Happy Thanksgiving…

A 2 1/2 year old’s interpretation of a turkey!

Little Cheerleader…

Our poor daughter is constantly being dragged to sporting events.  Luckily Elaine is becoming quite the little sports fan and know that going usually results in getting popcorn or a lollipop.  She has also become quite enamored with the AF cheerleaders.  She wears “bows” because the girls have ribbons in their hair and she waved her pom-poms at the games.  She also likes to practice at home.  (Sorry about the blurry pictures–the frantic enthusiastic waving of pom-poms is hard to capture!!)

Fun With Uncle Marty…

1.  Hang on tight

2.  Do a mid-air somersault

3.  Laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh!!!  Uncle’s are the best!!

 

Sympathetic Cousin??

Brooks had his first haircut from Marty’s childhood barber.  Needless to say, he was most unhappy about the whole ordeal.  Marty, Katie and my dad took turns holding him in the chair while I took pictures and video.  Elaine showed as much sympathy as she could muster between taking pictures with the cell phone. 

Before shot

How he looked the whole time

The sympathetic cousin

Haircuts take a lot out of you!!

Fun-Filled Friday…

Despite not being with all of them, Elaine had a fabulous Friday!  My parents, Marty, Katie, Brooks and Elaine all headed to the North Pole.  For those Non-Coloradans, the North Pole is our local Christmas themed amusement park which is open from summer through Christmas each year.  Getting to go there was an annual Christmas Eve treat for Marty and me and one highlight was visiting with Saint Nick himself.  Despite the fact that Elaine HATED seeing Santa Claus everyone had a great visit.

We ended the night with a dinner (noticed I didn’t say yummy dinner) at Chuck E. Cheese.  Elaine was definitely more involved this visit and proved to want to play all the games and not eat any dinner.  After lots of play time, several rides for 2 cute kids, 3 spilled drinks, multiple dropped skeeball balls, 1 freaked out little girl from seeing the big mouse himself, lots of counted tickets and a pretty good head bonk, we all left a little tired and cranky.  I think that is what C.E.C. is all about.   

Thanksgiving on Wednesday…

I can’t believe how busy we have been this past week. It has been a ton of fun and I have lots to write about!  Having Marty, Katie and Brooks in town is always so much fun.  My mom made Thanksgiving dinner last Wednesday for all of us.  She invited their neighbors over and we had a great dinner together.  Mom is always such a great hostess!  Elaine loved spending time with Brooks and Megan.  It was also nice for all of us to spend time with great friends and family.

Most of the gang–can you tell we have a pretty good time together??

An AFA pom pom became quite the hit with the kids.

Elaine’s turn

Elaine with Megan–they’re so cute together!

Happy Birthday Grammy!

Today is my mom’s birthday and we had a great time celebrating.  To help in the celebration, Marty, Katie and Brooks are in town.  We had a nice dinner out and Elaine and Brooks have enjoyed playing with one another.  I certainly hope Mom had a nice birthday celebrating with all the people who love her most. 

Elaine was so excited to see Brooks!

Waiting, not too patiently, for cake!

MMMMMM!!!

Veterans Day Parade

There have been fewer times in my life that I have felt more patriotic than while attending the graduation at the Air Force Academy.  For those of you who live in the Springs, I highly recommend this event and think you’ll understand what I’m referring if you’ve already been.  I have become more patriotic as I’ve aged and think that may be a similar sentiment felt by others.  Consequently, I think it is one of my duties as a mother to teach Elaine about the importance of this country’s veterans, to help her understand the incredible sacrifice made by men and women who serve our country and the history that goes with that concept.  This is a huge job and one that doesn’t come easy to a 2 year old.  Elaine does know that she needs to stand quietly with her hand on her heart during the national anthem.  This is something she has done quite frequently in her short life because of all the sporting events we attend.  And it makes me quite proud to see her stand honoring the flag.  Nevertheless, I also know that she doesn’t fully grasp the magnitude of what she’s doing, understand why we do this or the significance of this act, but I figure that will come with time. 

Teaching her in baby steps, I will help her to honor the 2 great grandfathers who didn’t get to see her grandparents grow up because of the service to their country in World War II.  I can help her to learn from ”Bob” about his time in Vietnam and talk with Grammy about what it was like to be left behind while he served so far away.  The connection will continue for her to talk to my brother who has been deployed several times already and, unless something changes in the near future, he will be again.  I want her to understand the importance of ackowledging the soldiers, past and present, who need our support.  I want her to honor them knowing this is the very least we can do. 

Attending the Veterans’ Day Parade on Saturday created this opportunity for all of us.  It did my heart good watching Elaine wave her little flag as veterans passed us by, several even saluted a man standing near us.  Baby steps are just that, but I think she has an idea she is part of something bigger.  Part of something special and in own her way she’s able to show her appreciation.  In doing so, I am confident I’m doing my part to instill these important values.

Showing off her flag collection

Eating a doughnut from the Red Cross

Elaine waved her flag through most of the parade!

Ice Cream Art…

Last week in preschool Elaine made an ice cream cone using the 2 shapes they’ve learned about so far.  Once they connected the circle to the triangle, the kids glued on the sprinkles colored black and orange (both the colors of the month for October).  When I came home, Elaine was so excited to show me her latest masterpiece.  I laughed to myself when she started licking the sprinkles!!  I’m sure mixed with glue, they taste great!!!

Pop-Pop…

Buttered, cheese, microwave, air-popped, plain, salted, movie theater, no matter how it’s flavored, I love popcorn.  It is one of my most favorite foods and I eat it several times a week.  It serves as my lunch at least twice a week and the occasional dinner in the middle of basketball season.  Once Elaine tried it, she fell in love with it and often asks for it as a snack.  She refers to the yummy treat as “pop-pop.”

Like mother, like daughter…