that turned into more of a cake run:) and seeing friends. I unfortunately forgot to take pictures- Dax was a firefighter and Cole was "Cole in a jersey". Dax lost his badge during some portion of the festivities and it was tragic for a moment, but we talked through it on the way home. As he was going to bed, he made my heart melt with, "Mom, I don't like that I lost my fire badge but I am glad I have you."

Q and U wedding

Tuesday morning the letter "q" and the letter "u" were joined to work together to make words like "quiet, quick, and quit". The kids were dressed for the wedding, there was cake and punch along with bubbles and dancing for the reception. Dax was the ring bearer. He asked his teacher upon arriving where the disco ball was for the reception. The "q" kept turning around during the ceremony:)

Joke of the Week 2

Favorites from last week are:

Cole's pick: What kind of keys to kids like to carry? Cook-ies

Dax's pick: Did you hear about the man who lost his whole left side? He's all-right now.

Joke of the week

We spent last week having a joke of the day each morning before we left for school. The favorites go to:

Dax's pick: What did one volcano say to the other volcano?
-Do you lava me like I lava you?

Colton's pick: "Knock, Knock!" Who's there? "Lettuce" Lettuce who? "Let us in!"

Pumpkin Patch and Zoo

Some college friends, Philip and Jill Waters, and their daughters Bethany and Noel. We went to the pumpkin patch and went on a hayride Friday night and visited the zoo on Saturday.