Icebergs and the Tectonic.....

We have a pass to the CT Science Museum, and in March we can get into the Mystic Aquarium for free. So today Nate took Ethan so I could get some work done. Ethan loved the Titanic exhibit, especially exploring the small submersible, the Alvin. He was very excited to tell me all about the icebergs ripping open the side of the Tectonic. We study earthquakes and volcanoes, can you tell?

Piano this morning...

Ethan woke up early this morning...6:25. Argggh! I had woken up at 5:15 with Nathan. Nathan left for work and I thought I could get at least an hour of whatbird work in before Ethan got up.
Anyways Ethan got up, we cuddled till 7, then we finished the 9th Box Car Children book.
Afterwards Ethan did his piano practice. HE has a new theory and lesson book. I am happy to say that Ethan plunked out 3 new songs this morning!!! We'll spend a few days with them before he learns another song, but I was happy he wanted to keep going. Thursday is his next lesson. I'll make a video of him playing soon. Then I have to figure out how to post it!

Reading!

Ethan read over 42 books to me this summer. Nathan or I read a few chapters of the Box Car Children to him each evening. His reading has really improved over the summer, but it was still a happy surprise to find him in the chapel after church on Sunday reading a story out of the Friend magazine. He was reading outloud to Kate and Wendy Darre. He read over half of the story, then Kate finished it for him. Shortly afterwards he read a book on volcanoes to me, I'm not sure what grade level it was but it was certainly longer and more complicated than the books he'd been reading all summer.

Like Father, like Mother

This weekend Ethan exclaimed that his milk was shallow. Upon closer inspection I determined that the milk in his cereal bowl was low and he needed more.
On the way to baseball saturday morning he asked me if I had any electronic stuff that he could take apart. When I told him that I didn't, he asked if we could go to a junk store and pick something up for him to take apart, because he likes taking things apart, especially something with wires.
I serve on two town commissions in Woodstock, the Conservation Commission and the Open Space and Farmland Preservation Commission. Ethan asks what I do sometimes and we talk about conservation and land preservation.
Last night during his evening prayer, Ethan said, "Thanks you that we live in the country. Please bless that the land willl be preserved and no houses will be built on it."
That's my boy!

Oh what joy!

Ethan is starting to learn the notes on the treble and bass clefs in piano. Today we reviewed the treble clef work, then turned the page to what he worked on in his lesson yesterday. The very last piece was 8 measures from "Ode to Joy"!

I love that song! He worked on it 2-3 times and was really getting the hang of it. When he has it down I will post a video.

Work in Progress...

OK I fell behind, one reason being I was seriously bummed that a great picture of Ethan and I at the beach sitting next to my surfboard has gone MIA. I can see it in the HP photo program, but when I go to add the image its not in any of the folders where it should be.

SIGH.

So I have at last come back, and am slowly catching up, but you'll have to scroll past the pictures and belly button post, because what I just posted took place earlier.

Does that make any sense?

Seriously so handsome!

Here are the 3 poses we got back from picture day at Northwood, grandparents let me know which pose you like and if you have a size preference. Thanks!

One cool dude

Beluga's at Mystic Aquariam

Today we went to Mystic Aquarium with our friends Lona, Ammon and Maddie. Ethan and Ammon had a great time watching the beluga whales swim by.

Ward Fall Festival

Tonight was the Fall Festival and Halloween Party at our church. We actually got a picture of all of us together! Thanks Terry!

Ethan playing one of the games.

Ethan the Alligator at the Trunk-or-Treat.

My first time making challah bread, braiding 6 strands of dough is not easy! As you can see my second loaf came out much better.

I made a cheesecake with a pumpkin layer and a chocolate layer, it was yummy!

Belly Button!

Pumpkin Carving Party

Every year our neighbors down the road have a huge pumpkin carving party and line their stone wall with hundreds of carved pumpkins. This year we went down to help carve and had a blast. They had a tent set up with tables and carving utensils, and pots of chili and treats.

Ethan scooping out the seeds

And dumping them out


Ethan and Nathan

I love these owls!

Playground Day

We had fun going to one of the playgrounds at the Woodstock Elementary School this afternoon. Ethan loved playing in the wooden plane and going headfirst down the slides.

First Snowflakes

Ethan had fun catching snow on his tongue.

Bean town

Here we are in front of the Congress Street Bridge, which is where the Boston Tea Party ships and museum will open in 2011.


I thought this building looked like a dead sheep lying upside down. What do you think?

We visited the Boston Fire Museum. It was full of old fire engines, artifacts and pictures.

Boston Children's Museum

We had a great time exploring the Boston Children's Museum. Ethan loved climbing and exploring the three story high climbing sculpture.

We loved playing in the bubble room!

Playing in the contruction zone was a ton of fun!

We went outside and found some big stone scuptures to run through.

I loved watching this huge fish sculpture float by!

Pomfret Corn Maize!

After the Hartford Marathon we headed to Pomfret to the corn maize. Ethan had a blast running through the corn and exploring.

Hartford Marathon

On Saturday October 10th we hit the streets of Hartford along with over 10,000 other runners to participate in the 16th Hartford Marathon. Our team the Quiet Corner Cuties finished in 18th place with a time of 4:45:55. Sara, me, Rachel and Jenny are pictured above, Mary also ran with us. I ran 7.5 miles of the 26.2 miles in about an hour and 15 minutes. It was awesome and we had a blast! Can't wait to do it again next year! Team again or half marathon? Decisions, decisions.

More pictures coming soon.
Here they are!

Lapsley's Orchard

We had fun at the orchard and enjoyed picking apples and taking a hayride.