December the Piano Virtuoso

We're starting December on piano super early, aren't we?! She likes to sit on the piano bench like a big girl and pound on the keys.

Look how fast her hands are going. You can't even see them!

Checking the music pages

She plays beautifully! (sort of)

Our church's Vacation Bible School is this week. Last year we were in charge of doing the skits, and it was rather un-fun, so we told the VBS director this year that we would make the props for the skits again, but we didn't want to have anything to do with the daily skits themselves. The pastor's family (he has seven children) said they would take over the skits, and Brad and I were very relieved!

Until the end of last week. While the pastor and his family were away visiting their grandparents out East, their grandfather died (he had been sick for a while), and they won't be back in time. Some of the older girls were teachers for the kids, as well. Our VBS program was thrown a BIG curve ball! To make a long story short, Brad and I are doing the skits again this year. Some of our youth group kids have thankfully stepped up and are acting, along with Brad as Terry the Turtle and me as Rocky the Rabbit. Oh, boy! Yesterday, Mom, Dad, Brad, and I were all working on creating a long-eared, furry rabbit hat for me. We do a skit each day, and we learn our lines the night before. This week is going to be very busy for us...this morning's skit went very well, though. Hopefully the rest of them will go as smoothly!

Playing

Here's December hanging out. (I took this picture in sepia, and it turned out kinda cool!)

December likes to play with the camera, but we don't let her play with it, so here she's consoling herself by playing with the camera case instead.

Look at that little mouth, hehee. One of her newer skills is drinking through a straw, and I like to watch her do it. She looks like such a little big person!

More playing with the camera case

Picking Strawberries

People say that they look forward to summer because it's the time when they can relax. The kids are out of school, life is less busy, the pace is slower, etc. Right now I'm finding that the opposite is true! There are soo many more things to do in the summer than in the winter, when everyone is cooped up in the house. So far it's been quite busy here! Yesterday morning, December got another immunization. Ick! Those are ALWAYS traumatic for all three of us. But, it was the best immunization yet because December only had to get one needle! Yay! That's a record. She usually has to get four or so. I think she had to get five once. And she always gets a reaction from them, too. Fever, grumpiness, waking up in the night, etc. There's been no reaction yet from the one she got yesterday! It's a good day! Her body must be able to handle one but not four.

Later yesterday, we went to my Mom's house to join her and my sister to make strawberry jam and strawberry pies. Yumm! December loves playing with Makenzi, Markus, and Emilia, so she had a grand time. Kelli and I went out strawberry picking, so we had super fresh berries to use. It was fun, and I was even able to take home a pie for Brad. I think he liked it. I know I did.

Today we had another house showing. I spent this morning getting the house ready, and then we went to Brad's work to eat lunch with him. After I got back home, our realtor had left a message on our machine saying that these people had some interest after they looked through it. That is a good sign! Brad and I are praying that they will buy our house.

Beans, Cucumbers, and Chocolate

Who, me? Stealing chocolate out of the chocolate chip container? No, no. Couldn't be me.

December is looking at the book and saying, "Da da! Da!" Maybe she thinks one of the pictures on the front is Brad (which it isn't)...? Kinda funny.

While we were at my parents' house yesterday, I got out some pictures from when I was a baby. Brad and I were comparing December to my baby pictures and decided December and baby Kristin don't really look all that alike. I think the mouth is similar, but definitely not the eyes! Who does December look like? Tell us, if you know!

I'm still struggling with how much December understands. She doesn't listen very well, and she often does not do what we tell her to do. Is that because she doesn't understand what we're saying to her or because she is choosing not to do what we tell her to do? I never know! For instance, she likes to stand at the back screen door, but she isn't supposed to go outside unless Brad or I take her outside. Often, she will push at the door, and then stick one leg out. I see her do this, and I say, "December, don't go outside without Mommy." But she goes out anyway. I'm not sure what to think about that. Does she not understand me or is she disobeying me?

I need to go outside now and go plant and replant. Mom gave me bean and cucumber seeds I'm going to plant, and I've got to move some flowers that don't like where they are currently planted. Already some of them have died, so I'm going on a rescue mission to save the others.