Better than Boxes

This bubble post is proving more difficult than I anticipated, but I will persevere, I will triumph! (Remember, it's the little things in life... conquering the computer's blue screen of death and the internet's unbelievable time lag!:) Sorry, back to the post: one of the great gifts this year is BUBBLES! Both sets of grandparents contributed and the kids have found the bubbles to be way more fascinating than boxes--and you know that's pretty good with kids:) Of course another favorite is Nathanael's new Remote Controlled Car... that has proven to be a mouthful for the kids, but Nathanael has mastered the name ('cuz we insisted he say it right before he play with it... mean parents:).

Here, Kitty, kitty!

We sent a "suggestion" email to our parents (the kids' grandparents) earlier this year with thoughts on gifts for the year. One of the suggestions included a snide comment about a BB Gun for Ryan to take care of all the stray cats in our yard. His parents decided to do something about it:)

What could this be?

Oh Yeah!

Cooool!The cats are so dead! It's a boy thing... it must be!

Funny Attachment

Huh? So what the heck is that, Thaddeus?

Ohhhhh, I see!

Thaddeus, it goes like this...

NOOOO! Don't eat my dad!!!!

CHRISTmas

After our wonderfully fun and exhausting evening at church for the Christmas 'Eve service, we sprinkled "Reindeer food" on the driveway then ushered the kids into dreamland with a stern lecture not to go downstairs without first waking mom and dad in the morning. Ryan and I made rolls, cleaned the house (we had invited and uninvited guests arriving on the morrow), settled the mass of presents under the tree--thus the lecture to the children, and finally went to bed.

The kids were kind and waited until after 7am to wake their exhausted parents. We went downstairs and had a quick breakfast, then prayed and reminded the kids Whose Bday this really is. Then began the gifts. The kids did great, we had a wonderful time opening gifts and sharing the day with each other. We help the kids make gifts for each other, and they loved the presents from their siblings. Hannah drew and painted a picture of Lightening McQueen for the boys' room; Nathanael helped Daddy cut out and stain a snowflake for Hannah (who has been rather desperate for snow lately) and a "T" for Thaddeus; Thaddeus made some magnets with animals and Hannah and Nathanael's names. We likewise enjoyed so many other presents from our parents, the kids' grandparents and friends--thank you so much!!!

Ryan was rather surprised by a Navy Torpedoman's Mate coin with his name inscribed on it and though at first confused by the Gorilla Pod Tripod for the camera, once he figured it out, he was thrilled. I figured with all the picture taking he does--especially with setting the camera up for our Christmas pictures, he could use a break with at least the setting up! And, Ryan managed to surprised me this year with a digital frame for our pictures... so exciting!!!! Enjoy the pictures... this may take a couple of posts:)


Our "uninvited guests"--reference our Christmas letter--they have managed to find their way into the microwave and dishwasher as well as in cupboards, behind cabinets, etc. However, one of Ryan's coworker and our down the hill neighbor gave us some bait that seems to be one of the best Christmas gifts this year!:)

Christmas 'Eve Play

Our church put on a Christmas 'Eve play with the pastor reading the narrative of Luke and Matthew accounts of Jesus' birth while the kids acted out the story. Hilarious! We had two rehearsals and the kids did great. Thaddeus was the donkey (yes, same costume as Harvest Day, but it worked!)--the first rehearsal he wouldn't have anything to do with Mary. The second, he followed Mary and Joseph down the "street" and then circled Joseph on all fours up on stage. During the actual play, he went down the "street" just fine, got on stage, turned around and faced the crowd and saw his babysitter, Becky, who had just come home on break from college, and went down to her. She took him back on stage where he stayed for a short time, til he remembered Becky again, then went back to her. This happened several times. Ryan and I had so much fun watching!


Yes, that is me in the background. A couple of moms were wrangled, err, asked to help with crowd control during the shepherd/towns people scenes:). And, at the beginning, Hannah was entranced by the violinists who played several beautiful pieces for us. Then Nathanael was "going over" the sound equipment with his Sunday School teacher:).

The Bronco Rider Eats Cat!

Nathanael and Thaddeus have an endearing habit of getting up together and playing with each other in the morning before Mom and Dad are at all ready to wake up (ok, an annoying habit when they decide to play on the Alligator Xylophone--loudly--but we still love them dearly). A couple of mornings ago, they were up playing together when in our misty state of, "oh, I hear the kids, I guess it's morning..." we hear Thaddeus begin the OW! I'M HURT! cry. He makes it to Daddy and really does have a good sized bruise on his temple, right beside his eye. The explanation? Nathanael was giving Thaddeus a piggy-back ride. I asked Thaddeus later (when his owie had turned into yet another black eye) what he hit. In his cute, clear little boy voice, he said, "The bed." Ouch! Nathanael piggy-back rides are no longer on the morning to-do list.

Then today as we were on a quest to find stain for one of Ryan's wood working projects, Thaddeus had us loving life again. Ryan wanted to explain this one...

"There I was driving along drinking my Mt. Dew… really just minding my own business… the kids are in the back seat minding their business--commenting on whatever comes across the synapses. 'Cat,' says Thaddeus (as one is crossing the street in front of the car). 'Eat cat!' says our bright boy. Reference the first sentence and a mouth full of Mt. Dew. We almost had an eruption of Dew in two solid streams from the nasal cavities. Choking... coughing. Driving to the intersection I finally got some bodily function control. Yes, every day has its 'little' events!"

Later, I asked Thaddeus when he would eat cat... he decided it would be a good snack, not breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Laughing...watch out for Thaddeus' visit, Aunt Rachel!

Dancing Belle

Our dancing ballerina had a wonderful time dressing up and smiling at all the stressed parents in the audience:) The recital went beautifully--very much a joy to see. The dance instructor, Miss Nikki Watson, did a great job pulling this together! Hopefully we'll have the video in the next few weeks or so and can post Hannah's dance at that time.

FIVE!

Nathanael is now FIVE! Both he and Hannah were proudly announcing the fact of his Bday to everyone we came across yesterday (and today:). Some pictures of the CHOCOLATEY cake and presents follow (thanks Moms and Dads!!!:) Btw, tradition in this Edwards family is that everyone at the bday party gets a gift, not just the bday kid. So, Hannah and Thaddeus were thrilled with her drums and his monkey--what a combo:).










And, here, we see Hannah, the vanquishing Sock Wielder! She whipped Daddy in the eye (ouch!) with a sock--took Daddy down. Then, because she saw how badly that hurt and how that shouldn't happen again, on her own, she drew a sign to indicate to other aspiring children, this should not be attempted at home!

Architect

These may only be Legos, but I think the thought that went behind them outstanding! (Of course that's just a mother's opinion.) During the boys' nap times, Hannah quietly plays in her room... often with her doll house and/or the box of Legos. Long ago, she left the patterns that come with Legos far behind. These creations are of her own thoughts, design, and making--we come in after nap time to take pictures. Check out the chandelier on the first building. The second is a telescope (I didn't even know Hannah knew what that was, much less that she could say the word!)... later on she stuck white and yellow one-holed Legos on a blue base and stood it up in front of her "telescope" so she could "look at the stars"--yes, the whole "telescope" is hollow--you can see through it. WOW!

Graduate

He made it! He's home, he graduated from the NCO Academy, and finished his Bachelor of Science Degree!!!! We're thrilled, exhausted, and love having him home!

Eeyore Comparisons

Found this shot from way back on Harvest Day of 2004... look at how much he's grown!

Our Pumpkins

Harvest Day went rather well in spite of my misgivings. Portuguese on the Island are invited to join the festivities in base housing, so the gates are shut at 5:30pm for the protection of the children and crowd control... we were advised to take in all decorations, outside toys, etc., so we locked everything in the garage and beat a hasty retreat to the church (Azorean Baptist Church http://www.azoreanbaptistchurch.org/) before the allotted time of gate closure. Maid Marian, Mr. Pilot, and Eeyore had a blast hanging out with their friends at church, dressing up, eating, playing games, and at the end: getting the all important candy! On of the deacons at the church had to make sure we had an extra bag (he tried to give all the kids extra bags of candy!), so we have plenty for oh, the next year or so:). We carved the pumpkins today because we wanted to enjoy them for a couple of days (they'll be piles of mush very soon with the warm weather and ever-present moisture) and we wanted to enjoy them at night, not having to have them inside on "Harvest Day" for fear of vandalism.