Brooke Turns FOUR!

We had a great day celebrating Brooke's birthday today. I love that this year she was able to count down the days to her birthday and maybe for the first time understood what a special day her birthday is. The day started with Mike and I greeting her in her room singing "Happy Birthday" - she was beaming! Our tradition is to have birthday cake for breakfast on birthday mornings - Brooke had requested a banana cake, so that's what we did. After breakfast she opened part of her present from Mike and I - new socks and a train ticket for Chicago tomorrow. We then headed over to Grandma Denyse's to drop off Clayton so that Brooke and I could go to BSF. She, again, was so excited to have all her BSF friends sing "Happy Birthday!" to her as she walked into the classroom. After BSF we headed back to Grandma Denyse's for a birthday lunch and a cupcake. During Clayton's nap, Brooke and I played Candy Land...she won! (fair and square) Somehow we ended upstairs in her room and I don't know what events transpired that we ended up filling bags and bags for Goodwill. I was so proud of her as she willingly put many of her toys in the bags so that kids who don't have any toys can have some of hers. All said and done, her toy room and closet are completely cleaned out - and we had a lot of fun in the process. Grandma Nancy, Grandpa Ken and Uncle Kenny came over for Chinese food (Brooke's request - I know, weird!) MORE cake and a couple presents. (Clayton and Brooke are having a joint family birthday party on 11/8.) She got a fun bag from Aunt Laura, new boots and purple footed PJ's from Grandma Nancy, a Dora watch from Grandma Denyse, and the neighbors were so sweet to bring over some bath soap and a coloring book. She went to bed a little early so that she and daddy can head off on their date taking the train to Chicago to visit the Shedd Aquarium. What a blessing she is to us - and how amazing it has been to watch her grow! My favorite moment yesterday was when I had her sit down for quiet time in her room. She says, "Mom. I have to be silent right now so that I can hear what God wants to tell me." How amazing it is that someone so young has such a love for Jesus. I pray that never changes.

Grandma Denyse's & Dedication Trees

When Brooke and Clayton were dedicated to the Lord we planted a tree for each of them in remembrance of that day. Each year we try to take a picture of them next to their tree. I also got a cute picture of Grandma Denyse heading up the hill with the kids.

Professional pictures

I took the kids in to get pictures taken for their 2 and 4 yr birthday's and love the way they turned out! Brooke turns 4 on Wednesday and Clayton 2 on Nov. 10th! Time sure flies!

Pumpkin Carving with Friends....and Power Tools

Last night we had a blast carving pumpkins with our friends Ryan and Tina Carriveau. We rode the flat bed trailer being pulled by their 4-wheeler over to their pumpkin patch and after a wonderful dinner started carving our pumpkins. Jackson (3) and Clayton (2) were more interested in all the toys in the garage, but Brooke really had a great time pulling all the "goo" out of the pumpkins. The power tools were pulled out to assist with the project - with mixed results. I'm not quite Martha Stewart and the magazine article I was copying would have been embarassed to have been my inspiration - my pumpkin ended up looking like it was involved with a drive-by shooting!

Ryan, Tina, Jackson (3), Isaac (1)

Ryan with his "goo" helpers

Mike claimed that me and a power tool was a momentous occasion!

The final product.

Beautiful Fall Day

This morning we started with a walk through the Holy Hill area. It was beautiful to crunch through the falling leaves and to watch Brooke try to catch the leaves as they fell.

We then headed to Basse's Pumpkin Farm with our MOPs group. Everyone took a hayride out to the fields to pick pumpkins and then we made our best attempt at the corn maze. It ended up that we headed out the way we came in, but the kids knew no differently and probably wouldn't have sustained the entire journey anyhow.

Apple Picking and Raking Leaves

The weather has been unseasonably warm. Mike and Brooke went apple picking Sunday in shorts! This was the first time Brooke had gone apple picking and she seems to have had a great time with her daddy. (Clayton and I stayed home for his nap time.)

Then Monday afternoon Brooke and I raked leaves - in SHORTS! I almost had her pose in the piles of leaves in her swimsuit. It was definitely warm enough to have done so. She was a riot to watch both rake and jump into the pile. I can't say she's the most coordinated child you'll meet and her jumping skills are probably slightly below average - which makes for some hilarious moments!

I'd say Brooke's imagination is better than most. Here she is as a bird flying into her nest and then...the bird that refused to get out of her next because the eggs had not yet hatched.

But...back to those coordination skills...she took a running jump and totally missed the pile!

Zoo days

Today will be our third day in a row enjoying the Milwaukee Zoo. On Thursday, I had some meals to drop off at my friend Gretchen's as they adjust to being a family of four now. They live very close to the zoo and on a whim I decided Clayton and I would go while Brooke was in school. I then decided it might be fun for him not to be in a stroller and actually walk the zoo. We had a great time and in fact I think this may have been the first trip to the zoo that Clayton didn't see mostly metal bars and rocks (because of where his line of vision is when he is in the stroller.) He loved saying hello and goodbye to the animals and letting me know what sounds they all made. I was impressed at how well he held my hand and stayed by me during our visit.

Then Friday we were invited to the zoo by my friends Joy and Karen. Grandma Nancy came with us and we let both kids walk rather than ride that day too. The first picture is Clayton getting upset that Brooke climbed onto the foot massager with her and trying to swat her off. The second is Grandma Nancy and the kids after checking out the cows.

So today Brooke has zoo class with daddy and I thought it would be fun to have a picnic as a family beforehand. That's the plan anyhow. Who can believe this weather?! The cold will be here soon enough, so we're enjoying all we can of the outdoors.

Sharing a good story...

On our vacation I was able to do some reading (both fiction and non.) As I was making notes of my takeaways from the books (I know, dork!), I remembered that I loved this story that was an excerpt from Beholding God. What a great reminder that it takes more than good intentions to be a good mom - we need direct intervention from the God that created our children.

“I need oil,” said the old monk. So he planted an olive sapling. “Lord,” he prayed, “it needs rain that its tender roots may drink and swell. Send gentle showers.” The Lord sent gentle showers.
“Lord,” prayed the monk, “my tree needs sun. Send sun, I pray Thee.” The sun shone, gilding the dripping clouds. “Now frost, my Lord, to brace its tissues,” cried the monk. Behold, the little tree stood sparkling with frost, but at evening it died.

Then the monk sought the cell of a brother monk and told his strange experience. “I, too, planted a tree,” he said. “See it thrives well. But I entrusted my tree to God. He who made it knows better what it needs than a man like me. I laid no conditions. I fixed not ways or means. “Lord, send what it needs,” I prayed, “the storm or sunshine, wind, rain or frost. Thou hast made it and Thou does know.”"

Fun Car Rides

Our way home from church today was filled with interesting Brooke comments/stories.

She discovered that her legs are long enough to prop on the top of the seat in front of her. I look back to see two feet hanging over the top of the seat and ask what she's doing. I made mountains - aren't they cool! I told her to take her feet down. "But MOM, my mountains are too great to take down."

This morning I turned Mr. Rogers on for Brooke while I hopped in the shower. I came back to discover her watching Sesame Street - in Spanish. Hmmm...."Brooke, what are you watching." "Sesame Street, mom." "Brooke, they're speaking Spanish - you can't understand them - are you sure you don't want to turn it off." "No, mom." Whatever... AND, as we are on our way home from church Clayton was jabbering. I said, "Clayton, I don't know what you just said." To which Brooke pipes in, "MOM! It's because he's talking Spanish."

"So, Mom, what did you learn about in YOUR class today? Did you have fun with your friends?" Talk about role reversal.