The Feast

Wednesday, Christopher's class had a Thanksgiving Feast. The kids made cornbread, homemade butter, and pumpkin pie pudding cups.



And they were tasty!



It was the first time there was Silence in that classroom; when their meal was served.



Pilgrims and Indians needed to get a little crazy.



But they were Crazy Cute!

Children's Choir

We didn't make it to church last week, and Chris flipped out. We figured since we had company and a wedding, we were ok. But Chris flipped out, had a big huge tantrum about how he wanted to go to church. So he was thrilled this morning, when we finally went.

The Children's Choir director was thrilled to see Chris, apparently they were having a performance at each service. I was happy I happened to have my camera with me.



The Faith of Kids.

I just keep hearing that passage, Let the little Children come to me. I hope Chris keeps an enthusiastic Faith like this Forever.

Party at Bryn's

Last weekend, Chris got to go visit his friend Bryn for her 6th Birthday Party. We took a road trip up to Delphi, and we took their friend Emily with us. So it was quite a fun little trip just Mommy, Chris and Emily. I had packed them a lunch, so the kids were having a ton of fun with peanut butter sandwiches on the trip. Though I think they also really enjoyed all the Windmills.



Turns out Mommy can't tell time, I planned my arrival a full hour off, the party was supposed to start at 3, and we arrived at 2. Time Change wasn't even an excuse. But it was actually wonderful to arrive a little early, we got to go out to Amy's house, and play with the kids a bit before the whole Fest began. Chris and Shaylee really clicked right away.



I'd like to say we were helpful to pack up before heading over to Camp Tecumseh, but we weren't. The kids were adorable running wild. Then we arrived at the camp, and they all piled out of the cars, and continued running wild. This place is simply a Wonderful place to just come and play.



The kids went straight for the 'Fort Discovery' to play while we waited for other guests to arrive. Chris and Bryn rode imaginary horses, and played on cannons, and chased, and climbed, and had a wonderful time.



Once the rest of the guests arrived, we headed out over to the Petting Farm. And the kids led the way. Apparently living close to camp has it's perks.



Chris met some goats, a cow, chickens, and some other things. This ram, kept banging and twisting his head on the fence. It looked like he was either a. trying to get out, or b. just banging his head to get at an itch.



The kids found some other areas to play. Chris and Bryn found Tetherball. Though Chris called it "ball on a rope swing" because it just swung around.



They were a little bit adorable playing tetherball together, so I asked them to stop and pose for me. They did, but barely.



From there, my little nutball needed to be disinfected, and we walked through the camp some more. The kids found a jail they could lock themselves in.



And then Break Out!



From there we walked to "The Black Hole", a giant tunnel slide with plastic sleds to sail on down. Chris was scared. But when he saw all his friends do it, he really wanted to join them. Then Shaylee talked him into going, with her on the same sled.



Zip Zoom, he loved it and had a Wonderful Time!



I know right?! How cute are they?!



Shaylee led Chris back to the main building where we had lunch last time we visited, this time I stepped out back to check out the View. This is the Tippecanoe river. Ahhh....



However instead of going straight for the Grub, this time, we continued downstairs. Apparently, they have a great room all set up to make candles: A dozen crock pots with boiling wax, all you have to do is turn them on, to ready for the dripping.



Chris took a string, and instantly started dripping it into the wax, and cooling it in the water tub next to the wax. They told him to do at least 20 times in the wax to get a decent layer, and we could hear him counting. He was adorable!



His candle turned out pretty great too. Bryn's Daddy Ben helped trim them up and make them very fancy. I asked Chris later what his favorite part of the day was, and he told me, "Making Candles with Friends."



Chris and Emily with their final products. Big Hit! Huge!



After the candles, we all went upstairs for cupcakes and snackage. Even Monster Mix, the same yummy snack mix that Chris and Bryn used to make in preschool. I could not keep out of it. Such sweet nummyness practically filled us all up.



After the official party was over, we piled back over to Amy's for just a bit. Ben threw some dogs and brats on the grill, and the kids actually got a bit of protein to go with all that sugar. That was good because they were so pumped up they ran around the house outside in the dark a few times, and then played dress up indoors. Being the only older boy, Chris bypassed the princess costumes. I called him a Pimp, but whatever he was being, it was adorable!



It was a Wonderful day to play. It was Great! We had missed our friends so much.

First Flakes

This week we unpacked a bunch of clothes that belonged to Eric and his brothers. Well, the beautiful thing about clothes from the late 70s and 80s is that they are back in fashion again.



Today he sported an old jacket, with one of those great fake fur lined hoods. Awesome. And don't forget the flaired (almost bell bottomy) jeans so worn they were soft like flannel.



Super stylin'. I let him go outside for a bit afterschool to play in the snowflakes.






Of course, as is traditional around here, Hot Cocoa is the reward for playing outside.

Like fighting with a Glue Gun

Last week was full of ups and downs for school. After making it most of the month of October with no darts, he only slipped up one day, November is not looking as good.
Last week, he got a dart for biting a kid in gym. That was a bad one, although technically only 1 dart gets him to yellow, that one got him a visit with the principal, and she called me. She told us early on, she's very nice when she's not in her office, but she has to be mean when you come to her office. This was Chris's first trip to see her in that context. While she was nice to me, she was very strict with him. They had to draw a picture, and apologize. We both cried.
I also got a call yesterday from the counselor that the bus driver complained. Chris wouldn't sit down, and not listening. This is the second time. So they have given him a chewy on a lanyard for the road. And a very nice girl, *Lizzy, a 4th grader, has kind of adopted him, she was the big kid escorting him to the front of the bus, so they just asked her to sit with him and keep an eye on him. She's a real good girl, responsible and all that, sounds like Mama, and she agreed. So Chris has a friend and Mr. D all trying to keep him on the bus, but I told him if he strikes out again, we'll be taking a break from the bus and being a 'car rider' for a while. I think he interprets that as a fate worse than death.
Then later last week, he got a purple good character award, for responsibility shown in class for cleaning up without asking. Then he hit someone. On the same day. We wanted to reward him for the good, but we can't tolerate the bad. So to reward the good we took him to McDonald's. It's his favorite thing to do. But to kick it down a notch, and be less tolerant of bad behavior, we drove through, and didn't get him a happy meal, no toy or juice. So, a little celebration. He definitely understood, because he told his Therapist Miss Lisa all about it.
The next day he hit two kids, once at recess, and once at lunch. So disappointing.
At least I was in the class that day. I popped in to help out in the afternoon, and I got to be in charge of a Christmas craft. Woohoo! Each child got to come to my 'station' to make a reindeer ornament out of popsicle sticks, red fuzzy noses, beads and googly eyes. I started using elmer's, but it wasn't drying quickly, she had a glue gun, and I was triple dog dared practically to use it. So I did. It was kind of fun. But scary at the same time. I burned myself real good, and Chris and one other kid got a glue doodle on their finger. But I pulled it off before it blistered on them, didn't have the wherewithall to do that on myself. Really, it was fun, making ornaments for the soldiers, child by child. I really am getting to know the kids in his class. He's really Blessed with a lot of friends in that class.



This week is a new week. A fresh start. Praying for all green smileys all week!