Thanksgiving Week.

What a week! Arctic storm = subfreezing temps, snow, ice, wind warnings, power outages, road closures. Oy! Add to it, Jesse was on call. Working, working, working. Elizabeth was out of town, so I was on work and 2x/daily kitty duty. Thanksgiving shopping. Food prep. Christmas cards and gifts mostly shipped. Still more to come. More to make. More work to do. Gigs and play dates. Early stage potty training. Number lessons ("Fun. Two. Fee. Fibe. Sick. Ten."). Alphabet lessons (Wren's favorite part: P & Q... he giggles and says "peee... and.... pew!") Merriment. Joy. Love. Peace. Family time. Been busy. xx

"Son, you got a panty on yo' head."

Wren's Favorite Chore.

If you can't find him, he's probably in the laundry room ~ sorting his laundry... into the hamper, trash can, and sink. If the washer lid is open, he will throw some in there as well. He also likes to sweep.

Snow.

Halloween.

Wren was all set to be a dino this year for Halloween. He, however, changed his mind at the last minute. So, we had to think fast. We dug out his pirate jammies, trimmed the bent portion off of his foam sword (making it into a dagger), and added a little mascara facial hair. Then off we went for the stroll downtown. :-)

Touching Base.

Hello All:

Life has been a whirlwind and a half lately... especially the last month or so. Thought I would sneak on here and give a little update on things.

• I have picked up yet another part time job. Some dear friends hired me to do data entry and other clerical work from home for them. I am very grateful to them. Juggling the jobs has been a bit tricky, but I am finding my groove. All completely without any form of child care, too.
• Jesse is doing well at work, as well. He has been with the City for several years now and has been working with a committee to help develop a mission statement. His band is blooming, too. What once was a three piece is now almost a six piece. They feel good about the changes that have taken place and hope to book many lucrative gigs. ;-)
• We're gearing up for what's to be the coldest, wettest, snowiest winter in 50 some odd years. For Wren's birthday, Jesse and I bought him snow boots, a parka, and some snow pants. Outside play time will continue no matter what - ha!
• Wren is brilliant. No joke. It has been confirmed by many people that his knowledge, demeanor, physical activity level, etc. all exceed that of a regular two-year-old. He is a sweet boy. Having mastered his colors a few months ago, we moved on to counting. He counts everything now... and then proceeds to tell me what color it is. He has been speaking in sentences for a while, but it seems as though his communication has really jumped up to a whole new level lately. He has a sweet disposition, loves to read books, play outside, go for nature walks, play ball, and wrestle. Yellow and orange are his favorite colors, primarily orange. He doesn't seem to like crowds, and seems a bit on the shy side initially. He warms up quickly, though.
• It is the time of year to thoroughly sweep through the house and give things to those less fortunate in preparation for the upcoming cold winter months. Wren and I have been working on that for the last couple of days. We have a nice little load of items to contribute. It's a good feeling to share, and I want to make this a part of Wren's world so that he carries it on as he grows.
• Having just done a thorough evaluation of Wren's belongings, and having just come off of his birthday, it is safe to say that he is really set in terms of toys and "things." I know that toys and knickknacks are the most fun to give to a child, but if you want to give him something (and aren't set on a certain item), I would suggest one of the following three options:
• There's always his Wish List. It really has all that he "needs" on it. I know that those items are not fun to buy, particularly, but in a way they are the most appreciated because they are so, so needed.
• If diapers are not a gift that you want to give, then perhaps a contribution to his college fund? All monies given to him for his second birthday went straight into that account. It's definitely a worthy cause given his advanced mind. Tee hee.
• Last, but not least, we are officially setting up a "Vacation" fund (for lack of a better word). A contribution to this account in lieu of gifts for any of us would be MOST appreciated. We are going to try desperately to save up so that we can drive down to Cali sometime this next Spring. So, in a way, that would be a gift that you would give yourself as well. ;-)
• To wrap things up... thank you notes have been started, and some have been mailed. I intend to finish them tonight and then move on to the Halloween thank yous.
• Oh! Halloween photos will be posted soon, too.

We'd like to thank our family for coming up this last month. We had such a nice time visiting with all of you. It's good for Wren to see everyone ~ and for everyone to see him as well. :D

Okay, I had better get back to work. I only have a little time before Jesse leaves. Just thought that I would touch base. Hope that you are all well and happy... and maybe we'll get to see you this next April or May. :-)