Checking in

Just a quick post to say that we're all doing well! The brush clearing project is moving along pretty smoothly. We've thrown away two dumspter-fuls of brush already, and have about 2 more loads to be thrown away.

Our yard is looking really good! I think we'll make our deadline of Dec. 21st, thankfully, but we'll be working up to the bell. I'll have to post some pictures of the finished product.

Here are some recent pictures -- Peter eating his first food (carrots -- so far he hasn't been too impressed with solid food)!, and our nativity scene in the front yard.

In closing, a couple of random observations...

-- How is it that a baby can make "Mom, are you trying to poison me?!?" faces when I try to feed him things like carrots, apples, and sweet potatoes, and yet he spends all day trying to put his feet in his mouth? Can his feet taste *that* much better?! Maybe I should invent a "foot flavored" line of baby food and make a gazillion dollars :).

-- I never knew my kids could sing Gospel, that is, until we listened to Tiemyer McCain's rendition of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" on Poppi's Christmas music CD for the 100th time (it's their favorite Christmas CD) and they both started singing along in full Gospel style! (including the 7 or 8 syllable stretch on "Emmanuel" and "Israel"!) It was hilarious and quite impressive!!

On Hiatus

Remember my good friend, the Dumpster? It's back!

Last week, we received a "brush clearance" notice from the fire department. At first, I was a little TO'd because I thought our backyard was really doing well -- I worked hard last spring to clear away many dumpster-loads of brush, and the yard had never looked so good. But, it's not quite good enough -- we need to clear all native brush/shrubs from 100 ft around our house, and we're not quite there yet.

Thankfully, I did put all that work in last spring, otherwise we'd be in a tight spot right now. I think we can manage it, and the cooler weather (and not being hugely pregnant!) will make the clearing go a lot faster this time. I actually kind of like hacking away at the brush -- it's good exercise, and it makes me feel like the pioneer woman that I am at heart :). But, it will be a lot of work -- most of my free time in the last week has been (and for the next few weeks will be) spent cutting, hauling, and throwing away brush.

It's crazy to think that in less than 3 weeks it will be Christmas!! I am very excited about a new religious program I'm starting with the boys. It's based on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, but tailored to a home setting. We have readings and reflections for each week of advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, and the rest of the liturgical year plus additional work on the Mass parts, parables, etc. It's geared toward helping kids from 3-6 years old develop a relationship with Christ.

I'm looking forward to it! I really want that for my kids, and I think they're ready for it (Jack especially).

Anyway, between brush clearing and Advent preparation stuff, my blog postings will be pretty sparse over the next few weeks. But I will try to make up for it in lots of pictures and updates when I do come back!!

Babbles, Babbles Everywhere

Our house is now filled with the wonderful "Bababa" and "Dadada" babbles of Peter (or "Peas", one of his newer nicknames). I love it! It's sounds so much more grown up than his previous coos. Even Jack noticed ... "He's talking, Mom!".

He's also rolling and scooching more accurately to get closer to toys or Forbidden or Dangerous Objects (I tell you, he knows when he shouldn't play with something, and he beelines right for it!). Peter also has a hilarious "I want that" look -- one of these days I'll capture it on camera and post it!

In the mean time, I did snag a picture of Thomas doing his precarious hand washing stunt.

His feet are not touching the stepstool at all -- just one foot is on the cabinet knob. But he's pretty careful and he gets the job done! He is also doing quite well with potty training -- I'm so proud of him!

Jack and Thomas are getting excited about Thanksgiving this week. They're looking forward to having family come visit us, and of course the yummy food. I was explaining the concept of Thanksgiving to the boys, and Jack asked me "Are we going to Mass?".

I told him we weren't planning on it (because we normally don't on Thanksgiving), but I was struck by the connection he made between holiday and Mass. I suppose it does make sense, after all, most all of the holidays we observe as a family are religious and going to Mass is part of the celebration. As I was trying to think of how to explain to him that this holiday is different than the more religious holidays (and therefore we didn't need to go to Mass), it occured to me that *my* thinking needed correcting, not his.

I just finished telling him that Thanksgiving is when we give thanks for all the good things in our lives, and exactly who are we thanking? God. What's one of the best ways to thank God and participate in a deeper Thanksgiving? Go to Mass. So, I think I will be taking Jack and Thomas to 9AM Mass on Thanksgiving after all -- it seems fitting and consistent with the family culture we're trying to establish. And it was Jack's idea after all -- good job, little man!

Fingers always taste better...

when they are on someone else's hand.

Michael was pretty unfazed by Peter's attack ... until Peter started crying (Why? I don't know -- his fingers weren't the ones being munched!).

When he heard Peter cry, Michael's bottom lip pushed forward (in an adorable pout) and he began to cry in sympathy. What a sweet little man!

The Rock

After nearly 5 years of living in this house, I am finally seeing some progress in my backyard reclamation project -- beating back the throngs of shrubs, assorted prickly plants, and bunny and squirrel dens that have had their run of our yard for decades, I'm sure.

This past week, I got around to tackling the bushes near the large, lovely boulder near the bottom of our yard. As I worked, all of a sudden the boys started squealing with delight over their new "mountain" that I had uncovered. It is actually a very cool rock, with little divits and gullies where the rain has eroded it, narrow pathways just the right size for little boys to climb through and hide behind. And even a little outcrop that begged to be ridden as an imaginary horse (or giraffe, in Jack's case, and a whale, in Thomas's).

It was really fun to see them playing on the boulder almost like they would a play structure at a park. And here it's been sitting in our backyard all this time, waiting to be uncovered. It didn't even cost me anything except for a little elbow grease!

In other news, Peter has become quite the contortionist. His feet are in mouth whenever he gets the chance, and socks last about a minute before he yanks them off and sucks on them. He looks like he's bending himself in half to reach those toes -- it's funny! He's also rolling all over the place, including under chairs and coffee tables, and in the middle of whatever Jack and Thomas are doing, which sometimes results in exasperated cries of "Peeeeter!" from the boys. Oh yes, this little man is definitely going to keep his big brothers on their toes.

It's off to work he goes.

The boys waaay down at the bottom of the yard.

Jack takes this rock for a spin.

Little mountain goats.

Feet, glorious feet!

Jack's pick for president...

Jack told me this morning that Jesus should be president! When I explained that Jesus is King of heaven and earth, way more important than just the president of a country, Jack changed his vote to Daddy :).

'Cause That's My Fun Day

Ah, Sunday evening is drawing to a close and I'm wishing we could turn back the clocks again tonight! I do love Sundays, and today was just about perfect.

The boys did very well with the time change (I expected them to get up around 5:30AM "new time", but they got up closer to 6:30 -- yeah!). They were very, very good at Mass. Jack and Thomas were very quiet (Jack was intent on trying to read the stained glass windows during part of Mass), and Peter actually laid his head down on my shoulder when he got tired and fell asleep for half an hour -- no fussing or crankiness, he just drifted off -- it was one of those sweet baby moments that I treasure, especially because I know there probably won't be too many of those left in the months to come.

It rained a little here and the weather was cool, and I made applesauce in the crockpot which made the house smell like fall :). Then we had a good dinner, and put some bluegrass music on for the boys while they cleaned up their toys. Jack was dancing like Steve Martin (spot on!) and Thomas was doing a darn good Pappy O'Daniel impression from O Brother Where Art Thou. It was just a very pleasant day!

We also had a good Halloween on Friday. Jack, Thomas, and I made popcorn balls from Grandmom's recipe -- they loved it! David came home from work early and we watched Superman, ate pizza, and tried to get the boys to dress up like Superman using an Indian blanket from Grandmom as the cape :). Thomas and Peter were willing, but Jack wasn't having any part of it. He was amenable to dressing up like a Dodger, though! It was simple -- no trick or treating or Halloween parties, but we had a good time.

This week will be busy coming up -- on Election Day I'd like to take the boys to visit Jesus at Adoration for a little while (our church is having a special day-long Adoration), even if we can only stay for 10 or 15 minutes.

Like Kim mentions in her beautiful post, we pray that the election results -- both the presidential election and the many propositions across the nation -- are in favor of the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. Sometimes Jack hears David and I talking about politics, and asks what it's all about. I've explained that there are two men running for president (aka "Boss of America") and we want one to win and not the other. He asked if the other guy was mean, and I thought about it for a second and said "Yes, he doesn't think babies who are in their mommy's tummy are real people". Jack looked over at Peter, who was in my lap trying furiously to bat at my plate with his chubby little hands, but who was IN my tummy only 4.5 months ago. It was a powerful moment as I watched him process what I had just said.

For Jack and Thomas, Peter has been part of our lives, a real part of all of our lives, from the moment that they knew I was pregnant. To think that anyone could deny his personhood all that time in the womb is ridiculous, and even Jack at just 4 years old, knew that. It's funny -- I've always known where I stand on this issue, but having to distill it down to its simplest form for my 4-year old really hit home for me -- who in their right mind could think a baby in its mommy's tummy isn't a person? And, more importantly, who would want such a person as boss of our country?!?

Let me close by saying how grateful I am to my children for the joy they have every single day just in being alive, and for their way of making the important things in life seem so simple and clear.

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Thomas makes a slightly wary Superman.

This Superbaby has a superpower for rolling all over the floor, seeking out crumbs and forbidden Big Boy Toys.

A hint of a shadow of some eyebrows perhaps? He does have an impressive eyebrow furrow, regardless :).

This family bleeds Dodger blue.

Peter, just seconds before attacking Thomas's "Buddy Bear".

Helping to make popcorn balls on Halloween!

Jack does the dirty work while Thomas conducts quality control.

Thomas doesn't approve of the level of stickiness involved.

Jack dives right in.

Last but not least, Elmo on a pumpkin!