Learning to Fight Fires

From the title, this post could be about something entirely different. Sure does feel like we have a lot of fires to fight around here . . .  but this is literal. One of the best things about teaching preschool myself is I can teach whatever I want! One of the topics I had last month was firefighters, which I had touched on in Kindergarten, but had never gotten deeply into. It turned out to be so fun for all of us (yes, including me). My boys played with the stuff we used for weeks. Josh was always pumped to come home from kindergarten and find new things. I took pictures here and there, but looking back I can think of so many moments I wish I had captured . . . the week after I taught about firefighters, another mom talked about fire safety and then we went to the fire station. If you are interested in my lesson plan, it's here. (Don't be thinking it's in fancy form.) In the mean time, it's a good memory for me, so here they are . . .

This was our full-out firefighter gear model. Don't worry, the hatchet was not a play toy. Nor is it sharp at all. We were cracking up at this picture because this kid does the best facial expressions. Oh, and after this demo all of the kids got a chance to dress up during "choosing time." The oxygen tank and mask were the most popular portion of the outfit.

This picture is so funny to me. Gary says it looks like Noah has had such a rough day fighting fires he just can't mess with getting his picture taken.

There's our happy fireman . . .

Andrew loved to wear the stuff, too, and it was SO cute because the coat goes down to his ankles. Wish I had a picture . . . Here he is dancing to "Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Firetruck." Ah, I just want to squeeze him all the time!

We had squirt bottles to fight the chalk fires on the sidewalk, and my kids spent a whole lot of time outside playing with them. Andrew hates to be wet, so when he does, the clothes come off.

We made this amazing firetruck in preschool, then when Josh came home he added a paper steering wheel inside. He was very focused on driving it.

Andrew gets to come on preschool field trips, too, and was facinated by the firetruck.

This was the best ever for the kids. Andrew wanted to do it twice, and they let him. The firefighters were all very cool about letting them touch stuff. I was worried at first, but they said, "If we haven't broken it, they probably can't."

Noah and Andrew were very proud to tell Josh about shaking the skeleton's hands.

Just Cute Boys, I Mean, Superhero/Champion/Ninja Guys

My boys love to dress up. The costumes you see below (chest piece with cape attached, easy slip on over the head) are some of the best (and cheapest) purchases we ever made. Yeah, it's going to be Halloween soon, and hopefully there will be full-out adorableness, but it's just fun to remember them casually running around as superheroes on any given day. It's just them. Background mess and all. :)

Andrew (batman) and his sidekick Cannon. These two are best buds. They seriously love eachother, and watching them play is very funny. They don't really talk but somehow play tons of amusing games.

I bought Halloween costumes for my kids before the school Halloween carnival. I was going to try to sew again, but Noah really wanted some costumes he saw in the store and I realized how foolish it was to think I would have time to make anything at this point. After I brought the costumes home, they wore them for two days straight. They loved the carnival, but just wearing the costumes was entertainment. So here's your Halloween preview - Josh is wearing Andrew's costume. Can't settle for just being one awesome thing . . .



Noah takes a chance to be the champion boxer.



Josh jumps in on the Ninja Turtle action. I love how Andrew will cheese it up for any picture. I also love how he gets all excited and huggy when he puts on cozy jammies. He saw this picture just now and said, "Football jammies!"

Braden's Special Day

My nephew Braden got baptized at the beginning of September. This was a huge deal for my kids, because Braden is one of their oldest cousins, so they haven't seen a lot yet. Josh was still excited about getting to see his cousin Ethan get baptized over two years ago. I, personally, had a fantastic experience. Braden was so excited he was glowing, and there was a beautiful peaceful feeling during the baptism. Thanks, Braden! Here are my professional-photo reminders of the day.

Lots of Braden's aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.

My boys were SO proud of Braden, so I wanted a picture of them with their cousin on his big day. Josh is following in his father's eye-closing footsteps.

Cute family - Cindy with Beckett, Nate with Sophie, Braden, and Tate.

Andrew and Madeline found something right up their alleys. Josh is currently proud that Andrew is on more chairs. :)

The toddler wagon - no shirts required. Despite their distrustful expressions for the camera, they were having a great time. This was obviously a post-baptism weekend activity.

We got to spend the entire weekend in Idaho, which I don't really remember much of because I was coming down with a sinus infection and was in a hardly-any-sleep horrible funk. I do remember we watched a football game and we like that. I also remember we played games, including The Match Game, and I wish I had a picture of my dad as host. But the best part was Braden's baptism. Glad I can still remember that.

Oh, yes, and this is not spiritual, but the after-baptism luncheon was something from a B-Movie called "Attack of the Hornets." (I have imagined this movie.) There were literally hundreds of hornets surrounding the food and all of the places in which people would attempt to eat. After a few stings we moved indoors. I write this because it was so nutty. Who would think that could even happen?

Poor Girl? Popping? More . . .

Little Girl in the Neighborhood: So, are you having a boy or a girl?
Me: a girl
Girl: Didn't you only have boys before?
Me: Yep, so it should be fun.
Girl: Not for the girl.

Josh, on nursing: I know how it works. You feed the baby on one of these, and then when the milk is gone, you switch to the other side, and then they just keep on getting refills.

We have a zebra mask and tail. We have a lion mask and tail. We have no third animal costume. Today this was an issue. Josh and Noah had the costumes on, and Andrew was crying because he really wanted one. Noah tried to comfort him by suggesting in his sweetest voice, "Andrew, you can be the baby that loves animals."

Lately, I have been told several times every time I go out that I look like I'm about to pop. Hmm. I know I look large, but I hate the imagery of popping, and would prefer people ask when I'm due and/or ask how I'm feeling. If you have experienced this, how do you feel about it? Don't know why I feel so wierd about it. Maybe because babies are cooler than popping?

Exactly one week ago some friends of mine in the neighborhood threw me a baby shower. I didn't take pictures, but it was wonderful. So much fun to eat and chat and everyone was so kind. Now I feel like I owe everyone, big time. I feel really, really lucky to live here. So many awesome women, all in one place!

While We're Still Warm . . .

I wanted to buy a huge watermelon on Saturday night for a group of football fans to munch on throughout the game. So, I went to the area in the store where there are always great big bins of them . . . and in the bins were pumpkins. NOOOO! I'm not ready for fall, we just got summer!

I wrote that two weeks ago, and though we are now into October, my feelings haven't changed. I have to say, I've realized this year that September may be the perfect month. I've always kind of looked past it due to its lack of much of note for our family, but it was awesome. Warm, but not too hot. Nice breezes, lovely to be out, lovely to be doing anything . . . Just a few warm-weather wrap-up pictures to keep me with nice thoughts . . .

Andrew is so hilarious, he always wants to put on costumes, hats, shoes, or anything - goggles, as shown here.

The kids loved the slip n slide this summer. This is Josh, but Noah had many a glorious run, too. Unfortunately I only have a still photo of Josh, though I have a billion videos of both of them. They REALLY wanted me to make videos of them, it was so funny.

Josh put Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head in a Little Tikes plane to fly to New York.

Working on their "collections." They find bugs and worms all over the place, and want somewhere to keep them. So I got out my bag of baby food containers, and they love it. They always want another one to start a new collection. I just love seeing them out exploring nature so much, it barely phases me when I find containers of dead worms in my kitchen.