Saying Good-bye to Autumn

I've noticed that lately the kids have been living from one countdown to another. It's how their small world stays so exciting, I guess. Some are big events ("____ more days until Grandma and Grandpa come!"), some are small, but still generate big excitement ("_____ more days until we go to the doctor for flu shots!") Whatever milestone, big or small, we can look forward to, getting us out of our routine is exciting for a preschooler and a "tuggler" (toddler in Ellie-speak). A trip to the dollar store is an adventure, and a trip to the "humongous store" (Sam's Club) is epic. There's probably a lesson to be had in living life with so much excitement and optimism about the future. For me, though, it's usually just another enticement to hold over their heads to get them to behave ("Uh-oh. We better brush teeth and get jammies on if we want the baby-sitter to come play tomorrow . . .").

Usually it's Ellie doing most of the countdown. Charlie is pretty content to just be along for the ride most of the time, and gets really enthusiastic for when we tell him it's time to get excited ("Let's goooo!" "Let's go car!" "Let's go dressed!" "Let's go 'side!"). One of the big events for Ellie's countdown this fall (aside from finally getting moved into the house) was a big party for employees of the university and their families. I don't remember the name of the place it was held, but you can imagine the build-up of excitement for this little girl when she heard there would be face painting, pony rides, games, candy, and so much more. Kind of made it hard to keep up the the anticipation for preceding events, like filling prescriptions or going to the post office, I think any opportunity to leave the house is still a pretty big deal for her.

For Ellie, the party lived up to the hype we gave it. Here are a few pictures of our day.

Any baby who wouldn't hold still very well got to be a cat. Charlie rubbed most of his face paint off within about 10 minutes and just looked like he had a dirty face the rest of the time, with a particularly dark smudge just below his nose that we decided was just a charming Charlie Chaplin mustache and nothing more.

 Ellie still talks about how the red canoe was too wobbly and is sure that if we try a green one next time it won't be nearly as wobbly.

 This is (ahem) "fishing." More experienced wranglers in the family, don't mock. Brady was pretty disappointed with this set-up, but there it was.

 Ellie would not touch the fish once it was caught.

  She did amuse herself trying to teach me to use the "hoopla-lupes." Probably the most fun was wandering up the hill to the farm and climbing with her on the straw bails. I think I don't take enough time to just listen to this kid talk, and talk, and talk. I told her about how I used to help on my grandpa's farm, how we had straw bails just like these, how I drove and tractor (which I think all went over her head, especially the part about me having a grandpa), but both of us just rambling together was fine with her. We tend to appreciate these warm-enough autumn days more and more around here, knowing that we're already living on borrowed time from the long cold winter day ahead.