Fall 2009

Wow - I have alot of territory to cover! Maicol in particular has been wanting to play football in the backyard. This primarily consists of me throwing the ball to he or Juan Pablo and then Maicol either runs with it or knocks Juan Pablo down if he happens to get the ball. Then Andrew comes and gets the ball and runs. They really have no idea about the rules (and neither do I), but it does provide for fun and burns off some energy. Unfortunately it's getting to cold now to get out and play.

We celebrated Juan Pablo's eighth birthday in November. We had a family dinner and then gifts, cake and ice cream. Hard to believe he's had 3 birthdays since he became our son. We still need to go to Chuck E Cheese's, but we are patiently (NOT) waiting on a time that we can all go with his big brother. I think Maicol asks about it more than he does. I do not particularly care to go there (seems like it always gives me a headache), but they all just love going and I guess I can tolerate it 3 times a year. :) One of his gifts was a Lite Brite and I think the older kids enjoyed it as much as he did. I even broke down and bought a cake. I'm cheap, but Dan reminded me it is just once a year.

I worked over Thanksgiving, so we went last weekend to my Mom's to celebrate. My sister and her family came so there were plenty of boys to play with. We got out twice to take a walk to the woods. I miss living in the country. They had a great time and since it was cold there was a little pond that was frozen over. Not thick enough ice to walk on, but enough to poke with sticks and get their feet wet. Lots of playing with sticks, looking at leaves and trees and trying to be quiet enough to see deer. They have slept for 12 hours the last three nights, so I think they are about "caught up" now. When they are gone and don't go to bed on time it is really hard on them and also hard on their Mom and Dad to tolerate them.

We are still waiting on our first real snow. We had flurries today and lots of wind. They were so full of energy (loud, pushing and fighting, disobedient) today that I took them for a walk before I even tried to get school started. We were out when it started to flurry and they thought that was very cool. By the time we got back home the temperature had definitely dropped! The time outside running seemed to help and we were able to get school done with minimal problems.

Maicol still has trouble controlling his mouth, but has good days also. The upside for me is that each time he gets into trouble he has to do a chore for me. I have been the recipient of a clean bathroom and mopped floors today. Juan Pablo vacuumed and straighted up the living room for me. Andrew even got to help put the dishes away and put toys away. But I did also play hide and seek with them so they didn't have to work all day. They are doing good as far as learning, but their attitude towards Mom still needs a great deal of work. We just keep working on it.

There is lots of talk of Christmas gifts and they now understand that nearly every day in the paper their is another new ad to be checked. They are more anxious than me to get the paper each morning! We are doing a simple advent book each night. A short version of a Bible story and then a picture to find hidden items in.

We are still doing "Family Night" each Tuesday. The counselor we went to suggested this and so each Tuesday we do something together. Sometimes it's an all day thing and sometimes it's a shorter activity. Maicol (being the stickler for rules that he is) is unhappy if we do a daytime activity instead of a nighttime activity. He makes me crazy sometimes! Isn't an all-day fun time better than just a one hour night time thing? We think so, but what do we know?!

Lots of pictures with this post. That's what everyone wants anyway, isn't it?

Until next time....

This is how their version of football always ends up - one on the ground and the other two trying to wrestle the ball away.

Juan Pablo - he's usually being pushed to the ground by Maicol.

Juan Pablo - the very happy birthday boy!

Juan Pablo - 8th birthday.

Opening his presents.

The "big kids" playing with Juan Pablo's new Lite Brite.

Playing on the trampoline with Dad. He doesn't jump or play on the trampoline very often, but when he does they love it!

Andrew

Maicol

Juan Pablo

Andrew, Juan Pablo and Maicol

Juan Pablo

Maicol and Andrew - listening to Dad read for Family Night.