My First Violin Recital

I was so excited all morning that after school I got dressed and took some pictures in my nice recital clothes so we would not have to do it later, and would not have to hurry before the recital. I am so thoughtful. Dad gave me a 70% chance of doing something besides just standing there at the recital. I showed him!




It is too bad dad was not recording when I dropped the violin! I took a deep breath, had my violin re-tuned, and got back to playing!




We also did some more ice skating and some sledding this week.

Marble Madness

Lego Mania!

Ice Skate

While I was at violin practice, daddy started to teach Calvin how to ice skate in our new ice skating rink. It was hard for him to get videos of him standing since he only has 2 hands. Maybe we will get some more when mommy is home.

Thankful for traditions

We went up to Lake Geneva to celebrate yet another Thanksgiving this week. I thought I would share with you the crazy traditions that my dad, uncles, and grandparents have been doing for 30+ years.

Apparently the youngest boy gets dressed up like a turkey and we get him to yell GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE

Then we go for dinner to Popeyes on Lake Geneva and feed the youngest boy lemons.

Next we argue where to stand for family pictures until everyone is just plain done.

Then we make the 1st of 60 attempts to get all three of us lined up, looking with eyes open, smiling and happy...

Then we go swimming.

Then there is Thanksgiving dinner.

Then the snowball fight.

Then rockband.

Then inadvertantly someone ruins Thanksgiving (...it was dad this year. Something to do with silly string and arrows... not sure... wasn't there)

Then the lego table and cards and movies and running around outside, bags and football.

Then there is day 2....

Let the fun begin!

I'm Rockin!

From the eyes of the 5 year old.

I wanted to share with you all the pictures that Zach and I have been taking from my new multimedia LG ENV2! They are in my dad's flicker account.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32600564@N06/sets/72157609501475526/

Enjoy!

Monkey

Got a head shot of the new baby. I think he looks like a monkey. Dad says he definately looks like me then... I don't get it.

Here is a video of me showing Zach how to take pictures on my new cell phone. Dad says there just doesn't seem to be something right about all that.



We got Rock Band for vacation. Dad made me tracks to play Jeremy Camp. Here is me rocking out to Stay!

Fear?

The election seemed to be a success! Me and daddy voted for Mike Huckabee and Mom and Zach voted for Obama. Daddy said that everyone who was afraid for our country should listen to Chris Fabry talking to Grandpa Don Cole.

Zach took a bunch of pictures on the camera... I think there is a story in there... I'll ask him about it today.

(Huckabee Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Scary

I can't say I enjoyed the days up to Halloween too much... there is a lot of spooky stuff out there...especially since we had to go to 4 stores to get Zach's Robin costume...

Here is Zach's pumpkin. He drew a picture of Kealey on it.



Here is the family pumpkin. We were talking about all the things that scare us. Dad is afraid of people jumping out from behind doors. I am afraid of pumpkin yuck. Dad chased me around the house with a handful. I hid behind a door and scared him. I guess we are even.



School was fun. We all dressed up and mom came and helped with games after the parade. The highlight was that we all got glow in the dark bracelets!!!




We went candy taking next. We got lots of candy and it was so much fun. Zach says he really loves Halloween! My favorite treats were the spicy Cheerios and the fruit chewy snacks. Zach's is skittles and kit-kats.






We went over to our friends house in our new car on Halloween. Dad went dressed up as a box and as Martin Luther since it was Reformers day after all! Here we are!



We had two Devin Hesters show up at the party... They must have run into Beetlejuice on the way over.



Zach told me about how Karissa told him to touch his lips to hers. Hmmmm. Dad said something about a wire and a restraining order. Something to do with covering his bottom.

Happy Voting!

Rough week (waves middle finger)

Man it has been a difficult week here at home. It is getting cold, I am afraid to ride my bike, Dad had a difficult week at work, Mom and Dad got the puke flu on Thurday night, and I learned some apparently inappropriate hand gestures on the school bus. Lemme explain.

As it turns out my two friends got in trouble on the way home from school on the Kindergarten bus because they pointed at each other with their middle fingers. I was SOOO excited to show mom and dad that new trick. With both hands I waved at them proudly!!! They were not so pleased.




We did get this cool new roll of carpet from the job that dad was working on. Mom was REAL glad, for some reason, when it got finally moved to the basement?!?

On the upside, Dad and I got busy and built the batman rumbler and motorcycle from random legos in the table.



We also "walked across the yard" and got to spend some time with our neighbors.



Kiera and Maggie walk me to the bus which will hopefully help Mom out when she gets ready to have new baby. Codename-Brenna Jr.



Here is a video of Baby playing with R2! Notice how R2 learned to run away!!! I hope Mom is having fun at the Indigo Girls with Kealey's Mom!

(Grandpa- spell Zach's name without a 'k')

Max

Shoots and Ladders

We got balls out of the gutter this weekend. Here are some pictures of our progress:

Mommy is never home to be a part of these fun moments for some reason?..?

We went out to breakfast and had yummy pancakes at Blueberry Hill. The baby actually ate more than Daddy, no joke.

We have been biking every day this week for several hours and Zach and I have been getting better and better.

Thomas (not me) bit Leo on the bus today and they both got in trouble. We rode our bikes to Joey's house Saturday night and his dad has a red tractor. We then went to the Cremery and had rainbow cones. I ran and ran in circles. Dad called it some sort of a high, although I did not climb anything?!?

I like warm weather!

What a nice few days after all that rain! We almost got to go for a boat ride in Kealey's basement. Her parents are mean. They did not want the water to be there. I think a water park would be a great feature for a house!

Calvin has a bunch of new words. Please, thank you, and all done are my mom's favorite. Dad likes R2D2, bottom, honk, bonk, and hey,hey,hey. Other good ones are uh-oh, grandma and grampa, woof, no, tractor, teeter totter, mommy, daddy, bye,bye, fish, play, want some, nose, ears, mouth, belly, this, ball, hot, outside, and more, bread, cuckoo, up.

We have been learning how to ride our bikes! Our neighborhood is very hilly so it has taken us lots of time to get a hang of it... and I am still a little unsteady...but if you ride really fast and then stop... you can make a SKID! And that is way cool.

I called my dad at work today to see if he would come home early and help me work on my submarine. He said he would, and he did. Just up and left work to play Legos. That is commitment.



He took a picture of this coming home from work yesterday. I guess sometimes one just is not enough!



We got a webcam yesterday so here is a video of us testing it out! It might be broken because I raise my left hand and my right one goes up. Sign up to skype and we can be superterrific best video web pals! Just like grampa did when he was little. Right grampa?

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Max

A Rocking Harvest

In the spring Zach, Dad, Calvin and I planted over a hundred corn plants. This was the week of the exciting corn harvest. I'd have to say we about broke even. Maybe next year.



The baby likes to rock!

Everyone but me has been sick all week, and to celebrate we decided to take a walk in the shoes of our Uncles, Michael and Matthew. (Brendan still can't game yet)



I have been rocking that violin! We found some digital drum pads for Zach. Rock on.




Looks like Calvin may start poopin on the potty before Zach. Uh-Oh

Rainy Day

We went to the library at school today. Today was 'S' day. I think I will bring Spiderman to school to celebrate that letter.

After school I practiced my violin with mom. Here is a video of that!


We were watching the violin video and found a movie I made this summer after my birthday which I entitled, "The Unsuspecting Visitor." I hope you enjoy it!



I guess it is pretty easy to tell whose personality traits came from each parent. Mommy really likes potty humor!

Busy week

I can't believe I have to do this for 16 more years. And that's just a BS! Class of 2024... This whole getting up everyday at 7am and having to leave by 8:30 has gotten really old. It really cramps my style. I have so much less Lego time. And with music lessons! When will it stop? I can't wait for Christmas break. My violin lessons are going well. I had to play "pepperoni pizza" on the E and A string and I did it. My teacher and I played it together! I'd like you to even try to get me to do it for you! NO WAY! This week I work on "blue berry."

My dad got an R2D2 robot for his birthday. It is sooooo cool.





It plays games, songs, and patrols the house. Baby doesn't like him very much. He tries to knock him over. He is in for a real rude awakening when the new baby comes.


Here is a picture of Uncle Brendan's new futon and Uncle Michael's turtle

School

Today I got right on the bus, and I got to sit by the window. I sat with Joseph both on the way to school, and on the way home. I saw Maggie again today in school, but I can't seem to remember that she in on the bus with me too. Two days in a row I could not find my classroom. Thankfully I was helped by a friendly teacher. Mom said I should follow Joseph to class, since he seems to know where it is. Joseph was to fast today; I could not see where he went when we got off the bus. The bus dropped us off in front of a different entrance today and yesterday, and I was unfamiliar with this new entrance. Mom says she has a map. Apparently there is treasure somewhere hidden at school. Uncle Michael sent a text message to Dad at work from his work saying that his scum sucker is doing a good job cleaning the fish tank. I guess that is what I have to look forward after all this school business is finished. Here is a picture of me with my violin. I have a lesson today. I'll talk about that tomorrow.



Max

Day THREE!

My uncle Brendan's first day of school was also on Monday and here is a picture of the bus he takes from his dorm...




Today was fun! It seemed that today I was the only one to have white milk for a snack drink. I also learned that you have to finish your snack before my teacher starts talking. I wonder what I was doing during snack? I ride the bus with my new friend Joseph who lives three houses down from me. He is also in my class. Tomorrow, I get to sit by the window! I'll let you know how that works out. Here are some pictures from the summer.



Here is me at the beach.





Here is me in a tree. I like to climb trees A LOT!

We had a going away party for Brendan. He threatened to put his face in the cake, but my dad put a sparkler in the cake instead. We thought it was a firecracker and was going to explode. Dad says something about therapy to straighten it out. I wonder if mom was home it we would have had candles!!!



Max

Kindergarten!!!

Where Has the Summer Gone?

Today was my second day of school. It seems like just yesterday I was graduating pre-school and the summer just flew by! I just could not get enough lego building time in this week to feel as if I actually accomplished something this summer.

Here is a video of me getting on the school bus. Yesterday was orientation so mom took me to school and we got to see where everything is. I got a bus pass wristband, and met my teacher, Mrs. Ondreja. She is nice and has hair like Kealey's mom.




(Dad speaking... wow that is the scariest thing I have ever seen in my life. Ever.)

What is so scary about that Dad? Seems like mom held it together pretty well ...Anyway school was fun. All of us kindergarteners have bright yellow t-shirts to wear today!!! Mom did not understand that she had to pack me a snack...but that is OK; I enjoyed my milk and watching my friends eat tasty treats. We got a tour of the school, a story about misbehaving kindergarteners, a fire drill, and, as it turns out, my name is Thomas and I have to learn how to read, write, and respond to that name. Guess the joke is on me dad! No homework... I guess this is one of those "syllabus" days. (Why is kindergarten such a hard word to spell for a little guy? Maybe I will learn that this year!)

Here is me coming home at 12:07. I was the last stop so I got to ride the bus all by myself.

Thanks for all of you praying for a safe first day of school, and for boldness in this new place. I found my class, asked people for help when I needed it, and made it home!

Max

Wet and Wild

Happy Birthday to ME!




We spent the weekend at the waterpark with Ava and her parents. It was fun, but I was not happy that my parents went on the tube waterslide. HAVE THEY NO SENCE FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY? I need to put more change towards future therapy.




Why is it that some fast food and expensive restaurants have free drink refills and some do not? Does it say something about the management, or about their goals as a food place?