News Alert: Snow!

Holy Cow! This was us at 8:00 AM this morning:

Alice's Precious Snowman:

I think it was six inches total:

A live movie of our first snow ball fight of the year. I'm sure there will be many more!

Too Many Pics but Too Cute: The Hair Cut

Before:

During:

After:

Need I say MORE???

A Couple of Thank Yous

Thank you to Grandmother for these adorable outfits they wore to church on Sunday. You know me and matching! I would have worn a teal jumper if I could have gotten away with it. Grady is a good sport and Pryor *loves* matching him. Alice normally picks out her own clothes - so it's a bit of negotiation and diplomacy to get her agree.

Thank you to Mary Elizabeth and Aunt Amy for lending us this coat. Alice got several compliments on it. She absolutely LOVES it!! It has gotten quite cold so this coat is completely appropriate.

Just one more time...

We were on our way out the door on Saturday night. We were on our way to a big night out - taking the kids to Chik-Fil-A to eat and we were going to pick up some Mexican for us to bring home.

The children had been riding their toys down the driveway and near the mud of the construction next door. Stephen told Pryor he could ride down one more time...it was a face plant...whoops...

A Bobcat Badge

Grady's pack had a hayride and campfire ceremony last week. We all went and had a great time. All you have to do is mention S'mores and I'll be there.

His leader is a really nice father of an only child. He seems really gung ho for Boy Scouts - and that's that I want in a leader.

It was a really cute ceremony and Stephen helped with Grady. Grady got his Bobcat badge and now he's ready to be a Tiger Cub!

There are 10 boys in his Tiger pack - the most you can have I think. Grady is the one with the Tiger Cub cap on above.

I think he is really going to enjoy scouting. They seem like a really nice group of people. They had 2 bonfires and sticks all organized for hot dog and marshmallow roasting! That's what I call being prepared!

Duff Park

The park system here in Murrysville is pretty extensive. They have a really nice park about five minutes away with extensive trails. This (by the way) is also the location of the trip and fall which brought about the broken finger the week before! We did this last Saturday after the children got their flu shots. No crying for any of them! We were so glad.

Scavenger Hunt & Bonfire

One of our neighbors, Carolyn Mento, Maria's Mom, invited the bus stop children to her house on Friday afternoon for a scavenger hunt and bonfire. We were divided up into two teams and had to find fun woodsy items like: three different types of leaves, something that doesn't belong in the woods, etc. It was really cute! Grady Arnold was in heaven! He loved the whole thing.

What could be better than a scavenger hunt? S'mores! The Mento's have a big fire pit in their back yard. We all enjoyed some hot chocolate and s'mores.

They had some outdoor speakers so Pryor was dancing and just the life of the party. We got there about 4 and didn't leave till after 6 PM! No one wanted to go home!

Triple B Farm

Alice had her first field trip on Friday and I was able to find a sitter so I could go too. The bus drive was about an hour - but it was definitely worth it! Eight of the children in her class were out sick! So I had "all" of the girls - three - Alice and her friends, the twins, Michelle and Rachel.

When we pulled up there were 5 or 6 other school buses there but you never would have known it. They run this thing like the army! Each group has a guide who moves them from place to place. Our activities included: a hayride, time to play on the "playground" (see the barn picture below), lesson on bees by the wife of the farmer who used to be a kindergarten teacher (I learned a lot!), feeding the goats (the goat learned how to pull up the rope on a pulley which had the can attached with food inside - it was incredible), walking through pumpkin land which had hundreds of pumpkin "people" characters - every princess, super hero, nursery rhymes, the Grinch, Noah & the Ark, Moses just to name a few (see Veggie Tales picture below), and of course picking a pumpkin!

I didn't even mention the Liberty Tube slide! The hill must have been 100 feet high and the tube started at the top. These pictures don't do the slide justice to get the scope. I went down too and loved it!

Instead of having the children argue about who gets the biggest pumpkin, the farm only grows baking pumpkins which are smaller and all grow to be the same size. This place has it down pat.

Alice had a great time and wants to go again! I said we might have to save this for next year.

2 Pieces of Tape

So all of these appointments, turmoil and nervousness - for two pieces of tape. Grady and I were at the orthopedist at 8:30 this morning. The doctor was very nice and after two minutes showed me where to put tape on Grady's fingers. No gym and we go back in a month!

A First

Well, it's official, we have our first broken bone.

Unfortunately, the doctor's office didn't call till 8:15 AM this morning, and wasn't able to tell us when our appointment is till 10:00 AM. I had a choice of going to an office an hour away (at least) at 3:30 PM today with all three children or wait till tomorrow morning and take just Grady to an office 20 minutes away. So we're going to the office tomorrow at 8:30.

When I took Grady to school at 10:15 this morning, the school nurse (they have an RN on site at all times!) put a splint on it. Fortunately, Grady is not uncomfortable at all. He slept through the night and didn't want any medicine this morning. I think as far as he's concerned, it's a non-issue.

Tiger Cub Paw Injured

Grady, as a Tiger Cub, was invited to go on a nature hike with the Webelos in our pack. I won't go into the whole story of the hike, because that would take all night. Suffice it to say, Alice and Grady had a great time on the nature walk while Pryor and I went to McDonald's to pick up lunch.

When I got back, they said that Grady had fallen and hurt his hand. He didn't seem upset so I didn't think anything else about it. At 1, we dropped off Alice at some girlfriend's house (twin girls) and headed home. I noticed he was walking weird with his hand and I looked at it. That's when I saw it was swollen and bluish. Uh oh.

I gave him an ice pack and called my pediatrician, getting an appointment for an hour an a half later at 3:15. I was trying to decide if I should just go to a walk in clinic. In the end, I went to our doctor's office. Grady and Pryor played very nicely for the THIRTY MINUTES we waited back in the exam room. The doctor walks in and says, wow that's really swollen. I thought, yeah, that's why I'm here.

He sent us to a children's hospital branch in Monroeville and we raced to get there before they closed. He got x-rays taken at 4:30 and they were email to a radiologist to review who would then call our doctor who would call us. Well, I guess it was late enough in the day that the chain broke down and now we won't know till tomorrow.

In the morning I'll know more. It may just be jammed. I'm concerned because his finger is askew and the knuckle is blue and swollen - although Grady doesn't seem too bothered by it. He hasn't used that hand at all, however. He said he didn't cry because he was with the Tiger Cubs - poor guy!! He's been so brave.

End of an Era

Today, Pryor chose to not take a nap. Of course, I guess I should back up to state he can get in and out of his crib. I should have known I was in trouble when he greeted me before 7:00 AM this morning while I was in bed asleep.

I put him down for a nap, and a few minutes later he comes down. So, I take away his pacifier. I put him back in his crib, and a little bit later he comes back down. I take his lovies away and barely got to the bottom of the stairs before he was out. I took his blanket away but I knew I was losing this battle. He stayed up there a nano-second before he was back down stairs.

I just gave up. Needless to say he was *really* cranky this afternoon and went to bed at 6:30. We haven't heard a peep from him yet!

Wildlife gone Wild

On Friday afternoon, I was sitting on the family room couch working on the computer. I hear a little noise. I don't think anything of it. Then , I hear another little noise. I look behind me and what do a see?? A chipmunk running behind the couch and into the front hall!!! Where did it come from?!?!

I see that it is in the play room, so I am able close it off into those rooms. What do I do??? I call for reinforcements! The first person I call, my closest neighbor, Yoshiko, is able to come over. The two of us, with colanders in our hands, open the door. The chipmunk ran into the bonus room!

I guard the animal so it won't go past me. Yoshiko opens the window in the playroom which the chipmunk can jump up on to. I wanted to try to catch it to make sure that it didn't get lost in all of the toys.

Well, it got past her and me and luckily ran straight out of the window!!! All is well that ends well! Needless to say I was pretty shaken up. I still don't know how that chipmunk got in the house!

Shramm's with the Sonoda's

My Japanese neighbor, Yoshiko Sonoda, had not been to this wonderful produce store/farm/bakery just down the road. On Monday we took her and her 5th grade daughter, Haruka.

Even though she speaks virtually no English, my children LOVE Haruka. They are the closest neighbors to us at our bus stop. So we walk to and from the bus stop with them every day.

Shramm's farm was set up for their pumpkin festival. They had a corn maze, toddler corn maze, tepee, etc. The children just ran and ran! They had a great time.

Of course, before we left we HAD to get chocolate gobs. Rough life!

Delmont Apple Festival

Yes, it's true, we went to yet another festival! Stephen has a coworker who lives 45 minutes away but had been to this festival. So we figured it must be pretty good. Plus it only took us about ten minutes to get there!

They had antique farm equipment and engines for display. They also had a tractor pull contest. The tractor tried to pull a box full of dirt as far as it could with the winner being the one who pulled the furthest. We must have gotten there near the end because most of the tractors we saw just spun their wheels and let someone else have a go. The area was packed! People had lawn chairs and picnics. Crazy! Pryor was so enthralled he wouldn't even look at the camera.

They had a machine there that took the kernels of corn off the cob. They let the children feed the corn into the machine (although I must say I was a bit apprehensive. The belt on the machine could have taken an arm off!) Nearby they had another engine grinding the kernels into corn meal or corn flour (not sure which nor what differences are.) The children LOVED it!

They probably had 100 craft tents. The usual fare but with more Steelers paraphernalia. They had t-shirts, place mats, lamps, kitch - you name it with the football team logo emblazoned on it!

Clearly, the hit of the afternoon was the magic show followed by the ventriloquist show. It's a shame they were back to back because it was hard for them to sit for that long. (Pryor had had it!) Grady and Alice were laughing hysterically. They thought it was the funniest thing they had ever heard.

The apple dumplings that we brought home were fabulous! We only wished we had gotten more!

Ultimate Playday Part Two

Well, this time the family came over to our house and everyone had a fabulous time! Grady and Justin went upstairs to Grady's room almost immediately. They were perfectly content up there playing with Lego's the whole time! No arguments or anything.

Alice and Skye had a little bit tougher time getting on the same page - but they still had a nice visit.

Pryor and Nick were happy just being with everyone. We switched from the playroom to the bedrooms and back several times. It seemed the one wanted whatever toy the other had - but that's par for the course.

Found out the foster parents (who are trying for permanent custody) are both FBI agents!

Grady's K'Nex rollercoaster works!

Check out this 12 second movie! The roller coaster is pretty cool. He worked so hard on this. We only helped a little bit. 800 plus pieces! He is so happy!