Addie's First Day of Pre-School

I cannot believe this little girl started pre-school today. She was so excited. We missed her a lot, but all accounts were that she had a great time. The sweet/sad thing is that while she was gone Eliot walked around saying 'when Addie home'? 

Soccer and Good Friends

Charles is coaching Jack's soccer team again this year. They have been having fun, and actually winning some games this year!  It has been fun to see them develop better skills. It has also been fun because we have been able to play with good friends. Here are some pictures in our bright orange uniforms:

Rubber Strips and Icees

Today we had to take our van into get a little rubber strip reattached by the driver's side window. It was a small fix, but since the car is still under warranty, worth doing!  On the phone, the serviceman indicated to me that it would be a really quick fix which to a mom of four means oh about five minutes and you all get to stay in the car. No luck on that idea! When we pulled up they told us that it would take a minimum of an hour and that we all had to come out to the waiting room. 

That was the bad news. The good news was this was not just an ordinary waiting room. This was a newly renovated Toyota dealer. It had televisions all over the place and free snacks all over the place. I kid you not here is what we had to choose from: mini bags of cookies, freshly popped popcorn, chips, ice cream cups, a soda fountain and by far the kids favourite - an icee machine. In fact this was the first time they were all allowed an icee - their own icee to be exact. Did I mention they were free?

Never has an hour in a waiting room gone more smoothly. The kids did really well. I actually taught them a lot about the Price is Right game show which was showing on television. Both Charles and I associate this game show as one of each of our grandmother's favorite games but which I haven't watched in at least 15 years. 

About 50 minutes into the stay, the manager came up to compliment me on the kids behavior. I told him that he had built a place that made well-behaved kids an easier task. He laughed and then proceeded to tell me that there was an arcade in the back corner. I quickly declined and was thankful that the younger two which were in hearing distance did not know the word arcade. Are you kidding me, an arcade too? I would just like to pay less for my car next time please....

On the way home, Theo asked me when we could go back. I told him not for a while since the car wouldn't need service. He then came up with the great idea that we pull the rubber strip off of the door again so we could go back again soon. He was joking (I think!), but I have been keeping a close eye on the rubber strip!

Interrupting Thoughts

We just got back from a week-long vacation to Branson Missouri. We spent the majority of the week with Charles’s extended family which meant there was lots of people, lots of the time. 

Well the last night we were there we decided to have a BBQ. Right before the BBQ was about to begin Theo asked if he could go back to our condo and eat instead of Papa’s condo where we were having the BBQ. We said sure and walked him back over there.

About five minutes later, I went to check on him. He was happily sitting at one of the tables coloring a picture. I asked him if he was feeling okay. He said he was. I asked him if he just wanted time by himself. He said he did. And then he followed on with....

‘Sometimes when I am with people they talk to me. They say things like “hey Theo you want to play tag” and well, they just interrupt my thoughts.”

There you have it – our little introvert. Every family needs at least one!

Eliot and 'Hi'

Eliot has an obsession with motorcycles. I think we can trace it back to one time when we were sitting at a stop light and I rolled down the window to let him take a better look at a motorcycle in the lane right next to us. The motorcycle driver was happy to see a cute little boy peering out the window and obliged by waving.

 Ever since then, Eliot has expected all motorcycles to wave at him. I have actually been impressed by how many actually do. It appears that motorcycle drivers may be some of the more friendly drivers around.

In fact, now every time Eliot sees a motorcycle he starts yelling in a loud gruffy voice 'Hi' repeatedly until someone in the car acknowledges they see the motorcycle too. He is impressive in his ability to spot one. It is almost like it is his version of the slug bug game. I know this phase won't last forever but it sure is cute now. This is not the best picture of Eliot, but it is one that I have of him in his favorite 'Hi' shirt.