Catch Up

The past couple months look like this:

Channing headed off to full-day Kindergarten.  He’s thriving in his new academic environment & we are thrilled.  It’s amazing to see what he’s learned since the beginning of the year.  It’s fascinating to see his wheels turning.  It’s exciting to think ahead to who he is becoming.  

Maxwell turned 2.  If you ask him, he’s four.  Or sometimes he’s six.  Regardless of the number he says, he holds up five fingers.  Always five fingers.  I laugh every.  single.  time.  He’s talking up a storm.  His current favorite phrase seems to be ‘no help.  Little Mr. Independent.  

Michael & I snuck off to Phoenix for a long weekend.  We needed that time together to recharge and enjoy being Michael & Holly rather than dad & mom.  

October brought the ‘what to be for Halloween’ debate.  Channing asked to be a zombie.  With a gentle nudge in a more age appropriate direction, he opted for ‘bomb bird’ and suggested ‘red bird’ for Maxwell.  The costumes were fairly easy to put together.  It’s just the old pumpkin costume of my youth, made up with the appropriate color of polar fleece & an applique for the face.  Again, fleece.  Good thing they were warm, thick costumes.  Halloween, spent in Cincinnati visiting Kelly & Co, was a wee bit wet and chilly.  

 Most of the kiddies went trick-or-treating with the dads.  Little Lil & Jameson stayed home to hand out the candy, or in Jameson’s case to steal all the candy he could get his hands on.

Mid-November, Channing turned 6.  Yep.  6.  He now has to use TWO HANDS to show his age.  Sheesh.  He’s old.  

Which brings us to December.  We’re in the midst of holiday prep.  The caramels are in a pan on the kitchen counter, cooling as I type.  Sparky, our Elf on the Shelf, has reappeared from wherever elves go in the off season.  I’m later than I’d like with regard to ordering, addressing & mailing the holiday cards.  Yep.  Just placed the order 10 minutes ago.  

Channing had fun helping to style the photo shoot for this year’s card.  He helped scour Pinterest for ideas.  He made suggestions as to where the boys should sit/stand as well as what props were necessary to achieve our desired look.  Thankfully his ideas & mine were in line this time around.  That doesn’t always happen.  Without giving anything away, here’s an outtake from the shoot.  Sweet boys.  Pun intended.