Pardon Me While I Ramble

Here is a post about a whole lot of nothing.  Consider it a blogger version of a Seinfeld episode, good for a few laughs but hard to explain later. Truth is, I really want to get to the posts about Christmas Crafts and Activities but I feel like I cannot move ahead until I share a little bit about what has been happening in our house the last couple of months. First, Scott and I dressed up for a costume party  on Dia de los Muertos.  Unfortunately, we went all out and nobody else did.  Slightly, embarrassing.

We had fun anyway.  We were in the company of several diplomats and an ambassador.  The very same weekend Atley spent Diwali (the Hindu Festival of Lights) with his friend.  I began the week thinking how cultured my children were.  How fantastic I was at exposing them to different traditions, languages and people.  It didn't take long for me to be humbled, as is generally the case.  I realized that perhaps I was missing something in their education because when they were asked what town they lived in by a tour guide later that week both boys immediately said Maryland, which is neither a town nor the state in which we live.  Atley couldn't tell his wrestling coach whether he was left or right handed and then at Sunday dinner, none of my children seemed capable of eating with their utensils as they shoveled mashed potatoes into their mouths with their hands.  This might not have bothered me too much until I looked out the window and discovered that even a mother squirrel is better at teaching her children table manners and the proper use of a fork than I am. Needless, to say we are going back to the basics at our house.

Speaking of wrestling, the boys started wrestling in early November.  It is adorable and frightening and wonderful for them.  Atley and Nash are in the same weight class which is interesting to say the least.  They get their singlets this week and I cannot wait to take pictures of them.  It is going to be awesome.

Atley competed in the Space Derby at Cub Scouts. His modified Boeing-747 was one of the only rockets that flew successfully.  He loved every minute of it, being an aspiring pilot and all! Atley is next to me at the moment. He really wants me to write about how he went on a field trip to Jamestown a few weeks ago. 

Before we could get the Christmas stuff out and head out of town for Thanksgiving we had to participate in our traditional destruction of the fall pumpkins.  Yes, some barely missed sister's head.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving we loaded up the truck and drove to Florida.  Atley had an especially enjoyable 13 hour trip. We had a great Thanksgiving feast and a good visit with my dad. We went to the movies, played with Hoss the German Shepherd, did a lot of karaoke and the best part was Harley and Grandpa were in charge of dishes.

 The boys were surprised by a new motorcycle from their Grandpa.  We got it running, rode it, crashed it a few times, got it running again and  eventually got a visit from the police.  Apparently, the neighbors didn't appreciate the noise.  You know what they say, "It ain't a party if nobody calls the cops!"

 

After a few days in Florida we headed to Georgia to spend some time with Grandpa and Grandma Butler and the Donaldson cousins. No trip would be complete without a visit to The Varsity, (where they messed up my order and gave me two of everything) SCORE!! We went and saw Santa Claus on Peachtree City's main mode of transportation the golf cart, played a little dress up and caught a magic show where a silver dollar was put up Nash's nose never to be seen again.  Yeah, he is still examining his bowel movements for something shiny just in case.

 

We are home again and I cannot wait until Christmas break.  I have so many fun things planned but we never have time to do anything but homework, endless homework.  Ugh! I am so sick of school. But, that is a rant for another day.