copper drew @ 4 months

Copper Drew, 4 months old
You have become so fun this month! You're holding your head up so well and really want to be up right most of the time. You like to sit and play in your all your different chairs or jumper. You figured out how to hold things so you've really started enjoying your toys. You had your first visit to the pediatrician and you now weigh 18 lbs, and are at the top of the charts. You are so happy (except in the car) and really enjoy when people talk to you! And it looks like Daddy finally got his brown eyed baby!

elle’s social studies fair project...or parent jail

Elle had to choose to do the science or social studies fair at school this year. We found this great book on the history of the Monopoly game, which is one of Elle’s favorite things to play. So she picked SS, and thus began our first adventure into working on this type of project. It’s so much work, and as Chris put it, parent jail. We didn’t want to do the work for her, but giving her guidance and motivation was a constant job.

The story is a pretty good one about how a woman named Lizzie Magie created the Land Lord’s game and got a patent for it, which was pretty rare for a woman and for a board game at the time. Her game had two ways to play, and her purpose was to show how unfair the it was to poor city workers who kept having their rent raised by rick land owners who were buying up all the property. Her game was popular, but the Parker Brothers turned it down. Fans kept play it and creating different versions. Eventually a man named Charles Darrow played a friend’s game, and decided to create his own version, and called it Monopoly, then tried to sell it to the Parkers Brothers. Eventually, they had to buy Lizzie’s patent for $500, and Charles Darrow ended making tons of money.

Elle decided to test one of Lizzie’s original ideas for her project. This involved playing lots of Monopoly. The project got turned in, and she ended up with Third place in her category. One cool thing about this project was Elle getting a chance to see my Grandma’s Monopoly game from 1947.

todd @ 7 years old

Todd turned 7 on December 7th! We have been so blessed to have him as part of our family. He's a work in progress, but he really is a sweetheart. Todd loves figuring things out whether it's transformers or legos, or even the plot to a story. He has really enjoyed doing cub scouts with Chris this year. He can read so well now, and generally does great at school. He is very friendly, and loves playing with his friends. I love how loyal he is. When we were talking about his birthday party, he said he had to invite a certain friend because he didn't want to let him down. He has a big heart! His prayer skills are amazing too! He is really thoughtful when talking to God, and talks like an adult a lot of the times.

This year we came up with a plan to have a Grinch party since the new movie had just come out. He saw this Grinch head at Walmart, and really wanted it. The day we were there though he didn't have his wallet, and after we got home he said he was going to earn the money and go buy it. He did several loads of laundry, and it ended up being a birthday present from all of us. This year he also worked really hard at learning to ride his bike, and after outgrowing his old one he ended up with a new one for his birthday.

Everyone got up early to celebrate with donuts and presents. Then we took lunch to him at school. We had his party that evening on his birthday because it was about the only time we could have it with so many other events going on. We had to limit the number we could invite since our house isn't that big, but we got a lot of little boys here. We started out the night with a silly string fight in the front yard to help the Grinch decorate for Christmas. Then we had roast beast (Arby's roast beef sandwiches), strawberry/banana/grape grinches, and Who pudding while we watched the classic Grinch movie. Then we made a heart ornament for everyone to take home. We also had cake and our last activity was making Grinch dust for the kids to sprinkle in their yard.

We loved celebrating our brother bear, and we love him so much! Time needs to slow down!