Today we….October 29

   I know, I know!  I said I was going to do this everyday.  Well, I was wrong.  You don’t want to read our everyday anyway.  So.
Here is what today looked like for us:
Dad is on night shift, so when he got home from work this morning, he informed me that “Oh yeah, the car insurance was due yesterday so you need to go take care of that today.”  With everything I have to keep up with, he is usually in charge of keeping up with anything to do with the cars.  I can’t blame him for forgetting, though, cause night shift is hard on his mind and body and he’s been pulling over time for the past three months.  Anyway, I fished out the bill and saw that it was in fact due today, not yesterday.  That was a relief.  So off to Farm Bureau we went.  We then stopped by the bank,  McDonalds and then the post office for a money order.  I unknowingly used the last check yesterday.  Hey, that’s just the way we roll: ever organized and on top of things. By the way-have you ever tried to fill out a money order while holding a one-year-old?  Let me just say it’s a challenge. Anyway, we then stopped by the store for some milk and ended up buying around $20 worth of stuff.  How does that always happen?  At least it wasn’t Wal-mart.  I cannot leave the building without handing them at least 50 bucks.
After we finally made it home, Beauty grabbed a bucket and began scavenging the yard for some bits of nature that represent autumn.  She then glued them onto a piece of construction paper.  She is very proud of her art work.  

In case you cannot read it, she wrote “Fall in my yard” .  I like it.
I then decided to make a pot of chili to have for when Dad awakens.  As I was chopping bits of onion and green peppers, Beauty lectured at least 50 times, “Mama careful! Knife dangerous. Cut you-self. Hurt” .  She has a fascination with knives, but at least she knows they are dangerous and does not go near them.
After getting the chili started, we pulled out the chalk board to talk about the beginning sound “b”.  This is for two reasons. 1. She has difficulty hearing beginning sounds and 2. she confuses “b” and “d”.  She did a great job coming up with words that begin with “b”.  Here are a few: bed, box, blocks, balloon, bird, book and by.  She then practiced writing B and b, bed and balloon.  She wanted to write b as d, but soon corrected herself.
Next, we reviewed her number 1-20 chart as she still has difficulty recalling 10-20 by sight.  We went through her 0+1 thru 10 flashcards and practiced writing 10 upon command.
Now fast forward a bit.  My dad picked us up and took us to my parents house where Beauty put on her Snow White costume.  A church we used to attend puts on a Hallelujah Fest every year, as an alternative to halloween parties.  There are games, food and candy with everything being centered around Jesus.  For example, one game is “Shoot Down Sin with the Gospel Gun” where kids take a toy crossbow and shoot at little targets labeled “lying”, “stealing” etc.  They also have door prizes.  We love going every year and I feel better knowing the candy and food are from people I know and trust.
Beauty was so gorgeous in her costume.  She’s beautiful even with black hair, if I do say so myself.  I was a little concerned that the hustle and bustle would cause a sensory overload and I would spend my time doing what I usually do at this and similar events: reminding her not to pull hair.  However, it was soooo crowded and loud that it had the opposite effect.  She became very withdrawn, unsure and shy.  I think she still had fun, but it was all just too much for her to take in.

Isn’t she lovely?   

Dummy me forgot to pack E’s costume.  He was going to be Daniel Boone.  I did remember to pack his coon skin cap, but he wasn’t about to keep it on!  Here he is with Papaw Joe.

First cousins

Aaron was so nice.  He allowed the small kids to stand on the table and made his arms the hoop in this basketball game.

How are you spending the weekend?