Kim's visit

There are so many sweet memories from my time with Kim and her family. This one might take the cake…. At the museum, Teddy and Luke pushing the stools around together while the big kids played with blocks.

Here are the rest!

Halloween

We had a very eventful day yesterday for Halloween. At co-op in the morning, a team of firefighters came to talk with the kids about safety. One of them got all suited up in front of the kids and then crawled around the room so the

Calvin was brave to walk through the firetruck on his own…

We went to Ihop for some free "scary face pancakes." Pancakes with candy on top. Oh, man. They loved them. What was I thinking?

Then we went to our good neighborhood friends' house to play, eat dinner, and go trick or treating. Last year was sweet going around the neighborhood with just our little family, but this was so much better even. This little team on 4 was on a mission to go to each door yelling "trick or treat" before the door was even opened. I loved seeing them all so confident together! The boy in the football outfit is Sam….Cal's good, good buddy. And his sister Lauren (being as dog as she always pretends to be!) Jack calls his best friend. So sweet to have such good friends so close to us!

Luke was only a half step behind all the big kids. Dan and I would hold him, but he would squirm down to waddle with his little bucket up to each house. I had to dump his bucket out after each house because he enjoyed putting all his candy into each house's bucket…sweet buddy!

Follow the Addie

If our time with Kim, Jason, Addie, and Teddy were a movie, it would have been called Follow the Addie. I don't think I talked to Calvin directly more than a handful of times over the week. Even breakfast conversations between he and I went something like this:

Me: Calvin, what would you like to eat this morning?
Calvin: Addie, what are you going to have?
Addie: (whatever she said that day)
Calvin: I want what Addie is having.

Calvin made his drawings to match Addie's exactly, he repeated what she said, and he was always a half step behind her right shoulder eager to do whatever she decided to do.

Walking around the museum...

Waiting for the balls to drop on their heads at Marbles.

Going on bike/scooter rides...

Hanging out a Duke Gardens...

Flying a kite...

And having a sleep over each night...

It is so sweet to me that the boys love being with their big cousin. She is very good to them, so I can see why they love her!  I so loved being with Addie, too. What a great oldest role model for our extended family!

The one prayer I have after this week is for Calvin's little heart as he grows up (and my heart, too). I see this tendency in him to latch onto other people, disregarding what he usually would say or do to follow them. While I love that he likes to be with friends, I pray that his heart would pursue and follow Jesus alone. He is the only one worthy. 

Psalm 62:5-8

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone:

my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge"

I can't hardly stand it!

All three boys love this song from Cal's Awana CD.  There is always singing from Cal and Jack, and recently Luke has started laughing and waving his arms when it comes on. =)

Pumpkin patch and Pumpkin Penis

We went to Hill Ridge Farms last Friday while my sister Kim (and Addie and Teddy) were with us. We loved it, though I might not call it a "pumpkin patch." More of a huge fall festival…. lots of fun for the kids. I don't think the kids mind that the pumpkins scattered on a vine less field had stickers on them indicating they were imported from western North Carolina =).

Here Calvin and Addie are posing with Calvin's good buddy Emma and Peyton on the hayride.

Addie and Calvin loved the corn crib. Jack decided not to go in, and Luke just kind of sat there.

Luke and Teddy are pretty sweet together!

Jack had some history to live up to with his courageous pumpkin carving last year. He jumped right in again. Calvin said right off the bat that he was going to let Jack do his seed-removing, but he bucked up and did it on his own. =)

I wouldn't say he enjoyed that part, though!

This part he loved! "Markering," as jack calls it, all over his own little anatomically correct pumpkin.  "Mommy, see that little circle right there? That's his penis."

Luke Kitchenwalker

Finally...lazy kid...

Three mountain bikers

Well, 2 and 1 who hitched a ride around the course, anyway. I just love watching the guys use their little bodies on their bikes. Luke couldn't get enough of being carried around. I really think he thought he was being like Cal and Jack.

Summertime

I have disappeared from cyberspace over the last month, so there is a backlog of pictures and stories to share! Here is a cliff notes version of our summer so far!

Calvin:
Calvin went to art amp at a local church/preschool and loved every minute of it! We are so thankful for this accomplishment for him. Before the camp began he asked us to pray with him about it...that he would be brave and try new things that he might like. He walked bravely into his new class without a moment's hesitation. I am so proud of him and thankful that God is making Himself so real in his life.

Calvin continues loving art. He took these boxes and turned them into a little dump truck. And yes, he is wearing my shirt in this picture. He had a brief stretch where I'd get him up from nap and he would be wearing my shirts, socks, etc.

He continues to spend a ton of time at the kitchen table cutting, pasting, coloring, and folding origami. He's recently started drawing, too. His artwork makes me smile!

And he's started jumping in the pool and learning to swim!

Jack

Jack is so funny and sweet. He's been singing a lot these days, which I guess means something for his speech development. He is saying everything he wants without much trouble, and the therapist he used to see really wanted him to sing, so check. This morning he was singing the line "Shout it out! God saves the werrrrrrld" enthusiastically probably 20 times while I was getting ready for the day. His little voice singing it has been in my head all day. Sweet.....kind of.

We've dappling with potty training, though I don't think he's ready. I did find this scene when I woke Jack up from his nap a couple weeks ago. Apparently he doesn't like wearing the diaper...that's a start.

When Jack put on this doctor's gear, Calvin told him, "Jack, all you need is your lunch box, and you'll be ready for surgery." Guess what Daddy takes to work everyday?

Luke

This is a terrible picture, but it is hard to capture..... Luke loves his little lion blanket, and he likes to push is little finger or thump through a loop on it. Something about it is so sweet!

He's into everything his brothers are doing these days. Even while they are sitting at the table coloring, he wants to be in his highchair playing with the crayons, too.

We have been amazed at how appropriately he uses toys. So much more so than his brothers. He pushes cars around the house (while making a motor noise), tries to put goggles on his eyes, works to put any shoes or socks on his feet, tries to stack lego blocks together, writes with pens I leave at his level.  

He's gotten strong enough now that he can push a lawnmower around the yard with his brothers! He loves it!

Our friends Amanda and Ellis came to visit us with their troop a couple weeks ago. It was such fun....the best kind of chaos!

Myrtle Beach Trip

We went to Myrtle Beach while Dan was at a conference. They boys loved the beach!

Grandma and Papaw

Ace and Jeffy came to see us, and we loved having them here! Jack found this box turtle in the front yard, so we rescued it.

Papaw spent a lot of time reading to the guys.  I love seeing Jack's little body next to Papaw.