Halloween 2017

Another fun night is in the books! We hosted both grandmas and the "other" Wernets for pizza and trick-or-treating. Probably my favorite part was how Eddie would get too excited about the candy or too shy to say his things, so he'd either hide behind me and say, "I just want to snuggle," or I'd remind him as we walked away and he'd shout, "Trick-or-treat and thank you!"

The whole gang. Eddie did not want to participate.

Cinderella, Fairy Godmother, and sleepy baby zebra

Fall trip (redundant?)

We had a chance to visit John in Sault Ste. Marie for a long weekend and packed in as much fun as humanly possible. The kids played down by the river, rode horses, climbed in the hay, and swam for hours in the hotel pool. We got ice cream--twice, ate at Antlers, and went to Tahquamenon Falls. We watched the MSU/U of M game together (sweet victory), ate a picnic lunch, and shopped for souvenirs. We're already hoping to get back there soon! I tried to pick only my favorite photos, but it was hard to narrow it down.

One of my most hilariously painful memories, though, is from the ride home. It was just me and the kids because we'd driven three cars between the two families and it was our turn to drive separate. For about a half hour before the dinner stop and an hour after, Mary Cate went into hysterical-crying mode and we all pretty much wanted to die. We tried everything we could think of--trying to make her laugh, giving her snacks, ignoring her in the hopes she'd go to sleep. Nothing worked, and her screaming was working its way into my soul. Finally, as we neared desperation, we started a sing-a-long. And Mary Cate stopped crying. As long as we were singing, that is, so we had to quickly transition between songs and sing as loud as we could. I honestly thought I was going to faint at one point from all the singing. Her favorite (meaning she paused the longest for it) was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The best part of the whole trip was that whenever we got to the point of the song that says, "We would not see which way to go..." the boys pointed in random directions and yelled, "THAT WAY!" and dissolved into laughter. Which made the rest of us laugh, which made everything better. Still, I sure was glad to pull into the driveway,

This girl. You can't keep her away from the water--even the St. Mary's River in October.

Kids' table!

Mary at the barn

We'll cherish this one! John, Mary, and the St. Mary's.

Eddie wasn't feelin' it

Always, always with a train

All the kids got to try a few new tricks. Thanks, Sue!

Their favorite place

Passing like ships in the...day

On the road

Mary Cate is one!

I just realized I never posted for Mary's birthday! So here it is, two months late. She's as adorable and dimply as ever, though she's a lot more mobile now!

She loves: Reading books, eating eating eating, being heard by everyone near and far, saying "hi," her siblings and parents and Mrs. Hartzler, playing with anything with wheels, walking, baby dolls.

She doesn't seem to like: Almost everyone else, not being able to talk, being held when she wants to get down, being on the floor when she wants to get held, going to bed when she wants to stay up, etc.

One's not the easiest age, but we sure love her a lot. Also, those dimples.

Doing the mom thing

Nellie's first band concert

We went to Nellie's first-ever band concert last week--just saying that makes her seem so grown up! It was a success in that we made it almost on time and the flute section sounded wonderful. But Mary Cate only made it through the first three songs and even then, she screamed the whole time. Not like crying; she only has one volume and it's "scream." Eddie much more quietly told me, "I want to play with my trains at home" repeatedly until I let him go out into the commons with Kevin and Mary Cate. Halfway through, Annie leaned over and said, "I'm a little bored," in a somewhat surprised tone. I wasn't sure how to respond...I suppose she'd better get used to it. It's sort of the point.

BUT, yay Nellie! We're proud of you. Go band or go home!

The best of today

You've got to keep track of the good stuff, you know?

1. I'm still glowing with excitement about being asked to speak to 100+ educators in February! 
2. I went to look for a winter coat for DJ at the resale shop tonight and ran into my law-school-student-sister Emily who (whom?) I never see way in the back racks of pajamas!! We let Otto and Mary Cate be cute and run around together and looked at a million clothing items and found all the train and Power Rangers and Paw Patrol things. 
3. Nellie forgot her flute at church and was freaking out because she has her first concert tomorrow night. I messaged the pastor to find out what time the building would be open in the morning and he offered to drive it over tonight. Such a relief and pleasure to be part of our church community.
4. This hand-written note.

I've been hearing this song coming from the backseat: "I like you, you like me, I spell like L-I-K-E..."

Life with a boy in kindergarten

No one makes me laugh, cry, and bang on the steering wheel in frustration like DJ. Mostly laugh, though. Here are a couple of good recent DJ antics.

1) I found out he loves the smell of the sewage treatment plant that we pass on our way to school. He'll literally hang his head out of the car window, breathing deeply. All the while, Annie sits next to him gagging and threatening to throw up if he doesn't stop.

2) We started a nice little "true-to-life" novel about a baby rabbit--his choice. When we stopped for the night, he ran to get his new bookmark that he picked out in the school library. He showed it to Kevin, all proud. He said it was perfect for him even though it had cats on it [he's hated cats ever since he was bitten by a dog, go figure], the cats were trying to kill each other with their laser eyes. That is why he picked it.

This kid! We gave him the Discman because he can't handle all the noise in the car at the end of the school day. He listens to old school Psalty albums and it knocks him out every time.