Treats for Santa and the Reindeer

Noni helped Abby and Daniel put treats out for Santa and the reindeer.

Abby placed the treats in a place that Max (Noni and G-Dad's dog) could not reach.

And luckily for Abby and Daniel, there were two cookies left for them to enjoy too!

Decorating the Tree

Noni left decorations for Daniel and Abby to put on the tree, including Daniel's special letter "D" decoration.

Flying the Friendly Skies

The next time you board an airplane, you might want to peek in the cockpit and see who is flying.

On our way to California, both pilots stepped out of the cockpit and let Abby and Daniel have a seat! (Don't panic, we hadn't pushed back from the terminal yet.)

Swim Meet

Abby is competing in an all-day swim meet. We had an adventure getting here this morning when I managed to do a beautiful donut (my first unplanned of my winter driving career). Abby was not impressed!

Abby's team swam in the first heat of the first event -- a mixed medley relay -- and won their heat. She was delighted!

 

I told Abby she needed a bigger arm or I needed to buy a smaller sharpie to write her events on her arm. (She thinks it is one of the coolest things to have your mom write on you with permanent marker.)

I love Abby's swim cap! I think she looks rather cute in it.

Forty

Abby and I made Will his birthday cake from scratch! Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. It didn't turn out quite like we thought it would, but it was TASTY!

Happy Birthday, Will!!

Today Will turned forty. Happy Birthday, Will!

To celebrate, I mailed postcards numbered 1-40 to family and friends and asked them to write Will a message and drop the postcard in the mail.

The cards started arriving a few days ago. It took Will a few cards to catch on, but now he is really enjoying getting the mail in the evenings.

Many thanks to those of you who participated. If you didn't receive a card, it's most likely that I couldn't find your address (or I may simply not know you if you are some random person reading this blog)!

Hide and Seek

Daniel LOVES to play Hide and Seek. Every time he hides, he hides in the exact same spot and in clear view.

He always covers his eyes, though. And we make a big deal about looking for him and he giggles and giggles. It's pretty awesome!

Abby and Daniel's Sunday School Christmas Program

Abby and Daniel's Sunday School Christmas program was this afternoon. Daniel was COMPLETELY uncooperative at yesterday's rehearsal, so we weren't entirely certain how it was going to go for him.

Abby was so pleased to learn yesterday that she would be an angel. (Yes, I must confess, there was a moment when I thought, "If only that were the case!!!)

We bribed Daniel with getting to watch garbage truck videos if he was a big boy and participated in the performance. (People actually like to make videos of garbage trucks and post them on You Tube).

Abby and Daniel seemed a bit nervous at first...

...but then seemed to settle in. Abby did a fine job reading her part about our synod's connections to Columbia.

She LOVED singing the songs.

Daniel (and those crazy Minnesotan Lutheran shepherds behind him) enjoyed singing Go Tell it on the Mountain.

When the performance was over, Abby and her fellow angels finally smiled!

And Daniel and Abby posed for a photo after eating cookies and candy canes.

A Haircut and a Reward

Daniel HATES having his hair cut. This is why he often looks shaggy (see below). The last time I took him for a haircut, he was hysterical before they even got the cape on him. By the time they spritzed his hair with water to begin the haircut, he'd totally LOST IT! I vowed to never take him again. I told Will the boy would have dreadlocks before I entered another salon with Daniel.

I caved. Today we decided to attempt the dreaded haircut. We made sure Daniel had a long nap and was fed before we ventured out. We bribed him with the prospect of taking him to his first movie in a movie theatre (not counting the mummy movie at the King Tut exhibit this summer), popcorn, and candy. He was quite interested and vowed to "not scream."


Will warned the stylist and she bravely started. Will and I both were NERVOUS. Amy -- or Haircut Angel as she will forever be known to me -- managed to get the cape on Daniel, spritz his hair and somehow made the boy laugh! He was tensing up when she moved in with the scissors, but he said, "You won't cut my ear, right?" She promised to not cut his ear -- only his hair.

Haircut Angel nearly gave me a heart attack when she pulled out the clippers. I wanted to yell, "No, Haircut Angel, not the clippers!" But she had Daniel giggling again as the clippers "tickled" first his fingers and then his hair.

Haircut Angel even managed to dry Daniel's hair with a hairdryer. (Daniel is TERRIFIED of hair and hand dryers!) She talked about the wind and the weather and let Daniel blow "the wind through" her hair.

And then, Daniel's haircut was magically over. I think he actually enjoyed himself! Haircut Angel let Daniel have two lollipops and even gave one to Abby. (Will is in the background in this picture leaving Haircut Angel a BIG tip!)

We praised and praised Daniel, telling him how proud we were of him. And then we took him to see his first movie in a movie theatre.

Daniel was so enthralled by the previews (some included airplanes) and enjoyed the movie. He sat in Will's lap most of the time. He ate a lot of popcorn and a lot of Dots (Abby did too!)

And tonight at home, we talked about the haircut. He thinks his hair is already growing and is prepared to have his hair cut again.

Daniel's FIRST Chapter Book

Last night I decided that it was time to start reading chapter books to Daniel. He loves to be read to and has a pretty good attention span, so I thought I would give it a go.

I chose The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary because:
     A.   We had a new copy on the book shelf;
     B.   The chapters are quite short; and
     C.   Daniel loves vehicles, so I thought a story with a motorcycle would likely interest him.

We put one of his bookplates in the front of the book. And then we sat down with the book and I explained that it was a "big boy" book because it had a lot of words and only a few pictures. I showed him the Table of Contents and we counted the chapters. We started to read. Daniel not only sat through the first chapter, but asked me to read the second chapter as well.

He was so proud to be reading a chapter book (like his big sister, Abby).

After we finished reading, Daniel said he wanted to read his chapter book by himself.

I think he likes his FIRST chapter book! We read chapter three tonight and we are both looking forward to chapter four tomorrow night!

First Snow of the Season

Late this afternoon it started to rain. Abby and I looked out the window. I wondered out loud (with apprehension and dread), "Is it snowing?" Abby looked out the window with great excitement and declared, "Yes, it's snowing!" But it wasn't. It was only raining big, wet drops. But soon enough it did turn into what one could honestly call snow.

Abby was so excited. She quickly donned her gear and headed outside. After Daniel woke up from his nap (he takes long naps on the weekends), I helped him into his gear and he joined Abby.

The snow didn't last long and it only powdered the ground, but it was enough to make two young Stotts rather happy.

Funeral Games for Helen the Triops

Abby was heartbroken yesterday morning. Her triops Helen had died in the night. Abby cried and cried. I did my best to console her, but it didn't really work. But then Will brilliantly said, "You know Abby, I think we need to have funeral games for Helen tonight." I had no clue what he was talking about, but Abby immediately cheered up and started talking quickly about marathons and treasure and armor and gold chalices. I was lost, but it clearly stopped the tears.

Will later explained the funeral games to me. It made good sense given that Helen was named for Helen of Troy and her fellow triops (who only lived 24 hours or so) were named Agamemnon and Odysseus.

Unfortunately, Will was on his own because I had evening plans. But he planned a fantastic tribute to Helen and he and Abby were kind enough to take photos to document it all.

The games began with the feast. Will made a hearty pasta to allow the athletes to carb load before the games. The goblets were a hit! As I was leaving the house, I think I heard the King of Stottica offer a toast to Helen and I imagine the goblets were raised.

At some point Abby lit the ceremonial fire and Daniel sang the Star Spangled Banner (check out his microphone).

The athletes were then ready to begin the games. First up was Test of Strength. Daniel was the champion -- lifting FIVE pillows!

Next came the Test of Endurance. Abby was the last athlete standing/running!

And the final game of the evening was the Test of Battle Skills. Abby and Daniel soundly defeated the King of Stottica and were victorious!

King Stottica then presented the Awards of Treasure to the Champions.

The evening was a fine tribute to a fine triops. Helen came to us as a teeny tiny egg and developed into an elegant, mature triops. Her three weeks with us were extremely special. She will be missed.

(In case it wasn't totally obvious to you, Will is a G-R-E-A-T dad!)

Halloween

We carved pumpkins the night before Halloween. Daniel wasn't convinced he wanted to put his hands in the pumpkin, but Abby talked him into it.

Will and I did the carving/scraping.

Daniel's pumpkin had his special letter "D." And Abby's pumpkin was a vampire. She painted on lots of blood after Will finished carving it for her.

Our friend Carlene made Abby's costume again this year. Abby chose Medusa.

Carlene's new puppy LOVES Abby and quickly tackled her and kissed her!

Daniel and his friend Elly had fun trick or treating at their school.

Daniel really wanted to be an egg carton for Halloween, but I simply could not figure out how to make an egg carton costume (and I really did try and try). Luckily, I was able to talk him into being an egg. He made a fantastic Egg Man! Everyone who knows Daniel, thought the costume was perfect because the boy is slightly obsessed with eggs and egg boxes.

Grandma and Grandpa Engelhardt joined us for the festivities.

Abby went trick or treating with her friends Isabel and Olivia. We thought the sisters' costumes were rather clever -- the devil and an angel.