Labor Day

Unlike most families, we don't really think of Labor Day as a 3-day weekend. Our weekend has been Sunday/Monday for the past few years, so there's not an extra day off for us. But my mom and step-dad invited us over for the holiday and I'm not one to pass up a family get together. We were going to go to their house for a cookout, but in the end they brought some fried chicken and a few sides over here and I had some watermelon, baked beans and made some chocolate covered strawberries. It was cool enough that we could use the fire pit after dinner.

We even made S'mores.

Xander decided to entertain us. He had his own repertoire, but we bribed him with $1 to sing Country Roads. He only knows the chorus, but he puts an excellent twist on it.

Serenade

It's been freakishly warm in these here parts lately. So warm, in fact, that today I made sun tea and also noticed my daffodils have re-bloomed. Before we put our fire pit in the basement for the winter (to keep it from rusting, in case you were curious), we thought it would be nice if the kids could experience a night around the fire. It has typically been reserved for just Jason and me as a place to chat after the kids have gone to bed.

We'd had out Santa hats out in my attempt to get "the picture" for our 2009 Christmas card. The kids had to wear them and decided that we should begin the evening by telling stories.

Then they got the idea that they should get out their guitars to serenade us. They took turns each playing some children's favorites and some original creations.

They made Jason sing, too.

We had a snack and the sugar apparently made us get a little silly....

....then tired.

We had so much fun just the four of us. I can't wait to do it again, before they decide staying home with mom and dad at night isn't cool anymore.

Before our trip

I didn't get a chance to post anything about our week before we went out of town. Last Sunday we took the kids to the 2nd Annual Softball Showdown for Autism. It was sponsored by one of the local news stations here and created by one of their anchors, Jerod Smalley, whose son has autism. Xander was hoping that Johnny DiLoretto would be there to represent the Channel 6/Fox 28 team, but he wasn't. He was happy to meet Jerod and eat a sno cone though.

Jordis was excited to meet Buck I Guy and get his autographed picture, even though I didn't find him to be too personable myself.

After the games Jason let the kids run bases with him.

A few days later I took the kids to a program at the park called Creepy Crawlies. They got to learn about different kinds of bugs, how many legs they all have, and then got a chance to catch some. The kids' friend Wes came to meet us there, but we were having trouble getting anyone but Jordis to participate.

And of course the kids put on a show for me as well. This week they actually let me take pictures and videos. They were in rare form.

Singing Debut

I mentioned previously how Xander loved his music from Vacation Bible School. We had purchased the CD a few weeks in advance so he could be familiar with all the songs.

He knows all the words.

And the hand motions they taught him.

He said he was going to get up and perform with some of the other kids at church Sunday.

He promised.

Jason worked 2nd shift the night before and was able to adjust his sleeping schedule so he could be there.

Jordis even asked if we could take her to her class late so she could "watch brother sing."

We talked about how the church would have other people in it and that they would probably be looking in his direction, but that we'd show him where we were sitting so he could look just at us.

This is what happened...

We were so proud!

And Xander got bonus hugs for sitting up on stage for a while.

At dinner Monday night Jordis said she was going to take care of bears when she grows up. I told her that given her performance at church I thought she'd be a singer instead. Her reply? "Yeah, I'm gonna be a wockstar."

This little light of mine

So I had both of the kids with me at the grocery store on Friday afternoon. I usually try to avoid such a set-up because in most instances I end up having to leave before I have everything on my list. However, due to the way our week played out I didn't have much choice.

We were doing *fairly* well (for us) and I was hoping to breeze through the produce section and be out of there when Xander started to sing "This Little Light of Mine" at the top of his lungs.

It was LOUD.

Think high ceilings, echoing, reverberation, etc.

Part of me wanted to shush him because he was being obnoxiously loud and the other part of me was thinking that Jesus would really be pleased with Xander promoting Christianity. Psalm 34:1 instructs, "I will EXTOL the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips," so, he was doing what the bible says without even knowing it. And because of that, and the fact that I knew he'd sing louder if I asked him to stop, and knowing we'd be leaving soon anyway...I let him sing.

As I was standing over the strawberries checking for mold, someone came up behind me and said, "Excuse me ma'am, could you please quiet down your child?" Thankfully it was my friend from MOPS, who was totally kidding. She said she had heard the little voice singing and just had to come and see where it was coming from.

Our little man definitely has his own light, and he makes sure everyone sees it. Such a special little boy he is.

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Mathew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father who is in the heaven"