Winter is Coming

Well, as close to winter as Texas gets...

("Winter is Coming." That's actually a line from an Book Series/HBO Series--Game of Thrones--that David and I like.  We like to walk around and say that ominously to each other.)

The neighbors have started to put up Christmas lights.  Michael is loving it!  We walk around the block a bit and let him look around, and when we're in the car, he points them out.  Our neighbors across the street have outlined their roof with white lights, and they have lighted snowmen.  Michael enjoys sitting out on the front porch and just looking across the street.  Soon enough, David will get our Christmas lights up too.  I think Michael is going to be so excited!

I had recorded the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and we watched some of that yesterday evening.  Michael clapped for the marching bands, and he was excited to see Boots (from Dora the Explorer) and Kiki (from the Fresh Beat Band).   Uncle Bob will also be happy to hear that Michael likes Spiderman.  When he saw the Spiderman balloon, he pretended to shoot spider webs.

From http://www.marching.com/news/2011/2011-macys-parade-lineup/

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving...I missed my family, and I always miss my grandma's Thanksgiving dinner.  Since I've moved to Texas, I've only been back to Omaha once for Thanksgiving.  I was happy to have a little time to talk with them on the phone, though.

I am thankful to have married into a great family here in Texas.  We had a Thanksgiving lunch at David's great aunt's house.  This was followed several hours later with a Thanksgiving dinner at David's grandma's.  I think David is now the official "briner" for the family.  He brined the turkey for this evening's feast, and it turned out great. 

Michael had a wonderful time all day with all the family.  He especially enjoyed playing with all his "cousins."

Michael loves, loves, loves chasing and playing with his older cousin, but he's also good with the younger ones too.  Here's Michael coloring with his one year old cousin.  (So...that would be David's dad's cousin's grandson...I think...so that would be what?!) 

Also, today...lots of football.  Oh, A&M...how you disappoint...

Happy Thanksgiving!  Technically, it's now "Black Friday."  I could be shopping at Target right now....a little pass midnight.  I am way more likely to go to a store at midnight that 5 am,  but I don't like fighting crowds.  I didn't really see anything that's a "must."  On the news, they had people who were camped out at Best Buy since Wednesday night to save $600 on a TV.  Ug. No thanks.  I guess some people are into it, and maybe it's fun for them too.  But, I'd rather not have to be away from my family on Thanksgiving just to get a deal.  My uncle works in retail, and I was wondering just how early he'd have to be at his store.  I hope he has a good "Black Friday."

A snack for MDC3

Fall Crafts

Michael and I have been having fun crafting this fall. 

For Halloween, we painted a treat bag.  We made ghosts by using his hand and foot as stamps.  It turned out so cute.  Plus, Michael really seemed to enjoy the craft and made the connection that we were using his hands and feet to create something.  He looked at his painted hand and pointed to the bag, saying, "Mine."  He liked having his hand and foot painted, and he took directions really well.  (So different from a year ago...it was hard to get him to lay his hand flat for a hand craft then!) 

Michael also had a LOT of fun filling this bag when we went trick-o-treating.

 
One evening, David, Michael, and I went to Chick-fil-a for dinner, and they were having a fall celebration.  The cow mascot was there and roaming about.  Michael handled it very well.  David did not.  (Such fear in that one towards mascots.)  And, they had a craft out.  Of course Michael and I had to make one!  We got step-by-step instructions on how to make this cute little scarecrow.

Of course, as Thanksgiving approaches, it's a requirement that children do some sort of hand print turkey, right?!  Michael and traced his hands to make the turkey feathers.  Michael then wanted me to trace his foot.  And then he wanted to trace my hand.  And then my foot. 

We had extra hand prints after this, so we practiced counting with them.  I wrote 1, 2, 3, 4 on the hands, and Michael practiced counting the specified number with candy corns.  Michael's favorite number is TWO of course.  He asked if he could "eat."  What good's a candy counting game if you don't actually get to eat what you count?!

We also made an Indian corn picture out of construction paper and tissue paper.  I would show you a picture, but a certain counter-surfing orange and white Brit mistook it for a snack...and...yeah, it was torn to shreds.  (What is it with tissue paper and construction paper that Rogue likes so much?)

Another fun thing with Michael is coloring.  We practice colors.  I'll ask him what color he's using, or if he'll pass me a certain color.  His favorite color right now is GREEN!

4! 2! 4! 2!

"Four!"

"No. Two!"

This is the current debate in my house.

On Thursday, I wasn't feeling well.  I picked Michael up from school and went home.  I rested on the couch while Michael played with his trains.  David was also in the living room watching Hoosiers.  In one scene, the basketball coach told his team, "A minimum of four passes before you take a shot. All right?"  A little later, the coach asks his team how many times they're going to pass the ball before shooting.  The team responds, "Four!"

Michael responded, "No.  Two."

So David said to Michael, "Four!"

Now, David and Michael like to go back and forth.  Two!  Four!

David will ask Michael, "How many times are we going to pass? Four!" Michael will say, "No! Two!"

Or, Michael will go up to David and just say, "Two!"

Michael is developing his basketball philosophy, I guess.

Fall Frenzy

Halloween, grandparent visits, Scarecrow Festival, Children's Festival, Children's Museum...Who has time to update a blog when you're having so much fun?!

The Friday before Halloween, Michael's school had a Halloween party.  MDC3 wore costume #1, Spiderman.

Having a snack

Nini and Granddad visited from Omaha around Halloween.  They brought a special costume for Michael...a dinosaur.  Perfect for Dino-Mike!  So glad they came (and even stayed an extra day).  Michael wanted "Ba..." (Bob) to visit too, but he was staying with the Brittany pack in Omaha.  

 MDC3-style Triceratops

Reading with Nini 

Michael and I went the Scarecrow Festival at Shangri La Botanical Gardens in Orange, Texas.  We had a nice afternoon walking around, looking at the scarecrows.  Michael's favorites had cars somehow incorporated.  There was a race car driver, which inspired Michael to run a race himself.  The scarecrow below was repairing a car.  Cute stuff!  Michael also enjoyed the Three Little Scarepigs.  My favorite was a Jane Goodall Scarecrow.

 This deserted island scarecrow made me laugh.

 

Last weekend, Michael spent Friday night with Aunt Jill, Uncle Gary (who he prefers to call Pete), and Cole. I had the opportunity to hang out with my graduate school roommates, Jessica and Erin.  They both live in Houston.  I know Michael had a great time, and Jill is a great hostess.  When I there, I found a chocolate on my pillow.  

Then next day, Jill, Cole, and I met Nana and Ken at the Children's Festival in the Woodlands. We saw a live Thomas the Train show.  This was Michael's first "live" event, and he did pretty well.  We watched it with interest.  At the end, he clapped and gave a little "Choo-choo!"  There were a lot of other activities and things to see.   

 The Show

MDC3 watching intently

Michael with some of his handicrafts

Taking a "train trip" with Cole

 Checking out a "toy car"...Michael loved this!

Playing Hockey

 Michael and I also met Michael's BFF James at the Woodlands Children's Museum last week.  We went on a Wednesday. On Monday,  I made the "mistake" of telling Michael that we were going to see James.  He was so upset that I did not mean right away, and he kept saying that he wanted, "Jay..." (Not quite getting the mmmm yet........)  And on Tuesday, after I picked him up from school, he got upset again when we turned onto our street to go home.  He wanted to see James!  And finally, on Wednesday...JAMES!  (And I got to see my friend SARAH!!)  The boys gave each other a huge hug when they saw each other.  They played with trains, trucks, dinosaurs, grocery carts......does it get any better than a Children's Museum?!