Well, my family has gone and returned home again safely, the hot weather is gone until spring and most of the mosquitoes are dead. What more could a guy ask for?
OUT OF TOWN. As you will remember from last week, Vicki, Pauline, and the kids went to Virginia to visit her brother and family. They left Sunday morning, came home Thursday night and had a great time in between. Cameron and Zachary, my nephews, sure know how to entertain.
WET PAINT! While everyone was gone I got the hallway painted, everything but the woodwork that is. We both think the tan looks a lot better than the green. Vicki is itching to paint the rest of the house now.
HAVING FUN TOGETHER. Vicki and I took the kids to the Adventure Science Center in Nashville yesterday. There is a really cool, five level tower for the kids to climb on with all kinds of interactive science exhibits. Jenna and Ben had a blast.
MORE TEETH! Nate definitely has four teeth now, the two top front and the two bottom front. And Will, Vicki's brother, thought he spied a fifth tooth in there somewhere.
We think Nate said, "Da Da," several time today while looking at me. I choose to think it was not coincidence.
"MOM, DAD, THAT'S DISGUSTING!" Last night Vicki and I were in the kitchen. I was cleaning up and she was cooking supper. In the course of talking about their trip and my saying I was glad they were home I walked over to her and gave here a big hug. That was about the time Ben rolled down the hall on one of his toys and stopped at the kitchen door. Looking at us he said, "UGH!" in a combination of surprise and disgust. Then he called to Jenna with the same tone of voice saying, "Jenna, come look!"
IT'S NICE TO BE NEEDED. Jenna spent the night with Mom and Aunt Mar last night. Ben and I went over to get her late this morning. On our arrival Ben got out of the van and went right in to find Jenna and said, "Come on, Jenna. We need you."
A POT OF CHILI GOES A LONG WAY. I am writing this as therapy right now. This is one of those things I will laugh at one day; however, that day has not arrived for me at this time. And in Jenna's defense, this is not normal for her.
Vicki has rejoined the choir at church to participate in the Christmas musical. They had a choir retreat today at 3:00 to give themselves a three hour practice. My mom picked Vicki up and they drove together. The retreat was held at a cabin on a choir member's farm.
Before leaving for the retreat Vicki had made a pot of chili as all the families of the choir members were invited to come over at 6:00 for a chili supper. At the appropriate time the kids, the chili and I left home, picked up Aunt Mar and headed for the cabin. Once we arrived Jenna insisted on coming between the front seats of the van and exit out one of the front doors. I had Nate in my arms and was trying to help Aunt Mar so all I could do was say, "No Jenna, don't do that. You'll turn over the chili." I repeated this several times, until she turned over the chili. There was about a gallon of the stuff. UGH! I think it will be a few months before I'll want chili again.
Joe
