Today was a rainy chilly day.  One might say it was a typical Central Illinois fall day.  While running errands with the kids I made mention that it was getting cold outside.  Well let’s just say Anna took this statement and ran with it.  
Anna:    It cold out, Mommy?
Jess:    Yea.  It’s getting cold outside, Anna.
Anna:     (said in a voice with increasing excitement) My birthday when it cold!
Jess:    (said while smirking because she knows where this is going) That’s correct.
Anna:     It my birthday, Mommy!
Jess:     Soon, Anna.
Anna:    (giggles and smiles)
This adorable little girl can’t remember I told her five minutes ago to leave her shoes and socks on while we are in the van but can remember a passing comment several months ago that her birthday happens when it gets cold outside.

While Jack isn’t putting thoughts like that together yet, he has decided he wants to work on his letter identification.  The letter of particular interest is “O”, with “T” not too far behind.  Why?  I don’t know it just is.  Tonight while going to Meijer he stopped by the pedestrian crosswalk right where the “STOP” is painted on the road.  I looked and saw nobody coming so I let him go about doing his thing, but this time he surprised me.
Jack:    (while pointing to “o” with right hand) O!
Jess:    Good job, Jack.
Jack:    (while pointing to “t” with left hand) T!
Jess:    That’s correct.
Jack:    (while pointing to “p” with right hand) P!
Jess:    (said shock) That’s right, Jack.  Good job!
Jack:    (while walking away smiling he points to the “s”) O!
Jess:    Sorry buddy that’s an S.
Jack:    (laughs and runs to the wrong doors)

This past Monday Damion took the day off and we took our annual trip to Tanners Orchard.  As an extra treat, Dawn joined us this year.  Jack slept on the way there, Anna not so much but fortunately this did not create any problems with crankiness while we were there.  This year we went to “the big garden” as Anna called it and picked apples.  Yup we’ve gone two other times and never went into the orchard.  It was fun to watch the kids just run on an open mostly car free path and then pick the apples and still have the energy to run back to the animals and pumpkins.  After almost two hours everybody was ready to go so after purchasing the mandatory pies, caramel apples, apple donuts and apple cider (which the kids went nutso over) we were on our way home after a day of fun.  And of course there are pictures up in the gallery but just so you know, some of them actually have descriptions with bunches of details.

Let me start off by saying that this week was not one of the best we've ever had. Damion is in Tucson for work which leaves the kids and I alone for the days and nights. Problem this week is that the kids and I are sick. Jack has a runny nose and congestion but no fever. Anna has a fever with no other noticeable symptoms. I have a sore throat and ear. I think if you smash the three of us together we might actually have something to diagnosis. So because of this we were not able to go to the gym or Wednesday's playgroup or Bible study and I'm saying “no” to tomorrows playgroup.

We have spent some time at the parks this week to get energy out of the kids. Problem there is these stupid non-gnatty gnat like things. According to the local paper apparently these aphids thrive on cool and wet summers. Now they are everywhere. Supposedly they don't sting you, just annoy you bunches.

Once again I’d like to share with all of those DamionAndJess.com fans more cuteness from our kids.

This weekend it was raining.  Anna asked Damion where the rain came from.  Damion responded by explaining the rain cycle to her.  She humored him by listening and then rolled her eyes up and put her finger to her mouth, a thinking type of look, and said, “Actually, God made the rain.”  Damion was speechless.  Fast forward to today I was driving with Anna, Jack, Connor and Erin in the van during a torrential downpour.  Anna asked where the rain came from.  I said “I thought you and Daddy talked about that.”  She said, “Oh, right.  God did it.”  Erin chimed in saying that rain actually came from the rain clouds but after she thought about it she said, “I guess God must put the rain in the clouds.”  For a moment I thought Anna (2 ½ yrs old) & Erin (6 yrs old) were going to get in a theological debate about the source of rain/water.

I truly think Jack is on his way to being a drum playing football player (speaking of football, what the heck is up with Favre unretiring AGAIN?!?!).  On August 9th, Damion set Jack up on the floor with two drums and a xylophone.  Jack happily played and did his beat count outs before starting but one of the best things caught on video was Jack said his first sentence!

 

One might think that it being August and all we’d have swimming suits for our kids by now.  Well, we do as of yesterday.  It had been so cool this summer that going to the pool wasn’t really necessary and on the warmer days we put them in swimmers and turned the sprinkler on in the backyard.

Last weekend though we got a gym membership at a facility that has three pools that we needed to take advantage of as a family.  One of the pools is for lap swims, another for swim & water classes & general fun and then a baby pool).  We spent yesterday purchasing suits for both of the kids.  We found a cute one for Jack at the first store and an adorable one for Anna at the third store, not too bad of luck if you ask me, especially since the second store was Toys R Us and we were actually there for toys.  Best thing is that the suits were both half price due to end of season sales!