Joy School

I got a few pictures from Leah's Joy School adventures this week.  Despite the very occasional protest from her about getting up and out the door so early (9:00!), she loves Joy School.  There is a great group of kids in her class, including Jacob, who she has recently declared as her best friend.  This isn't anything new- she's always liked him.  I just continue to find it adorable.  As long as she still wants to marry Adam, she can like any other boy she wants.

I am slowly gathering a group of moms that are interested in doing another Joy School next year.  I love the class just as much as Leah does, and I'm really hoping we can get another great group of families together.

Even though I always assumed Leah would go to a formal preschool, it's just not what's right for her.  So I've adjusted my expectations, and now I'm really looking forward to another year of Joy School.

Leah is really interested in numbers right now- she loves counting to 100, can do basic arithmetic ("if we have two and then we add three, then that makes five!"), and always wants to know what a series of numbers makes (1 and 1 and 1 makes 111). 

She also loves dinosaurs and is so curious about why they aren't on the earth anymore.  She will ask me several times a day if other animals are still alive, ususally in hopes that they aren't.  Snakes?  Wolves?  Lemurs?  She hates lemurs because they have such beady eyes. 

We are definitely in the throws of Why? Why? Why?  It's occasionally trying, but I usually love watching the little wheels in her head turn as she processes the information, such as why we have to live on the earth because it's the only planet that has water.  She is definitely my little sponge.

The Highlights

So, so, so many birthday wishes and phone calls throughout the day- thank you everyone!

I bought my favorite breakfast junk foods for a special treat.  Leah told me, "This is not a healthy breakfast.  This is junk food.  I would like something healthy for breakfast, please."  I promptly kicked her out of our family.

I had a doctor's appointment in the morning, and hearing that sweet strong heartbeat was probably the best present I got all day.

We had lots of friends over in the afternoon to help us celebrate.  I had tried to explain to Leah that grown-ups don't usually have birthday parties like kids do.  "But Mom," she said "that is what birthdays are all about."  She was right, so we had a party after all.  But I drew the line at games and presents.  Just chatting with friends was enough for a great birthday afternoon.  It was very cute when Leah's friends sang, "Happy Birthday, dear Leah's-mom."

Presents!  I only felt marginally bad when I told Leah that she couldn't have a single one of my See's chocolates- they were shipped all the way from Utah!

(It's never as fun watching someone else open birthday presents)

I had great help blowing out my birthday candles-

Adam even told me happy birthday!

It was a great day- hard to believe another year has gone by already. 

Happy Birthday Melanie!!

Happy birthday Mel!  I just wanted to let you (and everyone I guess) know how great you are!  Thank you for doing so much for our family and for posting great things about our family here.  It is always a great pick-me-up when my day gets tough.  You're smart, funny, cute, creative...and gosh darn it, I like you.  Have a great day.

Love,
Jason

Check, Please!

A sure sign it's time to go.

It Starts

Dinnertime conversation-

L- Mom, can I have the honey?

M- You betcha, Fletcha!

L- Don't call me Fletcha!  My name is Leah!  (This is nothing new)

M- Oh, sorry Leah.... heh, heh, heh. Reminds me of when I was a kid and my dad used to torture me.

L- Well, when I'm a mom, I'm not going to do anything to torture my kids.

J- Oh, we'll see about that!

The Kick-off

That's right, folks.  Celebrate Melanie Week is right around the corner, and we started things off right last night with dinner at one of the fanciest restaurants in town.  I've wanted to go to this restaurant pretty much since the day we moved here, now I can check it off the bucket list. 

(Yes, we have a celebrate Melanie Week, in which I am allowed to do pretty much whatever I want in the name of turning a year older, and yes, we have an Indiana bucket list.  Next up- boating down the Wabash River and a trip to the local dairy farm!  No, I'm not joking- come visit us!) 

 

I love this picture because you can see one of the old brick buildings that make up the downtown area out the window.  The town was founded in 1826- there are some amazing, old buildings around here.

Our dinner was amazing.  Thanks to a very kind gift from some friends, we went hog (or lamb and chicken) wild on ordering.  The watercress-garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus were my favorites, and I think Jason may have had a moment with the French toffee pudding.

Yes, the nicest restaurants in Indiana are decorated with ceramic roosters.

It was a very tasty birthday dinner.  We had great conversation, a wonderful server, and delicious food.  It was a perfect kick-off to the upcoming week.

Fair Game

Around here, anything the kids find anywhere is subject to being used as a toy.

Those aren't panty liners- they're bandages for the sick animals.