November wrap up

Phil went "home" November 5th.  He reported back to his old unit on the 6th and learned that he will be their Battalion Financial Officer.  (I think I have the title right.)  So now he deals with soldiers that need a little financial help.

We also finally got to go see my Auntie!  Matthew was totally happy.  After all this time of going to visit her, we finally discovered that her neighbor has a pear tree that produces delish pears.  Best I have ever had.  They taste like honey was smeared on them.  Yum!

A couple years ago Phil's Aunti Tara begged for a pair of his BDU's to go camping in since his other aunt has a set of his DCU's she goes camping in.  The Friday before Veteran's Day, she sent me this photo telling me it was "Support your Troops" day at school.  This is what she wore.  I think it might be the coolest thing I've ever seen!

 The Sunday before Thanksgiving was my Grandmom's nursing home's Thanksgiving feast.  We trucked on over to have some delicious food.

 Mom looks so much like her mom in this photo.

 Matthew got a little photo happy while there.

 After rounds of normal photos, we had to start in on the silly ones.

Obviously, we had a good time.

 The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the kindergarten classes had a big feast that they made themselves.  We took milk so Matthew's class could make chocolate pie for the feast.     *photo by Beth

 One class wore pilgrim hats, another indian headbands, but Matthew's had the best, being they got to make turkey head bands!    *photo by Beth

 His placemat he made for the feast.  He used it on Thanksgiving and wore his turkey band.    *photo by Beth

I was on the bus while this was happening, but it sure looks good!  He said it was great fun and yummy.    *photo by Beth

As soon as I got done with my middle schoolers, I ran and grabbed Matthew and signed him out of school early.  We took off for TX and got to Phil's at 11:30pm.  It was a long drive!

I noticed Phil's cat sitting like this and took a photo.  Phil looked in and told me that that's how she sits now, and sure enough all the time she gets in the chair like that.  I think she thinks she's a dog.

Wednesday we pulled together our final Thanksgiving menu and grocery list.  We went shopping when Phil got off work and prepped.

Thanksgiving Day we cooked a full feast for the 3 of us.  We snacked all day and ate around 4:30pm, just like Phil's family.  (My side eats by noon, no questions asked.)  During the cooking process Phil announced that we were taking food to some soldiers pulling 24 hour CQ duty that day.  The barracks they were at is next to Phil's building, so we went to see his office.

 I think it might be part janitor closet, but maybe he just makes soldiers so nervous they puke alot.  (Joke, everybody laugh.)

 On the way, I asked to go by the building that the Ft Hood shooting happened at.  It happened 11-5-09 and rocked the military community.  13 died, 29 injured.  We moved to Hood 11-4-10.  Now when people hear where Phil's stationed they ask about the building.  It was easy to drive by because Phil works next door.  This is the building from the back, from the barracks floor the soldiers we took a feast to were on.  It is all blocked off.

 It sits up on a hill and is hard to see from the road, but I could tell there were flowers on the fence when I'd been by before.  I was not prepared for the memorials on the fence stretching far as we pulled up.  It really makes you very grateful for the fact that your own soldier hasn't been seriously injured overseas and at home.

Matthew wanted us to explain about the flowers and we did.  As we pulled away, we realized that he was crying.  Even to a 5 yr old, that fence is powerful enough to bring strong emotions.

Time passed way to quickly, and Saturday found us driving back home again.  It was still a long drive in case you were wondering.

 The last weekend of November we walked the trail and enjoyed nature with our 3 dogs.  Matthew stopped at one point and began making rock piles.  He told us that it was his "Jesus Museum."  There were places to pray and worship him.  I don't know where he comes up with stuff, but I thought it was rather powerful.

Me, I was overwhelmingly grateful and thankful to be living in such a beautiful place, where we can walk and enjoy God's nature all around us.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have been counting all the little blessing in your lives!

First lost tooth!

 November 1st that is.  Matthew was brushing his teeth that morning and suddenly he said with a slight note of panic, "Mom, did my tooth break off?"

Nope buddy, one of your first 2 baby teeth fell out.  He was 4 months old when he cut that bad boy and it fell out exactly 5 years later.  After that, he wanted us to take him to school just long enough to be able to write his name on the tooth chart for November.  He had to wait 4 whole days to write it.

We put the tooth in a sandwich bag and put it under the pillow.  The tooth fairy came, took the tooth, and left 2 dollars!  More then I thought that fairy might leave.  ;)

October wrap up or The first of the photo binge-ing

So to finish up what happened in October.  Phil came home on leave Oct. 22nd and stayed till Nov. 5th!

Matthew loves my old ski mask because it looks a little like a Spiderman mask.  And yes, I really have kept everything.

The first weekend Phil was home we took the boy to the pumpkin patch.  He was significantly taller.

They had put in a new bigger bouncing pillow.  We had to peal him off it.

They had a new combine to play on.

Way cool, even if it was the wrong color, or maybe this is all the green ones are good for!

Then it was down to the business of finding the perfect pumpkin and I do mean perfect.  It took a long time and I'm not sure Phil was still satisfied really.  Or just gave up because his back was starting to ache.

But the boy was happy!

New 2 person trikes.  Phil took him for a spin.

And finally a cool tree fort slide.

Oct. 30th Matthew woke up and said that his jaw hurt.  Ummm, that's weird.  You're going to school.

 Finally Halloween (Wed) arrived and all the school kids were giddy!  I was worried Optimus Prime would be so last year.

Matthew woke up and announced his right leg hurt.  Ummm, that's weird, I see you are limping, did you hurt it at school?  No, you're going to school.  At 1st recess I see him.  How's the leg?  Good.

 Little did I know there would be 2 Bumblebees in the house.  Matthew told everyone who would listen that the boy next to him was his sidekick.

 The Halloween parade at school starts with the 5th grades very creative project.

 Finally the boy arrives.

 Caught up with the 3rd graders, received hugs, and told them I loved the costumes.

 Phil and I then went to Matthew party and watched them eat.  It was a little boring on our end.

Matthew is limping again.  He goes home with Dad and I go to afterschool.

Here is what I looked like all day.  Mom made the skirt.  I guess it was a hit since I had to report to the office so they could see it.

 While I was at work they boys carved Matthew's pumpkin.  Matthew designed it.

As soon as I got off at 5:15, we buzzed downtown, went trick or treating and got ready for the parade.  Matthew is really limping now and dragging his foot.  Phil announces that he looked at Matthew's legs and saw a tiny bruise on the back of the knee.  As time passes, he grows slower and more lackluster.  We finish up downtown and cruise up to the nursing home to see my Grandmom and over to the church for more trick or treating.  We have Angela in tow now.  We go to eat afterwards, 7:15, and now Matthew doesn't want to walk because it hurts, so I'm carrying him.  At 8 we get home and I take his costume off.  And what a sight.  His whole left leg is swollen and both legs have strange "hives" on them.  So we slap pjs on him, get auth. to go to the nearest er and take off.  Around 10:30 we are arriving back home with the knowledge that he has Henoch-Schonlein purpura.  He wasn't able to go to school for the rest of the week and walked very weird for awhile.  Friday his foot turned red, swelled up and had heat to it.  I paniced and came home.  After finally getting the ER docs take, it was decided that it was fine.  The swelling didn't totally go away till Monday.  It was a very frightening experience, but treatable.  I'm not sure why my son gets all the weird skin response diseases. 

And that's how we rang out the month.  Maybe tomorrow, I'll get up November's recap!