peter pan goes to preschool

Friday was dress up day at Preschool. They were asked to dress up like a storybook character and bring a book along to share with the class. Though it was more like here's my costume now what book might match that!? Connor and I spent the whole day there helping out with the activities. There were reading rounds first where parents read the books aloud to the friends, then a visit to the church's pumpkin patch, followed by pizza and cupcakes, a quick stop at the playground and then trick or treating on the square in Covington.

I'm still trying to get to know the other parent's there. A lot of these kids have been attending the preschool since the one year old class so I feel like a definite 'newbie' and I've also never been good at conversation starting. However, as awkward as I might feel sometimes around 'strangers', Micah made me so proud. It just amazed me at how comfortable he was with all the other kids. I can still see the shy not wanting to intrude actions in certain situations but there was forever a smile on his face. Maybe I need to get some pointers from him :)

Micah and Connor waiting to go outside

Micah's and buddy Ben with their pumpkins.

They bonded the day they both wore cowboy boots to school!

A little laugh over Connor who threw all the pumpkins on the ground.

Sitting in his spot between two little ladies!

Getting candy on the square.

embrace the camera: doctor

I took Connor to his first 'sick' visit last week :( While we were waiting for the doctor he fell asleep on my shoulder. Since this is rare for him I had to get a picture!

Loved {embracing the camera} this week :)

polka

A year before Zach and I were married both of my mother's parents passed away, one in December and one in June. While going through their Minnesota lake house we found some interesting items. 5 of these stood out as good 'gifts' for each other, and by gifts I mean random objects to pass around and/or hide in each other's homes until they are found and passed again.

The 5 items...

1) a hat with a plastic fish head lives in South Dakota with my Uncle Jerry

2) a creepy stuffed frog doll with a straw hat lives in Illinois with my Aunt Julie

3) a half moon with a kind of intoxicated looking farmer crow is a centerpiece in my sister's kitchen in Alabama

4) a wooden rooster lives in my bathroom. My aunt glued beads in the shape of panties and a bra on it for my lingerie shower. It's quite a conversation piece :)

Only one is left in circulation and by the title of my post you have probably guessed that it has something to do with polka.

5)Yes it's a polka cassette tape. As far as I know none of us have actually listened to the tape but many of us have been in possession of it. It has hidden in diaper bags, baby beds, make up drawers, purses, shower stalls, suit cases, packages, presents and the list goes on and on. It continues to be a favorite game of hide and seek and I am curious to see how long it lasts :)

And for you movie buffs here are some (semi) famous quotes about polka from a couple of my favorite movies. Can you guess which ones!?!?!?!

* Polka King of the Midwest? The Kenosha Kickers? No? That’s okay I thought you might have recognized– …Anyways I had a few hits a few years ago. That’s why I… Polka, Polka, Polka?(singing) Polka, polka, polka… No? Twin Lakes Polka… Domavougi Polka A.K.A. Kiss me polka…polka twist?

* How about a nice polka? It's got something for everybody. That's it Harve. You're exactly right. Bingo!

*I think Handsome Hans will fit right in at Slippery's Bar. It's a TAVERN!

sunday song

You Lifted Me Out

Chris Tomlin

You turned my way
You heard my cry
You turned my mourning into shouting
Sorrow may last for a night
But with the light I am seeing
I am singing

You lifted me out
You lifted me out
And set me dancing, dancing
Free, now I am free
Your love rescued me
Now it's the anthem I'm singing

Many will see
Many will hear
And find You strong enough to save
Many the wonders You have done
Your light has come, I am singing
I am singing

Lost is where You found me
Shattered and frail
But You love me still
Trouble may surround me
My heart may fail
But You never will
You never will

country living fair

Stephanie and I went to the Country Living Fair on Friday. It's the first time it's been in Atlanta and we were anxious to see all the fun stuff. While we were a little surprised at all the 'new' merchandise there ( we were both expecting it to be a little more vintage) we still had a lot of fun and saw some good things. Here are some of the favs...

French furniture

There was a vendor with all French (or French inspired) pieces

I'm not a big swan fan but there were EVERYWHERE! I guess it's the 'it' decor right now.

This is from a furniture maker out of Gainesville, GA. They build all of it themselves and take custom orders. They also give a percentage or each of their sales to support missions in Africa. Very cool!

I was amused by their name ;)

Steph found a fabric booth. She was more than a little excited.

At this same booth they had quilt patterns available for sale. If the quilts had been for sale also I would have had a hard time not buying these next three!

A piggy shot for my mama :)

This just cracked me up

Sea of children's chairs and benches

My favorite booth by far is this next one. Great Stuff by Paul out of Maryland. He had lots of cool wooden trays, dough bowls, rice bowls, well buckets and asian baby bathtubs. Along with other baskets, grain barrels, burlap sacks, and more.

This is what I came home with. The third from the top is currently on my kitchen table waiting for it's semi permanent spot. I loved the dark wood and the price tag. All the other items were $20 plus more than this.

kinnebrews

Thursday night was a long awaited time for our great friends Mike (and Lindsay) Kinnebrew. Mike released his first CD last week and had the CD release concert that night in Macon, GA. We met the Kinnebrews the first day we visited Christ Community and have been friends since that very first day. Even though they moved to Macon over 4 years ago we have remained close.

We have a long history of listening to their music. Early in our friendship we would often go with them to their gigs at restaurants and coffee houses. Zach even played djembe with them a few times. Now Zach just does Mike's photography and design work and even got to do the pictures and artwork for this CD.

When he got more musicians to work with him and started playing at Eddie's Attic more and doing shows in Macon it became a tradition for us and the Cardozas to spend the evening together watching our great friends (Matt and Leslie have known them longer than us!) so we were all excited about going and seeing them. Stephanie and Justin were able joined us because they had never heard them apart from personal recordings Zach had shared.

Mike didn't dissapoint! They had a great show and we were so proud to be a part of it.

zoo atlanta

On our break between Gainesville and Enterprise, we took a day just for ourselves. Though we did go to a zoo in Lousiana this summer we wanted to take Micah back and Connor for the first time to Zoo Atlanta to see some of the bigger animals.

We left after Connor's doctor appointment that morning (he'd been running a fever all week) to go to the zoo. The only minor problem was the fact that we had forgotten to put shoes on Micah before we left which he reminded us of as were zooming down the interstate. After a quick stop at the Target off Moreland avenue we were back on the road.

Zach packed us a lunch (yes Zach!) so we picnicked there and then strolled around to see all the animals (some a few times) for the whole afternoon. The weather was cool and the crowds were small so it turned out to be a pretty relaxing afternoon.

I had never been in the parakeet house before. When Micah and I went in we saw quite a few love birds. Two of them were quite...how should I put this...CLOSE. I didn't take a picture of them!

Close encounter during feeding time

Sitting on a dragon

Micah's absolutely favorite!

First trip to zoo in August 2008

Second trip October 2010

interesting overbite!?

team work

Excited about getting to go

Anxiously awaiting the ride

I love when we make a conscience effort to do things with just the four of us. Too often we, and I'm sure you as well, are so wrapped up in the every day or the activities you do with friends and family that your own little family doesn't get as much specialized attention. Then again if we didn't have so many people who loved us that we spent our time with than I probably wouldn't appreciate nearly enough the time I have with just my boys. Crazy how it all works out huh?