Cute little helpers

Jace is at that fun stage where he wants to do everything the older folks do. This includes such things as turning on the dishwasher, putting away dishes (okay, mostly taking them out of the cupboards he can reach), typing on any available keyboard, sitting in chairs, standing on chairs, falling off chairs, putting things in the trash, taking things out of the trash, eating things taken out of the trash. Yup, all the things we do.
Here's a video of him helping us out with pumpkin carving. As you can see, he's already a big helper! Love that little guy.

New Developments in the Land

It's that exciting time of year. The weather is starting to turn chilly. The corn mazes are in full swing. Haunted houses are starting to appear. Leaves are starting to turn colors and will soon be falling off trees. Teeth are starting to fall out.

Yup, it's fall! A perfect time to concentrate on traditional American Holiday characters. Like the Great pumpkin (Halloween), the Magical Flying Squirrel that guides ships to safety (Columbus Day) and the tooth fairy (Oct 14th, the day Kate's first tooth fell out).

Never satisfied with doing something fun just once, she pulled out her second loose tooth today.

The Tooth fairy visited last night, and Kate ran in this morning to excitedly tell me that she got some loot! We even went and opened her first bank account today in honor of the occasion. The only drawbacks we've discovered so far are that she'll need her sandwiches chopped up really small (her request), and that she now talks with a slight lisp (my observation).

Also, she kept asking hard questions, like "Dad, did you put the money under my pillow."

My response? "How much money did you get? What do you want to do with it?" (that's right, skillful misdirection). She's starting to question the reality of imaginary Characters! I think we'll rent the movie "Tooth Fairy" soon just to reinforce these obviously beneficial delusions.

Anyway, what you've all really been waiting for, a picture:

Other stuff

Kate "I sure like to ride my bike in the Gut" - Gutter

We were talking about where Kate learned to play "ghosts in the graveyard" (basically hide and go seek with a different name). She happily informed us that it was at the grill. I was a bit confused at this, and asked if she meant a restaurant?

She clarified, "No daddy, remember where we had the bouncy house? The GRILL."

Suzy figured it out. It was the BBQ (Neighborhood BBQ).

It's funny what kid's pick up on, and it's fun when they begin using phrases they hear without complete understanding. Of course, who doesn't do that?