The Last Day in October...

It's Reformation Day!
And this is the stash they brought home....

What other time in a kid's life can you hold 6 KitKats and relish in sole ownership? This does not occur in everyday life. It could for adults, any time we choose, but there's a benchmark of adulthood: holding 6 KitKats does not rank anymore. Isn't it kind of sad?

Of course, as adults, we have the discernment it takes to avoid those bummer candies. Remember the orange styrofoam peanuts?

Tristan was introduced to them this year.

Don't you feel betrayed after eating one of those?

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Sawyer discovered Canada's version of the orange styrofoam peanut.

Avoid these.

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They both recovered sufficiently enough to resume trading.

It's a candy economy.

Breakfast With Charlie

Greyson shared a picture of his Great Grandpa Charlie for show and tell yesterday. When we got back home, the picture was left on the kitchen table (because our household is so great at putting things away). This morning at breakfast I saw this.....



"I miss Charlie." said Sawyer longingly.


"I do too." said Tristan.

Because Grandpa Charlie was the kind of man that makes you want to just be with him. And we will! When our jobs down here are through.

First Fallen

What is that?

It's SNOWING! Where's my shoes, where's my shoes?!



Yaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!
Tristan! Sawyer! Come see!
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Don't eat first fallen snow!
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Mom, can you put my shoes on?

Uhhhhhhh, okay, we've got the shoes.
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First fallen snow makes you impervious to winter's chill.

You're so happy inside, you don't care about your outside.

Things I Have Found in My Washing Machine

Well, this is what I washed today......

I forget that little boy's pockets are storage cabinets.

Here's the little Tom Sawyer those treasures belong to.

There was a time when all you really needed in life was a whistle, a calculator, a spy laser and a gold coin in it's original wrapping. Those were the days.

I've Taught My Children to Ask NICELY

When was the last time you wanted something this bad? I suspect we all do, we've just forgotten what it's like to express it. Oh that we would petition our own Father in like manner (and as Sawyer, heed not the big brothers of the world).

Touring the Neighborhood....

This is the view from our front porch. Besides the fact that our hedges need trimming, do you notice anything else? Yes. That is Tristan and Sawyer. They are taking a tour of the neighborhood. I found this out when I sent them to play in the yard, and then noticed it was awfully quiet a while later.

"Greyson, go and see what Tristan and Sawyer are doing. Take the camera."

I don't know why I said take the camera. Partly to make it an adventure for Greyson. Partly to catch them doing some kid thing that only Greyson could discover without suspicion.

And now I have documentation. When I tell Sawyer and Tristan to play in the yard, what that really means is "Hey, kids, walk about the neighborhood. Stand at the head of people's driveways and stare at their Halloween decorations. Be conspicuous."

This may seem normal for the states. But people here try to avoid eye contact, let alone stare at their neighbors' homes. The only consolation is that they probably expect it from us by now.

"There's those weird kids again."

"What are they doing now?"

"I don't know, they're just standing out there. Staring."

"Whatever you do, don't look at their eyes."

It's Would You Rather Wednesday!

Would you rather......


Have the paparazzi follow you around every Saturday?
OR

Wear a platypus suit every time you went to the post office?
Results:
Polls showed a one point lead, Platypus over Paparazzi. Personally, I found having the paparazzi follow me around every Saturday, refreshing. Because I live in a country where nobody wants to call attention to themselves.

It's a Contest....

Guess how many? Write your name and the number.

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Greyson- Thirty.

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McKenna- Sixty-one.

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Tristan- Seventy-nine.

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H~]+))^h''' - eerhT

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Guess who guessed right?

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and the correct number is....76.

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Maybe next year. eerrhT was a good guess!

It's a Gift...

I have always hesitated to call any of my children gifted. But I have observed a pattern and I think it's fair to say that Sawyer definitely falls into that category.




And it's not just because I am his mom.....

Daaaaaaisssy!

Where's Daisy?

Goodbye Fred....

Fred is with us no longer. Who knew pumpkins had such a short life span?
While we're back here we can take a tour with Tristan....


He remained callously unaffected by Fred's departure, enough to build a new kitchen anyway.

That's One Way to Put It....

During science class today we heard an interesting answer from Tristan-

Miss Trisha: Snakes have a forked tongue. Does anybody know why? What does "forked" mean?

Tristan: They eat with it?

Well- yes.

Where The Boys Are...

Gathered around the table-

to do this......

"Daddy, how do you draw a clone guy? I forget."

Tristan's guy,

Greyson's guys,

and very particular and disenchanted Sawyer's guys.

It's Would You Rather Wednesday!

Would you rather....

Have to do a 3 second ostrich imitation every time you heard the words "please stand"

OR

Have to try to give a secret handshake to every UPS worker you see?

Let the voting begin! (over there------------------>)

Let the record show that 5 out of 8 people surveyed recommend bothering UPS workers over imitating ostriches in church.

Pray Today...

Nathan gets his first dose of chemo today. I don't see a post up yet on Darlene's blog but keep checking as they are on Mountain Standard Time. Please pray for his little heart not to be scared and for his body to be protected from the poison. Most of all for their family to emanate God's glory to everyone they see today.

Is This a Good Idea?

We may have just done roasting marshmallows one better. Can you see the little caramel on top?


It works, you just have to not let the sizzling caramel burn your tongue. And using a knife sharpener to hold them over the fire is not an integral part of the recipe, Greyson!

Two Things That Make Them Squirm....

"Wow, these peaches taste like candy!" I exclaimed.
"Yes, I like peaches," agreed Kiki. "But somehow the fuzzy part makes me want to quiver."
I know what she means.

And number two-

This is a face of incredulous doubt. His siblings have just tried to convince him that.....


this is a jar of frog eggs. To spread on ham sandwiches.
It would be about on par with other things we've encountered in this foreign country.

How To Carve a Pumpkin....

"Help" your sister scrape the slime.

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Make your brother squeal with anticipation....

Of wearing a pumpkin hat.

Noooooooooooooooooo!

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Submit your design.

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Hire an artist to implement it.

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Convince your brother it's fun to clean up.

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Light up Fred.

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With flare.