This boy

This boy. Sometimes I really don't know what to do with him. 

One morning we were walking out to the bus and he was complaining that Daddy gave him a sock that's too small.  Brent had gotten socks out of our sock basket (sometimes I just throw them all in the basket if I don't have time to match them) I told him he could run back inside and get new socks.  He was panicked that he would miss the bus (it wasn't coming down the street so he had time) I told him I could run in and grab a pair and he could change at the bus stop.  NO! He didn't want to do that.

So we started walking down the driveway.  Then he starts complaining that I made his lunch and he wanted to buy today.

I had asked him when he woke up if he wanted to buy or for me to make his lunch - he chose for me to make his lunch. 

So then I told him he couldn't buy that day that his lunch was already packed but he could buy tomorrow..... grumble grumble grumble.  "I want to buy lunch today!" 

I told him if he wanted to buy he had to use his own money since I already made his lunch like he picked not even  30 minutes earlier... so much complaining. 

Well then the bus starts coming down the street so he takes out his lunch box. Throws it to me and as he's walking onto the bus he tells me "I don't want your stinkin lunch. I'll pay you $3 BUT mom that's coming out of YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT"  and he gets on the bus and drives away

He came home and gave me $3 and told me that the school lunch was disgusting and asked if I would please make his lunch the next day....

I'm realizing that the things he complains about and rants and raves about  aren't what's really bothering him. It started with his sock and then his anxiety of missing the bus. Even though his bus driver would've waited for him or I could've driven him. Anything out of his routine or even what he expects throws him off. He really didn't care about my stinkin lunch. I think lunch was something he could control.

This boy has been working to earn money to buy people Christmas presents.  He also lost a tooth and asked the tooth fairy for FIVE BUCKS so he can buy his family Christmas presents. The tooth fairy left a note that she hadn't heard such a generous request so she granted his request. He has been excited to get gifts for everyone for Christmas.

Norah's school had their annual Breakfast with Santa and kids Christmas shop.  Brent took the kids and said Joel brought his wallet and went into the store and bought us all gifts with his own money.  I'm dying to ask him if my gift was $3 short! haha!

O Christmas Tree

 Mom and Dad have season tickets to the basketball games so they gave their tickets to Brent and the boys went to watch the Hokies play. It was Joels first Virginia Tech basketball game and he loved it.

Milkshakes from the dairy club were well worth it.

The rest of us went to a Christmas tree farm to find a Christmas tree. This was mom and dads

 Norah was a great helper and this is what we ended up with.

The boys weren't sure we got a big enough one and I told them they can't complain since they weren't there. Also I go on allergy medicine most of December for them to have a real tree. So any complaints on our real tree was not going to be heard by me!  I was hoping since we cut it fresh it wouldn't bother my nose as bad. I'm still blocked up but it hasn't been too bad this year so I think we've found our new tradition.

We helped mom and dad trim their tree then came home and put our tree up.

 We spent the rest of the weekend in Blacksburg. It was fun going to the Inn and seeing all the Christmas trees and then we explored a new park to me. James and Angela went all the time when they were living there. We also went to their small business Saturday and went downtown where the kids did a scavenger hunt and got some amazing prizes.

 We found one random hay bale and the kids had to jump off it like they used to do at the farm.

 
And we even found a creek to play in

Thanksgiving

We left Wednesday afternoon and headed to the mountains.

I never get tired of that view.  Makes even the early mornings waking up with Joel worth it to see the sunrise.  Joel is definitely a Gouger and can't sleep past 6 if he tried!  We wont let him out of his room until 6am so 5:59 I hear him open his door. 

 Norah wasn't sure why we all get excited for eating on Thanksgiving.  Her plate consisted of this:

 

Joel was upset that we only ate one meal on Thanksgiving day.  We had breakfast and snacks and of course leftovers for dinner but I told him we just eat one main meal. I think we ate around 1ish but he wasn't liking that and went on and on about how that was a bad idea.  BUT WHY.....That doesn't sound fun....why do we even have thanksgiving??  But he was well fed and learned about a turkey sandwich for dinner.

 Joel started making a list of all the different kinds of birds that came to the bird feeder and then started drawing them.

These two colored all weekend long

We ended Thanksgiving by face timing with Angela and the boys.

Thankful

 Joel and Norah are really into crafts and holiday themed  worksheets. Norah filled out this ABC thankful sheet in Sunday School and came home and did a few more.  I love how Angela was her A. She loves her Aunt Angela.

 We celebrated Thanksgiving the weekend before with Brents dad and Joel came up with this turkey headband all on his own.  He was so proud of it he packed it up to go to Blacksburg with us that next week.

 Joel has also discovered Pinterest and decided he wanted to papermache his own turkey.  It actually came out pretty cute.  I helped with making the paper mache glue and showed him how to do it but he designed it and did it all himself.

 Norah's class made these cute turkeys on day in school. It happened to be right before library time where I volunteer. All the kids walked in so proud of their thankful turkeys and loved to show me what they had written on the feathers.  I love that Norah's turkey is wearing a necklace.

 Norah was so proud but I had to question her about this one feather....

I should probably add that this is NOT a baby announcement! HA! We are very happy and content with our three children.  Poor Norah - one day she will get two sisters when the boys marry and I hope she gets two like her Aunt Angela.