Alice the Artist

The one calm thing Alice likes to do is art. It's pretty cool to see all the stuff she comes up with. We like it because it keeps her occupied and generally requires minimal interaction from us.

Yates Mill Pond

We took our fall trip to Yates Mill Pond with Grayson's family on Sunday.

Our Christmas Tree

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we went to our nearby tree lot and got our Christmas Tree for the year.

Simon didn't really understand the concept of looking for a tree and just looked for bugs instead.  But Alice and Zac found a good one.

After successful tree selection, Zac dropped us off at the park then went home to do some work. At the park, Alice swung, and played, and made friends, while Simon and I looked for bugs. He was really thrilled to find such a large beetle.

That afternoon, Zac watched the OSU game and strung the lights. Then we decorated the tree that evening.

I should add that although it appears Simon is helping decorate the tree, he is just taking the same ornament off and on the tree. It's a train (James) that he is pretending is a bug.

Hemlock Bluffs Hike with Rob and Kate

We chose to #optout (it's a new trendy thing where instead of going shopping on Black Friday, you go outside). We went to Hemlock Bluffs with our friends Rob and Kate. And of course, we all looked for bugs.

Happy Thanksgiving

Alice had some time in her room this morning before we all got up, so she arranged everything.

We went to Burlington for Thanksgiving. It was also Julian's birthday. Here Alice is giving him his card.

Playing with electronic cockroaches in a frying pan. As one does.

Kids these days.

I had to take Simon on a bug hunting walk, because that was all he wanted to do. He didn't touch any toys the whole time we were there.

Tom and Zac took Alice and Julian down to the park.

Simon's art

He rarely has any work to bring home from school, but when he does, it's always something like this.

Life with Simon

Every day he checks all the corners and bathrooms for bugs. Simon was super excited to find an earwig in the hall bathroom this morning. 

A screenshot of a text exchange with Zac while I was at the library that sums up our life with Simon currently. (Sera's text is in blue, and Zac's is in gray.)

Then, I picked Simon up from school (he had a half-day) and just getting him from the car to the front door is a nightmare because he wants to stop and forage for bugs.

House Hunting - Progress

On the Monday after I got back from the conference, we went to check out this house. I think it could be the one. The kitchen and bathrooms need updated, and lots of repairs are needed, but it has a great layout and location. I've been looking at houses online for a long time, years really, and we've gone to check out a few contenders in person. Most houses just have stupid floor plans, or are too open, or are too close to the neighbors, or the backyard is too small, or there aren't enough windows or good views, or...etc. There's always some fatal flaw. But this house has a great layout, good views, lots of windows, some privacy, is close to a greenway, and isn't too far from our jobs. It's probably a lot bigger than what we need, but we've felt so cramped for the last several years, that it just seems better to err on the side of having lots of space as the kids grow up. Plus, we love having visitors. There's even a neighborhood pool. Anyway, we'll see what happens.

Historic Oak View County Park

On Saturday, while I was still at the conference, Zac took to the kids to Oak View Country Park and took some great pictures of them.

What I missed...

On Thursday, I left right after work to fly to Atlanta for the National Council of Teachers of English conference, which would last through the weekend. So Zac was on his own with the kids from Thursday evening to Sunday evening.

On Thursday, when he picked Alice up from school, they were having a book fair with food in the cafeteria, so they just joined in. Now if school only cared as much about children's bodies as their minds...

On Friday, Simon's daycare had their Thanksgiving Feast with the parents. I actually always dread this, so I honestly wasn't sad to miss it. Leaving work to have lunch with my kid just seems weird, given that I eat with my kid all the time, and it's not really the highlight of my day. In fact, it's a great source of misery.

But doesn't he look cute in a pilgrim hat?

So I got to enjoy several child-free days of intellectual pursuit and dinners out with my colleagues, while Zac got this:

He's a trooper.

Cookie Cat

Simon was quite giggly tonight. This video is in the dark, and he's not as giggly as he was in the beginning because he giggled so much he gave himself hiccups. Earlier in the evening he and the cat were poking their heads up behind the couch at each other. Simon thought it was hilarious. And then he called her cookie cat. Oh, to have the sense of humor of a three-year-old.

Laurel Hills Park Playdate with Rye

A newly-renovated park just opened up. It has an amazing and huge playground. We met Rye and her mom there for a playdate. This was the only picture I took.

Snapshots of a Saturday

Simon, a handsome fellow.

Alice, a girl who is at peace when doing art.

Kids, content on a wall eating gummies (play date with Grayson at dragon park).

Zac, still unable to face a Trump presidency.