It's Fall Y'All!

I recently read a blog that listed 20 things I Love About Fall. As I mentally made my own list, it began to seem familiar. I looked in the archives, and sure enough, last year at this time I wrote Why I Love Fall. So, in the interest of time, similar feelings and full disclosure, here is last year's list, with the addition of even more things I love about fall. What do you love about fall?

1. Sleeping in the fresh night air, with windows open after weeks of air conditioning.
2. Pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, and gourds.
3. High school football.
4. Watching the tree near our old house, which changes colors from the tips of the branches to the center, making it look like fireworks in the sky, with balls of fire at the tips.
5. Marching bands.
6. Youth soccer on cool Saturday mornings.
7. Planting mums in front of the church sign.
8. Needing a jacket on the way to school in the mornings, and shedding it before the morning is over.
9. Apple pie, apple crisp, apples with caramel, sliced apples . . . .
10. Corn mazes (I haven't through one yet, but this may be the year.)
11. Fall yard decorations: bales of straw; mums; pumpkins, winter squash, gourds; and scarecrows, and more mums.
12. Walking in the yard, with leaves crunching under my feet.
13. Bobbing for apples.
14. Raking up a big pile of leaves, for the sole purpose of playing with Whistle, Teenager, C. and E. in them.
15. Football stew. (A favorite from our childhood - an oven baked stew.)
16. Bonfires: Wood, matches, hot dogs, marshmallows, and song.
17. Pumpkin pie, with real whipped cream.
18. Horses made from cornstalks.
19. Straw bale maze at the Fall Fest.
20. The Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival

Visit with the Dentist

When Whistle came to us he was totally orally defensive and wouldn't let anyone near his mouth -- with or without tools in their hands. He has gradually gotten over that, although he still has problems with foods and eating. Obviously, a visit to the dentist's office is not his favorite way to start the day, but that was our plan for today. One of our first visits to the dentist consisted of counting his teeth. During a recent visit, the dental tech said, "We cleaned 4 teeth today!" Today the report was that all his teeth were polished, "LIGHTLY polished," she said. Big progress! For him, the big news was that two front teeth are loosening; "Right on schedule," according to the dentist. Whistle was very excited, and talked about the tooth fairy visiting, then told the school secretary about it when he checked in at school.

Speaking of the tooth fairy, granddaughter E. told us a story the other day. She wanted to color a picture and put it under her pillow for the Picture Fairy. According to E., the Picture Fairy doesn't exchange money for pictures like the tooth fairy, but she does love pictures.

Another thing E. likes is birthdays. She enjoyed her birthday last month, and had us all "sign up" for her birthday party (writing our names on a piece of paper). Yesterday, she had another paper, and we were signing up for Holly's birthday. Holly is her favorite bear. When I told her mother later that we were having Holly's birthday, she said, "Holly is getting old fast, this is her 3rd birthday since she got her!" (in the spring). What a girl. What an imagination.

The Teacher Said So

Whistle came home from school and announced, "We need a babysitter! Like Amy." It sounded like an instruction from school, but didn't fit quite right.

"A babysitter?"

"Yes - we need a babysitter. Like Amy." (His occasional sitter whom he loves, because she actively plays sports with him all evening.)

I was still confused, and asked if he had a note about it, he thought a second, and said "YES!" and went after his backpack.

Just a Reminder
Kindergarten Curriculum Meeting
Thursday, Sept 4, 2008
6-7 p.m.
Hope to see you there!

Child care will not be provided.


He may not get ALL the facts (or the MAIN fact, even), but he gets something!!