out of school

First, I flew on a plane.  They served snacks two times and water.  I sat with two men.  They were nice.  We talked about the plan.  We went to foggy areas.  It was very very fun.

The dashing, the daring, the darling Demspey!!!! (and Wes.)

Happy Easter!!

Zeke's talk in church today.  He didn't read it.

On the first Easter two apostles were on the road. They saw Jesus.  Jesus told the apostles to go tell the others.  They were in a room with the door shut.  Thomas wasn't there.  Jesus appeared in their midst.  The apostles told Thomas that Jesus had risen.  Thomas didn't believe them.

They were again in a room with the door shut.  This time Thomas was there.  Jesus appeared in the midst. Jesus told him, "Be not faithless but believing."



I believe that Jesus is real and that he has risen from the dead. 

The trick is using a microwave to unthaw it.

Zeke: You made your corn!  I love it!  It doesn't taste anything like corn.  It tastes more like heaven!

When in Rome... This isn't home!

I had all of the kids at the store, and let them wander while I was doing my own thing.  I glance up and Dempsey is on top of a twenty foot stack of mattresses, jumping.  I waved her down.  I told her that they aren't for jumping and she said, "But their beds."

Later, I saw her out of the corner of my eye sitting on a display potty with her pants around her ankles. Yes, she did. 

A long came a spider and a stork

Spiders are bigger out here.  Easier to spot.  Dempsey called up from downstairs in an uncertain voice.  When I went down I saw that she had cornered a really big spider.  She had a handful of tissue. She was ready to kill it but hestitated, "It might bite my toes."

 
I am about to have a new baby coming.  On April 16th at 7 am Aunt Polly and Uncle Will went to the hospital.  Cole and Grandmom went to see the baby.  He was born on April 16th.  We are going to see him tomorrow.

The cook out and later the fireflies.

We had a cook out.  It was fun.  We gathered up the wood by ourselves.  Uncle Will got some from Grandad's.  We cooked cooked marshmallows and hot dogs.  It was just me, Cole, Sage, Uncle Will, Aunt Polly, and Dempsey. 

We also jumped on the tramp.  It was really fun.

I went to bed in Cole's room.  I was just about to turn my reading light off and go to sleep when Aunt Polly burst into the room.  She said, "The fireflies are out!"

I woke up my mom. She came out.  Dempsey came out too.  They only flashed for one second, not counting the thousandth part.  We tried to catch them but they were too high.  It was a very fun time. 

Rocktown:  We went to Rocktown.  It was a long drive.  Their were boulders and boulders everywhere.  I really liked it.  Some of the giant boulders were bigger than a really big house stacked on two.  There were really good climbing spots. 

Unlce Wes visited.  He set up some things on the Wii.  He downloaded some games.  He is a Wii expert.  I want to go see him again.

The Giant

(This story was the chosen as the best of the whole second grade!)

When I was seven I went camping.  It was dark and quiet.  I heard a loud sound!  I couldn't go to sleep.  The next morning our food was gone!  We saw big foot prints.  I saw something brown.  I picked it up.  It felt like fur.  The air smelled rotten.  My dad called the police.  I was curious what made such big foot prints.  I followed them.  They led to a big cave.  I came home.  I didn't tellmy dad because I didn't want to get into trouble.  The next night I watched.  I saw the giant.  I thought of a trap.  I tied some meat to a rope and let the giant chase after it.  I was too scared and I ran slow.  I couldn't catch it. This time I told my dad.  He didn't believe me.  He asked for proof.  The next night we stayed up.  We made him trip.  We tied him up.  We gave it to the zoo.  We saw him at the zoo.  Now it is a safe place to go camping.

Kleening Kids

Bloomin Spring Forward

Dempsey has been saying, "I'm serious," and "Gosh!" lately.  Collectively, we have been thinking, "Gosh, I hate daylight savings. I'm serious."  It doesn't suit early to bed, early to rise at all.

Withering Height

Zeke to Mom:  Is your dad tall?
Mom:  Yes.
Zeke:  Maybe that is why Aunt Polly is so much taller than you.
Mom: Huh? (We are the same height.)
Zeke: I'm medium, at least that is what my socks say.

Zeke's reoccuring nightmares

1) He goes out one set of doors in a school cafeteria.  There is a short hall with another set of doors.  These doors are locked.  He tries to go back.  The first set of doors are locked.

2)  He is in a yard, or in a house.  A monster man appears and yells at him, "Get out of here!"  He goes to another part of the the yard or house.  The monster man reappears and yells the same thing.  Everywhere he runs the man in there.

Dempsey interrupted a lecture with "Jesus loves me."
Her favorite songs are:  Oh where oh where has my little dog gone.
                                    The Mama doll song.
                                    A lion came to dinner.
                                    Follow the Prophet.
                                    Popcorn Popping on the ...


All the girls and Zeke were the only ones allowed to go out to recess.
He has also been given tickets to a baseball game and free ice cream.
(The rest of the class has been misbehaving.)

Quotes

Dempsey:  When I go to the store by myself I can't reach the Animal Crackers.
                  Zeke, stop kissing me.  I don't like it, but you can touch my toe though.

Zeke:         I'm going to tell the kids about the fire
                 (Polly was burning weeds and it got out of hand) tomorrow      
                 but I'm going to  make it a lot bigger.

Great Fortune

Zeke's fortune:  A great honor will be bestowed upon you in the upcoming year
Zeke's interpretation:  You will have a holiday named after you.

I want to be happy

Dempsey said in a sad voice: 

 I just don't want to throw a fit.  I just want to be happy.

Happy Valentines Day!

 This is Zeke's box for Valentine's Day.  His school has a contest to see which box is the most creative and pretty.  This is totally his idea and a joint execution.  I think he could win for both.

                                                              Cloudland State Park
                                                      Zeke scaled up the cliff for icicles.

Creating and Hiking with Family.

It has been a great Valentine's weekend.

 (And we made sugar cookies.)

Eyes like a cat, Ears like kid leather

Dempsey has been telling people she meets:  "I have blue eyes like my dad, and my brother, and my cat!"

In the middle of the night Dempsey said, "I like Zeke's ears.  I like to pet them."  Their dad likes to pet his ears too.

If I were, which I'm not

"I am not going to steal, I've already made that choice but if I were a robber I would rob stores instead of houses because most people keep their money in a bank.  I'd steal from a bank, if I had the mind of a robber which I hope that I never do." --- Zeke

Dempsey and her pet dog.



Wall Chairs

I, at the beginning, I could do a wall chair for three minutes.  After a little while, I got to four.  It was all in the same day.  My legs ached the next morning.  After a few days, it healed.  Today, I beated to five.  My goal is to get to ten minutes.  Right now, I am half way through.  My legs are shaking right now.  My mom told me and I could feel it. 

The kind of guy I am

"Some people like a design on one side (of a shirt).  I like a design on both sides, or one in the middle.  That's just the kind of guy I am."

"Some kids can't sit down and work.  I can sit down and work but I would rather you know... chicka chicka boom boom!"

Dempsey

Dempsey put two legs in one pant hole.  She got up and walked off.  I asked her if she was going to fix her pants she said, "No. I'm going to church"

I think I like it

Zeke likes:

Movies
Jokes
When it snows
His DS
Being Early
The Wii
His machete
Camo
Bagels with cream cheese
Pizza
Reading
Wheels
Math
Science

Zeke dislikes:
When the temperature drops below 35 degrees,
they cancel recess.

Dempsey likes:

Naps/Bedtime
Penguins
Clothes
Baby Dolls, i.e.  her blue baby
Gum
Church
"Her buddy, Sage"
Going to the store
Doing things by herself

Dempsey dislikes:
Sitting down to eat

And they both like each other

Zeke's Wisdom

Sage:  I want to go to live with Aunt Kim
Zeke:  Actually, Sage. It's not as fun as you would think.  They are still fun, but not as much.

Cole:  I want four inches of cinnamon sugar on my toast.
Zeke: Okay Cole. You can have a four inch straw of cinnamon sugar.  That's sound like the perfect amount.

They are testing Zeke for the gifted program at school on Monday.  There is a boy in his class whose birthday is on the same day as his birthday.  He found these things out when he went to school, five days out of the past month.  It has been shut down a lot for inclement weather-- Frost!?!

Uncle Will:  What did you dream about last night?

Dempsey:  My nap.

Actually, she talks in her sleep.  She said, "My doll just threw up!" 

Snow, snow, snow

It snowed on sunday and we didn't have to go to school for the rest of the week. It was very fun. We stayed home a lot.  It is very snowy over here.  About seven inches.  It is fun to play in.  And it is fun to sled in.  Dempsey sleded down once with me.  Sometimes we just spend the day inside.

The Fight

Dempsey and Sage fight a lot.  I think that only one day they didn't fight, all through the day.  Dempsey usually wins.  I think she does.  She wins by having a knock out.  By punching her once to make her cry.  They hardly they ever stop fighting until a grownup says, 'No.'

Sometimes you see them fight and you don't know what to say.  Knock Out

Zeke and Dempsey's favorite clothes

 Zeke asked for and received camoflage clothes for Christmas. 

He also got a camo flannel jacket and footed pajamas.

 Dempsey started loving swimming suits in the summer, she loves them just as much in January.

 Notice the gum.

She says she swallowed the gum.

And she is off playing again.

Back to School

I had a two week break.  It felt like I didn't have to go to school for a year or so.  Now I am back in school everything is fine.  I lost my folder.  I am pretty sad.  Everything but that is fine.  Dempsey thinks it is a new thing that I go to school, because I didn't go to school for two weeks.  Now we are studying fractions. 

Dempsey and Zeke at the Park

A girl:  This tire swing makes me want to throw up.
Dempsey:  I threw up in my car.  It was yucky.

Zeke jumps out of the swings and tries to do a 360 before he lands.  Sometimes he makes it, sometimes he doesn't.  He rides his scooter there also.  The neighborhood is not conducive to riding. 

Dempsey was playing with her cousin who started crying frantically.  I went over.  "There is an ant on my shoe."  She wailed.

Dempsey, who was just standing there, was covered in ants and ant bites.

Dempsey can count

Not just say the numbers in order but actually say how many of
something there is.  That's ahead.  She also really loves to run.

Sage to her Grandmom:  I pooped my pants.
Dempsey: I threw up in the car. It was yucky.




Here are some pictures from the Ward Christmas Party.  Zeke was the only shepherd.  They are short on kids.  He did a really good job.

Did I tell you the one about...

Dempsey:

"Do you remember when I threw up in the car?  Do you remember that mom? And you washed my coat.  It was yucky."

This story is replacing:  "I pet goats.  At the zoo, I pet goats."

Zeke:

I stayed outside from 5:30 to 6:00.

Your Birthday Movie and Ducks

It was a nise day outside we fed ducks and chased them and we even got to pet them.  It was fun.  We chased a goose.  There  was one duck, it was the king of the food.  It had the most food.  Everything that dropped the duck had.  I think it was a mallard. 

The night before that we went to your birthday party.  We went to the movie and watched Yogi Bear.  We bought treats at a store.  It was very funny.  Nobody was there except us.  It started at nine and ended at eleven.  It was very fun.  Happy Birthday!

From out of the blue

 Dempsey said, "I'm grateful for my Dad."

Christmas Morning

It was a very fun Christmas. I loved loved loved the DS games you sent, everything you sent.  Did you open my yet.  I hope you like it.  I am very happy.  Everybody woke up early, everybody but Sage.  Dempsey got a lot of dolls for Christmas.  She likes the stuff you sent her too.  We each gave her a present.  I got a machete for Christmas.  It was a fun Christmas.  I wish you were here at this Christmas. 

It snowed a lot.  We went sledding.  It was fun.

The Wonderful Day

This day takes place at the fourth of july.  It was a long drive.  We also had a parade.  The parade threw candy.  We also got some other stuff.  My mom bought some wall paper.  She wanted to pick it up after the fair, but the man who sold it to her had locked up his shop.  Months later, after my soccer game, we went back to the store.  It was there. 

Last night, we wrapped some presents.  I got to see all of Dempsey's and some of Mckelle's and of of Sage's.  It was a fun time. I got to wrap some myself.  The next day, Cole had to go get shots.  I also played on the computer, ate breakfast, took all the garbage out, and put stuff in the burn pile. 

Prairie Museum and other fun things

Zeke's favorite things were a collection of vintage toy weapons.  They were much better quality and much more realistic than the toy weapons made currently.  He also really liked learning about the tornadoes that came through Kansas.  Dempsey really like the pet cat and sheep that were on the museum's property.

St. Louis Zoo

Ostriches are very strange looking when they put their head down between their legs and they remain stationary from the neck down.  They had Grizzley Bears, those were a favorite. 

This is one of the only pictures we have of you.  I am really glad you let me take it.  We all love it, especially Dempsey.  We have it in a place where she can look at you whenever she wants too.  Every once in a while she will say, "My dad's at home."  All of my pictures are on the other computer.  I left my Mac in storage because I don't trust it to perform.  I do really miss it though, at least all of my software. 



There were so many leaves on the ground, they were practically neck-deep.  They were digging tunnels through them.  Dempsey disappeared for over a minute.  I was anxious but she came out laughing, and without shoes.

Cole's Birthday, Allie (Wesley's little girl) is the one closest to Cole. This is at Will's parents house.  They are so nice to us.  They have an adult daughter living with them that take the kids to the zoo, and another single daughter in her forties that has them over to her house to make cookies, and watch movies. 

Dempsey riding a Georgia Bulldog, on a break from trick or treating.  College sports are huge out here.  There are four competing teams: Tennesee (Will and Cole are fans) Auburn (Polly's team, they went to the championship this year, Georgia and Alabama.  I like Alabama because of your maroon hat.  "Roll Crimson Tide!"  Zeke is undecided about which team he likes the best.  Dempsey is a Bulldog fan (see above). 

Sage - 2 (Dempsey's nemesis.  If Sage wasn't a head taller and a very loud screamer, she would be more of a nusicance than a nemesis.)
Polly- Usually up a lot at night.
Will- Hunts deer (the season is like four months long,) when he isn't working or at school.
Cole-  4 (Poor Zeke is stuck playing with him a lot.)
Mckelle- 1 Super pleasent, just doesn't like to hold still for pictures.

Photo Shoot

These were taken at the Chickamauga Battlefield (Civil war, the south won that one) by Lindsay's camera (It's really nice.) 

August

Dempsey had a her 2nd birthday at the park.  She just wanted to play at the playground, with her new doll.  Someone would tell her "Happy Birthday" and she would say, "Happy Birthday" back.

Zeke's first day of second grade.  He  chose this outfit.  He reminds me of a little Alex Keaton with his shirt tucked in and buttoned to the top.

We have been playing in the yard a lot also.  Dempsey wants to go out there first thing in the morning. I don't blame her.  A fresh day is exhilarating.

We went to the Grand Mesa several times.  We hiked around lakes and up mountains.  We camped.  We haven't been fishing though.  Sorry Zeke.