Sticks and Stones

Sticks and stones- that's what Erik, now 10 months, likes to eat the most. He does like those little puffs and stick pretzels. He's been liking pear lately, too. But whenever he's outside, he's constantly putting anything in his mouth that is not edible. Oh yeah, he likes cat food too.

Look how proud he looks holding the empty cat food bowl that I had just scrambled to clean up!

 

He has discovered how fun slides are. At playgroup, he learned how to go down the twisty slide all by himself!

 Weeee! It helped him become more confident going down the stairs, which is necessary, since he can now climb over the baby gate to the stairs.

He can wave now and likes to do it Nazi-style. He will do it on command, except when I want to take a picture of it. I finally got one yesterday.



Even though he's into everything, we still think he's adorable!

Favorite Things

I asked each of my kids what their favorite thing about school was so far. This is what they said:

Victoria: writer's workshop, art, gym, and popcorn Friday (they get to buy popcorn the first Friday of the month for .50)

Karissa: music and popcorn Friday (BTW, she's adjusted very well to going every day, all day. It's like she's been doing it for years!)

Austin: snack (typical boy!)

My Boys and Me

Life is busy still, but different. It's just me and my boys. We found this car ramp toy at the curb to be thrown away. The girls helped me clean it up and Austin and Erik have been loving it!

Austin started preschool this week. I'm doing another "mom" school, but this group wants to meet twice a week and we're calling it "Sunbeam School". I volunteered to teach first. So I taught yesterday and I teach tomorrow. The kids did great and Austin was so excited to go to school! One girl is in vacation right now, but here's the rest eating their snack.

Erik has finally gotten his other "fang" in. Just in time for Halloween! He and Victoria both had the fangs around Halloween. It's very unusual.

I couldn't resist putting this picture of Victoria. As I've always said, her mouth is always open!

Two Great Accomplishments

The weekend before the girls started school on Tuesday,

 they completed our big goal for the summer: they memorized all 13 Articles of Faith, which are statements that describe the things we believe in as members of our church. I copied the idea from my friend Kimberlee (thanks!) and told them that if they could memorize them I would make them a big chocolate cookie, shaped like a 13. They did it! They enjoyed eating their cookies as well- though they didn't even finish the bigger-than-normal pieces I gave them.

 The other great accomplishment, which actually was completed right after summer started, was the filling of our coin jar. We started it for the new year to encourage more peace in our home. The reward they wanted for the filling of the jar was to go to the Summit, the indoor pool here in Canton. They have also been able to eat the coins since then, which we are almost done with.

 Here they are showing off their swimming at the Summit.

 Erik loved it!!!! In fact, he loved it so much, I couldn't take more than these few pictures at the beginning. There is a small slide and a lazy river that all the kids enjoyed, but I was too nervous standing over the water with my camera and Erik jumping out of my arms. Austin was Jason's duty, who also had no fear of the water.

We completed our summer accomplishments and are ready to take on kindergarten and 2nd grade!