Happy Thanksgiving!

We are thankful for the humid 84 degree weather changing to a crisp cool 40 just in time for Thanksgiving!

 We got to wear long sleeve shirts and pretend it was going to snow. Then we played soccer in the street and did our very own family Turkey Trot.

Mom even made hot cider. 

Picture time was fun, until Mom tried to get my annual Thanksgiving striped shirt head shot. I wasn't really in the mood for more pictures,

so Dad worked hard to crack me up.

 

 Then this photo bomb happened:

 We even got a shot of sweet old Maggie.

Kindergarten Pow Wow

All of the Kindergarten classes put on a show for Thanksgiving called a Pow Wow.

My class went first, and Mom thought our song was the best:

Pow Wow!

Even though I am a sweet shy girl, I really love to sing and dance on stage!

CHEESE

This is Ryan's new favorite face for pictures. He loves to say "Cheeeeese!". Even his teachers think it is adorable.

The Great American Teach In

 Mom came to my class for the Great American Teach In, and it was so much fun! She talked to us about healthy bodies, and gave us cool tools. We used pen lights to look for something called a uvula, and then learned how pupils get big in a dark room, but shrink when you shine the light on them. Then we used real stethoscopes to listen to each other's hearts.

Ryan was grateful for my new skills that afternoon. He brought his baby to my office for a check-up.

 He was impressed with my clinical examination, and comforted to know his baby was in capable hands.

I told him it's just a virus, she doesn't need an antibiotic, and she's going to be just fine.  Then I gave him a lecture about how vaccines don't cause autism.

Dynamic Dolphin

 This month my teacher chose me to be the Dynamic Dolphin. It was such an honor, because I got to say my name on the school morning news on TV. She said I set a good example for the character trait of Cooperation, which means I'm a great team player.

Mom and Dad are so proud! Even Ryan came along to see me on the school TV.

The perks of being Dynamic Dolphin are the best- I get to be line leader, turn the classroom lights off and on,

  and bring home Dilly the Dolphin on the weekends!

You're Welcome

This was a spontaneous hug versus assault that happened outside of Publix, and it was the sweetest moment between us in weeks! Lately he is just too busy being an active maniac to cuddle up like the old days.

  He used to wake me up in the morning with a gentle pat on the head and a soft "Good morning, Ta-tay". Now he climbs up on my bed and steam rolls my face, shouting "It's time to get up!". He used to cuddle up on the couch and watch a cartoon with me in the afternoon while Mom got dinner ready. Now when I try to hug or kiss him, he screams to Mom "Kelsey touched me!" and punches me in the chest. 

So, when he offers up impromptu affection, I savor every sweet moment. And Mom takes a hundred pictures. The best part is in the end, when he looks at me and says "You're welcome". 

Big Girl

Mom realized that all of a sudden, I have outgrown the Disney Princess stage. Done. I'm a big girl now.

I prefer to focus on my art, joking with my Dad, and getting him to buy me "diamond" rings at the mall.

 Mom and Dad seem to love me at every stage, but Mom is totally panicked at how fast I am growing up. 

She gives me as much autonomy as possible, like letting me style my own masterpiece outfits on the weekends to break out of the weekly grind of school uniforms. She loves my spunky sensibility!

Piderman

Funny how a few moments in Target on a Saturday can capture our favorite boy's big personality. He was ecstatic to find "Piderman" on a shelf, then spent the next 5 minutes telling Mom a very animated story about it.

 

We have no idea what he was talking about.

   And we only understood half of what he said.

But it was so fun to watch!

Post It Art

An artist's medium is a sacred thing. Post It Notes speak to my creative energy. I can pick up a whole pad and pen, and wait for each note to guide me. Inspiration can come from anywhere, like Mom's iphone,

 

love for my family, or simply an urge to decorate everything with hot pink.

Best Friends

We ran into Ryan's favorite old friend at Publix this weekend. They've been separated for a month now, since Ryan moved up to the older class at school. She spotted him at the pretzels and started chanting "Wy-an! Wy-an!". It was the sweetest reunion, ever.  

His other bestie is our all time favorite red head. These guys give each other hugs like football players give tackles. We love all of these cuties and love watching them grow up together.

 We think our boy is a pretty likeable guy!

Kindergarten Rocks

 We've only been in Kindergarten for 2 and a half months, but I feel like a seasoned elementary school pro. We've already taken a field trip to the fire station, where we met their dog that was NOT a dalmation.

 Our Halloween Story Book Parade was super fun.

And our class party was even better!

Everyone's favorite station was the mummy wrap.

 School is awesome!