While we were still in China, it was obvious that Shaun had played lots of little boy games with pretend guns and knives. Now, that wasn't my favorite way for him to play, but after trying to redirect the behavior, I decided that it really wasn't so bad and that maybe I was overreacting to the political correctness of the United States.

So, I've eased up and the kids now fold up papers and act like they are guns. Mommy's only rule is that we can't shoot each other with the folded up papers. We can only shoot at other things:-)

So today on AOL I read that a 2nd grader was suspended from school for a day because he drew a picture of a gun. While Sydney and Shaun and I ate lunch at McDonald's, Shaun said something about a gun. I responded that we needed to be careful about conversations about guns because it worries people. Then I told the story about the 2nd greader in NJ.

Sydney looked at me and smiled and said, "Well Mom when Shaun and I made guns at school and tried to shoot each other, the teacher just took them away from us and we didn't get kicked out of school."

And on that note, this old mother of pre-schoolers breathed a sigh of relief.

Sometimes my 3 1/2 year old daughter acts like she is 15 1/2 instead. Last night on the way home from pre-school, Sydney announced that she was not going to gymnastics. I tried reasoning with her (which is probably a flaw in my character...she's 3 1/2, why would I try to reason with her) but she'd have none of it. By the time we got home, she was crying that she wanted her mommy. We finally gave up and Brian took Shaun to gymnastics and Sydney stayed home with me.

And when Brian returned home, Shaun was in trouble. He goofed off all through class...didn't follow instructions, skipped stations, etc. At the end of class, Brian made him go to the teacher and tell her that he was sorry for being naughty during class.

The funny part is that the kids love gymnastics. So, this week's rule...if you don't want to go to gymnastics, no summersaults, headstands, flips, etc. We'll see how that works. I'll tell you what, this parenting stuff is really trial and error...mainly error!

The pumpkin patch picture is from last Friday. Sydney's class went to the Pumpkin Patch. This picture shows a gray haired daddy (Brian) helping someone else's child pick a pumpkin. And I love it!

Brian does a wonderful job with the kids. He is an incredible help around the house...he helps with baths and washes hair, he gets kids dressed for school and delivered there. I am incredibly blessed!

And, last, but certainly not least!!! Six months ago, we met Shaun for the first time! Is it possible? It certainly doesn't seem so! It seems that this young man has been in my life forever! I am so blessed that God has allowed me to be this boy's mommy.

As always credits for layouts can be found here. http://www.oscraps.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/5782

I was going to wait and update the blog when I really had time to write. However, who knows when that will be. So instead, here are a couple of layouts.

A friend of mine from CDS (China Digital Scrapbooks) made a beautiful mini-kit that I used for these layouts! Thanks Darcy Miller for the awesome kit. I think that one of these days you'll be designing and selling your kits!

I'm on a roll now. Here's a layout that I did to celebrate the look on Shaun's face. It will be 6 months on 10-16-07. Six months that this sweet son of ours has been home with us. He has learned so many things. And there are so many more things to teach him.

This was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Brian took Hannah and Sarah shopping and I had a horrible cold. So I sat on the driveway with my camera and took pictures of the kids riding bikes, practicing cartwheels and taking walks around the side of the house.

Then I told them that they could go across the street to play if they wanted. I walked them across and then thought that maybe we should have street crossing class. So, we worked and worked at what we need to do when we cross the street. We probably spent 30 minutes on this. And the end result was that Shaun was allowed to cross alone. He was so proud! And I am so proud of him as well.

Credits for layout can be found here http://www.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/20304/cat/500/ppuser/5782

This is my last weekend in my 40's. That might explain why I'm up after midnight and can't sleep. Nope...the real reason is that Sydney's coughing so much that it woke me up. And so I decided to catch up on pictures for the blog.

The cartwheel pages are such classic Sydney! She was so determined to do a cartwheel. She loves gymnastics and it's fun to watch her because sometimes she gets really distracted just watching the older girls practice. Of course, Shawn Johnson is in the gym practicing at the same time so I get distracted too!

Anyway, she just kept trying the cartwheel until she finally got it right. Then around supper time, she was running around the living room. She had refused to take a nap. Her little mouth was going non-stop. Then it was quiet...for 30 seconds! So I looked over and she was sound asleep. She goes so hard...but when she stops she really stops.

The school picture is from their first day of pre-school. I told them that I wanted a picture before we left the house and they came up with this pose on their own! Everyone should have both a boy and a girl!

Everything for the layouts comes from Tina Williams' Fruit of the Spirit kit.

This picture was taken on Dad's 78th birthday. I love it. Dad came out for coffee as he often does on Saturday mornings. We leave the garage door open and the first thing we hear is the whistling. When the kids hear that they start yelling "Papa, Papa." Then when he gets in the house they ask if he brought them suckers or money...because Papa usually brings suckers or money.

I've been told that my grandpa used to whistle all of the time. This was my mom's dad. He died when I was 12 and he got throat cancer a couple of years before that so I really don't remember much about him before he was sick. I wish I could remember more! I can't hear the whistling in my mind at all. But I'm grateful for every day that my dad comes walking through the garage whistling...and for every memory that my young kids can have...even if they won't remember his whistling 39 years from now.

Everything in the layout is from Ashalee Wall's October kit at oscraps.