Friday and Saturday

No pictures today, but it has been an eventful couple of days! Yesterday the kids were here for a short while in the morning while Amy went for PT. Norma and Terry were here in the afternoon. We went for lunch at the Red Lobster- my first time there. We visited at my house the rest of the afternoon. Terry checked out my pc and showed me a few helpful things. They are such a delightful couple - I thoroughly enjoyed our time together!
Today Paul worked on my car. They invited me to go to lunch with them at Ponderosa and afterward Amy, Joyce and I went shopping at Wal-Mart. Joyce and I spent some time looking at fabric and patterns. I bought a baby dress pattern, but no fabric. I think I want a look at Joanne Fabric before I decide. Joyce would like to make matching outfits with her baby sister.
Joyce decided that she would like to come home with me for supper. She always has such great ideas! We made spaghetti and hot bread and had popsicles for dessert.
It is so wonderful to have a car again! What would I do without Paul?
It is starting to storm again so I will end this entry. I am looking forward to tomorrow and going to church. We are all so blessed to have a gifted and faithful preacher / pastor.

David's puzzle

How nice to have a big sister to help!

Daniel's tower...

Daniel loves to build towers and David loves to knock them down.

Doing math...

Thursday September 28, 2006

Thirty days hath September
April, June and November
All the rest have 31
Except February alone
Which has 28 in fine
And each leapyear 29.

Probably we all learned that verse as a child. It just came to mind as I wrote the date in the title and realized that September is nearly over! Where does the time go?
Today was wet and dreary outside, but inside, I had a great day with the kids! They seemed to be running over with energy and good spirits. It amazes me sometimes how well they seem to get along together. Oh there are moments... but overall they do enjoy each other's company.
We had to stay indoors, of course, today. I heard no complaints, but lots of ideas as to how they might spend the time. Daniel and Joyce busied themselves immediately making cards. P3 had math to finish up and David grabbed a puzzle and set it down in front of me and said, "Jane DO!" Later, Daniel got the pb and crackers down for a snack and when I put a bag of popcorn in the microwave David was beside himself with anticipation. He wanted up to see it and gave me hugs of appreciation.
P3 and Joyce stayed later to work on a writing assignment for language arts. When they finished we played Upwards. They are getting quite good at the game. It is one of my favorites so I am happy for their interest in it!

Magic trick...

"Pick a card," he said. "Now, put it back in." Daniel confidently whipped out a card.
But that isn't the one I picked," I said. Well, is it this one? "No"
Daniel began dealing the cards face up. "Is this it? Is this it?" Finally he heaved a heavy sigh and said, "Aunt Jane, I am a lousy magician!"

Rewinding

I noticed Daniel rolling UP the hill, but he assured me that he was just rewinding.

On a roll...

Climbing

Outside, Joyce could not resist climbing the tree. P3 was very supportive in her effort. David stood at the bottom cheering her on with cries of, "ME! ME!" -which I believe is swahili for "Hip, hip, hooray!"

Hiding

The show over-- the stars hide in their tent from the paparazzi.

The daring duo- J and David

The crowd held its breath as the daring duo performed their dangerous stunt. Eat your heart out Barnum and Baily!

Puzzles

The kids all like puzzles. P3 is the speediest puzzle doer. David cheers when he finds 2 pieces that go together. The boys also like tinkertoys. They really like to build things.

David loves popcorn

David loves popcorn. He has been calling it, "corn-corn", but today he called it "popcorn" and jumped when he said it as if he were a kernel of corn popping.

Tuesday

Today began with the women's Bible study at the Alliance Church. Only today was mission day, so we had a speaker instead of the study and we also had a brunch and did a mission project. The kids came over this afternoon while Amy went to her PT. They seemed extra full of energy. I made popcorn for David, but everyone had some. David wanted to wash dishes and P3 wanted to water the plants. Things got pretty wet around here. David wanted to do puzzles and then he wanted to do tricks and then he grabbed Joyce to hide with him in the 'tent' they made with the quilt. I would say 'Has anyone seen David? He must have gone with his mother." and hear peals of laughter from inside the tent.
It was a beautiful day and we all wanted to be outside. The kids decided to roll down the bank next to my cottage. More giggles! P3 tried summersaulting down the hill, but gave that up when he hit the big drain cover. OUCH! That must have hurt! He did not complain much, but he went back to rolling.
Daniel stayed later than the others so he could have "learning time' with me. He is so precious by himself. I enjoyed every minute!

The phenom!!!

Yesterday, I watched the kids at their own house. I drove there in my "souped up" sounding car. Actually the exhaust pipe broke the other evening when I was bringing P2 home from dropping the van off at the garage. [Last week a deer hit the van,]. As for my car, the kids think it sounds like a motorcycle.
Regretably, I forgot to put my camera in my handbag. The kids showed me the tricks they can do on the stairs- who needs a jungle gym when you have cellar stairs and a wild imagination? The picture that I would most like to have taken would have been inadequate anyway. Maybe a movie would have captured it better. David wanted to show me what he can do on the pc. Amy put in a cd that has coloring pages. David clicked on a color then clicked on the area that he wanted in that color. The picture was David, the shepherd, and his sheep. David gave the shepherd a blue sash. Then he hit the black and made the sky a night sky. "Sheep hide," he said and the sheep disappeared into the night, except for their eyes. Giggling with delight, he said "eye" and one eye went.
I am still in awe that a little 2 year old would have the coordination to make the moves and the developed sense of humor to make the "sheep hide!"

Watching the 3 Stooges...

The kids laughed the whole way through! [Thanks Bill!] Daniel explained that Curly is "the stupid one" and Moe "looks like a turtle."
Isn't it amazing how laughing lifts your spirits and makes the whole world seem brighter and friendlier? A good laugh can even ease physical pain- I know that from personal experience. A laugh a day is a great help in keeping the doctor away. A good laugh can encourage a better attitude .
God has commanded us to REJOICE! Sometimes we are so burdened that we feel we have to work at finding reasons to rejoice. It can be hard work to smile, and sometimes laughter seems out of the question. It is worth the effort. With practice it gets easier.
I am not equating joy with laughter, but they often do accompany each other.
Rejoice in the Lord. When you think of all that includes you will realize that it is a large and serious subject. Nevertheless, you may find yourself smiling at the realization that you are safe with God, that He has saved you from your sins, that He blesses you abundantly every day, that He has given you purpose in your life and so on and on... Ok, so now that you have a wonderful positive perspective on life, you just may find yourself [despite terrorists in the news and arthritis in your back] laughing heartily at a five-year-old's notion that "Curly is the stupid one!"

Tuesday September 19, 2006

On Tuesday I attended the Bible Study for women at the local Community Alliance Church where Amy and the kids have been involved for several years. The fellowship with the women was great! I think I am going to enjoy this! In the afternoon Amy dropped off the kids while she went to PT. We made cards and the kids watched the 3 stooges. David was asleep when they arrived and he slept until just a few minutes before his mother returned.

Intruders...

Things seemed a bit fuzzy to David as he began to drift off...Suddenly- He sensed that he was not alone!

Rest...

The "danger" passed and David rests in his tent.

Danger....

"I sense danger!" Joyce said dramatically. She grabbed the quilt and wrapped it around herself and her failthful sidekick, David as they cowered behind a chair. As you can see- they are terrified!

P3 cuts David's popsicle...

The kids on Friday...

On Friday the kids came to stay while Amy went for her PT evaluation. David brought a Thomas the Train dvd. We had a lunch of fishsticks and baked potato with popsicles for dessert. David didn't want lunch. I asked him what he wanted and he said plainly, "BLUE." He went to the frig and reached up to the freezer. There was the blue popsicle he hadn't finished the last time they were here. He has trouble pushing the ice up in the plastic tube, so he would take a bite or two and say, "Cut."

Carol

Carol is looking at the latest pictures sent by Annsley.

Sudoku

Bill brought a pile of Sudoku puzzles to work on. He is definitely hooked.

The air mattress

Bill and Carol visit...

It has been an interesting week! We were blessed to have my brother, Bill, and his wife, Carol come for a short visit. They arrived Tuesday and set up their air mattress in my living room. The equipment for inflating the mattress decided not to cooperate so after a fruitless trip to WalMart for another converter that did not seem to work, we ended up using the car battery to run the air pump. It was raining at the time, but not very hard. The mattress worked pretty well in the living room.
Bill is an amazing fellow. He is pretty low key - never seems to talk about himself much, but he is always interested in being helpful and in seeing others, especially members of his family do well. I have never heard him express an envious word. He is obviously very pleased with his children and very taken with his grandchildren. He has many talents. He can fix anything in the house and is good at building things. He is a man who loves the Lord and is more pleased to see evidence of spiritual growth in the members of his family than anything else.I am so blessed to have him for my big brother.

Tomatoes!

Today was quiet and restful. Charlie stopped by this evening with a box of tomatoes for canning. It was too late to start on them. I want to get to bed early tonight to be ready for church tomorrow. The tomatoes are beautiful! Most are bright red and some are a beautiful orange. All are delicious! My mouth waters just looking at them!