273/365

Field Trip
Today was Drew's 1st field trip as a kindergartner and it just happened to be to the same place we went last weekend with the Walkers...the Marionville Pumpkin Patch! Zach and I tagged along for the trip, this time clothed in jeans!! ;) We had a beautiful afternoon for our visits and the kids seemed to really enjoy the hayride, hay mazes and picking out their very own little pumpkin off the vine.

272/365

Took the Plunge!
We finally broke down and joined the local fitness center, which just happens to be about 3 blocks from our house. The plan is for me to stop in the mornings after dropping Drew at school (they have a childcare area during this time for Zach), and John will go in the evenings after the boys are in bed.

271/365

Class Scarecrow
Drew's class scarecrow is finally all put together and waiting for Pumpkin Daze this weekend! It will compete with the other preschool & kindergarten class entries on Saturday. The winning class will receive a DQ ice cream cake!! YUM!


***Update 10/3: We actually won 1st place with our scarecrow!!! This means Drew's class will get to enjoy a DQ ice cream cake!! Wooohoo!!

270/365

Walking Stick
You just never know what you might find hanging around our house. ;) The boys were both very excited to have this visitor sunning itself on our front dinning room window.

269/365

Pumpkins!!!
This afternoon we went with the Walker family out to the Marionville Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin Patch. This was our 1st year out picking our pumpkin right off the vine. We learned our lesson to wear pants, NOT shorts! The leaves of the pumpkin vine are very prickly and the straw on the hayride is scratchy!! We still had a really fun time and look forward to visiting again next year.

268/365

Apple Day
This morning was Apple Day in Drew's class. We did all sorts of things with apples...made personal little apple pies, applesauce, counted apples, smelled & tasted apples, and much more.

267/365

Taste of Home Cooking School
This evening Erin Williams and I were able to attend the Taste of Home Cooking School at the Springfield Expo Center. What a fun evening with a great friend!!

266/365

School Picture Day!

265/365

"Look Mommy....
they're giving each other piggyback rides" - just want you want to hear come out of your 6 year olds mouth ;)

264/365

Occupational Therapy (OT) Testing
After discussing the problems we have been having with Drew with his teacher and his pediatrician, we felt it would be worth having him evaluated by an OT in the area of sensory issues. Since he was off school today it worked out perfectly to take him for the testing. After testing him, and before sore the tests, the OT could tell there were some areas he could use help with. So for the next few months we will be going to see Mrs. Michelle every Tuesday afternoon to see if she can work with him on this things as well as give us ways to help Drew out.

263/365

The Fruit of the Spirit
Pastor Phil began a new series on the Fruit of the Spirit this week. Each week the bulletins are scented with a particular fruit (today was apple) and then he "picks" that fruit of a big tree on the stage. The very talented Scott Lieb has created some outstanding HUGE fruit were Pastor Phil pulls out the name of the particular Fruit of the Spirit we are studying that Sunday.

262/365

Apple Picking!
Last year I searched all over for a local orchard that allowed you to come pick your own apples. Last fall Drew's preschool class from DLC visited an orchard just east of Springfield and I signed up for their email list. I was SO excited when they sent me an email saying they would have one Saturday this year they would allow people to come PYO! I was even more excited when (because of our old house closing yesterday) we weren't able to travel to visit my parents and visit an orchard up there. Then when the Saturday arrived, it was raining!! I could have cried!! It ended up letting up around noon, so we decided to drive out there and see if they were still having it. We arrived a couple hours before the end of the time and picked a small 1/2 peck. The boys seemed to have fun despite the weather and the small number they were able to pick. Next year I hope to pick many more!

261/365

Finally SOLD!!
This afternoon we FINALLY closed on the sale of our old house!! *CHEER* We are finally back to only one house payment *sigh of relief*.

After the closing we celebrated with dinner & dessert at Culvert's and a trip to Lowe's to looks at trees.

***A separate little story....don't read if you get grossed out easily ;)
While walking around the outdoor area of Lowe's were they keep the plants, Zach starts crying and saying that he got his hand dirty. We look down to see it covered in gunk. Just as I was about to have him just wipe it off on his shorts, I noticed more of the same junk on his leg. After a closer look, and smell, I was shocked to figure out it was a MAJOR blow out diaper!! UGH!!!! And wouldn't you know, John had wanted to take his car instead of the van, and Zach's diaper bag hadn't made it into the car with the car seats!!! So here we stand at Lowe's with a HUGE, disgusting mess on our hands. I didn't even have any Kleenex in my purse!! John took him into the restroom and after cleaning him up as best he could, we load a pull-up-less(but with his shorts back on...so not completely bare) Zach into the car for the thankfully short drive home. I am SO thankful we were at the Lowe's in Republic and not back in Springfield!! Never a dull moment, I tell ya!! ;)

260/365

New Ladies' Bible Study!
I am really looking forward to the new Ladies' Bible Study we have just begun! I had to miss this Tuesday morning since Drew was home with the mouth sores, but can't wait to meet with the rest of the ladies next week to discuss the book of Esther.

259/365

Mouth Sores
Drew has missed school this week because he picked up herpangina from a friend in his class. Today Zach developed the sores in his mouth too and started running a 102.1 fever. :( His are much worse than Drew had, plus he is running a fever, something Drew never had.

258/365

Haircuts by Mom
Since the boys just get buzz cuts (thanks to some crazy cowlicks that make pretty much all other styles impossible), I decided to try just giving them their haircuts at home. It has gotten a lot harder for us to find time to get them in for haircuts with Drew in school full time and I figured it was worth a try since we would be saving the monthly $13 a piece for the cuts at a local children's salon.

257/365

Games
Zach has been showing more of an interest in games & puzzles lately. Up until now, he would have nothing to do with them. So while Drew was at school today, he enjoyed some quiet time playing with the Oreo Shape Matching game.

256/365

Domino's Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake - YUM!!

255/365

RideMakerz!

While my parents were in town for a visit, we finally made it down to Branson to checkout RideMakerz (the boys version of Build-A-Bear...only it's Build-A-Car). Of course with Grandpa & Grandma there we couldn't just look! Thanks to them, both the boys got to make a car. Zach picked a Dodge Challenger (black with orange flames) and Drew picked a green Dodge Viper. They had a BLAST and have asked more than once when they can go back to build more. :)

254/365

Crafts!
We LOVE crafts around here!! Drew and I are always looking for our next project to create together :) It isn't unusual to see craft supplies spread throughout the kitchen/hearth area. This one didn't work so well for us. The glue just didn't stick very well to the felt and Styrofoam to create the cute little apples we had seen pictures of - need to find a better way of attaching the felt.

253/365

1st Colors of Fall!
On the way to school this morning, I noticed the 1st changing leaves. I LOVE FALL!!!

252/365

1st Escalator Trip By Himself
While Zach and I were at JcPenney picking up his birthday pictures this morning, Zach got his 1st chance to ride the escalator by himself. In the past we have always held him when we rode them. To say he was excited is putting it mildly. When we got to the bottom he immediately started begging to do it again. lol

251/365

Swinging
The boys have really enjoyed their new swing set this summer!

250/365

Labor Day
This year we celebrated Labor Day with friends from church. The Walkers, the Williams, the Daniels, the Reeses and the Westerfields all came over. There were many rounds of Rock Band played as well as some touch football. We enjoyed lots of junk food and ordered some pizza. What a fun day!!

249/365

Foggy Drive to Church

248/365

Zach's Newly Decorated Room
Since we have SO many toys around here, we decided for Zach's birthday to decorate his room and new big boy bed. Of course it had to be a "Cars" theme :)

247/365

Brothers
These two certainly keep me guessing! One minute they are best buds, the next they are trying to kill each other! I know understand how my mom felt when my brother and I use to always fight. ;)

246/365

Winter is Coming!
An annual reminder that winter is just around the corner is the arrival of loads of Canadian geese - messy things! With the little pond just across the street from our new house, we had a TON of them all around here.

245/365

Handwriting Practice
Today a little after noon, I got a call from Drew's teacher because he was in a complete meltdown. I said I would be right there to talk with him. When I arrived at the school, he was in the office, with all his stuff to go home...so I just took him home. At home, he spent the rest of the day (after he cooled down some) working on his handwriting and doing other work.

244/365

Chester's Trip to Wal-Mart

The last few days, Drew has had Chester the chicken (a traveling puppet that stays with each child the class for a few days and then the write about his adventures with them in a journal) has been staying with us. While Drew is at school during the day, Zach likes to take Chester with him...even for a visit to Wal-Mart. :)