Toys 3

We went to see Toy Story 3 tonight. The boys had seen it with Grandpa Millen, but we had not and were looking forward to it. It was a little more scary than I expected. Toys that were mean and scenes that made you worry if the toys would be okay. Great sweet and humorous moments too. It was a bit much for Gabriella who wasn't sure if she wanted to see the end or go home. When we left that theater she said. "Can we come back to the "bird feeder" again, but see a different movie next time?"

Tonight's prayers

I love prayer time with our kids and hearing them tell God what they are thankful for. Here are some of the specifics that I remember from this evening's prayers...

JOSIAH:

Dear God,

Thank you that there are superheros, and for special powers like lasers that can come out of toes. Thank you for giving me the ability to draw the things that I see, and for giving me a love of drawing. Thank you for the people that created colors. Well, YOU created all the colors of the world, but thank you for the people who created the names for the colors and the paint and markers in all those colors. Thank you for my family and my friends and my teachers. Thank you for dragons. Sometimes I wonder if there is really a dragon flying around in the sky at night, or if you are just always out in the night watching over us. Thank for taking care of all of us.

In Jesus name,
Amen

GABRIELLA:

Dear God,

Thank you my mom, my dad, my brothers- Ben and Josiah. Thank you for my room, my bed, my covers and my kitchen. Thank you for my bunnies and my buddies. Thank you for my babies. For Stella's baby cradle and her stroller I got to pick out from the Pumpkin Patch. Thank you for my family and that I am a daughter and a sister.

Thank you God!
Amen

Ben is not home yet, so no prayers have yet been heard...

The things she says...

Today we went to Hobby Lobby to get a few things for school. When we got out to the van I hung them on the hooks in the hatch.

Gabriella asked, "Can I stand in there?"
"No, you go in your seat" I said.
"That's right, I'm not Gabriella Groceries, I am Gabriella Grace!"


We purchased a new van and car a few weeks ago. The boys named the car Cassidy, and the van Vigo. Gabriella wanted to name the car Dora, and that is what she is calling it. Tonight we parked in the garage and Gabriella spoke directly into the Toyota symbol on the front of the van. "Now, re-nember, your name is Dora."

"I thought you named the car Dora."

"I named them both Dora and I am just re-minding them," she said with a little pat on the nose.

Injured patient

This morning, I turned just wrong and wrenched my neck. I couldn't move and had to hold my head up with my hands, unable to sit down, afraid to lie down.

I am thankful for my wonderful husband who dropped everything and raced home when I called without a question. Who took me to the chiropractor after helping me in the seat, buckling me and driving slowly around each curve. Who watched Gabriella all day, picked up kids from school, took Josiah to Taekwondo and Kindermusik and Gabriella to the park all while trying to remotely be part of a meeting at work. Never complaining once.

I am thankful to my chiropractor for seeing me right away, for providing some instant relief and a plan for the day for continued relief.

For Josiah bringing me water in a turtle cup with a straw and ice packs without being asked.

For Ben checking on me, bringing me a phone so I can call him if I need help, and for learning to use a can opener to make dinner for he and I while the others were out. I am thankful for the can of Spagettios the boys talked me into six months ago so that Ben could make our dinner all by himself.

For Gabriella, who hates to see her mommy hurting who is willing me to health "You are better Mama, now you are better, you can hold me now!" and lots of gentle kisses.


I am thankful for my family loving me, and taking care of me. I am blessed despite the fact that I can't hold my head up just yet. I promise to be thankful for mobility too, when it returns.

Oh Ariel!

Who has been showing Ariel to Gabriella in her sleep? I don't know of her watching it for weeks, but she woke up this morning belting out the songs and quoting lines from the movie.

Pantomiming her lost voice by tapping her hand to her throat and shaking her head and mouthing, I can't talk!

"But Daddy, I LOVE him!"

Singing and dancing in circles...."Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they play all day in the sun! Why can't I be part of that world!"

"Ariel's Daddy is very angry, he broke the statue!"

That's all I remember for now, but must go before she starts combing her hair with a fork.

Congratulations to Ben!

Ben auditioned for his first play this weekend at ACTORS called "A Christmas Story." and then had call backs last night to read for a few different roles. He got a phone call last night letting him know he got the part of "Flick," who is one of the comic side kick roles. Apparently Flick gets dared to put his tongue on a frozen pole and does it. Ouch! Kevin and Ben picked up a copy of the movie last light from the library. This household has missed out on this holiday classic, so we are looking forward to watching it and learning more about the story. Performances will be November 26, 27, December 3, 4, 10, 11 at 7:30 and November 28, December 5, 12 at 2:00pm. We are so excited for you Ben!

Bacon

Josiah and Gabriella are playing cars together. Josiah just remarked that "Gabriella just put her cars in a perfect line, like bacon, only thinner." HA!

Sweetness

After working out tonight, my knee was sore. While we were getting the kids ready for bed, Josiah put ice in a bag on my nightstand, along with bee oil, a glass of water and a sticker. He said that way I would have everything I need to take care of my knee when I go to bed. When I put him to bed a few minutes later he grinned from ear to ear and said that he was excited that he finally knew what he wanted to be when he grows up. A doctor.

Whoops!

Josiah, dressed as Batman with full mask and cape, was just collecting all the garbage from around the house to throw out. I came around the corner to find Batman in the hall with a bit of a spill. "Uh-oh, it regurgitated....."

"Pool time"

This morning Ben and Gabriella helped me clean up and set up a very small baby pool that our neighbors gave us. I thought Gabriella and her doll could enjoy some time in it this afternoon before her nap. We filled it, put it in the sun, and filled it with several kettles of hot water. Ben said would be happy to help Gabriella play in it for a little while. Well, it has been an hour now and all three are in it (maybe 5' diameter) with a plastic table and three chairs having a tea party, and now the chairs are thrown out and it is filled with bath toys. Too cute. So thankful for simple pleasures on a sunny summer day.

shoes

I was reading a touch and feel book to Gabriella last night, and it had different objects. On each page we talked about the color and where we find the object, or put it, etc. When we looked at the page with the pink polka dot shoes I asked her where we put shoes, and she replied "We put our shoes away in the closet!"

Friday night

$2.77 to Family Video
$10.00 to Little Caesars
Spending family night in the gym (My "art room") so I can finish cleaning my supply closets and not come back to school again= priceless!

Leave it to the boys.

Josiah started a new club yesterday, the "Brush your teeth club." It meets twice a day in the bathroom. The activity is brushing their teeth. He asked Gabriella to be a member of his club and she can't wait to have club time and brush her teeth! So much excitement over the everyday.

Now they are starting a "Word World Club" writing words, drawing pictures and creating stories. Love it.

Gabriella vs. the hearth

This morning the kids decided to turn our living room into a swimming pool using the couch cushions. They used the seat cushions to make a wall, and the backs to be the water. They boys had just climbed on the couch and dove onto the cushions and I was telling Ruth how glad I was they were being so creative and including their sister. Gabriella climbs up onto the arm of the couch and dives the wrong direction - into the fireplace hearth. I watched it happen from the kitchen and am still not sure if she was trying to turn around or if she was finding a new diving board. She hit the brick in just a way to create a small Y shaped cut with a dented center along her hairline. I was thankful that Ruth was there as she stayed very calm and jumped in to clean the cut and apply pressure.
We were able to get in to see our regular doctor right away. By the time we arrived she was chipper and was sure she was all better and ready to play. They decided just one compound stitch to connect the three sections was all that was needed. The nurse put some numbing medicine on the spot for twenty minutes and wrapped her head in gauze. She colored and looked at the fish and made friends with the kids in the waiting room who all had lots of questions about her "pretty headband". When it was time for the stitches she laid so still for the doctor with a little tear running down her cheek and a whimper until they were done. I am thankful for her braveness and for the sweet nurse and kind doctor who were so amazing with her.
Please keep us in your prayers this week as we try to slow her down a bit and keep her from bonking her head while the stitches are healing.

Are you sure you are only two?

This afternoon Gabriella came out of her room wearing a tank-top and a pull-up. She was in tears crying "I have nothing to wear!" After some looking through her drawer we were able to find an acceptable pair of pants and she was off to play again.

A few minutes later...

I need a "Quaf quaf" (washcloth). She opens the drawer in the kitchen, pulls out a microfiber cloth and heads to the bathroom to wet the cloth. She returns a minute later and starts scrubbing the floor with it while muttering, "This floor is too messy....." After she finishes she rinses it out in the sink and hangs it on the over door to dry.

This afternoon....

The kids are playing on the deck. They use four plastic chairs and a table to create a rocket ship. They all tell me good-bye. When I ask where they are headed, they chime in "to the moon!" When I ask what they are going to do when they get there and Gabriella adds "We are going to the store on the moon to buy trees." "Are you going to bring the trees back for our yard? I asked. "Not trees, TREATS- candy for us!"