Science Fair Projects

This year Gabe is in the science fair as part of his 6th grade science class but Zach is just doing it for fun. It's been great to see the boys engaged in their different projects. 

Rilla of course jumped in to create her own picture.

Nobody puts Baby in a corner-

Yikes! Will she always be "Baby"?!?! She is a great (although tasteful!) dancer!

Rilla is four.

How did this happen?

She is reading and spelling and snapping; the list went on to include puking the morning of her birthday but fortunately that last one can be crossed off the list now.

The night before her birthday, in Godsey tradition,  we recited her birth story; she got out the photo album and followed along, wiggling and grinning with sheer joy and excitement. 

Some adult tears were shed for sure.

We love you, AprilJayne Rose Godsey.

Fall Festivities

As always things have been non-stop around here; it's almost one in the morning as I write this quick update. October has come to an end and now we are just about into the holiday season. Rilla turns four now and is no longer a toddler. More about that tomorrow!

Now wait just a minute...

NToday's dress up theme at school is "Throwback Thursday" but the throwback era they chose?!?! 

The nineties.

Are we so old that the years we spent as adults are considered throwback?!?!?

The only redeeming shred of dignity I could salvage for myself was not being able to find a single piece of clothing to wear for this particular theme, having discarded my platform shoes, Chinese flats, body glitter and suspenders some time ago.

My husband truly went all out and it was almost more than I could handle.

On a funny note I had to stop at Wmart for a few things on the way home from bringing the boys to school and I didn't feel out of place at all. ;0)

New friends Jill, Elsie and Jovie walked with us to the farmers market next door for a bit of trick or treating after class; we were almost home when Rilla asked "where's my bag???"

I must have looked in my purse ten times, spinning around asking Jill if I had hidden it somewhere in my body without thinking- I mean, how do you lose a bag of candy? And,let's be honest-- my mind these days just isn't cruising along at top speed, if you know what I mean.

Finally I was (pretty) sure I wasn't holding the bag in a pocket or on my head (I literally checked) and we walked back to find Rilla's forlorn pink purse on the side of the road.

Clearly I need to teach her the importance of knowing where her candy is.

Painting Pumpkins

Hosanna came over today to paint pumpkins; within about thirty seconds both girls were done and so we spent ten times longer cleaning up the project than we did actually doing the craft.

Also it was Wild West Wednesday and in our diligent quest to win that coffee we went all in once again!

The hunt for the "sly eyebrow"....

Many will remember last year when Zach posed with his Sly Eyebrow.

Well, recently he came downstairs with another eyebrow trick up his proverbial sleeve- a quick trim which he had taken upon himself in an effort to tame his unruly brows. 

Not sure how long it takes for them to grow back - but there clearly hasn't been much growth in the last week-!

City planning

Gabe and Rilla have been working off and on in 15 minute increments to build a city downstairs: 

Who's who?!?!

So, yup- it's Twin Day!

Hard to even tell who is who!

Movie Monday

Well, Spirit week at NTBI seems as good a time as any to get back on the proverbial horse; today is "Movie Monday" which led to much digging around in the dress up tote that is typically untouched in the basement. 

Amazing what a grown man will do for a Jackson Coffee Co. gift card.

Wielding the mighty pen

Both Gabe and Zach have shown an aptitude for writing and over the last year this gift has really taken off for both of them; Gabe is writing and illustrating stories and Zach has a knack for poetry.

Recently Gabe had a book of his "published" at school which is now in circulation at his school library. His dean offered to him that he could read the story on power point during a middle school assembly, and of course, never one to be shy, my Gabe jumped at the chance!

Both boys were involved in a multi-school poetry event called "icreate" and out of hundreds of students (3-8 grade) Zach's poem was chosen as one of the winners. Local musicians put the poems to music and there was an amazing night at the local theater while they presented to songs to the children. Zach was called up on stage while his poem was presented in an awesome musical performance.

Very proud of these boys who have had so many transitions and adjustments to deal with this year; rather than choosing resentment they are embracing their new lives for what they are.

Last night we attended a soup supper at the boys school and happily Zach was able to have a bearded dragon sit on his head. :0)

A day at the museum

My friend Andrea casually mentioned at our Friday night pizza gathering she thought my kids might enjoy the free day coming up at the Henry Ford Museum; I replied  that since before we even moved to Michigan Gabe has wanted to go, so - "count us in!"

Not sure if my views of his politics had made me put off going to the museum, I was   happy to be prompted to take the kids, and even happier to hear we could turn a hundred dollar outing into a free family day.

And boy, did this family day deliver.

I got pictures if each of my kids sitting  in Rosa Parks seat, on the very bus she made history in! The boys stood in front of President Kennedy's limo - the one he was in when he got shot- as well as the limo President Reagan was in when he was shot. We enjoyed history of planes, trains AND automobiles (which brings to mind a movie... Definitely more laughs with the movie although I must have chuckled at some point between 1.) wrestling Rilla into her stroller, 2.) visiting each and every restroom in the 9 acre facility with a toddler who has taken to singing loudly as she announces the details of what's going on in her stall, and 3.) waiting in line for thirty minutes to take a tour before reaching the front of the line only to repeat steps 1 & 2...).

All in all it was a wonderful time spent with wonderful friends ; we even learned some stuff! :0)

We are the snowiest!!

Imagine that, it's snowing! 

Apparently this is the snowiest winter on record for Michigan, or in the last ten years or SOMETHING but no matter the statistic, believe me when I say, it's snowy!

Special delivery

Nana is soooo great about sending packages to us in the mail:0) - in addition to all the other things she is great about.

(What I am failing to mention is that WE are not so good at waiting to eat the delicious Granite State candy chocolates she sent... )

Seven

This morning our church met with six other churches from town at the Jackson High Auditorium for a giant service. The goal was just to promote the idea that we are all headed the same way and should be working together to bring about positive change in Jackson. Despite the itty-bitty teenager sized chairs that could hardly be expected to contain children, jackets, snacks, Bibles, books, toys and people, and then me carelessly leaving my husband behind as I gave myself the proverbial pat on the back for getting out of the parking lot so quickly (in my defense he went early to "valet" cars for the elderly so I assumed he had the same ride home...) it was a grand experience. No doubt the lovely folk who inadvertently sat next to our noisy bunch all sang songs of praise on the way home in their quiet, peaceful vehicles, glad their child rearing days are behind them; but ours are in full swing and I am determined to enjoy each chaotic day.

When I procrastinate...

So basically my blogging pattern is that I do very well keeping up and then my phone memory gets full or we are sick or some other mundane part of life comes along and I get so behind on the blog I feel it's unfair to post until I am caught up. Maybe it's a sign of maturity (insanity...?) to recognize I will NEVER actually catch up so the only way left to me is to dive in where we are. 

My boys are now ten and eleven, Rilla is of course taller and we are in our second semester at school. Break was a wonderful time to take a deep breath and consider how to make small positive changes which will make things a bit smoother around here. Some new things are cooking but more about them later.