Autumn in America

Autumn in America is a real treat for us people who normally live in the tropics ..... here is a peek at some of the fun things we've been enjoying.  :)

 

Jonathan's first day of Kindergarten -- we are so blessed with an experienced teacher who loves boys and whose kindergarten goal is that kids will leave her class learning to love school!  Jonathan says his school is the "Best School Ever!"

Joshua is enrolled in preschool at a different school and loves his school too!  Although I think he still prefers playing with legos at home.

The boys attended a "Big Brother/ Big sister" class at the hospital took their lessons with the "practice babies" very seriously ......including learning how to snuggle with the baby, change a diaper, and wrap baby in a blanket.

 We've been finding times to do traditional autumn things like hay mazes.....

 .....going to a football game (here we are with our favorite football star, cousin Daysen)....

.....field trips to the pumpkin patch!  Somehow Jonathan came home with a pumpkin that was bigger than anyone else's in his class......

......and carving pumpkins.  No scary Jack-o-Lanterns for us.  Jonathan's pumpkin has a fire engine on it and Joshua's is a submarine.

The weather is getting COLDER.  We are currently living in a very special home -- a farm home built in 1892.   The driveway is a mile long (really!)

and the house comes with a barn and 40 acres .....only a fraction of which we have actually seen!

Being an older house, though it is quite cold.....

Dave and the boys are investing quite a lot of time hauling wood to keep the house warm....

But snuggling in front of the cozy fireplace at night is worth it!

Grandma can't seem to stop buying warm pajamas for the boys ....after all they are growing out of their 3T and 4T jammies!

Hard to believe that in a week or less we will be welcoming a new baby boy to our family!  We are excited to meet him and love him!

Kartini Day Part 2

We got our professional photos back from the Kartini Day event, so here they are! 

This sweet picture was a candid shot taken by one of the teachers and handed to me as a printed copy on copy paper ....so that's why it's a bit faded and grainy.  It is a precious photo to us of Jonathan with his teacher.  While I am often stern with him and get stressed about how to help him overcome his flaws, she continually sees his strengths and patiently works with him and praises his talents. 

I knew I hadn't "Quit" blogging yet! New stuff to share!

I so wanted to post picture's from Dave's 49th birthday party, but they have disappeared!  We had a fun time at a local restaurant with 4 other families -- 24 people in all!

Now for pictures of the preschool Kartini Day Celebration last weekend.  Kartini is a national heroine, a pioneer in women's rights in this country.  Her birthday is joyfully celebrated in the schools with much traditional costuming and programming.

Our boys were able to participate by attending and dressing up in their traditional costumes.  I was so grateful that they agreed to wear their uncomfortable sarongs for 4+ hours.  They had a professional photographer there also, but here's some candid photos to start with.

 In traditional headwear, silky jackets, and sarongs embellished with gold threads.  

 As a special treat, all of the kids got to have a ride on this "mini-train."  I was one of four moms selected to chaperone the kids, i.e. sit on the end so that nobody escaped or fell out.  Josh still doesn't like to let me out of his sight in a new situation, so it was kind of them to let me go with him.  He fell asleep a few minutes into the ride.

 Oh, when the rice boxes were passed out, they were much appreciated!  Contents:  white rice, friend noodles, green beans, watermelon and a rice cracker.

Jonathan and Joshua with their wonderful teachers, in full traditional costume!  WE are so grateful for these wonderful women who give our boys so much love.  

     A few days later Joshua participated in National Education Day for the Gebyar PAUD, which translates as "Preschool Sparkle."  Each local preschool had selected a few students to participate in contest events such as building with blocks, sorting seeds, dancing, etc.  Joshua had been chosen for the ball sorting event, and he had practiced for at least a month before the big day!  When the time came, in a new situation with strange people, he was a little uncertain, but still carried out his event with courage!  

 And one last funny from the home front.....we do "bucket baths" most evenings now, and Jonathan took it a little too literally.....