Ethan’s trying to read — not doing too badly at it either.  He still loves doing math, and especially coming up with his own difficult problems. 

Caleb can count to 10 — sometimes to 12.  And he sings the ABC’s (imperfectly, but still..)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we learned a lot this summer about gardening.

They both sing all the time, and they especially love to sing to Grandpa, who is slowly losing his battle with Alzheimer’s.  (Or won’t it actually be a "win" in the long run?)  Caleb worries a lot about G’pa getting his medicine and making sure G’ma sits him up.  So they’re learning compassion, that all life is precious, and to care for those who can’t care for themselves.

They play really well together, but there are still multiple opportunities to learn how to share  and be polite and that you are not the only person on the planet.

They’re both learning how to do laundry, just different aspects of it.

Ethan can say the 23rd Psalm, the books of the Bible, a few short Bible verses, and the names of the Apostles.  (I’m probably forgetting some stuff.)

Caleb can sing "Jesus Loves Me" and MANY other "church" songs, and he knows a rock and a button won’t grow because God didn’t plan for them to grow. 

Tim and I are still learning how to parent the way (we hope) God would have us to do.  We have learned that going to bed at midnight all the time is stupid (even though we seem to keep doing it — so maybe we haven’t learned that one yet).  We’ve learned to speak "in code" using German, Spanish, French, Russian, spelling, mathematical language, 50 cent words and other crazy things (I know we’re not alone.)  And, among many other lessons I don’t have time to write, we’ve learned to listen to the language on TV like never before, so we can quickly change the channel!  Although Ethan is becoming a pretty good language policeman.

And the learning continues!  (As I know it does for the rest of you!) 

Caleb’s been climbing out of his crib for quite some time now.  I know… we’re supposed to move him to a big boy bed.  But just as with Ethan, if you’d seen the kid do this you also would probably not worry too much.  His technique is not QUITE as impressive as Ethan’s was, but it is still quite effective.  The only time he’s fallen was when he was getting IN, and he was being very silly.  He didn’t even get hurt.  And as with his haircut situation: it’ll happen.  We’ll get there.  So don’t you worry too much about it.  

So anyway!  For a while we had the (almost) nightly problem of him climbing out after being put to bed.  He usually ends up with a spanking before it’s all done.  Almost every night I’ll say to him, "Caleb, no climbing out.  Climb out is a no-no." etc.  Then I’ll say, "Are you going to stay in bed?"  He often grins and says, "Trime out."    "No, No," I say, "You stay in bed."       Another, bigger grin and then, "Elmo trime out."       "Ooohhh," I say, "He’d better NOT climb out."  (Mainly because the child often throws the animals and Elmo out, using it as an excuse to get out:  They climbed out and I had to go get them!)      Anyway, when I say this Caleb will LAUGH!!!!  Then he’ll go through that with all the animals in his bed; telling me that they’re all going to climb out and I respond with how they’d better be good and not do it.       He thinks it’s so funny.      Until he gets a spanking for being out of bed.    

Actually, after a few weeks of this he’s getting a lot better about staying in bed.  I guess he’s finally realizing we mean it.  I hope.

Okay, I know I’m behind the times with this post, but I feel the need to comment on the President winning the Peace Prize.

 So here’s my main comment:   WHAT!?!?!?!?  WHY!?!?!?!?    grrrrrrrrr….

 There, got that out of my blogging system. 

I haven’t blogged ALL summer (as some people have repeatedly reminded me!); and so I’ve written nothing about our garden.  We had an okay garden this year.  Probably would’ve been better, had I known better how to properly use soaker hoses – what a pea brain!  At any rate, we did have fairly good luck with the tomatoes and peppers.  (I made Tim laugh the other day when I mentioned that the Family Solinacea – sp? had been good to us this year.  That being the taxonomic Family from whence cometh peppers and ‘maters.)  

We had especially good luck with cherry tomatoes, which the children LOVE to pick!  The biggest triumph (I think) of the season, is that both kids absolutely adore eating tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and carrots; all of which we have harvested from the garden!    I think Caleb likes the stuff even more than Ethan!  He loves picking them, and then getting to come inside so I can wash, cut, and salt them for his dining pleasure.   So the title of this post comes from Caleb.  Tomatoes are "Pea-Mose."  Even though it is October 19th and the plants look horrible, there are still a few fruits to be harvested.  (The growing season here still blows my mind, considering where I grew up!)

So anyway, Caleb woke from naps before Ethan today.  When he came downstairs, about the first thing he said after getting his hug was, "Ah-side, pea-mose?"

So the two of us went outside and picked about 2 1/2 pints of pea-mose together.  There is no substitute for turning off the TV and doing something with your kid.

 My brother needs to update his blog (says the pot to the kettle).  All he does anymore is Twitter, and (I think) Facebook.  Well, and try to start a web design business — whatever.    By the way, if you or any of your associates out there need web design help, check out floatingpointmedia.com    It doesn’t really matter where you live in relation to my talented brother.  He can help ya, cuz he’s GOOOOOOD.   

 But ANYWAY, I just wanted to put it out there for the world to see — and specifically my brother — that not all of us keep up with each other in real time (or anything approximating real time.)

I’m not a bird (I do not "tweet"); the only "space" that is mine on the web is this one, and I have no books with my face on them.

Favorite new joke: In the future, the sites Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube will merge to create one giant time-wasting web site called "YouTwitFace."