At Home in a Halloweened up House!

 Halloween is coming!

It is officially Halloween time at our house as decorations are out and we set up a spooky Halloween town for Michael to play with while we wait for the calendar to turn to the 31st.  It is a bit sad for me as this was Andy's Halloween town and I have such fond memories of little Andy playing with the town and creating his own stories.  It is good to get it out and see Michael add his own imaginings to the set.

So right away the pirates crashed Halloween town and have not left since!  Michael has spent many moments
talking to the pirates and setting them up about the houses this October.

                                   He wanted me to see the pirate here so he displayed it for me.

                                   
                                  It delights me to watch him create stories and act them out.

                                           He is really coming into his own creativity and it is such
                                         a joy to see him expressing himself through storytelling.

                            He does however also have a giant tub filled with costumes for him to
                            dress up.  He has walked about as a monkey, dragon, dinosaur, wizard, space man,
                            and fireman all in the last two days!

                            I was able to snap some of them:

                                        So sweet to see him really being the characters.  He throws
                                  his whole self into his work and play.
                                Michael has  such enjoyment in life.  He is happy to be where he is.

                                 Today when we came through the kitchen door, into our cluttered home that
                                   frustrates me for lack of space, Michael only grinned and said,
                                  "I am so glad to be home!"
                                      Then off he went to set up his farm.
                                     I learn so much from that kid.  God has blessed my life, my home,
                                                    my world.  I need to not sweat the small stuff so much.
                                      So I turn my thoughts to the coming 31st and I wonder what costume he will    
                                        dress up as when he goes trick-or-treating...stay tuned to find out!

Fireman Michael at the Fire Station

Fireman Michael at the Fire Station




Michael and I went to the Williston Fire Department's open house this past weekend.  Michael has been so excited to learn about fire safety at home and he has been dressing up as a fireman so it was only natural that he should go dressed up as a fireman to see the trucks.

The firemen at the station spent a lot of time with Michael.  They showed him so many of their tools they use to help get people out of homes and cars and to keep them all safe.  He also held the water hose.

The Fireman here gave Michael a badge to wear and made him a volunteer fireman at the station.  Michael really liked that.

                                  The firemen really liked listening to Michael ask questions
                                   and liked his excitement at being there.

                                   The firemen took Michael to the trucks and let him put on the lights.

                                          Michael went out to see the lights that he turned on.
                                         He squeezed his hands into fists and giggled while he
                                          jumped in place.  True joy!  It was so sweet!



                                           Here he is following one of the fireman to the tower truck.

                                             
                                          And he found another fireman that was just his size!

                                           
                                         Michael is learning about the jaws of life.

                                             
 
 Here he is listening about how they open the big doors to let the fire trucks out when there is a fire.

Michael listened to the fireman as he told him about how they also

can help people who are hurt.  He showed

him the ambulance and they both got inside.

They pulled out teddy bears that they

give to kids who are scared

when they come to help.

                                        Michael asked what each button and lever here did!

 

                                        He rang the bell they use at the parades.

The Wiliston Firemen were so kind to Michael.  It was such a treat for him to visit and be able to ask all his questions and to sit in all the trucks.  I think the firemen had almost as much fun as Michael did!  Thank you Firemen!

                         

Sharing Autumn with Michael

The beginning of Autumn has been filled with hikes, school, and field trips. Michael has enjoyed watching summer change to fall. A branch by his bedroom window slowly been turning it's leaves more and more red. "Fall is coming!" He would shout every morning as the leaves kept turning.

Michael thought the trees were so beautiful that he decided to draw them.  On the back of the 

picture he wrote this (above):   "In Fall leaves change.  In Fall I am going to jump in leaves."

His formation of letters is getting so much better.

School days find us reading, counting, and learning about the world.  He has been interested in learning about 

the body so we made a skeleton out of spaghetti and macaroni and labelled the bones.

He has been learning to count and just beginning to understand adding.  We also have been working on 

differences of size and his counting bears have been fun for him.

Michael was given a magnet set for his birthday and he has been testing objects

all over the house to see if they are magnetic or not.  

His curiosity is so refreshing and his thirst to know and understand things is so beautiful to witness.

Soon enough it will be time to go and jump in some leaves!