Leaf It To Boys To Have Fun

Clean socks only......duhhh!

Yo yo yo dog!!!

Anything "cool" or "awesome" or "rockin" = big brother Payton.

Anyone dare to disagree - see the big man in the shades....he will clear it all up for you.

Peace out.

Carving Crombies

The kids sketch the face onto their pumpkins, Papa carves, kids scoop until tired & mama finishes.

Alan is seeking a patent on his new pumpkin top / lid design which involves cutting part of the top & part of the backside. His theory is it makes for easier scooping out, and way easier candle lighting. Nolan was the only one who was willing to let Papa use his pumpkin as a test bed for his theory.

Steps to successful pumpkin carving:

1. As Darla demostrates above . . . . bite on bottom lip while scooping

2. Even when your fingers are sticky & icky from pumpkin strings & seeds . . . forge ahead as Nolan shows above

3. Dont use cheap steak knife to carve unless husband is willing to listen to wife naggingly ask him to use large serated knife instead please.

Oooooo-eeeeee Goooo-eeeee

The kids & I "race" unwrapping the caramels from their plastic encasing. Makes the tedious task fun & way faster. Darla & I kept kerplunking our unwrapped caramel into the pot at the same time for most of the race. Nolan thought that hoarding his wrapped candies in a pile by him somehow protected his chances of winning the game. Elijah was very "attention to detail" making sure no speck of plastic remained anywhere on his candy before racing on to the next.

Our Lil' Prodigy

Elijah excels at everything he attempts. He does not give up until he masters the task at hand. Wow what I would give to have that level of initiative!! He is currently self teaching himself the guitar. He has always been gifted at the drums.

His kindergarden teacher stated at conferences "She is working hard to keep Elijah challenged." He already can read, rhymes, writes, . . . . .

Elijahs true love is basketball though & all the tricks he can do, like spinning it on his finger!

Possible Change In Plans

Well since Nolan's Bday (8/31) falls on the actual cut off date for enrolling in kindergarden . . . he is THE YOUNGEST in his preschool class now. Since he isnt too hip about Mom leaving him at preschool for a couple hrs a couple days a week . . . . has had us thinking. Maybe just maybe Nolan can hold off & not start kindergarden next year. If we did this he would be 2 years behind Elijah in class as opposed to 1. Our game plan we are bouncing around is . . . . Mom homeschools Nolan w/ Beka curriculum (Christian based phonics program . . . . works AMAZING) this year. Come Fall if Nolan is bouncing off the walls ready for Kindergarden socially & academically that fine but there still may be more advantages to having him wait 1 more year. (a) Boys tend to mature slower (b) Size wise - being the youngest could = the smalles vs. waiting a year & growing. . . . . Another idea is starting a Christian preschool of my own up here on the Mtn. Since there is NO preschool on the Mtn with an actual curriculum. The one he is attending now is a co-op which means I am constantly working my buns off there, am on the Board, and then pay $95 a mos to watch Nolan play. The coop believes you learn thru creative play which YES I do get - but nothing wrong w/ throwing in a letter a week to learn & its phonetic sound, etc., The teacher of the coop doesnt seem to agree so several of us parents & board are discussing at the next board mtg. Uggh.

You CAN Make A Difference

Oregon Republican Party Headquarters in Oregon City can use your help these remaining 14 days of the election campaign. Location: 275 Beavercreek Rd.Suite 108A Oregon City, OR

Volunteer Coordinator, Erin, can be reached at 503-752-9392 if you have questions, otherwise just show up! The office is open 7 days a week 9am-9pm. Free campaign yard signs are available for pickup as well.

McCain Palin Campaign can use your help:

1. Phone calls reminding voters to turn in ballots

2. Walking designated neighborhoods leaving literature on door step

3. Kids VERY welcome - sorting pamphlets & other busy work to do

* * * * *

Please keep in mind we have friends/family (all whom we love) of all sorts of political affiliations. Please dont be offended by our support of the Republican Party. Bottom line we all have the freedom to choose. . . . my only concern is when people dont choose by failing to vote. These people then gripe, critique & complain about the "direction the country/state is heading . . . " but what room do they have to bark if they didnt make their vote count?! Please please please make your vote count - whomever you are voting for this year - we all need to do our part & fill out our ballot & turn them in! Love to you all, Amy

Quick Poll

I love Sarah Palin - PBS is polling people about their support or lack therof for her.

Please vote at link below.

Here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

Not Bored in Boring, Oregon

Nolan's very "1st Field Trip" was to Bushue's Farm in Boring, Oregon.

We were blessed with a gorgeous sunny day . . . uninterupted views of magestic Mt Hood & blue skies. We tromped thru the pumpkin patches, piled onto trailers stacked with cozy bails of straw & hay towed by bright green John Deere's, checked out all the farm animals, crawled thru dark hay mazes, & even made "dirt babies" for the 1st time. (will provide "how-to" in a follow up post) Fun!

Darla & Elijah got to tag along with us as well . . . due to school closure for parent teacher conferences. Elijah was quick & easy picking out his pumpkin. His favorite activity was hands down the hay maze which required using a flashlight. He is always down for an adventure AND snack. Snack time was important to Eli as well.

Darla was quite delighted to see so many of her own classmates (older siblings of Nolan's peers) also in attendance - which just happened to be all boys, not one female classmate of Darla's. Oh boy! That's ok she didnt shy away from racing them - she came close to winning several of them in fact. That-a-girl DeeDee!

Camera battery went dead but not before I was able to snap a couple pics. . . . thankfully!

Payton hands down chose to skip the pumpkin patch since it meant he got to sleep in and have a QUIET house to himself for several hours that morning. Bah-humbug. Speaking of humbugs Alan is not . . . you should have seen his guilt ridden face as he returned from the local market with the needed gallon of milk in hand AND an extra treat.. . . . . EGG NOG ladies & gentleman. If you can believe it . . . it is already in the dairy cases at most stores. Alan is a die hard Egg Nog fan. Is it just me or does Christmas start earlier & earlier each year?

Speaking of Christmas Alan & Elijah had a pre-scheduled father son "woodworking" session in the garage today. Elijah originally wanted papa to teach him how to carve & sand a wooden beaver (maybe it was a racoon - i forget now) . . . well then at parent teacher conferences Elijah tells papa & I that he wants to make the beaver also holding a leaf blower machine. ?!?!? Talk about random. Elijah secretly reported in my ear this evening that he changed his mind. Instead of making the wooden animal for his friend James - Papa helped him make a wooden race car for his baby brother. We are all pretty jazzed about his handmade christmas endeavor. Should be interesting! Darla is knitting a hat right now for her teacher. . . . and I have made about 12 unique hats thus far. Tomorrow after school we will be taking out the sewing machine for some other fun creations. Well sorry for the super long post - I have been a nonblogger for a week or more, so had to catch up a bit. Have a blessed week!!!

"You cant leave mama!"

There is NOT a formula for this kid. No predicting. Somedays Nolan is content saying goodbye & letting me leave him at preschool - other days he makes me stay for a while - and then there is TODAY . . . . where he refused to let me leave at all. It was very distracting to the class, so I finally gave him the option of:
a. Nolan stays at school & mama comes back at sharing time
or
b. Nolan comes home with mama now
He chose to come home. I am deliberately making these remaining school hours super boring. This 4 year old actually thought he could convince me to bake cookies or ride bikes outside.... uh no. After crying a bit in his room. He has decided to stare at me on the computer bored out of his mind.

Now some of you may ask "How does a 4 year old "not let you leave"?" I mean, who is the boss afterall?!?! Well, like I said Nolan is different than our older 3. Past techniques are not as successful with the wee boy. The teacher used to think I should just leave but he is a proven escape artist too. Did I happen to mention how he wants to be a marathon runner? YES he is one fast runner. Soooooo onward. Next school day is Wednesday, which is my day to be the Parent Helper in the class. Oh Joy! Then Friday is a field trip & I am a chaperone. Looks like mama gets zero break this week. Ok I am done venting steam for now. Signed, Why Nolan, why?!?

The Road To Forgiveness

It's official . . .Alan and I are embarking on "The Road To Forgiveness". This is a new six week study our church is diving into.

All the kids attended Awanas for the 1st time at our church last night, and while they were there Alan & I attended our 1st "Home Group" at our Pastors home. It worked out beautifully. The kids had a blast & learned lots - while Mama & Papa were diving into their own lesson.

One straight forward tip . . . STOP saying "You/He/They did this to me & it hurt" . . . start saying "THIS happened to me." Own it.

The 1st 3 steps to the road to forgiveness???

1) Identify Injury 2) Calculate the Loss 3) Own your burden

You can listen to Sunday's inspiring sermon here: http://www.estacadafirstbaptist.org/

Crombie Chronicles.

Darla: "Ma when Im a Mama, I think I want to have 2 kids.
Nolan: "Umm.. when I grown up I want to have nine and a half kids."

Hi all - finally over this cold virus migraine nightmare bug . . . . but not before I missed church (which was the 1st teaching on "The Road To Forgiveness" in a 6 week series), & missed our niece's baby shower, . . . bummer. BUT . . . today I was well & spent the day volunteering in the kids' classrooms. It was WONDERFUL! Elijah is quite the show stopper on the playground with his nothing but net basketball playing & his fancy spinning the ball on his finger & dribbling between his legs . . . and the kid is only 5!!!! Darla is addicted to the bars this year. The same exact bars that I used to spin & flip off of 30 YEARS AGO (went to the same school).

Payton enjoyed his 1st High School football game (& hanging out with friends) this past week. Sure do love that boy of ours. He is doing great in his classes & for some reason has less homework this year. He has been doing odd jobs - the other day he stacked fire wood for several hours. (All in the name of that green paper all teens love)

Mr. Preschooler Nolan received a fancy invitation last week for a Popcorn Party at his friends house. His friend Dakoda chose to spend his allowance money on a movie rental, popcorn & treats for his friends to come over & enjoy with him. Big brother Payton helped chaperone the party with his best friend (allowing Nolan to attend a party semi-by-himself for the 1st time)

Notice: Several homes in our neighborhood for sale!!! Friends & Family . . . come move near us, that would rock!

Halloween around the corner . . . Darla's costume is Sleeping Beauty (thanks to a GORGEOUS huge fancy Disney Store gown that she & I snagged at a garage sale for 50 cents). It only needed a new zipper $1: DONE! Darla talked me into a big blonde hannah montana wig at Goodwill - since Darla is brunette & sleeping beauty isnt. That wig set me back $2.99. Total: $4.49

Elijah wants to be a ghost. How did I get so lucky?? Eeeeasy!!! Can you say - use one of our older once was bright white but not no more sheets - pair of scissors - permanent black marker ?! ?! Price: FREE.

Nolan - not so easy - he wants to be the cat in the hat. We have the hat - Payton won 10 years ago on Dr. Seuss Birthday- but that'ss it so far. Still need to do my homework for cat in the hat.

Well this is a long wordy post. Thought Id ramble just a hair - have photos of some funny stuff - the kids have learned how to use Paytons digital camera & well, they are very creative children. Will post later. Love to you all - have a blessed week.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." ~Psalm 106:1

Uncles Are Great

They teach nephews critical things like this: