Adele, The Celebrated

Our household now contains a three year old! Every year in this child's life is golden. We enjoy her so much. 

Last year on her birthday, and this year. Notice Spot, still in the picture.

On November 20, the actual 3 year anniversary are her birth, we had dinner at her favorite restaurant, Macado's, which has a huge advantage in being pretty much across the street from where we live. 

Wearing her brand new Frozen headband. Plastic, and fuchsia. But hey, she loves it. 

The restaurant staff sang to her! She hid her face the whole time, in a fit of uncharacteristic bashfulness. 

She unwrapped all her presents at the restaurant with glee. 

The tongue! Whenever she does anything complicated! Love.

Miles has (mostly) kept his dignity despite not being the spotlit child. And you know how hard that is for this guy. 

Looking fashionable in Papa's scarf. 

By the way, the Dinos have kept up their nightly shenanigans! Here, they play Zelda:

Here, Rex reviews the rules: 

On Saturday, we had dance lessons as usual. Our good friends also bring their daughter to the same studio, and while Miles had his lesson, her mom painted faces. 

Adele's favorite animal remains a sheep. 

And, at 3pm, the party at Price House began! I think we could have had a party anywhere and if Adele knew it was her party, she'd have been happy. She felt so important, talking casually to her friends about "my party." 

She got to feed the fish & turtles...

Everyone got to pet the snakes...

Miles held two of them! Maybe he was attention hungry, but he had a great time doing it. 

Oh, notice the poorly-drawn sheep on his check. He was um, a bit jealous of Adele's.  I did my best on short notice. 

Good old taxidermied animals. 

I love the coyote's expression. 

Beaver looks so earnest. 

She wanted pink sheep. We were going to make that happen. (Thanks, Kroger!)

Adele when the whole room was singing to her. Every time. 

We enjoyed some unusually sunny and warm November weather and let the kids run around in Price House's yard for a color hunt. I think everyone got the cake out of their system naturally and happily. 

Blacksburg is so good to us. 

On Sunday, Adele got to reciprocate and attend her daycare friend's party. They had a craft based party at Michael's- brilliant, yes? 

Three year old Adele is delightful. She speaks in grammatical full sentences, loves sheep, Elsa, and Snoopy, can hold her own with her dynamic big brother, and still sucks her thumb. She loves pizza and peanut butter and "regular milk" (still suspicious that someone will give her almond); she gives her dance lessons her all every week and just this past Sunday, attended children's chapel for the first time. And I can't wait to see her tonight. 

And we leave for Thanksgiving in Maryland on Tuesday afternoon! How are we already here? 

Pray that I stay healthy. From the December festivities, to pageant practice, to shopping, to travel to New York, all the way to my upcoming Guatemala trip... we are absolutely brim-full. 

A Party And A Show

What a busy weekend of festivities!

Adele attended the birthday party of her beeest friend, and sometime boyfriend, Kameron.

For some time now, he's been the reason she's gone so happily to day care. She wants to wear things and find out what Kameron will think of them. She wants to bring toys to show Kameron. She wants to draw something- for Kameron. It's toddler love.

Here, Kameron is given the star treatment at Chuck-E-Cheese.

Boy did we enjoy that cupcake...

I took a series of the kids sitting on Chuck-E's stage. It was all kids who go to daycare together, so she knew everyone. These are her buddies, and it was so great to let them giggle and play together in another environment.

Did I mention she luuuurves him?

Dance party!

Tunneling like rodents with her good buddy, Noelle. 

Her buddies gave her the courage, after a long hesitation, to try the Big Rides.

Rollin with the homies in the teacups. 

I have no idea what this is. Appears to be a game only they understand. 

I had a better time than expected! Better than I usually have at ChuckECheese. Probably it helped that it took place at 10am.

Miles & I went shopping for Adele's birthday Saturday night and caught a sunset that this measly iphone couldn't begin to render. 

Sunday, it was Miles' turn to be a star. It was the Chinese School 35th Anniversary Show!

There is a huge Chinese community in Blacksburg, and they send their kids to Chinese school to practice the language, socialize with other Chinese-heritage kids, and to learn culture. 

They also teach non-Chinese-heritage students like Miles. 

What's a pageant in November without a Turkey?

He is the Turkey in the Straw

I was proud of him for doing his rhythmic little peeking dance and for his facial expressions when the kids point to him. Also, for general composure on stage in a turkey costume! Way to go, buddy!

Someone acquired a terrific costume. 

Next, it was "Doe, a Dear," Mandarin language version.

He knows this one by heart. I think he was a bit too dazed to sing them with quite the same volume as he does at home, though.

There were so many beautiful performances by heritage and non-heritage students alike. There was traditional Chinese dance, performances on Chinese instruments, choral numbers, skits and even a couple of brilliant Chinese yo-yo numbers. We loved it!

Such an enriching afternoon had to be followed up by hot and sour soup and dumplings, obviously.

DiNovember continues in full force! We haven't missed a day. This is from this morning:

The kids were hysterical at this display. I particularly love the whale's expression. 

I am over my tummy bug!... and have passed it on to Jon. Oh, dear. 

We are sailing along okay. People keep asking if I'm getting ready for Christmas. 

Maybe someday we'll be able to prepare for Christmas otherwise than in a mad scramble. It's not looking good for that this year, though. We are focusing this week upon Adele's 3rd birthday, in just two days! Party on Saturday! 

We proceed with joy, and in my case, cold medicine. 

DiNovember and other campaigns

One week into November, and I am in need of a rest. 

We've been up to a lot, and are going to continue at the same rate of activity through the holidays.
My prayer for this next six weeks is that God would allow me to do what I have committed to do not out of obligation but out of joy and wonder. I have learned in neuropsychology: we can rewire our brains and change our habits of negative affect. I am praying to be constantly re-routed into joy.

A glimpse of what we have been up to:

On November 4, we took Miles with us to vote. The senate race in Virginia was a particularly close call!

My citizen selfie.

We've been taking rather a lot of pictures of plastic dinosaurs lately. This year, we are observing DiNovember. It might become a yearly tradition; we're enjoying it so much.

Basically, we tell the kids that in November, the dinos are able to come to life- but only at night. Every morning, the kids wake up to a different scene of dino mischief.

One night they painted...

Another night they claimed as their own the toys the kids had left out.

They read books:

All dino-themed, of course.

They eat snacks:

And, when Jon got back with pictures from Chicago's Field Museum...

...Our dinos went to work setting up an art gallery on the wall:

Last night, they got into the playdough.

I didn't include all images; you'll have to follow me on instagram for that. But we're having a ball. Every night Jon and I get to play with toys after the kids to go bed!

However, for a few nights I've been doing the dino-displays myself. Because...

On Thursday November 8th Jon left for his History of Science Society Convention in Chicago!

These are from our leave-taking that morning. 

He did wonderfully. He said he got lots of compliments on his presentation and was able to make a lot of useful contacts which will be professionally very useful to him. Continue your prayers and good thoughts about that endeavor, please!

In other news....

The sun sets earlier, of course. Nearly every night, in our "Help-Thanks-Wow" prayers, the kids' "Wow" prayers involve something about the sky. 

Oh, this pic. 

Miles is in Chinese School, as some of you know. He's taught me a fair amount of words and expressions already! The school is having a sort of pageant to commemorate their 35th anniversary in town, and Miles is in that show. He's in two numbers, and in this one pictured above, he is practicing to represent: The Turkey. 

I will assuredly take pictures and possibly video of this event. They're singing in Chinese, and dancing. With costumes. YES. 

We had a busy weekend, as we dashed around without Papa. And by busy, I mean crammed. We got the car fixed, we spent the morning at dance lessons, we attended Miles' rehearsal, prepared my Children's Chapel lesson and went to a social chili party with church friends that night. That was just Saturday. 

Sunday involved a long morning at church, my turn to grocery shop (with both kids; we don't usually do this). and a birthday party. 

If I were doing the November gratitudes, I'd probably have described my gratitude for this bounce house experience at the birthday party. They slept like logs that night!

I am so grateful, for the now. For this town, for my church family, for my wonderful job, and for my immune system which is admirably winning a fight against a stomach bug just now. 

This year I am planning to produce & direct the Christmas pageant. I have a big plan.

Wish me all directorial skills and luck! And pray with me that we can live out our holiday plans with joy.

Oh, and Adele's birthday party approaches...