WordfFUL Wednesday

I've noticed a lot of bloggers do a "Wordless Wednesday" where they post a picture. I'm always posting pictures, so I thought I'd change it up a bit. I'm going to do the occasional "Wordful Wednesday" and use it for the little tid bits that don't make up a full story blog...

Veronica:

• Calls nightgown, "nightengale."
• She's constantly telling us what she can do when she's big. "When I'm big, I can..." drink my own coke, wear underwear all the time, use an open cup with one hand...
• Now she's also into what she's too big for - like bottles or clothes that she's out grown. "When I'm little, I can wear this!"

Thomas:

• Often says, "It's kinda like ____, but it is ___." Example: It's kinda like it's blue, but it is blue.
• Is excited about things being scary - unless they really scare him - because he understands they are not real. "Spiderman's scary, but he's not real."
• Sings the line from Chim-Chimney, "A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be," but lucky usually comes out "yucky."

Both kids:

• Use the phrase "sounds like" when they mean "looks like." That sounds like a house.
• Still use one of my favorite phrases when they want to be held, "I want to hold you."

The Letter of the Day

For the first time today we worked on writing letters. Thomas let me write 'T' hand-over-hand with him. In fact, he requested we do it over and over. Veronica was interested, but too independent to let me help her. She colored the insides of the letters.


Next thing I know, I hear Thomas reciting, "Down and across - I did it!" Sure enough he'd made a "'T'... "for me!" he said.

The first letter Thomas wrote himself... T.

Veronica let me show her how to make a 'V'. She even let me do a little physical guiding. And she made a 'V' with minimal to no help!

Veronica's first letter... V.

When Daddy got home, we gave him a big surprise... Thomas wrote T after T for him - by himself! He did one in every color he could. Veronica was happy to show off her letter "coloring" - staying independent! She does a great job staying inside the lines of the letters.

Binoculars, Bikes, and Bellydancing

Hannah and Blake came over this morning for a visit. Hannah, as always, was a little slow to warm up, so we decided to do a craft. We made binoculars out of toilet paper tubes.

Once we were warmed up, we headed outdoors for a bike ride. Each kid over 2 had their own bike - they even formed a "train" as they proceeded up and down the sidewalk.

We played in the leaves, too...

"Thomas, I can't reach the leaves. Will you help me?"

"Let me give you a boost..."

"I think I can make it."

After our cousins left we got to eat dinner at Santorini's with Aunt Peggy. The flaming meals were abundant and quite a hit with the kids. As we were gearing up to leave, the belly dancer (who had just arrived and was about 60 years old) cornered us. The kids watched but kept themselves hidden. We were standing with our bags, ready to leave. It became apparent she would not let us leave without a tip. I found a dollar and tried to get the kids to give it to her. No way. So, I laid it on the table hoping she'd stick it in her waistband as she had done with other bills. No - not for the two year olds - you must give them a proper show... she stuck it in her cleavage.

Decorating at Debi's

We were invited to Debi's today for a Halloween celebration. Deanna was there also to share the fun and fill the kids with suckers.

We decorated cookies....
...and were quite proud of the finished products...

...and found them to be delicious!

Pumpkin Patch

Daddy took a day off today to go to the pumpkin patch! This year was different than last year in that it was more crowded and our kids were less scared. It was also visibly different:

2008

2009

They were more interested in the activities that Waterman's had to offer: Bouncy houses, bike "tractors", haystacks to climb on, going inside a big "pumpkin" (below).

They were excited to see and feed the animals.

I'm not sure about the toupe this duck is wearing...

They were also interested (and not scared of) the pumpkin-eating dinosaur!

We took a hayride out to the pumpkin patch where we searched and searched...

...to find the perfect pumpkins.

After a long morning of pumpkin-fun, we refueled at Edward's drive in with some good ol' fashioned burgers and shakes - and some tunes from the juke box.

Hare crow.

Last week the kids made Scare Crows at Mamak's house. They were excited to show them off. We left them at Mamak's. And, as we're quite sure she needed to keep the TWO 30 inch tall scarecrows on her refrigerator, we went ahead and made some to decorate our house. They saw our neighbor taking a walk and had to rush out of the house to show him their creations.

Veronica was quite proud of her "hare crow." This is the most detailed face I've ever seen her draw. She started with the eyes (two circles with dots in the middle), and then drew a mouth. Then, for the nose she made two filled-in circles. I'm pretty sure it was two nostrils. But, then she decided the scarecrow needed another nose - hence, the third nostril.



Thomas filled the face with his favorite color - blue. He was very specific about what was what. He even drew a mustache. I like the way he sticks his tongue out now when he's concentrating.

Spiderman

Thomas has had an obsession with Spiderman for quite some time. All he knew about him was his picture. Plus, there is one on top of a building on New York Street. Judson and I were both secretly teaching both the kids to sing the theme song to suprise the other. Then, Judson had some time to himself while he was sick. He scanned his 196_ boxed set of Spiderman cartoons and found an appropriate one for the kids to view.

It was quite the hit! Thomas was glued to it. Veronica was excited and giddy over it. They went to bed singing the theme song. Here's what we were able to get out of them recently. Thomas wasn't in to the taping, but he went off to the side and was "spinning a web."